The Darkest Passion (Lords of the Underworld #5)(61)
Author: Gena Showalter

“Everything will…be…better sssoon…” The moment the last word left her mouth, her knees collapsed and she tumbled to the floor.

Aeron reached out, catching her before she hit and easing her down. She was so tiny, her weight barely registered.

“Aeron,” she said on a sigh of relief—just before curling into herself with a pained grunt.

“Legion,” he said, panic sprouting. “Tell me what’s—”

Another grunt. Every muscle she possessed began knotting and relaxing, knotting and relaxing. Her body seemed to be…growing? Not possible. Or shouldn’t have been. As he watched, her arms, legs and torso lengthened. Her scales even began to fall away like dew drops, leaving beautiful, golden skin in their wake.

Soon, though, the grunts became never-ending screams. And with her mouth open so wide, he could see that her teeth were shrinking, her forked tongue weaving together. Next, blond hair sprouted from her scalp and large br**sts plumped from her chest.

“What the hell is happening?”

“She’s becoming…human,” Olivia whispered. Her words, so much softer than his, still managed to rival his in shock and horror.

Not knowing what else to do, Aeron popped to his feet and rushed around the corner. When he reached one of the living rooms, he grabbed a blanket slung over the couch. His mind churned with so many questions, he couldn’t quite process what was happening. Legion. Human. Why? How?

At her side once more, he draped the blanket over her bare skin. She’d stopped growing, at least. Stopped spasming and screaming, too. Tears streaked her cheeks and her bottom lip trembled.

She gazed up at him with dark, liquid eyes, no hint of demon red. “Aeron,” she said on a sigh. “I’m…so…happy to…see…you.”

No longer did she sound like a child, all hint of her lisp gone. Though her words were hesitant, as if she didn’t quite know how to use her tongue, she sounded like an adult, voice rich and husky.

Flabbergasted, he crouched beside her and smoothed the hair from her brow. “Tell me how this happened,” he said as gently as he was able. He didn’t want to spook her.

She reached up with a shaky arm and traced her fingertips over his lips, his jaw. “So beautiful, my Aeron is.”

For the first time since he’d met Legion, he wanted to pull away from her embrace. He loved her, he truly did, but the adoration on her new face—adoration he’d seen a hundred times before, had once craved—was now…wrong. Because, without the glow of red in her eyes, he saw the sensual yearning banked there.

Dear gods.

She was a feast for the eyes, prettier than Olivia even. Skin like honey, eyes like cinnamon and lips as red as berries. Her nose was small and pert and her eyebrows perfectly arched. There wasn’t a flaw to her. But…

His blood didn’t heat, his fingers didn’t tingle where he’d touched her and the thought of removing the blanket to peek at her curves was truly repugnant to him. He would rather gouge out his eyes. And while Wrath liked this girl as he had liked the old Legion, the demon was quiet, not staking a claim.

“There’s only one way this could’ve happened,” Olivia said with so much dread Aeron’s stomach clenched. “She made a deal with Lucifer.”

A deal with the devil? For what? She already possessed everything her heart could desire. “Is that true?” And if so, what did it mean for her? For him? What could Lucifer have demanded in return?

Wrath leapt into motion, prowling back and forth inside his head. There were no images flashing, at least, but the demon was suddenly restless, as if he didn’t like what was going on.

Legion glared up at Olivia. “Of course it isn’t…true. I would never do…such a despicable thing.”

“You lie,” Olivia replied. “I can hear the untruth in your voice.”

He couldn’t, but he could hear the truth in Olivia’s. Still. He didn’t know who to believe. Legion, whom he loved. Or Olivia, whom he hungered for but couldn’t have.

Gingerly, Legion sat up, and the blanket fell to her waist. Aeron hastily looked away, but not before he’d caught a glimpse of her pearled ni**les.

He wanted to scrub his corneas with sandpaper.

Would this day never end?

OLIVIA WATCHED as Legion held out one arm, looked it over, then held out the other and examined it, as well. She cupped her br**sts, pinched her ni**les and gasped in awe.

“I’m gorgeous,” she said excitedly. Her words were emerging more fluidly now, smoother every time she spoke. She must be getting used to her new tongue. Her gaze lifted, smugness banked there as she met Olivia’s eyes. “I’m a thousand times prettier than you are.”Maybe she was. Not that Olivia cared. Much. What did Aeron think about this? He was careful not to face Legion, careful not to touch her.

Kiss the back of his neck…lick it…and let Legion see you do it.

Olivia stopped breathing. There it was again. The voice. The temptation. Ever since Aeron had dragged her back to this fortress, it had been tormenting her, urging her to do all manner of things—all designed to lure Aeron into bed with her. Caress his penis, strip and dance for him, even flirt with his friend to drive him insane with jealousy.

None of which would have bothered her. Except the desires hadn’t sprung from her. Yes, she wanted to caress his penis, and yes, she wanted to strip for him. As evidenced by the fact that she’d last approached him naked. And yes, she even liked the thought of his jealousy. But when the voice produced the desires, patches of darkness were left on her soul. She could feel them.

How was that happening? What was happening?

Aeron cleared his throat, tugging her from her thoughts. “Let’s get you some clothes, Legion.”

“I like being naked,” she said with a pout.

“Too bad.” Still keeping his gaze averted, he held out a hand. “Latch on and I’ll pull you up.”

“No.” Watching Olivia, she drew herself up, threw her arms around Aeron’s neck and pressed herself into the hard line of his body. “I want you to carry me.”

He grimaced, but scooped her up. “All right. Olivia, come with us. Please.” He didn’t wait for her reply, but trudged up the steps.

No way she would have left him alone with the demon-turned-human, but she was gratified that he’d requested her company. Until, halfway to his room, she heard, Pat his ass…and actually found her fingers inches from his bottom before she even realized she’d reached out. She scowled and forced her arm to fall to her side, but it was too late. Another patch of darkness had already bloomed.