Page 93 of Their Offering

“Oh, honey.” She moved to sit next to me and wrapped her arm around me in a comforting way. “You don’t belong here in Hell. You are human andalive. Only demons and dead souls are meant to come to Hell. It’s killing you.”

I swallowed a hard knot that had formed in my throat. “So, what do I do?”

She patted my back. “Well, I didn’t finish my story.” She pulled me back down to her lap and resumed stroking my head. “I thought I was going to die, but there’s a loophole. Hell doesn’t know the difference between its own essence, even if it’s in a human. During sex, Arthur confessed he loved me, and part of his essence was transferred to me, a small piece of his link to Hell. Made me seem demon without me actuallybeingdemon. It saved me.” Wait, so I just had to have sex with one of them? That would be easy. “So, which one of my sons are you in love with, darling?”

I shifted uncomfortably, not knowing how to tell her I wasn’t in love withoneof her sons.

“Oh.” Her tone gave away her surprise. “I see.”

I sat up more slowly than before this time. “I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

“We never do.” She squeezed my shoulder.

“It’s just, the twins are so sweet and unlike anyone I’ve ever met and…”

“Wait.” She looked confused. “Just the twins?”

I tightened my jaw. Did she know I felt something for Keir? Something he would never feel back? Was it worth confessing? “No…” I spoke without realizing it.

“I see.”

“Keir doesn’t feel the sa––”

“Give him time, darling. He’s always been different from my impulsive, passionate twins. There’s nothing wrong with that; he just needs more time to be sure. He’s always been my cautious one.” She smiled and took my hand in hers. “The twins’ essences should be enough for now.” I think that was supposed to be reassuring, but it wasn’t. What if Keir never reciprocated my feelings? Would I die?

She called the brothers back into the room, and once they were seated on the couch across from us, looking uncomfortably between me and their mother, she told them what was needed to make me better. I needed their essences. All of them.

“No,” Keir said immediately, and he might as well have shoved one of his daggers into my heart. Fuck. I hated that I cared no matter how hard I fought it.

“We’ll do it,” Nicholas said at the same time, Aiden nodding in agreement with his twin.

“You love her?” she asked with her eyebrows raised.

They both looked at me, and the smiles that spread across their faces covered up any ill feelings I had. It was the type of smile that made me feel like I was floating. It was contagious, and soon, my face held the same smile.

“We do,” they said at the same time, looking back to their mother, who smiled with approval.

Their mom shot a quick look at Keir, but she covered it up with a big smile as she turned to the rest of us. “The twins should be enough for now.” She stood, and the guys stood with her. “Let’s just hope you don’t wait until it’s too late. You’ve always been too guarded, Keir. Satan spare me, I hope this is what you need to change.”

She left without another word. No goodbyes. No hugs. Nothing. She just walked to the elevator and disappeared.

Aiden and Nicholas were at my side in an instant, fussing over me again and asking if she’d done or said anything. I told them what she had told me. Her story. That was it. Once I convinced them I was fine, they picked me up and took me to my room.

“Do we wait until she’s better?” Aiden asked Nicholas.

“No. She needs it to get better, idiot.” Nicholas was already removing my clothes, even though I couldn’t move. “I’ll go first.”

“No way, man. I claimed her first; I’ll fill her first.” I snorted at Aiden’s comment. “I see she’s well enough to be a perv.”

Nicholas didn’t put up a fight as Aiden settled himself between my legs. He actually left the room, and when I looked up at Aiden, confused, he smiled.

“Giving one’s essence is kind of a big deal, little one. It’s binding. It’s more than sex.” I gulped audibly. Binding? “I guess I should make sure you’re okay with that, shouldn’t I?”

I bit my lip as I thought about what we were about to do. If he gave me his essence, we would be bonded together forever. I would be tied to himandHell. Was I okay with that? Did I honestly have another option? Apparently I would die without it, so why would I refuse it? Did I have a reason to say no?

Aiden and Nicholas had been amazing to me. They’d treated me better than anyone ever had. They’d protected me, killed for me, cared for me.

My heart raced, and I realized where I was leading myself. I had already fallen for them, both of them. I had no reason not to say yes to a bond that would last forever. These men had already marked my soul. I was already theirs.

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