Page 50 of Touched By Death

“Interesting,” he says finally as he walks past me. “Tell your son to keep the girl busy.”

As he walks out, I call after him, “Take the dead girl with you… and the fucking wings!”

Does he? Of course not.

Chapter Eighteen

ALARIC

“What are you doing here?”

I turn from the living room window to see Dari leaning against the doorframe. My eyes skate down her long legs, which stretch on for miles. Her bare feet sport red-painted toenails that match her fingernails—a splash of color in this dark world.

“Daemon has her tied up on the bed.” Frowning, she pushes off the doorframe and walks deeper into the room. “Are you sure you don’t want to play?”

My gaze skates past her to the open door and back. Dmitriy’s words have played on my mind ever since we flew back.

“Just be careful, is all. Sleep with your eyes open.”

“Does she seem different to you?”

Dari draws to a halt. “Different? If by different you mean kicking and screaming like a feral animal, then no. Ronan found it highly amusing to secure her wrists to the bed frame while she snarled at him with her teeth on show and glowing, red eyes.

Hands in my pockets, I study her. “Dmitriy said something.”

“Of course he did.” She rolls her eyes and, with a dismissive flick of her wrist, says, “He just wants to get under your skin.”

I’m not so sure about that. Something about the look in his eyes when he said those words picks at my brain like a miner with a chisel. “She’s tied up? Can’t hurt anyone?”

Dari snorts like the thought is absurd. “What is she gonna do? There’s one of her and four of us. Besides, Daemon is so pent up; one wrong move, and he’ll be balls deep in her throat just to shut her up.”

“Nice visual.” I chuckle, rubbing at my neck.

“You want to help us piss her off or not?”

It’s not like I have anything better to do. I’m relieved to have her back and though I’m wary after Dmitriy’s warning, I’m also intrigued by it. Intrigued by the danger she poses with that untamed darkness inside her.

Following Dari upstairs to Daemon’s bedroom, we enter through the door. Aurelia sits near the headboard with her right wrist chained to it and a murderous look on her face.

When she spots me, she narrows her eyes, and the growl in her throat intensifies.

Daemon is seated on the desk chair, looking extremely pleased with himself, while Ronan leans against the back wall with his feet crossed and eyes glued to the phone screen in his hand.

“What did we miss?” Dari asks, walking deeper into the room.

“Not much,” Ronan says, typing away. “Just Daemon near salivating at the sight of her chained to his bed. You’d think it’s his birthday.”

“I have to say,” she replies, skirting the bed with slow, measured steps and a predatory look in her eyes. “I like her at our mercy like this.”

Aurelia snaps her teeth at Dari, and I can’t help but laugh at her foolish bravery. Dari isn’t someone you challenge. None of us are.

Stopping by the edge of the bed, Dari reaches out and twirls a strand of Aurelia’s dark hair around her finger. “Snarling and growling won’t get you anywhere but spanked raw.” She looks at Daemon as I lean back against his desk and cross my ankles. “What are we doing with her?”

A dangerous chuckle shakes his shoulders. “What we always do. Fuck the defiance out of her. Break her down, little by little, until she submits. Edge her until she can’t fucking take it anymore.”

“I like the sound of that.” Dari hums under her breath, mindlessly twirling and tugging on the strand of hair wrapped around her finger. “Especially the edging part.” In a quick move, she releases the hair, grabs Aurelia by the throat, and brings her face level with the snarling angel. “I want to fucking drown in your pussy juices while you beg me to let you come.”

A creak at the door steals our attention away from the angel. Daemon shoots to his feet when Dmitriy appears in the doorway with a sheepish look on his face.

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