Page 105 of Satanic Shadow

I let out a breath. “Good.” Not good. I want a reason to kiss him without admitting to myself I actually do want a kiss—a real kiss.

His jaw clenches as he spins me and twirls me back to his chest. “Am I so undesirable, mortal?”

“Coming from the person who made my life hell and called me ugly and disgusting.”

“The truth hurts,” he says with amusement, and he fully grins when I smack his chest.

I seem to be smacking him a lot lately.

As before, I somehow know how to move, and Dane only needs to talk me through a few parts of the dance, and at one point, we smoothly sail through each step without missing a beat from start to finish. I giggle as he does the final dip, and I hear Dane’s heart in my own ears.

“Not too bad,” I say, grinning as I pant. “I bet Silas is better.”

He lifts me. “Once more.”

This time, he throws me around like he’s trying to prove a point. I accidentally stand on his shoe, and he bumps my hipinto the dresser intentionally. I stick out my tongue, and we start from the beginning again.

By the time we’re done, it’s nearly three in the morning. Dane has his sleeves rolled to his elbows, the top two buttons unfastened, and his hair disheveled. I’m in a worse condition. My hair is a mess, my dress clings to me, and my limbs ache.

We both drop on the bed after six billion run-throughs of the dance, breathing in sync. “You’re worse than I thought,” he says while filling his lungs. “Shockingly bad, to be brutally honest. There isn’t a chance in hell Silas will want to fuck you after that.”

“You know, it’s sometimes better to not be honest.” I roll onto my side, perching on my elbow with my hand to my head. “Which is why you withhold so much stuff from me, and I’m getting fed up with it.”

“What do you mean? Like what?”

“Firstly, you won’t tell me why Valin took me. Secondly, you won’t tell me why you killed someone. Thirdly, you won’t tell me why the tasks are made the way they are. Should I keep going? I’m sure I have another twelve to go through.”

“Can you just settle on the fact you’re better off not knowing?”

“No.”

He sighs. “I’m starting to remember why I hate you.”

“Good,” I retort. “Because this nice version of you confuses me.”

“Give me your hands, so I can leave.”

I sit up and so does he, and I place my palms on top of his. I keep my eyes to the side, not looking at him as he mutters annoyances to himself while the burning begins.

But it doesn’t come…

It should hurt, right?

It always hurts.

Why doesn’t it hurt? I feel a slight heat, but that’s all.

When I glance at Dane, he looks like he’s in excruciating pain. His eyes are screwed shut, his teeth clenched, another trickle of black blood dripping from his nose.

His body is shaking while I stare at him.

Tightening his hold on my hands, he swears to himself as black tendrils claw up his neck as they always do, settling into his skin.

But I feel nothing.

He breaks away abruptly and falls off the bed, crouching down as he grabs his chest. “Fuck.”

I go to him, dropping to my knees as I grab at his shoulders. “Are you okay?”