Chapters (37)
Fucking pheremones.
“I won’t let him hurt you,” he said softly. “I’ll find a way.”
They sat in silence for a little while, the miles eaten up by the steady thrum of the car's engine, until she spoke again.
“Why?”
“Why what?” It came out snippier than he’d wanted.
“Why are you helping me?”
Kain scoffed. He hardly knew the answer himself. The swirling inferno of emotions and instincts that had been warring inside of him made clear thinking excruciatingly hard.
“You have no idea the impact your scent has on us, do you?” He was aware that he sounded bitter.
“But Marathin… All my scent did to him was make him want me, not want to help me. Why is it different for you? Are you tricking me?”
His lips twisted in dark amusement. “If I were, you think asking me would make me tell you?”
She sighed. “No. I just… If you are, please just tell me, okay? It's not like I can get away from you, and I can't bear getting my hopes up if… if you're planning on selling me or something.”
The defeat in her voice made his heart twist.
“I'm not out to trick you, little one. It's a little different for Lords. Most regular demons don't realize it, but our reaction to Breeders is… stronger.” Kain sighed. “It's not just about sex; it's about providing you with protection and safety. When you are frightened or upset, your scent messes with my brain chemistry until I act to make it better. And yours is… potent.”
She was silent again for a little while, until finally she said something that nearly made him crash the car.
“I'm sorry.”
“You're what?” He was almost certain he'd heard her wrong.
“I'm sorry. I know what it's like to have your mind play tricks on you and force you, and I hate that I'm doing the same to you.”
Her small hand found his arm, a little awkwardly, but the feeling of it burned through his coat and shirt all the way into his bloodstream.
How could someone that small, that soft, shake him to his very core? And how could someone who'd been put through the kind of abuse she had, have any empathy for anyone of his kind?
The chuckle at the absurdity of her apology erupting from his throat made her pull her hand away. “What?”
He offered her a gentle smile. “Breeders are known to care about others more so than most humans, but you apologizing for how your scent affects me? That’s… a first. And I appreciate the sentiment. Quite a bit.”
Her responding blush made his blood heat again, this time more predictably from arousal.
He forced his focus back on the road instead of on the odd little Breeder who made breathing difficult.