Page 118 of The Harbinger

He took me into the bathroom and ran the shower, the hot water pouring over my slumped shoulders. “You haven’t sleepwalked since I brought you here. What’s changed?”

I shrugged, keeping my gaze cast down as he discarded his clothes and climbed in with me. “I-I don’t know. Maybe it was the stress from today?” My damaged mind had been overwhelmed with so much information in such a short period of time. It’s no wonder why I’d have nightmares.

Sacha rubbed his hand over my now red shoulders, the ache of the burn rippling through me as I noted the lack of blood and half-moon marks on his. “I’ll take care of you.” He pulled me into his embrace, and my stomach fluttered.

I let his words engulf me, and a fragile smile slipped across my lips. He hadn’t forgotten his promise in the woods, and it made my heart sing when I wrapped my arms around his waist.

“What did you see?” His hand caressed my wet hair. His other pressed into my lower back.

My pulse jumped.

How much do I tell him? Not all of it.He’d think I’m crazier than he already does.Was it just a drug-induced walk in Hell? “The statue came to life.”

“Asmodeus?”

“Ithas a name?”

Water dripped over my face and between our touch before I broke away and squeezed soap into my palm.

“Let me.” He turned my hand onto his and scraped his fingers along my palm. Shivers raced up my arms as his nails trailed to my fingertips. “Asmodeus is the demon of all things lust and sexual desire, but some theologians consider him to be the prince of wrath and revenge as well.”

Given his naked representation, the lust factored in well, but the prince of revenge didn’t. Although he was certainly powerful enough to enact any revenge in my nightmares.

“What did he say to you?”

Sacha’s soap-lathered hand drifted down my belly and slipped between my legs. A gasp fell from my lips when he parted my folds and cleaned my body for the second time today.

My stomach swirled as I recounted my weakness towards him, allowing him… no,begginghim to defile me. And he did, to my delicious delight. I’d enjoyed every bit until regret sank its claws into my chest and tugged.

His fingers motioned over my sensitive clit.“Oh,” I gasped as I reached for him, wrapping my fingers around his taut bicep.

“What did he say?”

I shook my head, his fingers working slow and with gentle ease. “He told me to come to him. That he’d been waiting for me.”

“Interesting. And what did you say?”

“Nothing.” I squeezed my eyes closed and swallowed hard. “He sewed my mouth shut.”

It was just a horrific dream, though. It held no significance and wasn’t an actual calling or prophesy. It was a nightmare caused by stressful events. Nothing more.

Sacha pulled the shower head from the wall and placed it between my legs. Soap ran down my legs and swirled away in the drain. I wished it was that easy to get rid of the horrifying memory.

“Do you think it means something?”

He pressed the jet closer to my skin, causing my body to jerk forward. “Unfortunately, my expertise doesn’t extend to the dream world, but I can tell you that if Asmodeus stifled your words, it was for a reason. He thrives on control and power over women in particular. Remember he’s the demon of lust and revenge. The question is, which side of him silenced you?”

The water jet beat against my abused flesh, my swelling bud rolling in wave after wave of bliss. He pulled my forehead to his chest and pressed his lips to my ear. “Is there something you want me to do to you, Mia? Or are you still thinking about your missed opportunity?”

“What?” Darkness clouded my vision as I pinched them closed, my body tumbling over the edge with his scent riding my senses.

“Lust or revenge,milaya.”

Darkness clouded my vision as I pinched them closed, my body tumbling over the edge with his scent riding my senses. “Oh, God.” My fingers dug into his arms, my knees like shaking noodles.

“There is no sanctuary in God’s presence,” he whispered. “But there is in mine.” His grip tightened on my nape as I shuddered.

“Will you be my salvation too?”

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