Page 8 of Fated to the Demon

Before I realize what I'm doing, my feet carry me towards the bathing chambers. The sound of running water grows louder with each step. Steam curls around my ankles as I approach.

I pause at the entrance, my hand resting on the cold stone archway. What am I doing? I'm a demon lord, not some lovesick puppy. And yet...

The urge to join her is overwhelming. To feel her soft skin against mine, to taste the water droplets on her flesh. It's been so long since I've indulged in the pleasures of a human body.

My fangs extend, hunger and desire warring within me. I take a deep breath, inhaling her scent mixed with soap and steam. It's intoxicating.

One step. That's all it would take. One step and I could have her. Claim her. Make her mine in every way.

But no. Not yet. This game has only just begun, and I intend to savor every moment.

I slip inside the bathing chamber, silent as a shadow. Steam curls around me, thick and fragrant. Through the haze, I see her.

Claudia.

She stands waist-deep in the spring, rivulets of water cascading down her caramel skin. My breath catches. How can a mere human be so... captivating?

I watch, transfixed, as she runs her hands through her short, dark hair. Something's different about her. The glacies should be unbearable for a mortal, yet she shows no signs of discomfort. How is this possible?

My eyes narrow. There's more to this woman than meets the eye.

She turns, giving me a tantalizing view of her profile. My fangs ache with hunger – for her flesh, her blood, her very essence. But there's something else too. A hunger I haven't felt in centuries.

I need answers. And I need them now.

With inhuman speed, I close the distance between us. She gasps, startled by my sudden appearance. Before she can speak, I capture her lips with mine.

The kiss is searing, passionate. I taste her surprise, her fear... and underneath it all, a burning desire that matches my own.

I break away, drinking in her flushed cheeks and wide eyes. My hands move of their own accord, shedding my garments. They fall to the ground with a soft thud.

"What are you?" I growl, my voice low and dangerous. "How can you withstand the glacies?"

She meets my gaze. I lean in, my lips brushing her ear. My hands slide down her sides, coming to rest on her hips. She shivers, but doesn't pull away.

"Tell me," I whisper, nipping at her earlobe. "What secrets are you hiding?"

5

CLAUDIA

Saturus's lips trail down my neck, each kiss and flick of his tongue igniting a fire that spreads through my veins. I can't help the soft moan that escapes my lips, a sound that seems to urge him on.

His hands, confident and demanding, explore every curve of my body. They linger on my breasts, his thumbs circling my nipples until they harden under his touch. A gasp catches in my throat, and I arch into him, craving more of this exquisite torture.

"Why are you different, Claudia?" he murmurs against my skin, his voice a low growl that sends shivers down my spine. I can barely think, let alone form a coherent response. All I can do is feel—the heat of his mouth, the roughness of his hands, the press of his body against mine.

His lips move lower, tracing a path down to my stomach. I squirm beneath him, my breath coming in ragged gasps. He looks up at me, his mismatched eyes filled with a hunger that both terrifies and thrills me. "Tell me," he demands, his voice a command that brooks no argument.

But I have no answers, only sensation. His hands grip my ass, pulling me closer to him. I can feel his hardness pressing against me, a promise of what's to come. I whimper and bury my hands in his hair, holding onto him as if he's the only solid thing in this world of pleasure.

He moves lower still, his breath hot against the apex of my thighs. I tense, anticipation and fear warring within me. But when his mouth finds me, all thought flees. I cry out, my hips bucking against him as waves of pleasure crash over me. His tongue is relentless, driving me higher and higher until I'm nothing but a writhing, moaning mess.

"Why, Claudia?" he asks again, his voice a rumble against my most intimate place. I shake my head, unable to speak, unable to think. All I can do is feel, and right now, I feel like I'm on the edge of something incredible.

And then, with a final, devastating kiss, he sends me tumbling over the edge.

My body still trembles from the aftershocks of pleasure as Saturus's strong hands grip my hips, turning me over and positioning me on my hands and knees. The cool water of the bath laps against my skin, a stark contrast to the heat that radiates from his touch. I can barely catch my breath before he's pressing against me, his hardness demanding entry.

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