Page 4 of A Daemon’s Alliance (Daemons & Lumens)

Michaela

T he daemon was freaking huge, easily over seven feet tall.

And he looked exactly like a daemon from a damn romance novel.

His skin was tinted red, but not bloodred, more like a sunset.

His feet were clawed, like his hands. I could only imagine what damage he could do with those ridiculously sharp-looking talons.

The horns protruding from his black hair spiraled out and looked equally dangerous.

The wings at his back were jet black and feathered.

I had the urge to reach out and stroke them.

His eyes were a shocking gold, and I couldn’t look away as he stumbled out of my protective circle.

His movements shocked me more than his appearance. Was that strange? Probably. I cleared my throat and tried to sound stronger than I felt. “Daemon, I have summoned you to my aid. You will obey me, following only my commands.”

The daemon chuckled, and the sound sent a zip of desire straight through me. Shit . “What is your name, little girl?”

I grimaced and crossed my arms. My neck was getting seriously tired of staring up at him. “I am not a little girl. I am almost twenty years old and perfectly capable of defending myself.”

The daemon bowed, and his eyes sparkled with delight. Was he mocking me? “I am sure you are, but I am no mortal. If I wanted to break your sweet little bones, I could have done so already. And there is nothing you could do to stop me.”

“But I summoned you .” I balled my hands into fists and inched my fingers toward the slit in my dress.

There was a knife strapped to my thigh, and I was prepared to use it if I had to.

I might have been small, but self-defense classes had taught me a few things.

“You’re mine to control. If you aren’t going to submit, I’ll summon another daemon who will. ”

The daemon growled and charged at me like something out of a nightmare.

I whipped out my knife and thrust it toward him, ready to defend myself.

He moved so fast, his thick, muscular neck suddenly pressed against the tip of my blade.

“You won’t be summoning any other daemons. Not. One. They cannot do what I can.”

I stared into his golden eyes as his form shimmered.

My body was rigid as I watched him shift before me.

The claws retracted, the horns and wings slipped away, and before me stood a beautiful as hell man.

He looked almost human—almost. He was easily a foot taller than me, even in human form, and I was 5’5”.

His muscles bulged as his captivating eyes stared down his aquiline nose at me.

They were more muted now, hazel with flecks of gold.

My knife remained pressed to his throat.

My arm was beginning to ache from holding it up and out for so long.

He grabbed my wrist before I could pull away, and I felt that rush of electricity again.

I shivered, and his pupils dilated, taking me in.

“How did you get out of my circle?” I blurted out the words and then internally rolled my eyes.

He smirked down at me. “Salt does not keep a daemon locked up. You need ash. Spodium .”

A laugh burst from my lips, and my cheeks burned. “Oops. I thought it said sodium. Salt.”

The daemon grinned at me, showing his fangs again. I think he wanted to laugh but held it back. I tried and failed not to stare at his sensual mouth.

“What is your name, feisty girl?” he demanded, his voice deep and commanding all of my attention.

The sound made my legs feel weak, but I refused to cower in fear—or the other thing I was definitely not feeling. I lifted my chin and stared into his god-like face. “My name is Michaela Bronwen. You can call me Michaela. Or master. Whichever you prefer.”

The daemon grinned widely, and I swear his teeth were pointed again. “ Mae minima domina . My name is Morax. I look forward to serving you, Michaela Bronwen.”

The way my name sounded on his tongue set off little fireworks all over my body. I wasn’t entirely sure what the other words he spoke actually meant. His accent was strange when he spoke the weird version of Latin. I needed to cool down this exchange and collect my thoughts fast.

“Great, um, Morax. So, my father is in deep shit with this crazy ass cult. They murdered my mother and my sister. And I know they have plans for me too. I have no intention of getting murdered or whatever else they want with me.”

Morax’s eyes darkened, and he snarled like a damn beast. “I will not let that happen.”

I nodded. “Yes, that’s why I summoned you.” I turned away from him, needing some space from the heat building between his body and mine. “So, what do we do now? Can we just kill them all?”

Morax chuckled as he circled me like a predator. “Have you killed someone before, mae domina ?”

I squeezed the handle of the knife still in my hand, needing the reassurance of a weapon. Not that it would do much. He didn’t seem intimidated, even when I pressed the blade to his throat.

I shook my head. “No. But these assholes murdered half my family and scattered the rest of us. They deserve to die, and I want to help.”

Morax brushed a stray hair from my face, and I forced my body not to shiver again at his electric touch. “So fierce for one so breakable. I will help you get vengeance, Michaela. But I require something in return.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stood in alarm. “What do you mean? Don’t you just…have to do what I say?”

His eyes blazed bright gold, and his skin shimmered red. “A daemon is not a slave. And I am no ordinary daemon. You will owe me a debt, Michaela.”

I didn’t love the sound of that, but what choice did I have? If this daemon was strong enough to take on The Obscuritas, I would do just about anything to make that happen. “Fine.”

Morax stepped close to me, his arm snapped out, and within seconds, he had my knife in hand. He examined it for a moment and smirked. “You won’t be needing this. It wouldn’t pierce my skin in daemon-form, anyway.”

My limbs locked up with uncertainty as he dropped to one knee in front of me.

His head was almost level with my own as he knelt before me.

I felt like a spirit watching this happen from above and unable to move.

His hands moved up my thigh and under the long skirt of my dress.

It was late September in South Carolina and the humidity was completely unbearable in anything but a dress.

We were having an unnaturally long and hot summer.

His fingers drifted further up my legs, and I swallowed, unsure what he would do but too curious to stop him.

Only one guy had ever touched me like this, but I couldn’t remember feeling so turned on—or terrified—like I was now.

Morax lifted the fabric to reveal the leather strap wrapped around my thigh where I kept my blade.

He slipped the knife into its case and dropped my skirt.

It was probably the single most sensual moment of my life. My cheeks heated at the thought, and I was grateful for the cover of night.

Morax remained on his knees as he took my hand and turned my palm up. His other hand shimmered, and the claws appeared once more. “This will only hurt a little.”

I nodded, flattening my lips and refusing to show fear. “I can handle it.”

Morax laughed deep in his chest, and some new emotion I couldn’t name darkened his bright eyes. “I do not doubt it, feisty girl.”

His claw dug into my skin, and I tried not to wince as blood pooled in my palm.

He leaned forward, and before I could move, the daemon’s tongue darted out to lick up the blood.

I gasped as his forked tongue lapped at my bleeding hand.

All I could think of were the stories of the devil and his forked tongue.

So that little fairy tale was true. Morax let go of my hand, and I remained still while he clawed a line down his own palm.

He stood, towering over me as his bloody hand drew closer to my mouth.

“I will protect you, Michaela Bronwen Valdis. And when the time comes, you will repay your debt in whichever way I choose. I swear this on the joining of our blood.” His words echoed with power, and I knew this was the beginning of something wild. Something dangerous. Something that was all mine.

I looked into his eyes and gripped his wrist, my fingers unable to fully circle it. I swear he shivered at my touch. “I swear to honor my debt.”

I slid my tongue out tentatively and licked at the cut in his palm.

Morax groaned, and I gasped as the blood slipped down my throat.

The brush of electricity I felt before was nothing compared to this.

My veins were on fire, and I moaned at the ecstasy of that feeling.

The feeling was more euphoric than any orgasm I had ever had.

Every inch of me tingled with a burning need for more, and I could almost feel that desire mirrored in the monster before me. What the hell did I just do?