Page 33 of The Human Element (The Human Element Collection #1)

Lorelei

Lorelei’s nerves settled, and she continued to watch Daemon teach Samuel tips to better control his power and how to recall it without having to resort to anger, while another hour passed as she studied and they trained.

Samuel was able to call forth two more lightning strikes with enough focus and sent them flying in different directions with success, none of which was towards either of them, thankfully.

I bet Dad would've loved every second of this.

If her dad were still here, he'd be in his own version of Heaven just reviewing the ancient letters, more than likely able to decipher them better than Lorelei can right now.

Because in the end, although Daemon wrote pronunciations of the symbols, Lorelei had been muttering to herself relentlessly trying to form the syllables; it felt foreign and wrong.

She tried and couldn't get her mind to wrap around the strange language. She felt something inside her call out to them though, like a knowing of something she couldn’t remember, but it was just out of reach.

Every time she said a word, nothing happened.

She looked around to see if she made anything appear, made a small spell like the one Daemon used that brought forth a barrier shield-but nothing.

At this point, the symbols were blurring into each other and she didn’t think this idea was going to pan out.

Daemon was sweet in believing in these abilities he thought she might have, but at some point, maybe they were all kidding themselves.

Feeling a bit defeated, she didn’t realize that Daemon was standing in front of her.

He smiled and sat down beside her, grabbing her hand, giving it a squeeze before he reached into the basket he’d brought for a bottle of water and wiped sweat from his brow.

“The kid’s getting it. Pretty impressive actually. I think we should explore what other types of weather manipulation he could do. But right now, I believe this is as good as it’s going to get considering the limited daylight we have.”

Neither of them had discussed the disturbing accident earlier where Samuel nearly electrocuted Lorelei, and honestly, she hugged him and told him it was fine; but at the same time, it was so odd to see the usual shy, cheery teenager morph into a dark, almost scary fragment of the Samuel she had come to know.

Seeing as Daemon wasn’t mentioning it either, maybe it was a conversation for another day.

Daemon stretched, his wings laying out on the ground behind him, his wings glistened in the pools of light that peeked from behind the clouds that Samuel brought forth.

Every time she saw him like this, she couldn’t help but stare.

It made her wonder what it'd be like to attempt to draw him.

But there would be no way to capture the power that dripped off him like honey.

The muscles in his arms shifted, covered with a sheen of sweat, making him even more beautiful to behold.

Her hands itched to reach out and run her fingertips along it.

She only came out of her daydream when she heard Daemon speak something she couldn’t understand in a deliciously, seductive tone, causing her heart to race even without knowing the words; he must’ve been speaking Enochian.

“What was that?” She asked, wondering how long she’d been admiring him.

Daemon flaunted a rare smile that illuminated his entire face, his silver bangs sweeping playfully over one eye before he pushed it behind his ear, his teeth nipping at his bottom lip, making her ache in a lower place..

“It means, if you keep looking at me like that, Sunflower, I think we may be having a different lesson altogether this afternoon than the one we are supposed to.”

His voice trailed off, eager and hungry-sounding as she saw him look her up and down.

God, he is going to bring me to my knees.

Suggestion oozed from him and she felt her legs closing tighter together, unable to take her eyes away from his mouth.

She remembered the feel of his hands on her the night before, the intensity of this pulling sensation she experienced ever since she ran into him at the pub back in Inverness.

Daemon ignited something inside her and eased her worries at the same time.

How that was possible she didn’t know, but right now it was less calm and more releasing molten lava in her veins if she didn’t have him this instant.

Daemon raised his eyebrow at her, having read her mind.

His emerald eyes burned with the same intensity she was feeling.

He scooted closer to her, looking to see Samuel had taken a break and was now lying on the grass watching the clouds above him, resting.

Daemon moved close enough to brush his lips against hers, teasingly.

His tongue shot out to lick her bottom lip, and she sucked in air, her body now trembling with the need for him.

There couldn’t be a second longer. She needed to close the gap.

But as she tried to, Daemon smiled cruelly and spoke again in Enochian.

She could still feel his breath against her skin, his mouth now trailing down her chin, his hand having found its rightful place on the back of her neck. Lorelei arched slightly to give him more access, her fingers gliding up his pant leg.

“Please…don’t stop."

Daemon clicked his tongue and a laugh rumbled against the base of her neck sending goosebumps all down her body.

Just when she thought he was going to kiss her again at her collarbone, instead, he gave a small bite that made her yelp slightly, and it fueled the raging fire even further.

He pulled himself up and kissed her lips softly again before sitting back.

Lorelei’s chest heaved from the adrenaline rush, and while her heart thudded violently, she attempted to regain a semblance of self control; there was a teenage boy not far off out here for Pete’s sake.

She looked into Daemon’s eyes and playfully smacked his arm as he spoke again in Enochian and then in English.

“Okay, so what did I say now?”

Trying her best to ignore the intoxicating British accent that swept her into a near-frenzy moments earlier, she shook her head and recalled the sounds of the words he was saying.

“Err…I know the second word was “a” and….the last word you said sounded like “repeat?”

Daemon laughed, causing those little eye crinkles from happiness that appeared only briefly with him; she wasn’t sure he was used to laughing. Or if he was, it had been so long since he did. And that made her leap with joy to know she could make him laugh; it was a beauty to her ears.

“Sort of. I asked if you needed a release or if you were fine with me tormenting you a little longer.” His tone changed again to playful seduction and that same tingling feeling low in her belly made her squirm under his gaze.

"Are you always this much of a tease?"

Daemon raised an eyebrow at her, that suggestive smirk reappearing.

" Who said I was teasing? "

Her heart quickened but she ignored him and studied over the notepad again when Daemon followed up and told her to repeat a specific spell when he knew she wouldn't give into his game so easily. It was the same damned spell she’d been trying to do for the last hour; the Barrier Spell.

Looking up from her page, she mustered her strength and tempered her embarrassment at the sure butchering of the words, and repeated the spell aloud.

This time, it was different. A feeling of pressure came from her chest and grew to encase her entire body.

Looking like a blob of translucent jelly, it edged further away from her.

The concentration on the effect made her eyes strain.

It felt like a piece of herself was no longer attached to her body—and it fluctuated in and out, until with surprise, she willed it to hold in place, forming a perfect bubble around her.

Her jaw dropped at the sensation of feeling like the world around her was now muted, and she poked the formation; it rippled in response but did not break.

She’d done it. She was able to speak Enochian and successfully do a spell!

Daemon smiled at her from ear to ear and clapped proudly. But the moment she met his eyes and literally jumped for joy, her concentration ebbed, and the bubble popped. Lorelei groaned in frustration.

“Ugh! Just when I had it..”

“Hey! You bloody did it though! I couldn’t be happier. For your first attempt, you held it well.”

Lorelei smiled; it wasn’t perfect, but she now had the capability to speak Enochian, and with more practice, possibly use more of the spells Daemon did for protection or to help him in a situation. She would never be fluent, but she could put up a barrier if need be for now. That was a success.

She felt a sigh escape her, her hope at their prospects renewing.

She picked up her notebook again and raised an eyebrow at Daemon over it, deciding to see if she could practice her fluency further by giving Daemon a taste of her own teasing.

She skimmed the words a moment and lifted her eyes to match him again.

The words felt stronger this time, and they flowed easier than before.

“ A crip mir da trian noan i ds capimao ol zir c top c g. ”

Lorelei stumbled through the words and the sounds that felt like snakes slithering on her tongue.

In comparison to Daemon when he spoke, it sounded like classical music.

She only hoped any of what she said was right, and by the look on Daemon’s face, it was .

Daemon didn't respond in words, but when he bit his lip in frustration, she knew she’d relayed what she’d wanted to.

She told him in Enochian that he could release her anytime, anywhere; as long as he dragged the release out for maximum pleasure.

She brushed her shoulders in smug retaliation, wondering what fun response he’d have or how impressed he would be with her efforts.

But she gasped when he moved so fast, pushing Lorelei down to the ground, one hand finding its way up her side until he wrapped his fingers firmly around both of her wrists.

Hunger emanated from him, every inch of him throbbing with desire for her; she could feel it pulsing against her skin as her own famished eagerness matched his, creating a delicate dance of pushing each other to the absolute edge.

It felt carnal, raw . It felt like if they went any further, she might become undone from this world.

She wished to bond herself in every physical way possible to him.

She wanted to explore it all with him. Every sensation, every way they could fulfill each other’s desires, every way she could make that perfect man moan in response to each touch she aspired to perform.

Lorelei had obviously been with other men, but she had never encountered this enticing combination of pure, unfiltered, lustful desire; at the same time, she felt her own soul begged to intertwine in such a spiritual, emotional capacity.

Her body heat rose sharply and she knew her face must be flushing red as her eyes lingered first on his demanding eyes, then his lips that pleaded for her own.

She didn’t want to fight him— he could pin her and take her as much as he wanted.

Daemon’s voice was haggard, rushed, his heart beating as fast as hers. “Passion…like anger, is often a catalyst for powers to emerge…looks like we got you there.”

Of course. Daemon always had a tactic. He knew that his teasing kisses before she did the spell would help her produce it. But she also knew it wasn’t just a tactic. It was indulgence for them both, as he too, could hardly restrain himself around her.

Two birds with one hot angel, right?

When Lorelei thought he’d finally release her from the torture building up, a barely audible coughing sound came from behind them. Samuel stood a few feet away, doing his best to not look directly at them as he spoke.

“Uhh…I think I’m done with the drills you needed me to do.”

Daemon ignored the uncomfortable teenager and leaned down, kissing Lorelei softly; the humming of the energy between them felt like a shock the moment they disconnected for only the briefest of moments as he quickly hopped off her and pulled her up as well.

Lorelei at last looked at the boy who’d seen their near indecent act and covered her face in embarrassment.

Who is the adult here, huh?

She continued to scold herself but Daemon shrugged it off as no big deal; although, Lorelei could still see him shifting uncomfortably, also trying to calm himself from the moment earlier.

But he winked at Lorelei behind Samuel’s back before responding.

Her heart fluttered and she stifled a laugh herself.

“No worries, we’ve finished our lesson, too.”