Twisting to rest her chin against the tiles, she looked up at him for several long seconds, considering him.
"Would you stop if I asked you to?" she asked.
He looked outraged that she would have to ask. "I'm not a rapist."
"No one ever is until they suddenly are," she said warily.
"I would never touch you without your consent, unless it was to protect you and that would not be sexual."
Lifting her chin off the tiles, she moved around until she was at the closest part of the bath to him and motioned with one finger for him to come closer.
He was suddenly very wary, unsure of her intent, but he pushed himself up onto his knees and moved closer, more curious than anything else.
He paused and then came closer when she motioned for him to do so until he was on his hands, leaning towards her curiously. It was rather adorable to see him so curious, like a child seeing a mermaid for the first time and the mermaid coaxing him closer to splash him.
She didn't splash the man however, her hands flashed out, and she grabbed his head, pushing herself up and her lips met his. Her hands kept him from jerking back in surprise, her eyes closed and her touch gentle. He could pull away if he wanted to, it would be easy, yet after a moment of frozen shock, he curled his fingers around her wrist and he kissed her back, slow and gentle.
Her lips moved against his tenderly, curious at the hardness of his lips with those sharp teeth behind them but she didn't mind. His free hand tangled in her hair, brushing it back from her face as he deepened the kiss and she met it equally, the warmth and odd taste of him, blood and what was that? Mint?
Whatever it was, she liked it and she groaned softly against his lips, the soft sound sending a shock through him that had him sliding his hand down her arm and wrapping around her back, drawing her up towards him.
Kissing him was odd for her, both pleasurable and scary with that small, hidden part of her rising inside her, a slow desire that started somewhere low in her belly. It was a longing, a burning desire to know what it would be like to be his, even if it was only once. Even if nothing ever came of it, she would be happy simply knowing.
The door opened with a crash and the two of them froze, torn between the need to jerk apart and cling to each other for protection.
"This is what happens when I leave you lot in charge," Daemon snarled and she looked around at him, irritated by his interrupting yet again.
"Weren't you supposed to be occupied for a few hours?" she asked.
"Get out, Cambion," Daemon growled.
Pulling his mask back up over his face, Sebastian left the room, and she sank back into the cooling water, fishing the bottle out of the water that had sunk to the bottom of the bath and pulling the stopper out.
"You go from a dragon to shark face…" Daemon growled, yanking the door out of the wall and closing it, locking out the others.
"Don't be rude. I happen to like shark faces," she muttered, rubbing the oil into her hair. "Why are you back already?"
"A dragon and an incubus don't need much time."
Rolling her eyes, she ducked her head under the water and rubbed out her hair, turning the water a milky white as she washed out the oil and then sat up.
"Why can't you just go for one of the nice boys?" he demanded.
"I'm not having sex with Kai!" she yelled, throwing the bottle at him that he ducked, the glass shattering against the wall.
"What?" someone asked from the next room, but she ignored them.
"Get out, Daemon. Get out and leave me alone. That's twice in a matter of hours you have come between me and the tiniest shred of happiness I can possibly try to find."
"You wouldn't be happy after," he growled.
"Not like I'm going to find out now, is it?" she snapped.
"Stop being so melodramatic. You'll get your chance with the right man."
"There's never going to be a 'right man' for you, Daemon. There will always be something wrong with them. I'll spend the rest of my life alone, and you'll never get the continuation of the species you want," she stopped, frowning at him. "Why don't you go ask Letari for a child?"
"She's not the firstborn."
"It doesn't have to be the firstborn. There you go, go ask her for a baby and stay away from me."
Stepping out of the bath, she wrapped the towel around her and turned, yelping as he caught her and thrust her up against the wall.
"Stop talking like that. I will not allow you to wallow in self-pity. You will have your happiness."
"No, because you took my first choice," she hissed.
"Dirdos is not an option," he snapped.
"He was my option."
Daemon growled, frustrated with her.
"It doesn't matter, anyway; I can't have children now thanks to you and the Gods. So who needs happiness either?"
"Dirdos would never have made you happy."
"Did he make you happy?" she asked nastily.
His eyes narrowed, and she shoved him back from her, turning and throwing open the door.
He followed after her, but she ignored him, heading for her room and closing the door in his face.
"Etani, get back out here!" he yelled at the sound of the lock clicking.
"Go away!" she shouted back.
"Etani come out," Dirdos called, and her eyes narrowed at the door, furious with the both of them, and a reckless, stupid idea filled her head. She knew he would be livid, but she didn't care.
Throwing the towel down, she pulled on a dress and looked around her room, grabbing a thigh strap and arming herself, just in case.
"Neah…" she said.
"What did she say?" Dirdos asked.
"Hello, beautiful," a soft voice came from behind her, and she turned, looking up to find him grinning down at her, his mask up over his head.
"Etani?" Daemon demanded, yanking on the door.
"Take me away from here," she whispered. His grin grew wider as his arms slipped around her, possessive and hungry in a way that made her feel desired.
Dirdos grabbed the door and yanked it out of its frame, and she rested her forehead against Neah's chest, her arms around him with her fingers splayed against his back.
"Bye now," Neah said, and the world shimmered around them, Daemon's yell vanishing as Neah took her away.