Page 12 of Unbinding the Demon

By the time our mushroom excursion came to an end, the clouds had parted to reveal the high afternoon sun. Vibrant autumn colors embellished the branches above us as we followed a narrow, winding stream deeper into the forest. Sunlight glittered over the surface of the water and reflected up beneath the leaves, casting sparkling waves of light on their underbellies. The stream led us to a small hilly meadow with a set of short, narrow waterfalls cascading over some mossy rocks. We decided it was a suitable spot to stop for lunch.

We walked over to a large yellowing willow, its wispy branches mournfully whispering in the breeze. The tree stood next to the small waterfalls and draped its flowing arms from the top of its lofty, rounded crown, all the way down to the grassy earth below. Ashton took my hand in his and led me beneath its weeping veil. We sat on the lush grass as the small yellowing leaves danced like a whimsical curtain around us.

I hated to admit it, but I wasn’t having a terrible time with him. And believe me, I wanted to. I wanted him to reveal his true psycho nature and give me a reason to tell him to fuck off! But he never did. Other than his unsolicited touches, he was a gentleman to me the entire time. I found myself laughing at his jokes and enjoying our awkward small talk. He was strange, but he was growing on me.

“Don’t even think about it,” Ashton said, his voice stern as he glared at Belzar, who had just jumped into the stream and was now approaching to shake himself off. Belzar seemed to understand him perfectly. He dipped his head down with a little whine and pranced back into the water. I giggled as Ashton scooched a little closer to me.

“He seems like a very well-trained dog,” I mentioned while watching Belzar jump up and bite at the water, causing a shimmering sequence of splashes to fall around him. I pulled a pre-cut veggie and cheese sandwich out of the basket and unwrapped it.

“He’s not trained; he’s just smart.”

“That’s still pretty impressive.” I took a bite of my sandwich, then held the other half out for him. “Would you like some?”

“Thank you.” His eyes moved over my body with an unmistakable hunger. “But I’d much rather have you for lunch.” I choked on my sandwich upon hearing his words. With a soft laugh, he reached into the basket and pulled out the journal. “You brought this with you?” He raised a brow.

“Yeah, I thought it would be nice to read out here in the peace and quiet.” I shrugged, trying to seem indifferent about both his racy comment and the fact that I’d brought the journal. “I didn’t exactly plan to have company.”

God, I hope his ego doesn’t inflate because I brought along the book he gave me.

“I’m glad that you brought it. Have you read anything that piques your interest?” he asked with a smug smile and a proud twinkle in his eyes.

Yep, his ego is inflating like a hot-air balloon.

The corners of my mouth drooped as I considered whether I wanted to tell him about my coincidental connection to it. His curious eyes searched my face as he patiently awaited my answer. “It seems interesting, although I haven’t gotten to the part about the skin book yet.” I glanced down and fidgeted with the hem of my dress. I didn’t want to dampen the mood by telling my sob story about how my aunt had died.

Disappointment flashed across his face for a brief second, but a cunning smile quickly replaced it. “Well, I thought it was interesting that you share the same last name as the woman who wrote it.”

What the living fuck? How the hell did Nancy Drew over here figure out my last name?

“Wait, how do you know my last name?” I glared at him with suspicion.

“It was written at the top of your essay.” He shrugged.

Well, I guess that made sense. It was still weird that he’d noticed and remembered that detail, though. “Alright,” I said, and then squished my lips into a straight line, putting my sandwich down. “If you must know, I was surprised to find out that the journal belonged to my aunt.” My words were mumbled as I gazed down at the grass beneath me. I wasn’t sure why I had told him the truth instead of pretending that it was just an odd coincidence.

A look of mild annoyance flickered in his eyes. “Well, I suppose you could just ask her about it then. It would seem that interest in human leather-bound books must run in your family.” He shifted even closer to me as he spoke, but I didn’t look at him. My gaze stayed on the grass.

“I can’t, actually. She passed away a few years ago.” I began vacantly picking at the little blades, imagining each one screaming in agony as I plucked them from the dirt.

“Oh. I’m so sorry for your loss,” he said, his voice filled with what sounded suspiciously like rehearsed sympathy.

His warm arm slithered around my back, and his thumb began caressing my upper arm. I would have tried to scooch away, but I felt rather comforted by the caring gesture. “It’s all right. I’m not even that bothered by it. That's actually how I'm able to attend Mount Greybirch. She worked for the school as a guidance counselor and they offered me free tuition as compensation.”

He seemed to buy into my lie about how I felt, but the truth was, I was very bothered by it. My Aunt Elowynn had always been there for me when my deadbeat parents were too busy getting drunk to even remember they had a daughter. She had been more of a mother to me than my actual mother, and I had relied on her for so much. Then she was ripped away from this world, leaving behind an empty hole inside my heart. I still had parents in a technical sense, but losing her made me feel like an orphan.

“She probably would have wanted you to have it. And who knows, maybe the journal might even reveal some unfinished business that you could help her attend to.” He brushed a lock of hair behind my ear with gentle care, which made me blush a bit.

“I think you’re right. She would have wanted me to read it. Besides, her journal has been really interesting so far. I’ve gotten a whole new insight into her life. Like, for example, I never would have known how obsessive that weird priest guy was with her. He actually invited me to the church the other day. I didn’t plan on visiting before, but now I’m definitely not going.” I laughed and then looked up at him. His face darkened at the mention of Father Adelstein.

“Good. I don’t want you anywhere near that man,” he said sternly, his voice filled with ascendancy.

“Um, well, no offense, but you’re not my father.”

He swiftly seized my shoulders and pushed me onto my back, his towering figure looming like a dark cloud over my body. His long hair fell to the ground beside my head and curtained the view to my left. We were almost nose to nose, with his menacing face just inches away from mine.

Yep, there it is... his crazy, psycho side.

“Stay away from him. Do I make myself clear?” He looked downright malevolent as he gave his command.

“Okay, I’ll stay away from him,” I whispered with wide, frightened eyes. My hands found their way onto his firm chest to push him away. But I didn’t push. The closeness of his body over mine caused that familiar heat to pool between my legs. I inconspicuously rubbed my thighs together, trying to put out the flames that had roared to life between them.

“Do you trust me, Buttercup?” His face softened, but his voice held wicked curiosity.

“Not in the slightest bit.” I bit my lip and held my breath.

His eyes lingered on my lips with desire before returning to my gaze. We stayed like that for a moment, him lying over me as we stared deeply into each other’s eyes. Yellow leaves fell from the willow and glittered in the sunlight as they peacefully fluttered around our bodies, contrasting with the burning tension that was building between us. I watched as he searched my face and realized that I was equally searching his. For what, I did not know.

He held the side of my neck and closed the short distance between our lips with deliberate slowness. Heat flushed throughout my body and gathered in my core. The feeling of his tender kiss was strangely familiar, exactly how it felt in my dreams. Sweet spice lingered on his breath, and I yearned to taste more of him. His soft, warm lips lingered on mine for just a moment, then he pulled away and looked into my eyes once more. His face was again searching mine, this time for a sign of sanction to continue.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered while caressing my temple. The butterflies fluttering around in my stomach seemed to have strangled to death the words I couldn’t find to say. I was flushed and confused. I didn’t know if I wanted to tell him to fuck off or ask him to fuck me senseless. However, my mind was made up when he leaned in for another kiss.

I accepted with silent acquiescence and returned his affection. The kiss deepened and became more passionate. His hands roamed up my sides and lightly trailed over my breasts. I ran my hand through his soft, thick hair, causing a few strands to fall and caress my cheek and neck, feeling like sensual silk. I let out a quick, high-pitched moan as he pinched one of my hardened nipples through the fabric of my dress. Heat spread through me like burning wildfire, my need for him growing stronger by the second. It was as if he were casting a sensual spell over my body, hypnotizing it to react to his every touch.

“Do you want me?” he whispered in my ear, and then nibbled on my neck, his movements careful and affectionate.

“Yes,” I whispered back as I caressed the back of his broad shoulders.

I felt him smile against my skin before he sat up with his legs straddling my quivering frame. He removed his shirt, lifting his arms over his head to reveal the tight ropes of muscle that rippled over his broad chest and stomach. I sucked in a shaky breath, taking in his masculine beauty and the demonic art that adorned his body. He reached down and pulled me up into a seated position, then lifted my dress over my head, leaving me in just my underwear and boots.

I tentatively ran my hands up his smooth chest and along his arms, feeling the way his biceps flexed beneath my touch. His large hand cradled my face as he kissed me with passion once more. His silky tongue invaded my mouth and flicked at my own, as though eager to devour every last inch of me. The kiss broke, and his mouth trailed down to my neck while he removed my bra. His teeth felt oddly sharp as they grazed over the soft flesh of my throat, but I paid it no mind. I kicked off my boots while tangling my fists in his hair, eager to feel more of him.

A deep growl erupted from his chest. He leaned me back down onto the ground and dipped his head to assault my nipples with his sinful lips. The large bulge in his pants pressed firmly against my thigh, making me squirm with anticipation. His fingers teased the top of my now soaking wet, black, lacy underwear. He snapped the band against my skin and slid his hand beneath the fabric. The sudden feeling of a long finger entering my heat caused me to gasp.

“Oh my!” I squeaked as he made tantalizing come-hither motions against my sweetest spot.

“I love how you’re so fucking needy for me, Buttercup,” he purred in approval at the feeling of my wetness.

I reached down and cupped the hardness within his pants. “I could say the same about you,” I breathily replied.

“I'd never deny it.”

With a grin, his finger slipped out and then plunged back in, accompanied by a second one. They began slowly pumping in and out of my dripping core, making me delirious with lust. He quickened the pace of his thrusts and rammed all the way up inside me to the base of his knuckles. A third finger joined the party and his thumb firmly pressed down on my swollen, throbbing clit...

Oh dear mother of fucking god!

My thighs became limp noodles and my entire body trembled. I was downright delirious when he removed his fingers and lowered his head between my legs. His hot breath fanned my twitching pussy through the wet material as he nuzzled his face against my center. Then, with a deep growl rumbling in his throat, he bit the top of my panties and pulled them off completely using only his mouth. He dragged my legs into the air as he lightly thrashed his head back and forth like a lascivious freak, slipping the thin material all the way off my feet. He spit them out, then grabbed both of my ankles and spread my legs wide apart. A feral gleam glimmered in his eyes as his hungry stare focused on my femininity. I squirmed under his burning gaze, feeling open and exposed to someone I hardly knew. He dipped his head between my legs and began to feast on my bare center with intense eagerness.

This man is a savage...

I gasped at the sudden sensation of his warm lips pressed against my sensitive core. His hot tongue scorched my flesh as he slowly yet firmly licked up my slit. A violent shiver ran up my spine while my hips arched to get closer to his hungry mouth. I feverishly moaned and dug my fingers into the grassy dirt beside us. That wicked tongue of his began flicking at my rosebud, circling all around and up and down. His lips wrapped around it and sucked with fierce intensity. I screamed from the rush of pleasure. Then my scream was interrupted by a second, even louder scream when his fingers plunged back into my pussy, bringing me to an uncontrollable, mind-altering climax.

Heat flooded through me. I shook, and my toes curled. It felt like I’d just stuck a fork into the electrical outlet of ecstasy. Ashton licked up the essence of my release and pressed hot, wet kisses to my inner thighs. “Beautiful,” he cooed as he stood back up, leaving me a quivering little puddle on the ground. He kept his burning gaze on me as he removed his pants, revealing his massive, throbbing cock. Veins pulsed like underground rivers within his girthy shaft, beckoning me to run my tongue along them. The same tattoos I'd seen in my dreams wrapped around the girth, making me suspect that I was secretly psychic. A single drop of pre-cum glistened on the tip. My eyes widened and my stomach clenched with desire at the sight of it.

If that thing kills me, at least I will have died a satisfied woman.

He smugly smirked, no doubt aware of the lascivious reaction he provoked within me. He then crouched back down between my trembling legs and positioned himself at my entrance. My arms wrapped around his enormous frame, and his lips crashed down against mine in a violent kiss. The head of his cock nudged my entrance, and he started to thrust into me in short but swift movements. I grabbed a fistful of his hair and screamed into his mouth from both the slight pain and overwhelming pleasure. The sensation of him filling and stretching me was absolutely euphoric.

He felt unnaturally good. Sinfully so. His dick hit all the right spots, branding my body as his from the inside out. He began fiercely pounding into me and never once broke our fiery, brutal kiss. Large hands swooped below my lower back, forcing my body to further arch up against him. The friction of his lower stomach on mine only added to the sensations within my core, the light dusting of hair on his happy trail brushing against my smooth skin.

His kisses trailed down to the crook of my neck, and he bit down softly, causing a shiver to run through me. I yelped, having not expected that. It wasn’t hard enough to break the skin, but his teeth still felt sharp. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and then quickened his pace with unwavering intensity.

My stomach clenched, and the heat built within my core once again, throwing me into a final orgasm that could have crumbled mountains and split seas. My inner walls violently convulsed and gripped his manhood. I dug my nails into his back, somehow not leaving any scratches behind. His cock twitched and began releasing thick ropes of burning seed deep inside my womb. He moaned and growled into my ear while gnashing his teeth like a feral animal.

We were lying there, face to face, catching our breath for a moment before he rolled off me and onto his back. His arms reached over to wrap around my limp and enervated body and pulled me on top of him. He held me close and caressed my back as though I were the most precious thing in the world. I laid my head down in the crook of his neck as we continued to pant together.

“You know, you’re lucky I’m on the pill,” I breathily mentioned. I knew the guy was a bit screwy in the head, but I hadn’t expected him to come inside me like that. Whatever happened to the not-so-trusty-dusty pull-out method?

He reached down between my legs and cupped my pussy lips, letting his fingers sink into my seeping hole. “I’m not worried.”

My eyes widened from both his abrupt touch on my sensitive area and his alarming words. “Well, um, you should be. And this still isn’t a date.” I tried to change the topic.

“As you wish,” He whispered while caressing my shoulder with his thumb. “As long as I get to be with you.” He kissed the top of my head tenderly.

The sun hung low in the sky, painting peach and rose-colored hues along the edges of the lavender and arctic blue clouds above. The lofty trees and bright goldenrod rustled in the warm breeze, carrying the hushed chirps of awakening crickets. Ashton’s hair danced around his face as we stood in the driveway, ready to say our goodbyes.

“I want to see you again soon.” His golden stare radiated kindness and warmth.

“Well, maybe. I had fun, so I guess we could meet up again.” I blushed while twiddling a lock of my hair and shifting on my feet.

He put a hand on my shoulder while the other curled under my chin to lift my face. “Good, then we’ll make it a date?”

“Um, maybe we could just hang out and not call it a date?” I shifted my eyes down to the ground.

A grin lit up his handsome face, and he let out a small laugh. He pulled me into a hug, which I returned. “Then we’ll hang out again soon. I’ll see you later, Buttercup.” He placed a tiny kiss on my forehead and began to walk toward his car.

“Okay, I’ll see you later then!” I yelled with a dorky wave. Belzar ran over and gave my hand a little lick. “Goodbye, Belzar.” I smiled and patted his head. He let out a friendly yip and then pranced away to follow Ashton. After spending the day with them, Belzar seemed far less intimidating. I turned around and walked into the house. The door shut behind me, and I leaned against it with a huge smile. I felt sort of stupid for sleeping with a maniac that I hardly knew. But there was just something about him that set my blood on fire in a way that I didn’t think any other man could do.

“Oh, you like that, don’t you? You little slut!”

“Oh, oh! Hit me harder!”

My eyes widened at the sound of William and Oliver in the kitchen. I had a lot of mushrooms in my basket, but I suddenly figured that I should wait to put them in the fridge. I inconspicuously slipped past the kitchen door, getting a brief glimpse of William in nothing but a little flowery apron, getting his bare ass spanked by a shirtless Oliver with a whipped cream-covered whisk.

I scurried up to my bedroom, grabbed the journal, and held it to my chest as I fell onto my bed with a smile... Perhaps Ashton isn’t so bad after all?