Undying Devotion

Shannara hoisted herself up onto the table as the boys stared each other down. Crossing her legs, the skirt really didn’t hide anything. Darren’s eyes shifted to the spot she was sure she was showing him as she leaned back on her hands listening to the two. Not just to them but the muffled noise in the back rooms, the noise on the street. Her position also allowed her to read the documents on his desk while the men discussed what they needed.

“What happened to the missing girl?” Arion asked. “I won’t have this one go missing on me, not after all the work I put in.”

“She just quit that’s all, girls come and go.” Darren shrugged.

“I don’t believe that.” Arion shook his head sternly. “My girl likes the work, don’t you sweetheart?”

Shannara uncrossed her legs and lent forward, placing her hands between her legs as she spread them wider, she nodded eagerly. “Master, I love it.”

She gasped as he stepped between her legs gripping her chin, the action so sudden and unexpected. His next words were a hushed whisper in her ear that only she could hear. “Keep going this way and I’ll take you right here and now, little minx.”

Her whole body came alive at that moment, her breathing growing heavier as every hair stood on end. She felt exhilarated by this man, this demon. She knew it wasn’t love or some silly notion like that. It was pure raw physical attraction, she wanted him. Though she would never admit it to his face. He could easily match her intensity and strength, he wasn’t intimidated by her or her body. She wanted to push him more.

“Oh!” She faked surprise. “So this is to be my new master?” She replied turning her head still cupped by his hand toward Darren, as though he had whispered something else in her ear.

He snarled low, sending a shiver down her spine. The sound that had once scared her slightly thrilled her. What an interesting turn of events. She could feel each and every point that their bodies were connected, his touch was electric on her skin.

“Heaven’s I need a taste of her.” Darren was clearly aroused by the situation.

She felt Arion’s hand clench into a fist at her side, glancing down she saw that already his claws were emerging. She lent her head against his moving her hand to cup his clenched fist. “He received a huge sum of money for a buyout recently.” She muttered to him relaying what she had read in the records book that was lying open on his desk. Perhaps pushing a demon wasn’t the best idea in this situation. She didn’t want to make heads roll.

He seemed to relax against her, his breathing slowing as he regained himself, remembering why they were there. Pushing up and away from her he glared at Darren. “If she had quit, why tell the other girls that she’s been a no-show.”

Darren huffed a sigh. “Look man, I don’t like giving them false hope so I keep the real reasons quiet.”

“And those are?” He pressed.

“Confidential, I ain’t gonna spill the beans on some other girl simply cause you asked.” Darren rolled his eyes.

Arion shook his head. “You expect me to leave my most prized possession with you and just trust that you’re not going to sell her off to the highest bidder!?” He raised his voice a little.

“I wouldn’t sell off a girl when she has a handler, not my business ya see, I only find clients for the girls.” Darren returned to his chair on the other side of the desk.

“So this girl, she had no handler?“Arion was quick with his words, somewhat coxing the other man to answer just as quickly.

“Not exactly.” Darren kicked his legs back up on the table’s edge relaxing into his chair.

“The handler agreed to the sale?” Arion changed his tone to more of an understanding demeanor.

“Likely.” Darren was being very vague.

“Who bought her?” He pressed.

“And why the hell would I tell you that!” Darren huffed a laugh.

“The business that we’re in is a niche market, I have other girls that I would be happy to part with long term.” Arion’s eyes were burning with a fire.

“I mean I could put in a word, maybe set up a meet. But I ain’t given names.” Darren shrugged.

“You can contact him?” Arion’s eyes narrowed on the squirming man.

“Well... I mean no.” Darren cringed.

The expression that was emerging on the man’s face was making Shannara think that Arion was going something that was making him spill the beans. If he was any bit intelligent we wouldn’t be talking about this at all.

Shannara twisted to face the vial man. “Was she a good girl? Would I be able to stand a chance in her place?” She asked putting on a sweet innocent voice.

“Oh sweetheart don’t you worry, you sound like the perfect replacement. She did some odd things for clients but she was a strong girl like you. I have no doubt you will slip right into her shoes.”

“May I ask her name? I would like to speak well of her with the other girls.” Shannara smiled cutely.

“She’s so polite, it’s refreshing.” Darren’s smirk was sickening. “She went by Daisy for her work.”

Shannara turned back to Arion. “That’s all I need, I can find the rest.” She told him allowed, her voice changing back to her usual self.

He heaved a heavy sigh. “Can I please sock him?”

“Be my guest.” She responded.

“Wha-” Darren didn’t even get a chance to speak. Arion had moved with such incredible speed he didn’t get the words out before the demon’s fist impacted.

Darren had still been sitting in the chair, Shannara jumped to her feet and watched as the scene unfolded. Arion’s fist had landed square on Darren’s face, the force of the punch propelled the man backward in his wheeled chair. It tipped over on its side sending the body to the ground in a twisted and horrifying state.

“I didn’t mean to kill him!” Shannara’s eyes bulged as she ran to the other side of the desk.

“I didn’t, a broken nose and neck, not dead.” Arion stood tall righting his suit before turning to lock eyes with her. “He might be paralyzed though. Gods I’ve been wanting to do that the entire time.”

Shaking her head she sighed. “He bloody well deserved it.”

To her surprise Arion strode towards her, she blinked up at him as his fierce gaze studied her face. She felt confused, why was he staring at her like that? He was searching her face for something. “What?” She asked.

“That didn’t scare you?”

What did he mean? Of course, it didn’t. The asshole deserved it and she was happy to finally not have his lingering eyes drooling all over her. “No, why would it?”

He took a short step toward her closing the space between them. “But you said you fear me.”

“I fear what you are, not what you do.” She didn’t know any other way to explain it to him. She dealt with violence and death on a daily basis, none of that scared her, however the fact that he was a demon terrified and confused her. She knew nothing about him, she didn’t have all the answers.

His hold was aggressive as his hand snaked around her back slamming her body into his. His head dipped down capturing her lips, taking her breath away. He invaded her senses sending her body into overdrive. Her backside rammed against the desk behind them, she gasped against his lips, her hands clenching his arms as he ravished her.

Her body wasn’t obeying her as she felt as though she wanted to melt into his embrace. She found herself arching into him as her fingers dug into his biceps. This man was doing things to her that she had never felt. Her limbs trembled as her body was aching for physical contact.

He pulled back with a growl, his eyes were glowing a faint red and she stiffened in his hold. Her mind screaming at her to push him away while her body yearned to be taken here and now. Her inner struggle was evident on her face as she gasped for air.

“You’re driving me insane.” His voice was deep and animalistic, not something she had heard before.

“I could say the same about you.” She responded breathlessly.

“We need to stop.” The pained expression that crossed his features had her heart skipping a beat.

“Agreed. Here is not the place.” Her breathing was slowing as she watched his inner demon subside and his eyes fade back to the usual deep brown.

They peeled themselves from each other’s hold. Rationality came back to her as her mind exploded with the stupidity of the situation. They got to work pulling apart the room and uncovering what they needed to about Daisy and her buyer.

“The killer, he’s differently been in this room.” He muttered as he handed her a records book that had been hidden in a safe. The scent was nearly as recent at the inn, strong, though as this was a filthy establishment it likely hadn’t been cleaned in quite some time.

“So he didn’t just hire her for a night, he actually bought her?” Just the mere thought of it was sickening. Human trafficking here? just another thing she needed to add to the list of shit to sort out.