Page 19 of Their Demon

“Yes,” she interrupted Nicholas. “Her fate is sealed, andno one, not even you three, can save her. She’d be better off taking her own life now to save herself from your father’s wrath.”

“No,” my brother and I said at the same time.

“No,” I repeated. “Lilly is strong and stubborn in the best way. We’ll train her, and she will succeed. We will make sure of that.”

Pity filled our mother’s eyes as she stood. “For her sake—all of your sakes—I hope you’re right.” She cleared her throat. “I think it’s best if you two leave now.”

I opened my mouth to protest, to say I needed more than she’d given us. Her answers had done nothing but give me more to worry about.

“I agree,” Nicholas spoke before I could form words.

I clenched my jaw as our mother bowed her head softly and walked to the door, holding it open for us.

We left without another word, our hearts heavier than when we’d arrived.

Chapter 8

Lillian

The kitchen was quiet as I nibbled on the salad Keir made me—too quiet for my liking. I glanced at him from the corner of my eyes to find him absentmindedly moving his salad around his plate with his fork.

I turned my head slightly, slowly, to not tip him off that I was looking at him. His forehead was wrinkled, his jaw tight. He was deep in thought.

What was he thinking about?

“I’m wondering why you’re staring at me like that,” he said with a deep voice as he turned to face me with an arched eyebrow.

My cheeks immediately burned. “I wasn’t… I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s fine,” he cut in, his voice sending shivers up my spine. “I know it’s hard not to look.” His smug tone, topped off by the smirk forming on his lips, made me swallow hard.

Fuck. Could he feel this? The way my heart raced when he looked at me like that? The charge in the air between us? The struggle to get a full breath?

“I can,” he said, still smug.

“Stop reading my mind,” I clipped back at him, his growing smirk making me even more flustered.

I wanted to slap that shit-eating grin off his face.

I had a love-hate relationship with our telepathy. Sometimes, it was handy. Other times, like now, it felt like an invasion.

“I don’t need to when you think so damn loudly.” I started to open my mouth to sass back, but he held up a finger. “I’m sorry.” I blinked, surprised. “That was a bit rude and uncalled for. I know you’re still not used to the whole telepathy thing.”

“Wow,” I whispered between us, still shocked he’d apologized.

He didn’t say anything; he just looked at me, his eyes growing hungry. My attention was drawn to his tongue as it swept across his bottom lip.

I wanted to lean forward, run my fingers along the neatly trimmed hair on his face, and press my lips to his. I wanted to breathe in his scent. I wanted him to fill me up in more ways than one and consume me entirely.

“Look at me, princess,” Keir’s voice broke past my sinful thoughts. I lifted my eyes to look at his. “You have to stop doing that. For both our sakes.”

Wait? What?

“What? I… I don’t… I don’t understand.” Tears threatened to form as I stumbled over my words.

He closed his eyes for a moment and let out a breath. “I can’t keep denying you.”

I shifted in my seat, my throat suddenly feeling drier than the fucking Sahara as I whispered, “Then don’t.”

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