Page 106 of Paramour of Sin

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Zane

Power hummed through my veins.

Zebulon’spower.

He’d…bonded… us.

Indefinitely.

The exchange of blood between demons was extremely rare. And for one in his position of power to do it, cemented us together for eternity.

His blood would always flow through my veins now. His essence. His robust energy. It protected me. Claimed me. Called mehis.

Just as he’d taken mine in return, solidifying that bond.

He didn’t ask, he took.

Typical Zebulon.

He’d marked Guinevere as well. I could see it thriving in her skin, providing her a luminescent glow as she healed beside me on the bed. Her hair had begun to shift colors, a hint of red threading through the dark waves. It was his power marking her on the outside, denoting her as belonging to him.

I ran my fingers through her multi-colored strands, her face finally hers again. She’d shifted back several minutes after Zebulon’s departure, telling me he’d found Amarella outside. I wasn’t sure of his status, but I could feel him thriving inside me. Alive, well,strong.

A new sensation, one I rather liked.

We’d never discussed the long-term, just enjoyed each other’s company and continued seeing each other over the decades. Frequently, too. Almost as though we were lovers, but not entirely.

Although, Zebulon rarely engaged sexually with anyone else. Something I assumed was a consequence of his inability to rely on anyone other than himself. He also refused to be vulnerable around those he couldn’t trust, and losing himself to momentary bliss certainly did that. Even if just for a few seconds.

Our initial years were a trial of sorts. He used to tie me up when he fucked me, just to ensure he had complete control.

I didn’t mind.

Kink was fun.

But he eventually granted me some freedoms, making our time together even more engaging. All the way up until today where he gave me free rein of his bedroom and even went as far as to confide in me often.

I studied Guinevere’s soft features, noting the way her breath came more naturally now. Zebulon had severely injured her throat, but his blood was doing the job of healing her.

My knuckles skimmed her flushed cheeks, my heart skipping a beat at her perfection. We shared the same pillow, both on our sides, facing each other. I’d situated her up here after Zebulon disappeared. And observing her now, I realized what a fool I’d been.

“I should have known it was you,” I whispered, an apology underlining my tone. “I think part of me did because I hesitated. But Zebulon was so angry, it… it clouded my judgment. I’m sorry, Guinevere. I’m so sorry.” I wasn’t sure if she could hear me. However, I felt the need to talk to her. To confide in her. To tell her how I was feeling, to explain myself to her.

“I’m sorry for all the hurtful things I’ve done or said, too. I should have just accepted our fate from the beginning. I think I’ve loved you all this time, Guinevere.” Something I realized when I heard her say those three words to Zebulon. They’d just felt soright. “When you told me the first time, I was so taken aback by your admission and how it made me feel, that I reacted with the first words that came to my mind. All I knew was that I needed to push you away because if I didn’t, I would break my vow to Zebulon.”

It had put me in such a complex situation.

Like I had to choose between my feelings for Guinevere and the ones I’d developed for my lord.

“Part of me loves him, too,” I added in a low tone. “I think I have for a long time, but I’ve never admitted it to myself or to him because he’s not the type to love. He’s… he’s Zebulon. He doesn’t even want a paramour, let alone a proper lover. So I ignored those feelings, and became quite good at hiding from those emotions in my heart. Which was what made it almost natural to push you away, too.”

I blew out a breath, fairly certain I wasn’t making any sense.

“I just… I shouldn’t have pushed you away, Gwen. I should have owned up to my feelings. But I’m not even sure I recognized them at the time. You were this forbidden fruit, the one I couldn’t touch. And while that darkly appealed to my incubus nature, my mind proved stronger. I ignored all my inclinations without even realizing what I was doing.”

Yeah, that didn’t make much sense either.