Page 87 of Hunted By Fear

What the fuck.

I turn on the spot before I stop to listen.

Her heart pounds and her breathing is labored, but with it, I hear the slight rasp of her laughter. I creep around the backopening of the gazebo to find her crouched down, ducked low under the railing to stay out of sight.

It would be a good hiding spot if I were human, but I’m not sure she realizes just how superior my hearing is to hers.

She flips through the pages of my book, and I stop to watch her as her eyes move over one page and then another.

The smile melts off her face, and a little line forms between her brows as if she’s deep in thought.

“I’ve never done anything like this, so I thought keeping notes was a good place to start.”

She screams, dropping my notebook and pressing a hand to her chest, and gives me a dirty look that's more adorable than anything else.

“Don’t look at me like that. Any demon could hear your breathing from a mile away, maybe more. Not to mention the way your heart is racing.”

“What? You can hear that?” She sounds shocked, and that only makes the whole thing funnier.

“Oh yeah.” I take a step toward her, and her eyes flick up to meet mine. She’d fallen forward when I startled her, so she’s on her knees looking up at me through her long lashes, and what a sight she is like that. “I can hear your blood pumping, your heart beating, and every breath you take.”

Her eyes dilate as she swallows hard, but she doesn’t look away as I continue toward her; she doesn’t push to stand either.

“That’s cheating.”

I use my speed to close the distance before quickly scooping her up in my arms, bridal style. She gasps and clings to me, and fuck if I don’t love it.

“I like playing dirty.” My lips drag up the length of her ear, and I feel her shiver. Unfortunately, she doesn’t stay distracted, though.

“What’s with the notes?” She asks, trying to appear unaffected despite what I just told her about being able to hear her heartbeat, which is still beating way faster than normal.

I contemplate lying for a second before I decide against it.

“I told you I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“Anything like what?”

“Try and win someone’s heart.”

What did he just say?

“Win someone’s heart?” I repeat as I attempt to make sense of what he just said. He smiles at me, his face soft, his eyes happy, and I feel like I’m missing something here.

With me still in his arms, he leaves the gazebo and heads deeper into the garden, where we have yet to explore.

“I’ve always had an easy enough time getting people to sleep with me. Men, women, angels, demons—it didn’t matter. So many people believe they love me, have told me so, or even attempted to buy my love in return, but I wasn’t interested.”

That makes sense; Talian is beautiful in the way that makes you jealous and your heart ache. It’s impossible to deny, but it had never been his looks. I wasn’t a fan of his personality, but the longer I’m around him, the more I wonder if any of that is really him.

“You’ve never loved anyone?”

He shakes his head, a frown pulling at his lips, and I let that sink in.

Talian’s a demon.

“How old are you?” I blurt the question before I can think better of it.

I feel his laughter rumble in his chest, the sound deep and delicious.