Contractually Yours, Alpha by Giftemmy

Chapter Two Hundred and One

My thoughts drifted to Ash. Could he have been stupid enough to come back here with Daemon present?

Something told me Daemon wouldn’t be pleased about me seeing him behind his back.

A small sense of relief washed over me when I realized the footsteps approaching weren’t from a man. There was something feminine, something familiar about them.

It was Empress Julia.

Of course, I would recognize the sound of her footsteps; I had spent over a decade of my life listening to them.

Daemon seemed genuinely surprised. “How did you find this place?” he asked.

“I can’t say. You see, it’s a small secret, Trian–I guess that’s the name you stole.”

Daemon’s eyes drifted from her face to the object she held in her hand: the Nexus Amulet. She had somehow gotten it out of the transparent glass container–perhaps that explained the noise that had alerted us we weren’t alone.

it to me,” Daemon all but growled.

tsk. Not

like he was about to lunge for

fast enough, Trian. I’ll be gone before you even move an inch, and I’ll be taking the jewel

this place,” Daemon muttered to himself, as if in

smile widen.

I am,” she said in a singsong voice.

tension

more than impressed. More than that, you even got me to trust you. I can’t believe we actually… had sex–though, that wasn’t part of the bad stuff.” She said, her voice laced with a small, seductive smile. Despite myself, I felt a twinge of jealousy, even knowing this

her trust.

same.” He responded, and Julia’s smile vanished.

to throw in something like ‘You and me both,‘ but I knew this wasn’t

away in the pit, only you weren’t there. You saw an opening and you took it. What I can’t understand is why you kept her alive, even

paused, as if expecting a response from Daemon.

let’s cut to the chase. The amulet, for the girl.”