Page 22 of Promised to the Demon King (The Demon Brides #1)

Nova looked around, confused and slightly disoriented. Where was she? What was this place?

Nova took in the elegant room.

The room was dark grey in colour, and there didn’t appear to be any electronic lighting available. A dozen wall scones with tall, dripping candles were all lit, shining the room brightly. She had always appreciated vintage or Victorian-style décor, so she found herself in awe of how the room was styled.

Something about it shouted raw, unadulterated power and dominance. It stirred something in her again. The walls were dark stone with assorted brick colouring randomly mixed in, which only added to the visual aesthetics for Nova.

There were exposed solid wood beams along the stone overhead ceiling and large wooden pillars scattered in beautiful uniform placement.

A large exotic and uniquely patterned oriental rug sat under the dual his and her thrones, cascading down the three shallow steps before them.

The tapestry that hung on the walls told a story that Nova desperately wanted to uncover.

There were symbols carved on the sizable barren wall behind the thrones—a sigil of some kind. Nova stepped forward and eagerly ran her long, slender fingers over the beautiful, intricately etched sigil.

As she did, warmth instantly enveloped her. She gasped and allowed the warmth to take hold. Nova pressed her palms against the heart, the center of the sigil, and she felt something within her clawing, desperate to get out.

She wasn’t afraid. She was fascinated. She felt-- at home there.

Nova turned away from the symbol and stared at the slightly smaller throne chair. It wasn’t as offensive in size or etched with raw masculinity as the one next to it, but it was just as strikingly breathtaking in its unique beauty. At the head of each throne was an initial. The large masculine one held the letter A, whereas the smaller, more feminine throne held the letter N.

The closer Nova got, the more eager that inner urge demanded notice.

“Roz?”

Nova called out. She wanted to understand why she was so profoundly drawn there.

She rarely felt at ease or at home, unless in her own family home, but there was something about that room that made her feel like she belonged there.

A voice inside of her told her that the throne she stood next to was hers.

‘Little Queen!’ Roz always called her that. This was a royal throne room. Was there a hidden connection?

Nova shook her head and chuckled at the thought. “I am no Queen!”

She whispered as she dared to run her fingers over the carved N on the head of her throne.

“That is where you are wrong, my love!”

His voice came from behind her. The force that had been clawing to get out of her told her who it was. It couldn’t be, however.

To Nova’s surprise, the stunning man stood from her nightmare days ago—her dark hero.

“It’s you!”

she gasped, placing her hand over her rapidly beating chest. He took a step forward.

“It’s me!”

he smirked, and it did things to Nova and her wildly fluttering heart. She started to blush. She could feel the heat, not just in her cheeks but in her core.

“Uh, where did you come from?”

Nova asked, noting that there was only one door, and it was behind her, not him.

Again, he smirked. A flash of white ran through his ice-blue eyes at her question. She was mesmerized by the sight. She had never met anyone else who had glowing eyes, which is often depicted in horror movies. This is why she was often teased by her peers and proclaimed the Devil’s Daughter by her own mother. This adonis of a man before her was different, just like her.

“You beckoned me, my love.”

Nova tilted her head at his response. “I was resting, and you ran your delicate fingers over my mark, summoning me forward.”

He continued.

“Your mark?”

Nova then noticed that the etched sigil on the wall behind him was no longer there. In its place stood this sexy man. “Wait--”

“That’s right.”

He smirked, sensing her slow understanding. “Only a Queen can pull forth her King through his sigil within his throne room. I am happy that you did. I’ve missed you, Nova.”

his words strummed her dormant feelings.

Dormant until now, that is.

She felt herself pulled deeper into the man's intensely glowing ice-blue and white eyes. His voice called her deeper into the unknown of desire.

“What’s your name?”

Nova struggled to control the urge to reach out and touch him. She needed to know if he was real.

“My name is Asmodeus, but you may call me anything you prefer. You are my Queen, and I’ve been patiently waiting for you, my love.”

Nova understood the loneliness in his words all too well. She thought of his name.

Asmodeus?

Asmo, like her step-uncle?

There was too much coincidence for this to be real; this was her dream.

She could not deny the inner desire pushing her feet forward; her body responded on its own volition, and before she knew it, her arms were wrapped around his broad form.

Real or dream, she still hated the idea that this man felt any loneliness.

“Your name is similar to the one my step-uncle prefers: Asmo. Do people call you that, too? " She whispered, her face buried into his chest. He was too tall and too broad. No, she shook those thoughts away. He was perfect.

His arms followed her lead, wrapping around her the same. She could feel him breathing in the scent of her shampoo from her hair. She could feel the gentle pressure of light kisses over the crown of her head. She could feel his entire oversized body begin to relax in her embrace. Hers followed his lead, relaxing as well.

They stood there for what felt like an eternity, but also mere seconds before he pulled back with a smile. His eyes glistened with moisture. She was sure it matched her own.

“I am called Asmo by those closest to me here, but you may call me anything as long as I am yours.”

his voice was a husky rasp, and it sent a shiver of arousal through her entire body, still wrapped in his large arms.

“Why do I feel like this?”

Nova asked. She struggled to control herself; she’d never been this-- wanton for a man before. Asmo wasn't what you would call a natural beauty by human standards. She was confident he would terrify most at sight, but he completely enamoured her.

His black nails were sharp to points she was sure would elongate and easily tear through the flesh. She thought he had multiple braids initially, but he had a singular braid in the center, with two thick black horns alongside and curled around the temples. She wondered if they moved. Odd thought, but it was hers.

His teeth were beautiful and white, but he had enlarged canines. His eyes were unnaturally icy blue with flashes of white that would cream over when he felt strong emotion, like hers, but different colours. She wondered what that meant.

He was tall; she was correct initially. He confidently stood seven feet tall versus her five-foot-four height. He was also three times her width. His biceps were bigger than her thighs, and his back rippled with impressive muscular terrain. She wanted to run his nails down the length of it and leave her mark.

Nova’s eyes widened at all the sinful and sexualized thoughts steaming forward. Where were these thoughts coming from? She’d never been an overly sexually curious girl. She liked the edge of a bad boy but never truly pursued or fantasized sexually about it. Yet here she stood, ready to give her entire being to this beastly man.

Asmo reached out and grabbed her hips possessively, colliding their hard bodies with one another. "That is because you are mine, and I am yours. Are you tired, my love?"

"Will you lay with me?"

"Always. It will only be me who lays with you from this day forth. You-- are mine!" The husky growl in his possessive tone aroused her. Her hands acted on their intent, sliding up the toned contours of his barreled chest. She arched her hands around the thickness of his neck, pulling his head to hers.

Her lips nervously pressed against his. She was inexperienced, but she needed to taste him.

Her nervous inexperience firmed Asmo; the pleasing growl that rumbled through his chest caused Nova to giggle.

"Say it!" He demanded, his eyes hooded with desire.

"I am yours, King Asmodeus. Only yours." She purred, pulling his lips back to hers, desperate to taste him again.

That was all Asmodeus needed to hear; his grip on her hips tightened as he lifted her with ease. Her strong legs were wrapped around his waist, and both were careful not to break the kiss. The kiss that they'd both fantasized about for what felt like a lifetime.

Gently, Asmodeus placed her back against the soft, welcoming mattress within his bedroom chamber. Furs and plush comfort surrounded her.

"I can not fully mate you, my love—but there is something I've been craving for a very long time," Asmodeus spoke, but Nova barely registered his words, completely lost in lust and pleasure as he left a trail of kisses down the length of her short frame. His hot breath on her bare skin sent pleasurable shivers coursing through her. Her hands instinctively gripping onto his thick horns, almost steering his initiative upon her---