Immortals After Dark 07 - Kiss of a Demon King

Realm through a portal to a place called Times Square. We've since seen why that would be hilarious only to us"
    The creature's eyelids were growing heavy, as if it were mesmerized. When all the people were a safe dis-tance away, Rydstrom lowered his sword.
    Instead of escaping when she'd been freed, Sabine had voluntarily waded into a dragon's way to save others. She'd told him she'd never help another if there was no benefit to herself. Yet now she had ...
    "Cwena," he murmured, his chest tight with pride Little queen.
    The way she was interacting with the beast was the most remarkable thing he'd ever seen-it looked powerless not to be enthralled by her.
    We've that in common, dragon.
    "Would you allow us a night or two longer here?" she asked the dragon.
    In answer, it chuffed hot breath at her again, then turned its immense body to stalk off into the night.
    People cheered. At once, Puck ran for Sabine in that headlong way the young did.
    Yet she didn't kneel and open her arms to embrace the boy. She snatched him up by his belt and carried him like an accessory, berating him for not fleeing from things that have fangs bigger than his body. And the child looked as if he couldn't have been happier.
    All around her, people rushed forward to express gratitude.
    She negligently waved her free hand at them, muttering, "Yeah, yeah. Say it with gold."
    Even Durinda thanked her as she collected Puck.
    When Sabine approached Rydstrom, he was at a loss for words.
    "If you think about binding my arms again," she began, "I'll call my big friend down here once more, and he will go off his newly restricted diet." She continued on, ignoring him.
    Sabine had told him, "Lonely demon. You need me so
    much."
    He feared she was right.
    35
    For two days, his female had free run of the camp, wreaking utter havoc.
    The once reviled sorceress could do no wrong in the eyes of the demons here-and she was taking full advantage of that fact.
    When a group of young females had asked her what one should name her horse, she'd answered, "I like the sound of Fellatio."
    When Rydstrom had confronted Sabine about it, she'd said, "Do you know how priceless it was to hear that demoness sigh, 'I love my Fellatio' ? Even gold can't buy moments like that!"
    At his unbending look, she'd rolled her eyes. "The young female was nineteen. And if she doesn't know what the word means by now, then she has bigger problems than what to name her pony." She'd added, "You ridiculed the fact that I remained purposely ignorant of your language because my kind finds it uncouth. But
    isn't that exactly what the females of your kingdom do about sex?"
    He opened his mouth, then closed it, unable to deny her reasoning.
    And she'd made many decrees. For the vintner to mix a sweeter wine for her. For the smithy to begin work on her crown and new breastplate. For a cook to prepare vegetarian dishes.
    Puck followed her everywhere. Luckily, he couldn't understand her when she said things like,
    "Is it still behind me? Why won't it stop following me? It's looking at me again, isn't it? I can feel its little eyes on me."
    Though she acted as if she didn't care for Puck's company, Rydstrom had spied her sit on a bench and pat the space beside her for the boy to sit. He'd also seen her brush Puck's hair out of his eyes.
    Each time, she'd seemed to startle herself, glancing around guiltily-as if her kindness was improper. In her old world, it would have been.
    As for Rydstrom, he couldn't spend enough time with her-literally. She avoided him.
    She'd demanded her own tent, refusing to share his. The night of the basilisk's attack, he'd found her in the bluffs high above the camp to thank her for saving the lives of his people-and to indicate that she was still to sleep with him.
    She'd told him, "My subjects have provided me with a new place. Now, if you don't mind, I've had a taxing day saving all of these refugees, my subjects and all-since I am their queen, even if you let them think I'm a lowly sex slave."
    "They don't any longer."
    "I deduced that when they started with the obeisance and gifts and all. They adore me. Coins will be minted with my face on them. It's in the works."
    Sabine had refused to budge. Rydstrom allowed this because she remained here. If she stayed, he thought they might have a future.
    Did Rydstrom go out of his way to see her? Every damned minute that he could. He was searching for her this very afternoon. She wasn't at the hot springs, nor at the