Page 17 of Demonic Division (The Sundering Duet #1)

17

Dagny

The pitch black of the night flips to silver, casting a rectangular square of light across the stone floor. My eyes are raw and crusted, and my head throbs. I’ve been fading in and out of sleep every few minutes, and this time, I startle awake to a gentle pressure on my chest.

A large black nose inches toward my face, the thick hair around its snout twitching as the creature scents the air. Hair so dark it's practically blue covers the entirety of its body, shining beautifully in the light spilling through the window. The creature opens its mouth, showcasing a row of blunted white canines, and my scream gets caught somewhere down my throat.

Rounded ears pin flat against its skull as it leans in closer, big brown eyes wide and searching. And then I realize—it’s not a demon. It’s a fucking bear cub.

The cub whines low in its throat, pressing its cold nose against my cheek. In a haze, I reach up to its shoulders, running my fingers through the coarse fur. Am I dreaming?

The cub closes its eyes in bliss. It nuzzles its snout on the side of my face, giving me a gentle lick. I breathe a laugh, wrapping my arms around its stocky frame and squeezing. A chuffing noise fills the air, and the bear leans down, dragging his tongue over my shoulder.

Laughter pours from my open mouth as the cub flops forward onto my chest, giving me the full weight of its tiny body. Fuzzy arms wrap around my neck—like it's giving me a hug—and my heart flutters with warmth.

All at once, an intense burning flares at the base of my shoulder, one that builds and builds until I have to bite down on my lip to hold in my cry of pain. Blood coats my mouth as I lie there for several long moments, unable to move or speak or call out for help as the fire burrows past flesh and bone and settles into my marrow.

Just as quick as it starts, it ends.

I lay my head against the furs, my forehead beaded with sweat and a deep throbbing in my core. No matter how many times I fill my lungs, I can’t catch my breath. My blood is boiling, aching for some indescribable thing, needing it more than oxygen. And all the while, the bear cub just lays there, staring at me. Focusing on the fresh brand mark glowing with its own eerie blue light.

Suddenly, the door to my room bursts open, and Lir’s voice flows into the room, caressing my skin with its velvety touch.

“Dagny…?”

My heart stutters as I whip my head toward Lir. The cub follows my line of sight, letting out a pleased chuff before it crawls into the far corner of the room, disguising itself in the shadows.

Lir takes a step into the room, blue eyes glossing over with a faraway look. “Honey? What’s wrong?” He rubs a palm across his eyes, then attempts to blink away the haze. Nostrils flare as he scents the air, and he snaps fully upright, every muscle in his body poised to pounce. “Dagny?” He whines low in his throat, eyes flickering from blue to black. “ What did you do ?”

My throat goes dry as his features sharpen. Canines lengthen, slicing into his lower lip, and a thin river of black liquid flows down his pointed chin. The color bleeds from his skin, contrasting sharply with the pitch of his eyes. Lir’s claws scrape the stone as he crawls to me on all fours, his muscles shuddering with each small movement. Something tethers me to the floor, making it impossible to move or scream, even as Lir draws nearer.

He’s on top of me in the next breath, one clawed hand positioned on either side of my head as he lowers his body onto mine. His face presses to my neck, nuzzling the pulse point as a deep growl builds in his chest.

“You just can’t keep those pretty hands to yourself, can you? ” The voice that enters the room is not Lir’s. It's deeper, distorted, and far more menacing, yet it thrills me all the same. “ You should do something useful with them, pet.”

A sinister grin tips his lips as he grabs my hand, feeding it between our bodies and resting it on the hard bulge between his legs. “Do you feel what you do to me? What only you can? ”

“I don’t understan?—”

“Shh.” He leans down, brushing his lips against mine. “ You don’t have to. Just let me taste.” He crashes his mouth against mine, tongue swiping over my bottom lip, demanding entrance. When I deny him, I’m rewarded with the sensation of razor-sharp teeth slicing into my flesh.

Lir’s hand snakes around the back of my neck, holding me in place as I cry out, but it only makes Lir bite down harder. A low moan rumbles in his throat as he nibbles and sucks at the throbbing wound, his clawed hand tightening around my throat, cutting off my oxygen.

Despite my fear, a desperate fire courses through my veins, warming my skin, filling that endless, insatiable void I’ve learned to ignore. I arch my back into the floor, pushing into his touch, wanting more of it. Needing that last shred of sense to snap so I can finally succumb to this bliss. My heart is in my throat, beating a violent tune that has my ears buzzing and my legs quivering. I can’t think; I can’t breathe.

Something in the back of my mind demands I stop—to remember where I am, and who is kissing me right now—but as soon as the thought forms, it vanishes in a wisp of smoke. The thing in my chest purrs in content, urging me to go further, to let him claim me fully.

Lir peppers chaste kisses across the corner of my mouth and cheek. He works his way down to the base of my shoulder, placing his lips there for several long moments. A pleasant warmth builds in that spot—the same one the bear, Honey, had touched earlier—and I close my eyes as the restless thing beneath my skin begins to quiet.

“That’s much better, ” he murmurs, nuzzling the area with his nose. “ My sweet little pet.”

Satisfaction vibrates in Lir’s chest as I reach a hand to his face, caressing the snowy skin. I push my fingers through the thick blue hair at the top of his head, raking my fingernails lightly against his scalp. Lir closes his eyes, a moan-like growl pouring from his open mouth.

I’m so lost in the moment, I don’t realize the sound woke Cyprien. Not until his voice echoes across the room .

“I felt something down the bond. What’s going on?” he demands, looking from Lir to me and back to Lir. His eyes go wide as he focuses on the glowing blue brand mark on my shoulder.

“Oh fuck .”