Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 113332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
And then another temptation reared its head. Beast’s body was marred with burn scars because of an accident, not because he was born ugly. Would it be possible he’d pass on to their child what he himself had lost?
Laurent awaited an answer with worry marring his forehead, but Beast’s throat was too tight. Instead, he pulled the engagement ring off his finger, leaving behind a band of pale skin. Like in an out-of-body experience, he could see himself handing Magpie the ring and taking the small knife out of Laurent’s hand.
The love gathered in Laurent’s eyes told him he’d never meant to trick Beast into doing this or to coerce him. Laurent had simply considered having a child with Beast the most obvious thing in the world.
With a deep inhale, Laurent removed his precious keepsake from the vest and kneeled in front of Magpie, offering him the brooch. He looked like a peasant paying his taxes to a lord.
Magpie let out a snort and took the pin in the same hand he held Beast’s ring in. “My, my, Laurent. There’s no need for such formalities. I already agreed to grant your wish.”
Beast scowled, remembering that Baal had told him to kneel to accept the brand, but it seemed Magpie did everything his own way. Laurent’s eyes were wide, and before he could notice the long fingers gravitating his way, Magpie slid his index finger between the buttons of Laurent’s dress shirt. A blue flash erupted from under the fabric, compelling Beast to shut his eyes, but when he opened them again, Laurent was already facing him, collar open to reveal a small burn mark below the collar bones. The faint odor of sulphur was like a warning at the back of Beast’s brain, but this time it wasn’t Baal’s presence that caused it, and the sigil burned into Laurent’s flesh had a different shape than the one on Beast’s nape.
Magpie dropped the ring into a clean cognac glass, and Beast knew exactly what was expected of him. When he cut his finger with the tip of the fruit knife it still felt like watching someone else do so. He saw his husband, and his own doppelganger.
“Pour in a few more drops. One can never be too safe,” Magpie said in his melodic voice when the first red drop fell to the bottom of the glass.
Beast squeezed his digit for a few more droplets, but didn’t register any pain, numb, elated and pumped full of adrenaline all at once. Only when he handed the knife to Laurent did he worry about the cut to the beloved flesh, but Laurent approached the task just like Beast had and let the drops fall into the glass, drip over the ring, and mix with Beast’s own blood.
Once it was done, he sucked on his fingertip, watching the bright red of their blood combining as Magpie swirled the container. The ring Laurent proposed to Bast with clinked against the glass as it spun around in the snifter, leaving behind red streaks. Before Beast could have said anything, Magpie threw his head back and swallowed the contents with a loud gulp. In the absolute silence that ensued, Beast watched the demon’s tongue fill the glass as if it were thrice as long as a normal person’s. It rolled inside like a boa, and when it retreated, there was no trace of red left.
Laurent grabbed Beast’s hand and stood closer when Magpie’s eyes rolled back, showing black where the whites should have appeared. Magpie groaned, his skin covering in gray sweat, but then a massive bulge appeared at the base of his throat, forcing its way up until the bones of Magpie’s jaws gave a strange crack.
Laurent yelped and pressed his face into Beast’s pec, hugging him. Beast wouldn’t dare look away from the freakish sight in case he needed to act, but for now he put his arm protectively around Laurent’s shoulder.
Their guest shuddered, his graceful fingers more reminiscent of curved claws. Something pushed up his neck, creating a bulge in the flesh that had Beast nauseated. With a breathless sound, Magpie opened his mouth even wider, and then, in a moment of absolute terror, they saw sharp bone pushing through bronze skin. Dark blood dripped down Magpie’s chest and under the robe, but Beast kept watching in sick fascination as the bottom jaw dislocated, turning the beautiful mouth into a torn gash. One more choking sound, and then Beast saw it.
Forced out by the bleeding muscles of Magpie’s throat, the egg popped out, still partially covered by thin tissue that receded back into the demon when he grabbed the egg with both hands and held it up. The size of a large soda can, it glinted in the lamplight as if it had been dusted by crushed rubies. Red like their blood.