Page 83 of Touched By Death

“I want a turn at marking her,” he says boldly.

Pausing, I frown and let my attention trail from him to Aurelia and back. A humorless laugh climbs up my throat. “You have some fucking nerve.”

That small smirk of his never falters. “Let me mark her.”

“Let me set one thing straight,” I growl out as I step into his space. “You. Will. Never. Touch. Her.”

DMITRIY

Daemon shoves me back a step, turns around, and grabs Aurelia by the arm. Her eyes find mine over her shoulder as they sidle out. Alaric and Dariana leave the room, too. Ronan lingers, looking over at the door before turning to me. “Well, that went better than I expected.”

Scoffing, I reach for the nearest object I can find—a candle on the coffee table behind me—and toss it full force at the fireplace. “Whatever.”

“I’m serious. You’re breathing, for one. If it were anyone else, they’d be in pieces by now. Daemon has killed for less.”

Sucking on my teeth, I stare at the crackling flames. Defeat weighs my shoulders down.

Ronan takes a step closer with his hands in his pockets. “You should look at it like the glass is half-full.”

The humor in his voice doesn’t go unnoticed, but I’m in no mood to crack a smile. “I want to challenge him for her,” I admit, chancing a quick look at him as he moves across the room with the grace of a lazy lion.

“That’d be a very bad idea.”

I scoff. “You don’t say.”

“So what’s the plan?” he asks as he stops beside me, but I don’t reply.

Staring intently at the flames, I slide my hands into my pockets and draw in a deep, tired breath, unsure why I’m so affected by the angel.

“You gonna hang around until you wear Daemon down?”

“Something like that.” I look at Ronan. The humor and heat in his dark eyes. “Wouldn’t you?”

With a shrug of his broad shoulders, he stares at me for a beat before stepping closer and letting his gaze drift from me to the fire. “I think you have one heck of a fight on your hands if you want Daemon to let you anywhere near her.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Not while there’s a stalker out there.”

“I appreciate that.” His eyes return to me, sweeping over my face as if he’s intrigued by the similarities between his leader and me. “You’ll have to submit to him.”

I’ll die first. Grinding my teeth, I bite back my retort.

Ronan notices, amused by the tic in my cheek. “He’ll never accept you otherwise.”

“I’ll kill him before I submit.”

Ronan chuckles appreciatively, a hint of fang gleaming in the firelight. “I’d love to see you try.” He moves even closer, and I hold my ground. His masculine scent mingles with mine. “In fact, I find the thought of you going head-to-head with Daemon quite intriguing.”

“Intriguing or arousing?” I arch a brow, and his smile broadens in response, as if my response delights him.

“Maybe I’m intrigued because the thought is arousing.”

When I don’t reply, he leans in close. So close I feel his breath on my lips. “I like the taste of your jealousy in the air.” My gaze lands on his lips, and he whispers, “It’s fucking delicious.”

“I’ll paint Aurelia in cum soon too,” I reply, my cock straining against the denim. “I don’t care what it takes.”

“Interesting,” he muses, showcasing his lethal fangs with another predatory smile that makes my heart thud heavily inside my chest. “I don’t know how to feel about your threats.”

“I don’t care how you feel.”

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