Page 6 of Unbinding the Demon

“I’m not going in there,” I deadpanned, staring through the rainy window at the undoubtedly haunted house.

“Oh yes, you are,” Ashton asserted right before jumping out of the car.

He scurried around the hood like a ghostly shadow cutting through the black, rainy night. I panicked and fumbled to lock the door, but my trembling hands failed in my pathetic attempt to find the right button. Lightning flashed as he yanked it open, menacingly looming over me like a predator cornering its prey.

“Stay away from me!” I screamed while attempting to back away. My legs kicked wildly, causing my drunken butt to fall ungracefully into the driver’s seat.

A hint of annoyance flashed across his face while he glowered down at me. “No, you’re coming with me, and that’s final.” He grabbed my leg and pulled me out of the car.

His huge hand latched onto my upper arm like a lobster claw seizing a shrimp. “Ouch!” I winced as he dragged my struggling body up a cracked and overgrown cobblestone path leading to the house. The rain and lack of light made it difficult to see anything, causing me to stumble when we reached the first wooden step to the front porch. In a last-ditch effort to fight back, I dug my heels against the worn-out planks as he tried to pull me through the front door. Tears fell from my eyes and screams poured from my lips. My hands latched onto the splintering doorframe, holding on for dear life.

“Buttercup...” he growled. “You’re being ridiculous.” He moved his grip from my upper arm and wrapped both of his hands around my torso, pulling me up so that he lifted my feet off the ground.

“Let me go!” I shrieked in dismay while making a frantic effort to hold on.

“No! Now get inside!” His voice was again more of a growl as he yanked on my body.

My knuckles turned white, and it felt like my hands would snap off. Old white paint chipped beneath my black fingernails as my grip gave out, and I was pulled into the darkness. A big strong arm locked my back against his chest, and the door slammed shut behind us, enshrouding my sight in a veil of impenetrable darkness. With a quick pull of a string, he clicked on a dusty old table lamp, revealing a large antiquated foyer.

Thunder rumbled outside while I scanned the shabby and outdated place with caution. Water-stained maroon walls stretched up to the double-height ceiling. A large, dark walnut staircase with intricate carvings curved up from the right side of the foyer, leading to a balcony that framed the room. A dusty crystal chandelier hung above us like frozen teardrops draping mournfully from strings. There was a double-wide archway leading to what I assumed was the living room straight ahead, and a smaller one on the left that probably led to a kitchen.

I stood there, soaking wet, drunk, and trembling with fear. Dripping raven locks fell over my shoulder and tickled my arm as Ashton leaned his face above my head. “You can relax. I promise you’re in no danger here,” his voice was honeyed, and his breath felt warm as it fanned my ear. He used his free hand to brush up and down my arm, attempting to lull me into a sense of contentment.

Two large yellow eyes materialized in the shadows of the living room, reflecting against the light with a gleam that conveyed an unsettling intelligence. I stiffened against Ashton in fright, feeling as though my blood had dropped several degrees and frozen my limbs. A menacing growl resonated throughout the room. Then a huge black wolf emerged from the darkness and came charging over.

I screamed in terror and shielded my face, bracing myself to be violently attacked. “Holy fuck!” The snarling wolf hurdled up at us with its massive size towering over my slight frame... Not in danger, he says!? Not in fucking danger!?

The sound of snarls turned into loud puppy-dog licks and deep laughter. “Down, Belzar, down.” I peeked up, finding Ashton laughing while trying to push the wolf off, using the arm that wasn’t busy constricting me. The wolf backed down with a small yip, happily wagging its fluffy whip of a tail. I blinked down at it in befuddlement, and it looked back at me with intelligent, almost human-like curiosity. “Good boy!” Ashton lovingly praised. Meanwhile, I wondered just how drunk I actually was.

“This is my dog, Belzar.” He flashed a charming smile and gestured to the dog . The worry must have been quite evident on my face because he laughed and gave my stiff body a good, rough shake. “Don’t be frightened by him. He’d never harm... you .”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Of course I am. He’s very well-behaved,” he chuckled again as he threw me over his shoulder and placed a large hand firmly on my butt. Then he started to ascend the tall, curved staircase.

“Are you seriously going to carry me like this again?” I grumbled.

“Yes.” He smacked my butt with a wide grin. “I am.”

Belzar licked his lips and let out a small whine as he watched us leave. Gazing back down at the massive mongrel, I was certain that the thing was a freaking wolf and that Ashton was a big, muscly liar. I wanted to kick and scream, to tell this homicidal douchebag to take his filthy hands off me, but I knew better than to attack a dog owner in front of their “dog.” I certainly didn’t want that terrifying thing ripping me to shreds.

We disappeared down a long hallway with a worn scarlet rug and a dim, flickering light overhead. Dusty paintings of natural scenery and random people who looked nothing like Ashton adorned the walls as we passed by. He carried me into a good-sized and surprisingly clean bathroom. The walls were half wood with peeling green Victorian-style wallpaper. Everything else seemed in pretty decent shape, though. A large, beautiful claw-foot tub rested next to a lofty bay window with potted plants and candles adorning the windowsill.

“I’m going to start you a bath,” he stated as he set me down with care. “It will help to calm your nerves, plus you’re filthy.” His eyes raked up and down my body, and he wore a smirk that suggested mischief.

“Well, I can’t deny that.” I glanced down at my disheveled self.

After all the shenanigans he’d put me through, I was covered in grass stains and mud. He stepped over to the tub and turned on the water, allowing a loud torrent to pour into the basin. Then he used a little matchbox to light the candles resting on the windowsill, humming to himself as he did so. I tried not to draw attention to myself as I glanced back down the hall, wondering what the actual frick to do.

Should I make a run for it?

If my drunken ass managed to make it back downstairs, would that supposed dog attack me before I could even make it out the door? I was too scared to try. This guy had killed someone not even an hour ago, and I was a witness. Who knew what he was capable of or what he might have planned for me? The water stopped, and I glanced back over at him, taking notice of how the candlelight kissed his attractive features.

“Alright, it’s ready. You can climb in.” He patted the edge of the tub as he got up and walked toward the door. With a quick flick of his finger, he turned off the light, leaving the room lit by only the candles. Then, with a seductive wink and a flirty smile, he walked out and closed the door.

What a psycho...

It might have been the alcohol or the fact that I was freezing—it was definitely the alcohol. But I found myself tempted by the hot, steaming water. Ever so carefully, I opened the door a crack and peered out to make sure that he was really gone. The coast seemed all clear, so I began undressing out of my filthy, wet clothes.

My naked body slid inch by inch into the deep, hot bath. The steaming water brought heavenly warmth to my freezing skin, soothing away all the tension in my muscles. With closed eyes and a small smile on my lips, I sank down with a little hum of delight. I was so relaxed that I almost forgot where I was and how I had gotten here.

“You look peaceful,” a deep voice came from across the room, ripping me out of my peaceful moment.

Holy shit! I didn’t even hear him open the door!

“Hey! Get out of here!” I scrambled to hide my nakedness beneath the water. My large green eyes glared at him from behind the rim of the tub as I slunk further down.

He’d gotten cleaned up and changed into a pair of black sweatpants, allowing his bare and perfectly sculpted upper body to be on full display. The strange veiny black tattoo on his left shoulder appeared bolder than the others in the dim lighting. I furrowed my brows in bewilderment at the sight of them. This was my first time seeing him shirtless in real life, so how could I have seen his tattoos in my dream? Perhaps it was a false memory?

“No way. You’re drunk as a skunk, so I need to be in here to make sure you don’t drown in my bathtub,” he argued while handing me a glass of water. “Here, drink this. It will help you feel better in the morning.”

My hand slipped out of the water as I cautiously took the glass from him. “This had better be just water.” I sniffed it with suspicion and then took a small sip. He smiled in satisfaction, then pulled a stool up behind the tub and sat down. I hugged my arms to my chest for modesty as he grabbed a bottle of oil from the windowsill.

“Turn around,” he instructed in a soft voice while squeezing some oil into his hand. I hesitated at first, but eventually turned my back to him since I didn’t want this psycho to fucking kill me, too.

After rubbing his hands together, he began to leisurely massage the oil into my shoulders and neck, and then down my upper back. The sweet and warming scents of sandalwood and clove filled my senses as his warm hands sensually glided across my skin. As much as I hated to admit it, it felt beyond amazing. Heat began building between my legs, and my drunken, idiotic self was tempted to inconspicuously slip a finger or two inside my nether lips.

Just think unsexy thoughts. Just think unsexy thoughts. I’ll just imagine that I’m rock climbing up a plain old unsexy mountain. Then I slip and almost fall to my death. Suddenly Ashton saves me and swoops me away into a nearby cave where he fucks me raw like an animal... Dammit!

“Why are you doing this to me?” I whispered to him, shaking my previous thoughts away.

“Because I wasn’t going to sit back and let that disgusting cockalorum touch you.” His words were laced with malice, yet the rhythm and pressure of his hands stayed gentle on my back.

Who the hell even says cockalorum?

“Why not? Why do you even care?” I asked, while furrowing my brows and looking down into the water. My right hand trailed up along my inner thigh, lingering right above my aching clit.

“Well, maybe I want to be the only man who touches you,” he seductively murmured, causing the heat between my legs to become ten times hotter... Fuck.

My eyes widened, and I bit my lower lip. I shallowly slipped my finger into my slick core, hoping that it might help soothe whatever carnal effect this man had on me. “So you brought me here so that you could be the one to rape me instead of him?” My question came out more as an accusation.

“No, I didn’t bring you here to rape you,” he chuckled while gliding his hands down my upper arms and then back up again. My heart rate picked up and my breath became caught in my chest. “We had to flee the scene because I killed that fucker, didn’t we?”

“I guess so,” I mumbled while pumping my finger in microscopic movements. He stopped massaging and gripped me just above my left shoulder. His handsome face leaned in close next to mine from behind. Beautiful amber-gold eyes glanced down at my exposed body and then swept back up to my face with a knowing smirk.

“Although, if you want to, perhaps we could have some fun once you’ve sobered up. And I know you want to.” He reached down and grabbed my hand from between my legs, then lewdly popped the wet finger that had been inside me into his mouth. I gasped in utter embarrassment, turning to stare at him with an expression of horror. His eyes burned with lust and focused solely on me as he dragged it out.

“I-I- That’s not...” I blabbered like an idiot.

“But don’t worry,” he purred with a seductive tone and then kissed the tip of my finger. “This isn’t a date.” A smirk stretched across his mischievous face.

My cheeks burned up to a scarlet hue as I remembered what had happened this morning at the café. Now, not even twenty-four measly hours later, I was naked in this freak’s bathtub as he rubbed oil all over my back and sucked on my devious digit. I glanced over at the bottle—it was scented jojoba oil.

How is this my life?

After he finished massaging me, he pulled my bun down and washed the dirt from my hair, picking out all the little blades of grass like a chimp would with bugs. Meanwhile, I used a sea sponge to scrub all the scuffs from my legs. Once I was all squeaky clean, he got up and grabbed a fluffy red towel. “I won’t take that until you look away,” I said, while hiding behind the edge of the tub.

He raised a brow. “Oh really? And this differs from seeing you lying naked in the tub while not-so-subtly fingering yourself? How?”

“It just is! Besides, the water distorts your view! Now turn around or I’m not getting out!” I glared at him, my eyes narrowed in defiance.

“Alright then,” he sighed. “I promise I won’t peek.” He reached up and covered his eyes, turning his back to me after a moment of hesitation. The tattoos on his back depicted a battlefield. Demons were locked in vicious combat with angels wearing broken halos, swords and claws clashing in a storm of fire and ash. The central figure was a beautiful archdemon with four feathered wings and a blazing flame between his mighty horns. He loomed above it all, with one clawed hand reaching skyward to drag down a sun that bled light like ichor, and a majestic trident in the other.

Little warm droplets rolled down the length of my body as I slowly stood up. I gave my hair a good squeeze to get all the excess water out while keeping my eyes pinned on the tall, broad-shouldered murderer in front of me. His damp midnight hair draped down the length of his tattooed back and swayed side to side as he hummed a little tune while shifting on his feet.

I lifted one leg out of the tub and placed my foot on the soft black bath mat. My hands gripped the slippery smooth edge as I attempted to bring my other leg over, which was proving to be quite difficult in my intoxicated state. My heel had just made it over the side when my hands slipped. “Oh snap, dammit!” I crashed onto the floor with a small scream, flailing my arms like a lunatic while taking the stool down with me.

Almost immediately, Ashton grabbed my hands and helped my pathetic form up. “Are you alright?” he was trying to suppress a laugh while wrapping the towel around me.

“You bastard! You promised you wouldn’t peek!” I shot him a death glare and took an angry step back while ripping the remaining piece of the towel from his hand.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t think you’d try to kill yourself.”

With some struggle, he managed to help me dry off and slipped a very large black T-shirt over my head. It was soft against my skin and flowed down to my knees. The smell of it was wonderful too, like a vaguely familiar fiery and spicy sort of smell. I held the material just below the neckline to my nose and inhaled, trying to figure out where I had smelled that heavenly scent before. Then my eyes widened at the obvious answer.

It’s his shirt. It smells like him...

I looked over to see him leaning against the sink with a smug smirk. My face turned tomato red with the realization that he had been watching me blatantly sniff his shirt. He closed the distance between us and swooped me up into his arms, bridal style. “Just what the hell do you think you’re doing now!?” I squirmed, but didn’t fight too much. My adrenaline was running low, and I was becoming rather tired. Plus, I knew it would be pointless to fight him.

“Taking you to my bed,” he said and walked back down the hallway.

“Don’t you dare get any funny ideas, Mister! Or I will bite you again!” I growled, with fire blazing in my eyes as I poked at his firm chest.

“Oh, you’ll bite me, will you?” he lifted a brow and grinned. “Don’t tempt me to change my mind about treating you virtuously tonight.”

“Sicko...” I sneered and looked away from his smugly perverted grin. My gaze drifted down to the front door as we passed the area that overlooked the foyer. There was no dog in sight, which unsettled me. “Where did your dog go?”

“He’s probably still eating his supper. He got quite a delicious treat tonight.” With a joyous smile, he turned into his bedroom.

The room was large and looked like it had been quite sumptuous at one point. The only source of light was a dim beam shining in from the hallway, but I could still see well enough. Every piece of the once-opulent furniture was dusty and antique, matching the rest of the house. Shadows were cast across the room, giving it a bit of a creepy vibe.

The wide floorboards creaked as he carried me over to the king-sized, four-poster canopy bed. Silky black material was wrapped around the thick wooden beams and elegantly draped down the sides of the intricately carved posts, reaching to the floor like the wispy cloaks of malicious specters. He gently laid me down and tucked me under a dark crimson coverlet. His large body crouched down next to the bed; then he stuffed the velvety material underneath me, all up along my body to my neck, until I looked like I was wrapped in a cozy cocoon.

“If you dare try anything sneaky while I’m asleep, I will literally rip your eyeballs out and use them to fertilize my garden.” I glared daggers at him from my comically wrapped-up state.

“Oh? Is that all you’ll do to me?” he asked with crooked delight.

“No, I’ll also cut your fingers off one by one until you scream out in agony,” I seethed.

“Well now, that would be a real shame considering that you haven’t felt what these fingers can do to you... yet. “ He nonchalantly looked at his fingers and wiggled them in front of his face.

Once again, my face turned bright red, and my scowl only darkened. “And don’t even think about slithering up next to me tonight, you creep!”

“That’s too bad. I was hoping we’d get to do some quality snuggling,” he stated, his voice filled with feigned distress.

I sputtered in disbelief, shaking my head as I did so. “There will most certainly not be any snuggling going on between us! I’ll carve out your liver, chop off your limbs, slice open your throat, stab your stomach with a pencil. The things I’ll do to you would put any gruesome death metal lyricist to shame!” Amusement twinkled in his eyes, and a goofy grin stretched across his lips. He stayed crouched down beside me, listening to all the ways I planned to maim him if he tried anything.

“It’s time to go to sleep now, my sweet little Buttercup,” he whispered, cutting off my violent rambling.

“I’m not your sweet little Butterc—”

“Sleep,” he commanded darkly.

As soon as the word was spoken, my body became limp and my eyes were too heavy to keep open. My consciousness fell into darkness as a deep sleep overtook my senses.