Page 40 of The Demon Mark

A little whimper escaped from her lips. “You’re hurting me.”

“I’m not hurting you, Lilith. If I wanted to hurt you, I would.” Again, a little tug on her hair, but maybe it wasn’t quite as painful as she’d thought. It was almost... intriguing. Too much, too overwhelming, and yet she wanted more.

A creature had woken in her chest, one that she didn’t recognize. It wasn’t the oracle. That version of herself rarely had any reason to be interested in another living being unless she wanted to tell their future.

So she could only imagine this sudden need and desire and want came from deep inside... her. Lilith. She was the one that wanted to know how much more he would or could touch her. She was the one who wanted to beg him to tug a little harder. To push her to the very limits of what she could take because she didn’t know what those limits were.

No one had ever tried to face them with her. Nor had anyone given her the chance to be something other than just an oracle.

His grip shifted, gentling only slightly as his words turned mocking. “Oh, little one. I can hear your breathing change. What is going on inside that head of yours?”

She didn’t know how to respond. Did she tell him that her entire body felt like it was waking up underneath his touch? That she wanted him to pull until it was the point of pain?

Or did she just say nothing and see what he would do?

He leaned closer, and this time she could feel the warmth of his lips almost against her own. A kiss. She’d seen people doing this before and she’d wanted it so badly. She hated how it made her body feel to look at other people indulging themselves in touches because she couldn’t. She’d always seen into people’s futures before she had ever felt their mouths against hers.

“Is your breath catching because you’re afraid?” he murmured. “Or is it for another reason, little one?”

Another reason. She wanted him to kiss her. She wanted him to devour her, so she knew what it was like to be truly and utterly consumed.

“Use your words, Lilith.”

“I don’t know what I want.”

She wanted to forget. She wanted to not exist for a few moments, just like the haven the herb usually gave her. She wanted to escape into the recesses of her own body where there was only pain or pleasure.

His lips curved into a wicked grin against her own, and for a moment, she thought she was going to faint. “Try again. Or do you want me to tell you what you want?”

No. No man should ever tell her what she wanted, and yet she found herself giving the smallest nod against his lips.

A deep groan vibrated through his chest and straight into her core. He lifted his hand, hovering it over her throat before just barely moving down her chest. She couldn’t feel him, but her mind knew where his hand was. Her breasts burned as if he was already touching them.

“You want to me to touch you here,” he whispered, his voice raspy and rough. “You want my lips right here, don’t you? Sucking and tugging on you until you’re writhing beneath me.”

Did she?

Maybe.

Yes.

Then his hand moved lower, and she swore she could feel herself throb between her legs. “Then you want me here. I think you’re a little too innocent to realize what I mean when I say that. So let me tell you, little one. My hands aren’t enough for you, not entirely. So I’ll lick you here too. Plunge my tongue inside you until you're panting, then use my thick fingers that are so much larger than yours. I’ll lick that sweet little clit of yours, work you with my fingers until you come all over me.”

She didn’t... He could do that? People did that?

He sighed, his breath too much against her sensitive skin. “But you’re not ready for that, are you? Not all of that. Not yet.”

What did he mean? Of course she was ready for that. Already she was panting and embarrassingly slick. Her thighs slid against each other as she moved and his words played on an echo inside her head.

She wanted him. That. Whatever he said. That was what she wanted.

Instead, he loomed over her and that damned hand never once touched her skin. He leaned down and growled, the sound echoing until he was right there again. His lips almost pressed against hers.

“Soon, you’ll be ready for that. But first, you have to know you want it.”

Damning words slipped off her tongue. “I do.”

“You don’t know that yet.” Then both of his hands scooped underneath her head, forcing her to remain still as he kissed her. Consumed her.

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