Page 30 of Hell Gate

I scrub my face, my words coming out muffled. “Look, I don’t know, guys. I have no clue what I did before.”

“Don’t sweat it, petal.”

My head jerks up at the new pet name from Matthias. At least he listened about not calling me lost girl anymore. He saunters over and stands behind me, tracing his fingertips up my arms. I suppress a shudder.

The curve of his grin presses against my ear when he dips his head. “No one gets it on their first go. Here, put your hands on mine. I’ll show you.”

Sighing, I allow him to lift our arms in front of me, palm to palm. His skin is warm against mine, then grows warmer as he emits tiny sparks between our hands.

“Oh.” I startle. “That kind of tickles.”

He chuckles and leans his head against mine. “See? It doesn’t have to be a big power move. Start small.”

He lowers his hands and the sparks ignite into flames. I start to yank my hands away but he stops me.

“Wait. I won’t hurt you. It’s a bit strange, but I feel like I could never consider hurting you again. The thought of you hurt is…” He pushes out a stilted laugh, unlike his usual relaxed nature. “Painful.”

Angling to glance at him from the corner of my eye, his flirtatious smile tinges with regret for a moment before he pulls it back. As open as he’s been with me, this feels like the first truly genuine glimpse he’s allowed me to see. Ducking my head to hide my smile, I keep my hands in place, surprised when the fire doesn’t burn me. Biting my lip, I swipe my fingers through it.

“How are you doing that? It doesn’t burn.”

He pauses in consideration before answering. “It becomes instinctive, like breathing. If I focus on it, then I can picture the well inside. Once you tap into that, you’ll be able to do it, too. Try it. Give me some sparks, baby.”

I huff sardonically at the double meaning he injects into his request. “I don’t think we need to pour anymore gasoline on those sparks. Things already get out of control with the barest provocation.”

Like me being fully okay with him fucking me in the alley, if it got that far. I smother the urge to press my thighs together and give myself away, though he seems to know the direction my mind goes.

“I disagree.” His voice lilts and he brushes the top of my head with his lips as he steps closer so I can feel every firm line of his body against my back, the hardness he nudges against my ass. “I think you’d ignite the hottest inferno. I want to burn up in your fire.”

An unsteady breath hisses out of me. Licking my lips, I try not to think about the flutter of need he stirs in me and try to replicate the sparks he showed me. Come on, internal well. Help me out here.

Nothing. Again.

I blow out another sigh. “This is pointless. I can’t do it. I don’t have the powers you think I do.”

Matthias snuffs out his flames and wraps his arms around me. “We’ll figure it out. Don’t worry.”

His embrace is tight and comforting, the calming scent of a campfire surrounding me. He hugs me like he never intends to let me go. My chest constricts.

Don’t get attached. Temporary, I remind myself. I don’t get to stay with them. I shouldn’t even want that.

“Let me try to help you.” At Alder’s offer, Matthias returns to leaning against the railing. “Young demons coming into their powers often need exercises to assist them until they understand how to control their power on their own. Give me your hands.”

My fingers rub together for a beat in hesitation before I place my hands in his. A jolt of energy shocks me when we touch. His grip tightens with a forceful rumble when I try to pull away. When the feeling fades, he turns them over.

“Stay still. When I pass hellfire to you, just maintain it.”

“Easier said than done,” I say.

“Focus.”

With no effort at all, his hands glow like molten heat flows beneath his skin, then fire engulfs his hands. His thumbs stroke the sides of my palms and his green eyes catch mine, holding my gaze.

“Look, you’re doing it,” he says with a hint of pride and wonder.

My eyes widen. Oh my god, I’m doing it. The fire he transferred to me dances above my skin without scorching me. I have power. Which makes me not as human as I believed. This is unreal.

I can feel the energy constantly shifting, swaying as it seeks freedom. It challenges my feeble control, wanting more, wanting to explode.

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