Page 89 of Hunted By Fear
Moonlight.
Lucifer’s name echoes in my mind, and suddenly it feels a lot more intimidating than it did before.
“I made a mistake hiding behind Oliver. I thought I could fuck you and get back to life like it was before you, but I was wrong.”
I look over at him, but he won’t meet my eyes.
“I knew you wouldn’t ever want to talk to me as me, not after the way I was with you in the beginning. But you seemed to like Oliver, so I hid behind him…” I know he’s not done; I can hear it, but something he said makes the question bubble out of me before I can stop it.
“How did you make yourself look so different?” It wasn’t like he just wore a mask or color-changing contacts. I’ve seen Talian naked, and while I had tried to keep my eyes off his body that first day, I’d seen enough to see the difference between him and Oliver. Like the metal in the tip of Talian’s penis that I know wasn’t there on Oliver, and the fact that Talian’s hair is long enough that he could sit on it, whereas Oliver’s didn’t even reach his ears.
Talian sits forward, a sly smile on his lips, as he winks and, before my eyes, shifts from what I’m used to back to Oliver. I see it, but still my brain can’t comprehend, and before I can, he’s changing again to look like Kai and then Bast and Lucifer before turning back into himself.
“Holy shit…” It’s the only thing I can make myself say as I stare at him, amazed.
“So, you’re what? A shapeshifter?”
He shakes his head. “No, still just a demon, but I can manipulate my magic to give the appearance of someone else. Technically speaking, anyone could do it, but most don’t care to learn how or have the patience or reserves for it. It’s what most call a dead art, not even Luce knows how.”
“Wow.” I’d thought it was impressive before.
He crawls toward me, closing the gap between us before gripping my chin and forcing my eyes to meet his, unable to look away.
“I swear I’ll never use that on you again, Aeri. I made a mistake and hid behind Oliver because I craved being close to you, and that was the only way I knew how to, but Oliver was me, more me than I’ve been in years, with anyone.”
I search his eyes, looking for something that tells me he’s lying, that this is the same naked man I met all those months ago, but I can’t find it. All I see is sincerity as he pleads his case. I might be fucking stupid, but damn it if I don’t believe him.
“I don’t deserve you, don’t deserve a second chance, but fuck, Darling, I want one.” His lips are so close that I feel his breath on my face. His thumb rubs along the length of my jaw, and it takes everything in me to keep my eyes open instead of falling into him.
“I’ve never wanted anything more than I want to be yours and have you be mine in return. I crave you more than power, drugs, sex, you name it; it’s nothing compared to you. Eon’s alone. I’ve never once thought a mate was possible, never even considered the possibility of having one or what it would mean not to have one, but now, the thought of a life without you is painful. Months away from you was enough to almost push me off the edge.”
His words steal the breath from my lungs, but that’s fine; what I want to say can be expressed without words.
I press up on my knees, closing the small gap and sealing our lips together.
I get the satisfaction of seeing his eyes go wide before his hand drops from my chin, circling my waist and pulling me into his chest with a groan that I greedily devour.
It’s not enough for either of us. He pulls me up onto his lap, his hands gripping my hips, and I feel his hard length. I let out a content and happy little mewling sound as I settle down against him. He growls low and deep, and I feel the rumble as if I’d made the sound myself, except for the fact that it also makes my pussy ache.
I’d never craved sex, never thought it would be something I sought out, but with Talian, I do. My body remembers Oliver; knowing they’re one in the same made me want him, especially with him so close, but now I can actually have him. Before, it was a physical craving; now it’s more. I want Talian deep inside of me, yes, but I want that forever, not just once.
The thought is jarring. Not long ago, I was happy to avoid him any way I could. Now, he’s become a sense of comfort, the same as Bast.
Fuck, when had that happened?
It doesn’t matter. All that matters is getting his clothes off.
Without pulling away, I let my hands trail down his chest, pulling his shirt from his pants where it was tucked in. The guys all have their own sense of style; some dress up, while others dress down. Their display of horns, wings, and other appendages also varies from day to day.
Talian and Asta tend to dress more on the business side, and sinful is the only way to describe it. Something about their wings and the sleeves of their button-ups rolled to their elbows, tattoos, and horns exposed.
Damn it, if I wasn’t already ready to combust, I sure am now.
I rock into Talian, making both of us moan as I fumble to try and get his buttons undone, only to fail and push the shirt up instead, desperate to feel his skin. I feel his smile against my lipsbefore he releases his hold on me. A second later, I hear ripping and something else that I can’t put my finger on.
Despite my need, my curiosity gets the best of me. I pull back only to find all the buttons from his shirt are not only undone but missing…
It takes me a second to realize what it means, and I can’t even begin to explain why it turns me on even more, but it does. Judging by the way his eyes flash, I’d say he knows it too.