Page 45 of Resurrection (Daemons & Lumens #2)
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Typhon
T aunting the daemon prince was my new favorite pastime. Well, second favorite, right behind devouring Seraphina’s sexy-as-fuck pussy. And fucking her mouth. And her ass. Okay, it was my favorite right after every inch of Seraphina’s sweet and sinful body.
He and Devon were currently chatting and working together to set up the bar for the event tonight. I watched them curiously. They were being oddly friendly. Levi walked up beside me, his gaze following mine.
“Since when are they friendly?” Levi smirked, crossing his arms. His tattooed biceps bulged, the flames enhancing his muscles.
I shrugged, pretending I didn’t care when it was obvious I cared too much. “Since a few hours ago, it looks like. Perhaps the daemon is changing tactics to get closer to our girl.”
“As if he could if she didn’t want him to,” he quipped, and I grunted in agreement.
“True. Perhaps she does want him to, though. Would you be good with it?” I glanced at him, watching his face for the truth.
Levi was more easygoing and willing to make friends when I wasn’t. “Don’t you feel it? When our bonds snapped into place with Seraphina during that ritual, something else did too. Someone else, I think.”
I mulled over his words. I did feel it. When she was engulfed in those flames, some chain unlinked itself from my soul and wound its way to her, binding me to her more fully.
And to my brothers as well; but it was strange, almost as if a link was missing.
Was it this daemon prince? This fucker was going to complete our group?
“He’s hot,” Levi said with a chuckle.
I snarled, jealousy rearing up inside me. Levi turned to me with a knowing smile, and I wanted to punch him in his pretty fucking mouth.
He sensed my warring emotions down our bond and laughed. “Learn to share, Ty. Could be fun.”
Levi grinned, his face wicked and tempting. He always knew how to rile me up.
My cock twitched, and his eyes flicked down to my gym shorts.
Levi licked his lips, and I stepped closer to him, our chests brushing against each other.
I was feeling extra predatory at the thought of sharing Levi with anyone else.
Seraphina, yes, but the daemon? Why did that make me equally horny and filled with rage?
“We’ll see.” The words left my mouth in a deadly purr.
The party was slowly getting started when Dev and his new daemon bestie called us out to the woods near the edge of the boundary.
Michaela and Morax were asked to come as well.
Seraphina walked at my side, and I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her close.
She smelled divine. Since that ritual, my senses had been heightened even further.
Hints of musky amber and black currant rolled off her in waves.
She was the perfect blend of sweet and smoky. I wanted to drown in her scent.
“Your thoughts are in the gutter, monster man.” Seraphina snickered, elbowing me in the ribs. “I might not be able to read them exactly, but the testosterone in the air is cloying.”
“Don’t pretend you’re not down in this gutter of sin with me, little vixen.” As if she wasn’t equally depraved. My pet’s soul was just as black as mine.
She scoffed but leaned into my arms. I could feel Phenex’s eyes on us. Seraphina pointedly ignored him.
The sun had set hours ago, but Morax and Phenex created orbs of light for us to see.
And when we came close to the woods beyond, Seraphina gasped.
There were several headstones before us.
A small graveyard with one newly dug grave and similar headstones covered the area.
I could make out a few of them. Seraphina could as well, by the sudden rigidness of her body against mine.
Michaela walked over to us, Morax following close behind. Seraphina left my arms and hugged her sister close.
“I came out here the other day to think,” Dev started, breaking the silence.
“I was thinking of my father, and how there was so much left unsaid between us. My mother, who was killed when I was too young to save her. And my sister, who I thought was dead and now lives with my worst enemies. I just wanted somewhere to go to talk to them and remember. I took the liberty of burying your father here, so that you might have a place to go and talk to him. We added the others, your mother, sister, and a few friends and family my brothers and I have lost on this journey.”
“We?” Seraphina cut in, her eyes shining.
Dev turned to Phenex. “Phen created the headstones, he wanted to help, and added a few of his own lost souls as well.”
Seraphina walked toward a headstone with her biological father’s name on it. “Thank you. I wish I had known him.”
Phenex moved closer to her, and I resisted the urge to step between them. His face was solemn and serious, something I hadn’t seen from the flippant daemon since his arrival. “I didn’t know him well, but I was there when he died.”
Seraphina’s eyes snapped to his, her mouth open in shock. “What? Did you kill him?”
Phenex brought his hands up in surrender immediately.
“No! It was Belial and my mother’s soldiers who cut him down.
They didn’t kill him. He was incredibly strong, and when I found him, the room was littered with bodies.
His wounds would’ve healed eventually, perhaps a few scars from the stellatium blades.
Belfegor’s death was his choice. He gave his soul to the stone you used in the ritual. To bring us together.”
“My father died just to bring you here? Are you fucking kidding me?” Seraphina snarled, her voice laced with pain and irritation.
Phenex stumbled back, unsure.
It was Morax who spoke next. “My brother may be impulsive and impish at times, but he is not a liar. And to those who mean something to him, he is loyal and kind. He revealed none of this, even to me, to protect you and your family.”
Phenex looked sheepishly at his brother. “He told me I would find my true mate. His daughter. Said he had seen it and was proud of you. Of what you would become.”
“Well, fuck him for dying that way and not being here to tell me himself. What I would become? I’ve become a massive disappointment.
” Seraphina’s face was flushed with emotions.
“This isn’t about being nice. This is more bullshit about mates.
I make my own choices. And I choose who I give myself to.
I have chosen these men!” Seraphina shouted her declarations, pointing at us.
The hurt on Phenex’s face was almost enough to make me feel for the daemon. Dev clearly did. He tried to talk to our girl, but she wasn’t having it. Seraphina stalked off, and Michaela ran after her.
Morax sighed and followed them, unable to keep any amount of distance between himself and his own mate.
Andras stuffed his hands in his pockets and frowned, watching the daemon prince. “I believe you.”
We turned to Andras, his quiet words drawing our attention.
Phenex’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You do?”
Andras nodded. “I do. I cannot ignore the bonds forming between us. We all feel them. Seraphina does as well, but she is afraid. Our fierce woman is only afraid of one thing, herself.”
“When her father told me she was my mate,” Phenex murmured quietly. “He said something else. He was nearly gone, but he said there were more. She would have more. I think he saw you all as well.”
Levi nodded. “It feels right, for whatever that’s worth. I think our girl will come around. We need to show her that we’re all in. Brothers?”
Phenex smirked. “Can’t say I ever wished for more brothers. The ones I have are pain in the ass. But perhaps this will be something new. Kinky brothers.” He wiggled his eyebrows and winked at Devon.
Levi laughed. “Oh man, you are so getting fucked in the ass, Dev.”
“Fuck off, Levi!” Dev shouted, his cheeks flushing in the dim light.
Levi’s grin was infectious, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Alright. I’m in.”
“As am I,” Andras murmured, offering the smallest of smiles, the reserved prick.
“You know I am. Let’s shower our sexy-as-sin queen with so much pleasure she’ll never know what hit her.” Levi elbowed me in the ribs, and I shoved him playfully.
The beat of music emanating from the mansion grew, and the noise intensified as the rave kicked off in the basement. I closed my eyes, searching for the spark of darkness that was Seraphina’s soul. She wasn’t in the basement yet. I sensed her upstairs in her rooms, likely with her sister.
“Let us join the fray,” Andras spoke, back to his usually commanding presence. “Seraphina will join at her sister’s insistence, I am certain.”
I nodded in agreement, and we walked back to Vespertine Hall. The chains linking me to my brothers felt more solid, stronger. Our bond was nearly unbreakable. I had a feeling Seraphina was the key to our binding. And once that happened, we’d be fucking unstoppable.