Page 47 of The Demon Mark

Envy enjoyed seeing her eyes widen in shock and then narrow in something like desire. Her little nostrils flared, and he knew she was taking a steadying breath to calm herself.

Her eyes moved over his chest like a physical touch. He could almost feel her fingers sliding down the flat planes to his rippling abs that tensed at her gaze.

“Interesting,” she said quietly, before dipping the feathery tip of the paintbrush into the ink. “Stay still, then.”

He’d given her one of the few spaces on his body that were empty. Not only because he wanted the flower there but also because the other tattoos were unlikely to bother it while she worked. They were living, breathing creatures who had free rein over his body whenever they wished. Hers would be the only stagnant tattoo.

At least, until he removed it. Perhaps next time he would move all the others so she would need to paint on a more... pleasing part of his body.

Just the thought was enough to make him groan. He tilted his head back and allowed himself to dream of that moment while she watched him. “Go on, oracle,” he murmured. “I’m ready.”

This took some concentration on his part. She was painting on him, but the incantation he would say while she was working made it permanent. The magic that came from inside of himself was the power that brought the flower to life. And every ounce of that spell radiated with pain.

Which meant it was a little harder to enjoy the feather light strokes that she used on his skin every time she moved. But he could at least slightly focus on the feeling while he chanted out the words.

It only took a few moments for her to get lost in her work, and that’s what he had been waiting for. She leaned a little closer, bracing her hand against his chest to steady herself. Her fingers spread wide across his skin, her warmth sinking into him as she painted.

Lilith drew closer, ever closer. He wanted to grab onto her and kiss her. He wanted to see how good she was at painting while he distracted her.

And yet, he did not. He let her linger just to see if any of her own thoughts would ruin this. And also because he found her adorable while she worked. She stuck out her tongue just slightly, like she was biting the tip while she painted on him. Her attention was so focused, he sometimes caught her struggling to breathe until she had finally finished a beautiful, almost realistic flower that was so perfect, he wondered at her memory.

She remembered so much of the world around her and committed it to a mind that was powerful.

He shouldn’t be so attracted to her. But fuck, he was.

She was breathing hard when she leaned away from him to inspect her work, as though she had been holding her breath the entire time. “There,” she whispered. “It’s finished, I think.”

“Does it look exactly as you remember?”

“It does.”

He was barely holding himself in control as he reached for the flower. With only the slightest flex of the magic inside of him, he drew the flower from his skin. The first time, he always had to be delicate. He wasn’t sure how fragile it would be, and the less accurate of a depiction, the more fragile it was. So he took his time, gently tugging the stem from inside of himself. Then the leaves. Then the petals that emerged pure white from his flesh until the last one finally released.

A perfect flower. He wasn’t certain if it would have the same powers as it did when it was grown, but it was still a flower she could use.

“Here,” he said, holding it out for her to take. “Is it right?”

Part of him wanted the praise from her. Envy wanted her to tell him that he was perfect and he had done something incredible and that was... odd. He’d never needed anyone to give him reassurance. He was the best. He had the best things, and he was the gatherer of magic and power that no one else had but him. Now he had her as well.

He was the most powerful person in this kingdom. The opinion of one oracle meant nothing until it did.

Yet he burned as he watched her. His fingers balled into fists as she inspected the flower and then finally exhaled long and low.

“Yes,” she whispered. “It’s perfect.”

And then she launched herself at him.

Envy caught her at the same time her hands framed his face. She brought her lips to his in a fumbling kiss that should have disgusted him and yet all it did was make him want to consume her. To devour her. He wanted so much more than what she could give him.

But he was going to take every bit she would yield to him.

He dragged her into his lap, spread her legs on either side of his hips as she kissed him. Her fingers clutched at his hair and she restlessly rocked against him, like she was trying to climb her way inside of him. Little did she know that’s exactly what he intended to do to her.

“You are infuriating,” she snarled against his lips. “Why are you so... so...”

“Infuriating?” he supplied as his hands stroked down her back, getting her used to his touch.

“No!” She leaned back long enough to stare into his eyes so he knew what she meant next. “You’re so good, and I hate that about you.”

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