yearning. He obliged her, creating more of the languid, slow strokes. Sliding against her, possessing her.
Ariana tilted her head back and saw them in the overhead mirror. Daimon’s taut buttocks clenching as he pushed into her body, the muscles on his back moving smoothly beneath damp skin. She saw herself, her legs splayed open, heels digging firmly into the mattress.
His hips began to piston, his penis sliding in and out until his breath finally came in rapid pants as she climaxed. Stiffening, Daimon’s jaw ground as he shouted her name, the cords on his neck standing out as his shaft thickened. Warm seed jettisoned inside her as he bucked and shuddered.
With a groan, he collapsed atop her, pinning her to the mattress with his heavy, muscled body. His head pillowed next to her as their ragged breaths mingled. She stroked the sweating, quivering muscles of his back, her legs cradling him tenderly.
When he shifted his weight off her, she curled next to him, putting her head on his shoulder.
“I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven.”
Me too , she wanted to say, but felt too languid and dreamy. And then he opened his eyes.
They flamed red. Demon-red.
Chapter Eight
The darkness had risen with her climax, and Daimon pounced on it like a starving cat. A small smile curved his sensual mouth. The smile of the jaguar who’d lapped up all the cream.
“Not all of it.” Daimon leaned forward, a teasing glint in his eyes. “Just enough to get a taste of your sweet honey.”
Ariana put hands on her heated cheeks and sat up. “Stop reading my mind, dammit.”
“Sorry, sunshine. Hard not to read you, now that you’re mine.”
“That’s what this was about, Daimon? Claiming me so Jarrett couldn’t have me? No, you already had me in your bed. It was just my powers you desired.”
He watched her warily, the fierce glow fading from his eyes.
“Your demon struggled to be free, Ariana. Your passion coaxed it out. Sex became a conduit, and I plugged myself in, so to speak.”
As if she were an electrical socket. “Is that all it was, Daimon? Sex, to get your way. Nothing more?”
Hadn’t he felt the connection, the sense that they flowed seamlessly into each other? She’d stared into his eyes and seen the joy dancing there, felt the sensuality of his cat stroke over her.
Yet now he was distant and cold as winter.
“Don’t you feel what’s happened between us?” she whispered.
“I can’t give you what you desire most, Ariana.” He went quiet, tension riding his big shoulders. “What you need most. It’s not in me to love. I’ll protect you, give my life to keep you safe. But don’t ask that of me.”
I can’t ask anything less .
Ariana swung her legs over the bed’s side. “You have my demon strength now, Daimon. You got what you needed. Enjoy it. I need to clear my head. I’m going for a walk.”
She reached for her clothing.
“Ariana, please, you must understand, this is for the best.” His face flushed as his jaw tightened. “It’s not solely for them. Not anymore. If you won’t use your dark strength, then I will. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Anger surged through her, filling her body with rapier-sharp awareness. “Not like what happened to your men? What did happen here, Daimon? Why are you shutting yourself away with them when you can walk out of here any time you please?”
His expression shuttered. Daimon avoided her gaze. “Enjoy your walk. Stick to the path in the woods. Don’t veer off it and disturb my men.”
“I’ll be quiet and won’t interrupt their sleep,” she muttered.
Pain shadowed his face. “They don’t sleep. They can’t. Haven’t, for a long while now.”
Then he turned his back, as if regretting sharing that fact.
Daimon was wrong, Ariana realized. He thought he’d absorbed all her darkness.
But it still lurked deep in her soul, tangled intricately in the threads of white light. Only a small portion was released during sex.
Ariana tilted her head back and saw them in the overhead mirror. Daimon’s taut buttocks clenching as he pushed into her body, the muscles on his back moving smoothly beneath damp skin. She saw herself, her legs splayed open, heels digging firmly into the mattress.
His hips began to piston, his penis sliding in and out until his breath finally came in rapid pants as she climaxed. Stiffening, Daimon’s jaw ground as he shouted her name, the cords on his neck standing out as his shaft thickened. Warm seed jettisoned inside her as he bucked and shuddered.
With a groan, he collapsed atop her, pinning her to the mattress with his heavy, muscled body. His head pillowed next to her as their ragged breaths mingled. She stroked the sweating, quivering muscles of his back, her legs cradling him tenderly.
When he shifted his weight off her, she curled next to him, putting her head on his shoulder.
“I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven.”
Me too , she wanted to say, but felt too languid and dreamy. And then he opened his eyes.
They flamed red. Demon-red.
Chapter Eight
The darkness had risen with her climax, and Daimon pounced on it like a starving cat. A small smile curved his sensual mouth. The smile of the jaguar who’d lapped up all the cream.
“Not all of it.” Daimon leaned forward, a teasing glint in his eyes. “Just enough to get a taste of your sweet honey.”
Ariana put hands on her heated cheeks and sat up. “Stop reading my mind, dammit.”
“Sorry, sunshine. Hard not to read you, now that you’re mine.”
“That’s what this was about, Daimon? Claiming me so Jarrett couldn’t have me? No, you already had me in your bed. It was just my powers you desired.”
He watched her warily, the fierce glow fading from his eyes.
“Your demon struggled to be free, Ariana. Your passion coaxed it out. Sex became a conduit, and I plugged myself in, so to speak.”
As if she were an electrical socket. “Is that all it was, Daimon? Sex, to get your way. Nothing more?”
Hadn’t he felt the connection, the sense that they flowed seamlessly into each other? She’d stared into his eyes and seen the joy dancing there, felt the sensuality of his cat stroke over her.
Yet now he was distant and cold as winter.
“Don’t you feel what’s happened between us?” she whispered.
“I can’t give you what you desire most, Ariana.” He went quiet, tension riding his big shoulders. “What you need most. It’s not in me to love. I’ll protect you, give my life to keep you safe. But don’t ask that of me.”
I can’t ask anything less .
Ariana swung her legs over the bed’s side. “You have my demon strength now, Daimon. You got what you needed. Enjoy it. I need to clear my head. I’m going for a walk.”
She reached for her clothing.
“Ariana, please, you must understand, this is for the best.” His face flushed as his jaw tightened. “It’s not solely for them. Not anymore. If you won’t use your dark strength, then I will. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Anger surged through her, filling her body with rapier-sharp awareness. “Not like what happened to your men? What did happen here, Daimon? Why are you shutting yourself away with them when you can walk out of here any time you please?”
His expression shuttered. Daimon avoided her gaze. “Enjoy your walk. Stick to the path in the woods. Don’t veer off it and disturb my men.”
“I’ll be quiet and won’t interrupt their sleep,” she muttered.
Pain shadowed his face. “They don’t sleep. They can’t. Haven’t, for a long while now.”
Then he turned his back, as if regretting sharing that fact.
Daimon was wrong, Ariana realized. He thought he’d absorbed all her darkness.
But it still lurked deep in her soul, tangled intricately in the threads of white light. Only a small portion was released during sex.
Similar Books
The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins
Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing
