Page 4 of Burn in Bliss

I was tired of losing. I was better than that.

Footsteps sounded behind me. They didn’t falter, which meant the intruder didn’t see us. I’d spread darkness around us instead of sunlight, leaving me looking at Samael’s bright purple eyes encased in shadow as I pressed my chest against his to block the view.

I didn’t want him to give us away because of his stupid, striking eyes.

When the intruder ventured down the stairs, I waited until I couldn’t hear his footsteps anymore. Even then, I didn’t move, just to be sure.

Finally, I let my hand fall. It accidentally brushed against the angel’s naked side. His tattered pants hung loosely around his hips, precariously in danger of falling off.

“Did you bring me here to make out?” Samael asked, his tone completely serious. A dimple appeared, though, one that I had a strange impulse to lick.

Shaking it off, I ignored the odd desire. I’d just fed on sexual energies, and Samael was basically a god himself.

He’s also the only link to Lily you have, dimwit.

Stupid voice.

“This isn’t our stop,” I said, ignoring both my inner voice and Samael’s jibe as I finally gave him space.

I allowed my sunlight to seep through my pores again until the angel narrowed his gaze. “Hmm” was all he said as I wrapped the chain around my fist and tugged him behind me.

Maybe this attraction to him would work in my favor.

Because I needed a confession for this to work.

I’d intended to torture one out of him, but maybe I could take a page from Kaito’s confession guidebook.

He’d gotten the brother to talk in a very different way.

At this point, I’d try anything.

It’s not because you want to taste him for yourself. No. That can’t be it at all.

“Shut. Up,” I growled, ignoring Samael’s confusion.

Because he hadn’t said anything at all.

SAMAEL

A spark in Orion’s eyes just before darkness engulfed us told me all I needed to know.

He was still in there, somewhere.

And unlike me, Orion had fully bonded Lilith. The familiar sensation of sin stirred in my chest.

Jealousy.

I knew sin well. It didn’t fucking matter that I was an angel.

I’d fallen a long time ago. Sin was as naturally a part of me as breathing.

It didn’t mean I didn’t have to regularly cleanse it, though. If too much sin piled up, I wouldn’t even be able to walk. An angel’s natural body weight would crush my lungs if I didn’t have enough levitation magic to keep me aloft. Our wings were massive and bones dense, making our bodies incredibly strong.

But they’d never make biological sense on their own. That was where divine gifts came in.

Assuming they felt I was worthy of them.

My magic was accustomed to dealing with sin when it popped up. My powers didn’t work very well when it was present, so I played a constant little game of chase to handle it.