My medical record was going to be my saviour, just as I’d always planned if this near-impossible situation ever occurred. As we reached the big doors and two cult members stepped forward to heave them open, I asked, “When will the dem—When will the Greater see my medical files?”

“Oh, not until you have consented to the claiming, my dear.” The high priest patted my arm in what was probably supposed to be a reassuring way. “Your consent allows us to share your private information.”

Darting a look at the demiurgus, I said, “Well, I consent to it now. The medical record, I mean,” I added quickly with a stab of terror.

The high priest stopped as we stepped into the hall and turned to face me. His milky eyes creased as his wispy brows drew into a frown. “My dear, is there something wrong? You are healthy. All of my flock are healthy, I assure you,” he added in a rush, directing it at the silent demiurgus. “They eat well and exercise every day. They are given regular health check-ups.”

The demiurgus just let out a strangled sound.

“Don’t worry, my dear,” the high priest whispered to me in a conspiratorial tone as we made our way down the hall, his arm tucked through mine. “He is already besotted. You can see it in his eyes.”

Could you? I side-eyed the demiurgus, and he quickly looked over at me, his face filled with dread. We shared a brief, meaningful look that told me he also had no idea how to handle this. It relaxed me somewhat. Maybe it was too risky to chew him out, but we could calmly talk about why this was a monumentally terrible idea.

Or maybe if he did seem interested in the slightest once we were alone, I could act all coy and ashamed when I told him, No, I’m sorry Mr Greater Being, I’m afraid you can’t stick your giant ethereal penis inside my vagina. Oh, I’m so distraught that I won’t get to experience it. What use am I if I can’t have your big, awe-inspiring cock tunnelling through my insides?

Even if I did subscribe to the cult’s beliefs, I was pretty sure I’d be a terrible partner to a demiurgus. They were known to be dominant and overbearing, rumoured to be a little bit feral during sex. The exact opposite of what I was interested in, both in and out of the bedroom. I wasn’t good at letting people tell me what to do, and nothing turned me off faster than someone trying to take the lead in bed.

Essentially, I was one hundred percent wrong for a demiurgus. Now I just had to convince him of that, without giving away the long con my aunt and I had been playing at this place.

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Chapter Six

Beryl

The heavy door closed behind us with a resounding thud, leaving us alone in the weird black bedroom with its enormous bed covered in satin sheets. I eyed it and then him, wondering if he was into that. I hated satin sheets. Beds were supposed to be cosy and warm, not feel like a slip-n-slide.

Neither of us spoke at first, and in the silence I ran through my list of options if he suddenly lunged at me. Demiurgus weren’t known for being violent in that way, but still. He was just some guy. With a tail and claws and frondy ears.

At least living in this cult and having to study the demiurgus meant I knew all their weak points, which were not too dissimilar to a human’s. Groin, eyes and throat. The eyes… well, I’d have trouble reaching those in a rush. But the groin? That was nice and accessible for a well-placed haymaker.

The demiurgus suddenly moved in a rush, making me tense up, but he didn’t come near me. He strode further away, toward another set of double doors, practically tripping over his own long legs to get there.

“Let’s… uh, let’s talk in here.” He pulled them open with ease, revealing an equally dark and dreary sitting room. I immediately followed, wanting to get away from the bed in case he got any ideas.

Neither of us made a move to sit, instead hovering awkwardly by the couches. His shoulders rose in a great, silent sigh before he turned to face me.

“I, uh… Beryl, right?”

“Yes.”

When I said nothing else, he coughed awkwardly and held out his hand, then dropped it as his ears twitched. “I’m Greid.”

“Okay,” I said blandly, not particularly interested. “Look, I don’t—”

“I don’t really want to mate you,” he blurted, the frondy tips of his ears fluttering so rapidly I heard them brushing against his black hair. “I don’t know why I said that. I didn’t come here for…” He stopped and rubbed his face with a long-fingered hand as I exhaled a relieved breath.

“Okay, that’s good,” I said cautiously. His hand immediately dropped, dark features twisting with a hint of offence.

“I thought—” He looked at me and away again. “It seems like that’s what you all… want.”

“Not me,” I muttered before I could stop myself, then went stiff when his head cocked, eyes flaring with intrigue. Like I was a puzzle he suddenly wanted to solve. The gesture reminded me of a curious animal, which in turn promptly reminded me that I was speaking to a non-human person. I’d rarely spoken to demiurgus before—rarely interacted with them. They were still kind of a mystery to me, despite how much I knew about them thanks to the cult.

“Why not?” he asked with definite interest, his voice more animated than I’d yet heard it.

Oops. Did they have cameras in here? I tried to look around furtively. Was the high priest eagerly watching our interaction, hands clasped under his chin like he was witnessing a romance for the ages?

I didn’t want to risk it, so I decided to ignore the question and take a different route. “Look, you don’t want me to be your mate.”

He took a step back, shaking his head. “I already told you, I didn’t come here for that.”

“Why did you come here then?” I could admit I was intrigued. I’d been here for twenty-five years, and he was the first demiurgus to ever set foot through the front doors in all that time.

Cue more wild ear twitching, as well as those spikes fluttering along his hairline. I was starting to realise they were his nervous tell. It’s not kind of cute. No, definitely not.

“Just… to look around,” he mumbled, not meeting my gaze.

“Bullshit.” His yellow eyes snapped back to me and widened, so I continued, “We both know that’s bullshit, pal. You’re the worst liar I’ve ever seen.”

And I should know—I’d been lying for more than half my life.

His nostrils flared, but he didn’t necessarily look angry. “You’ve talked to me for about five fucking minutes. How would you know?”

“Just trust me.” I crossed my arms and raised my chin, although, it was already raised pretty high so I could actually look at him. “Tell me why you really came here. If it wasn’t to select an ‘eager and willing bedmate’.”

“I—” He crossed his arms, then uncrossed them, then squirmed with a groan. “Alright, fine. I came here to see if… I just wanted a… companion. Not a bedmate,” he added in a rush. “Not for sex. But when I got here, this place creeped me the fuck out. It’s creepy as shit. All those statues and the weird pictures of… I mean, what the fuck?”

I heard myself snort with humour. “Tell me about it.”

That made him focus on me intently again, eyes darting over my face. “You were the only one out there who wasn’t staring at me like…” He shuddered. “Like you wanted to tear my clothes off and worship my—” Cutting himself off with an awkward cough, he looked at me again and asked, “What’s your deal?”

“What?” I straightened and glanced around nervously again. “I don’t have a deal. I’m not—”

“I’m pretty sure there aren’t cameras in here,” he told me. “I’d be able to hear them. Electronics are so loud. So tell me. I told you, even though my thing is surely way more pathetic.” His eyes narrowed just a little. “Why are you even here? If you’re not… interested in my kind the way the others are?”