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Fuck. This is bad on so many levels. “Is there a way to, uh, better manage the extra to prevent a natural disaster?” I stumble over the awkward question, but nerves have me charging ahead into full ramble. “How have you handled sex with others?”
He pulls away to stare at me. “What?”
“You know, sex with other partners,” I say. “I mean, I’m not a virgin, and I don’t expect you to be after centuries, so if you could handle your powers with other people—”
“No one else has initiated magic. Let alone the possibility of a realm-wide catastrophe.”
“Oh.”
“Yes, oh.” His sudden gruffness has me biting back a laugh.
I re-engage shameless hussy mode. “Today in your court, I watched you settle massive land disputes between neighbors and order enough food to feed an entire kingdom for a month. You can’t tell me that you haven’t figured out some workarounds for our not-so-little problem.” When he gives me a bossy look, I squirm on his erection.
“Don’t make me spank you.”
This time, I give in to the giggle. “Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
He employs his super serious face, which does little to stop my snickering. “I did have one idea, but no.”
This has got to be good, with his hesitation. “Say it.”
“Back when I had enough powers to fuel the realm—before it failed—the best place to practice magic without upsetting the world balance was the altar where people brought offerings.”
“In your temple?”
“Yes.”
“It’s your sex temple.” Now the giggles are unending. Reverence and propriety? I have zero. “Wanna consecrate your altar?”
“Wicked woman.” He kisses me, making my heart speed so fast that I confuse the clopping in the hall with the pounding pulse in my head.
A startled, high-pitched moo comes from the doorway. “Oops, I didn’t realize, sire.” Bess squeaks the last, turning away and acting as if she isn’t watching us in the vanity mirror. The same friggin’ mirror that Theo used to check on me earlier today. Between his court and my demon status reports, Leander and I don’t have much time alone. Except maybe I can use Bess being here to my advantage.
“Hiya, Bess,” I say from her king’s lap, as if nothing’s out of the ordinary.
“I didn’t realize you might be in here,” she rushes to explain. “When I saw the cat flying through the kitchens, I thought to come tidy up.”
I’m not letting her get away, not when she had me compile a list of the most deliciously filthy romance novels to order for her staff today. Not when she might conspire with me. “I’m trying to convince Leander to defile me in his temple.”
From beneath me, Leander gives a scolding grunt that I ignore.
So does Bess, it seems. “Excellent idea, milady. I’ll send staff ahead with sacred wine, cushions, and supplies.” With that, she’s gone in a swish of tail. I can almost imagine how quickly news of what I’ve suggested will spread in the kitchens.
“Now, everyone will know what I said, and you’ll have to show me your altar,” I tease.
My serious bull groans, his breath warm against my hair. “There will be no living this down among the servants, will there?”
“Nope.”
He’s still grumbling when he leads me into the temple that seems more of a cave than I’d imagined possible in the labyrinth. Tall pillars of stone and earth stretch far above our heads to a ceiling decorated in a bright mosaic. Balancing on Leander’s arm so I can tip my head up to take in the colorful tiles, I make out scenes of his escape from a maze and chains, to the sanctuary he established in this realm.
“It’s your story.” My voice comes out quiet, reverent. I blush when I realize I’m whispering like we’ve walked into a library. The burn of embarrassment fades into a full-out laugh when we round a column. A massive statue of Leander stands in the middle of the room, looming over a giant marble and gold altar. “Wow, you really do have your own temple.” I rush forward to check out the inscriptions on the side of the altar. Most are written in sigils and ancient text that I can’t read, but again, it seems to be all hail the mighty bull god.
Leander rubs a hand over the thicker hide on his neck. “I stopped using it decades ago but left it in case…”
I’m not letting him leave that sentence unfinished. Not when he makes it sound as though he had a very good reason for leaving this part of the castle here. “In case what?”
“In case my powers ever returned to full strength. It’s the safest place in the realm to channel big magic.”
