The unexpected words and intensity of his gaze snapped me back to my surroundings as the hair stood on the back of my neck. "I... what?"

"Did you enjoy sex with him more than your previous experience with humans?"

My face flushed, a wave of heat rippling over my skin as my voice turned high-pitched. "I'm sorry... what? Did you say 'with humans'?" A thundering in my ears boomed with each pound of my heart.

As I struggled to wrap my mind around the implications, his hand morphed and extended into gleaming black talons on each fingertip. In a flash, I was over the back of the couch and standing behind it, lungs spasming and staring at the four-inch talons he casually tapped on his leg, making no move to get up or threaten me.

He smiled, upper and lower fangs showing as he chuckled. "Yes, Ms. Latifi. I did. There are many more sentient races and worlds than you young humans and this little blue planet."

I couldn't stop staring at those lethal talons. His question about Paz circled my thoughts. The tears in my sheets. The prick of nails on my skin when I'd seen short, manicured fingernails. The fangs and four puncture wounds in my neck.

"What... what are you?" I whispered, taking a step back on trembling legs, then another and another until my back hit the window.

Nabu stood, removed his jacket, and laid it on the couch.

I whimpered, pressing further into the window.

His head jerked up, and he pinned me with his dark eyes, then smiled that toothy smirk. "Don't worry. I'm not about to attack you or eat you. The change is hell on clothes, love, and I like this particular suit."

As he talked, he unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a spectacular chest, shoulders, and mouthwatering set of abdominals. He removed his shirt and laid it by the coat with a powerful set of arms that rippled and flexed as he moved. A grey mist surrounded him and four huge grey-spotted wings appeared on his back like the wings of a moth. Fine grey and black scales covered his muscular torso, shoulders, and arms. Instead of scaring me, the change enhanced his form, taking absolutely nothing from his masculine appeal. His face changed too, realigning the symmetry of his features and shifting them from attractive but not outstanding to absolutely gorgeous. His tongue flicked out, long and sinuous, and I shuddered, but not with distaste. No, my libidinous body grew wet at the sight.

Oh, my gods. Now I knew why Paz had such an incredible tongue. The things he'd done with it were... my thighs squeezed as my sex clenched.

"As you can clearly see, I'm not human. I'm a dragon. A shapeshifter from Muspelheim, another planet in this galaxy, but far from here. I'd show you my full dragon form, but I wouldn't fit in this tiny office." He waved a taloned hand and wrinkled his nose.

I sucked in a shaky breath.

I'd had sex.

With a dragon.

Numerous ways. I shivered, nipples tightening to tight points in my silken blouse. So, so many ways. Gods, no wonder he was so much better at it than my ex-boyfriends and came like a damn fire hose.

"Okay, you're a dragon. I... I believe you," I managed, swallowing and trying to ignore my Pavlovian arousal heating my core at the sight of that long tongue, talons, and definitive bulge at his groin. Nabu wasn't exactly unattractive, or unendowed, but I was supposed to be discussing business. My debt.

Come on, Anna. Stay on track.

His gaze flicked down my body, lingered, then returned to meet my eyes with a slight smirk on his lips. "We have excellent senses, including our sense of smell."

My blush deepened as his meaning struck and another wave of moisture slickened my thighs.

"I can smell him on you from here, just as I can tell your sexy little body likes the thought of more. So let me ask you again, Ms. Latifi, did you enjoy sex with Mr. Deabru?"

"Yes," I whispered. There was no sense in denying the obvious truth. Holy hell, he'd just told me he could smell me and who I'd been with.

"So... if you had to do that sort of thing for the next five years, with you holding the final say on who you would accept between those golden thighs, between those soft lips, or even between those gorgeous full breasts, would that be worth keeping your house and becoming completely debt free?"

I took a shaky breath, trying to think despite the erotic image reel playing in my mind. "I'd only have sex with the ones I choose?"

"You'd be given choices every single day. The only stipulation would be to accept at least one patron per day, two if you want a day off, and more if you want to earn credits to use at the market. If you go a week without working, the deal becomes null and void. You'd lose everything but be returned unharmed."

"What's the catch?" It still seemed too good to be true. Mind-melting sex once a day? Good gods, sign me up.

Nabu shook his head. "There is no catch. I will answer any question you have honestly. You'd live on Muspelheim, in a fertility temple with others fulfilling similar deals, for the term of your contract. At the end of five years, you'd be returned to Earth. Your house and all your belongings will be cared for and tended to in the interim by our caretakers, maintaining the upkeep of your home at our expense, not yours."

"Why? Why is this a good deal for you? What's in it for you?"

His eyebrows rose. "You mean besides sex?" He chuckled when I looked skeptical. "There are numerous races on Muspelheim, not just dragons, although we Apkallu dragons are definitely at the top of the food chain. But all the races are predatory, aggressive, and predominantly male. Without an outlet, wars breakout and death is common. Sex tames even the most savage beasts, although, to be fair, you humans often call our different races demons."

My mouth dropped open, and a shocked laugh emerged. "So, you're actually offering me a demon deal? That's what this is?" Am I dreaming? Did the universe hear me say I'd make a deal with the devil and this is its answer?

His mouth twisted in wry amusement. "Yes, actually. But no, I don't care about your soul. We just want to fuck you. A lot. In every way you'll let us. Willing females are valuable to us, and we'll take good care of you to ensure it stays that way. We get a lot of our deals through referrals from females who've spent time on Muspelheim."

I snorted, yet couldn't deny the little thrill that shivered through me. Spend five years fucking demons with no guilt, just insane pleasure? Then the rest of my life debt free?

Hell, yes.

"What happens to the bills for my house now? The little bit of insurance money and other finances I have?"

Nabu smiled. "We'll pay all those bills at our expense, keep up the property taxes, and invest the money you have so that by the time your contract is complete, not only will you be out of debt, but you won't have to work again if you don't want to."

Can I really trust this? I pinched myself—the pain reassuring me I wasn't asleep. "How do I know you won't go back on these terms?"

His gaze narrowed and turned flinty. "My word is always good. A small blood exchange ensures the deal is a blood pact between us, with serious consequences to my well-being should I default in any way. Changes can only be made with your agreement. If the verbal terms are not enough for you, I'll have it written out."

"Yes, please. I'd feel more reassured to read it over."

Nabu walked to his desk, bent to a drawer and pulled out a scroll. He nicked his thumb on a sharp talon, letting a drop of blood fall onto the paper. Drawn by my curiosity, I couldn't help but come over to look. Crimson words filled the space and when the writing stopped, he handed the scroll to me.

"I'll give you a couple of hours to read it over in the next room. When you are done, come back and give me your decision," Nabu said, opening the second black door. A cozy reading room with two couches, bookcases, a fridge and a bar filled the space. "Help yourself to food or drink. I'll await you here."

I carried the scroll to a couch and sat to read, with Nabu closing the door behind me. Scanning through the terms, it was everything he'd said. My right to choose was laid out and even the guarantee of investments and taking care of my home in the meantime was there. There was a clause that said in the rare occurrence of pregnancy, it would be my choice whether or not to carry the child to term, with bonuses and incentives if I did, but any child I birthed would remain in Muspelheim, regardless of if I chose to return to Earth at the end of my contract. That gave me pause. Even there, I had choices. I could remain in Muspelheim.

It was thorough and seemed to encompass everything. There was no one here on Earth that would miss me. I was getting amazing sex and adventure, with a guaranteed return and wealth once I did. No matter which way I looked at it, I couldn't see a downside for me. Really, I just had one question for him when I knocked on the door and reentered his office.

"Will I see Paz again?"