Page 91 of Presence

I wish I could say I don’t know what he’s talking about, but I do. That burning sensation... It’s like an inferno drawing me into its blaze.

“I do,” I admit.

Just as the words escape my lips, Echo’s jumping on me. He’s fast, faster than I could ever respond. I can barely see him, flexing his muscles and flying in the air before his body crashes with mine.I fall onto the ground, his weight crushing my chest, a cry out of pain pressing onto my throat. His claws find my neck, his eyes search mine with cruelty.

“Do you feel fear when I’m this close to killing you?” he snarls.

For a brief moment, time seems to freeze. Echo’s claws dig into my neck, sharp and unyielding. His breath is hot against my skin, and his eyes burn with a fierce, malevolent hunger. I should be terrified, but instead, something inside me snaps.

“No,” I breathe out, and a slow, defiant smile curves my lips. “I don’t.”

His grip tightens, and I can feel my pulse hammering against his hold. The pain is intense, but beneath it, there’s a strange thrill, an exhilaration that courses through me.

“Demons are lonesome creatures, Clarity,” he growls, but there’s a flicker of something in his eyes—hesitation? Uncertainty? “We don’t share prey with another.”

I meet his gaze, unwavering.

“Lonesome? What about you wanting to spend eternity with me then?” I mock him. “Don’t tell me you’re scared of me now, Echo.”

His whiteless eyes narrow, and I can see the conflict within him. He doesn’t respond, but his silence speaks volumes. He’s not used to being challenged, to having his authority questioned. And in this moment, I realize that I have power too.

Drawing on the energy of the souls within me, I summon my strength and push back against him. His eyes widen in surprise as I force him off me, his grip loosening. It doesn’t last long, though. Deep inside me I realize that he’s much stronger than me. He’s older, more experienced, fed on too many souls to count. Next to him, I’m nothing.

He’s back on me in seconds. He finds my hands and pins them above my head, his body finding a way to slide between my legs. He feels like iron—strong and unyielding.

“You’re lucky I’m fond of you.” He licks his lips. “Or else I’d kill you for such disrespect.”

“Is having fear a disrespect now?” I pry.

“Yes. Fear is for prey.”

His eyes are blazing with fury as they’re staring into mine. His claws start tracing lines on my neck, running along the veins in a way that both hurts and makes my breathing quicker.

“Then why don’t you?” I whisper, my voice trembling with defiance and something darker lurking just beneath the surface. “Why don’t you just kill me, then?”

His face inches closer, so close that I can feel his breath on my lips. “Because,” he breathes. “Your presence satisfies me.”

With a sudden, brutal intensity, he presses his lips to mine, not a kiss of passion but of domination, a clash of wills as much as anything else. I respond in kind, my teeth clashing with his, the taste of blood sharp and metallic in my mouth.

He bites my lips, bites my tongue. His own long tongue presses into me, licking the roof of my mouth, the insides of my cheeks. He makes sure to run through the wounds and taste my blood.

The pain of it all gets me high. Something releases inside me, something dark and unknown, and I never want it to end. The hunger inside me roars, demanding more, demanding everything this demon has to offer.

“More,” I growl against him.

I also want to taste his blood. I want to have him inside me, pounding into me until he fills me with his thick cum. I want everything he can give me.

It’s different from the last time we clashed like this. Back then, I only wanted pain. I wanted to be a slave for his desires. This time I also want him to be one for mine.

“I need more, Echo,” I demand. With a surge of strength, I push against him, rolling us over so that I’m straddling him. His eyes widen for a moment, surprise giving way to a predatory gleam. I lean down, my lips brushing against his ear. “Give me your everything.”

And then, when I feel him shudder beneath me, I sink my teeth into his neck, drawing blood. The taste of it is intoxicating. He tastes like the moonlight-found rose with roots so ancient it could be the very first flower on Earth.

He allows you to bite him because he likes it. He likes pain, too.

His growl of pleasure reverberates through me, and I feel his hands on my hips, gripping me with bruising force. The hunger inside me roars, demanding more, and I give in to it, my body moving against his wildly. His claws tear at my clothes, and I can feel the heat of his skin against mine. Every touch, every bite, every bruise only fuels the fire inside me.

Our movements are wild, frenzied, a battle for dominance that neither of us is willing to concede. I can feel the power coursing through me, mingling with his, creating a storm of raw energy.

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