Page 37 of Demons of Eden

“Parents, siblings, and grandparents all lived together,” he confirms in a flat tone, but he takes a deep breath and seems to shake the tension off. “For you, it would likely manifest differently. I wouldn’t recommend finding out how. Pushingright to the limit the way you have causes a starvation mode where the reaction takes more than is actually needed in that moment. It’s a way of hoarding resources to prevent it from happening again.”

“Well, fuck.” I swallow thickly, looking away from his intense dark eyes.

“‘Well, fuck’ about sums it up,” he agrees dryly, then clears his throat. “I know this is a terrible moment for this conversation, but you need help now so it can’t wait for a better one. I know I offered already, but I’m offering myself again.”

“Dai—” I begin, but he continues on, cutting me off.

“Suvi said you might prefer Torrin for this. I can send him up if you’d rather have him here.” Daion releases my hand and sits back. He sounds less than pleased with that suggestion, in spite of the fact he’s the one who made it. “It would be safer for me to help you this time, considering your current starvation state, even with the temporary boost making it less dangerous. Though, I can always monitor Torrin’s levels from downstairs and come haul him out of the room if needed. It’s your choice.”

“Why would it—wait, don’t worry. It’s a stupid question seeing as it doesn’t matter. I’m not fucking someone because they don’t want to watch me die,” I grumble, sounding about as pathetic as I feel. “It’s not a fair choice for either of you. It’s basically unintentional coercion. I won’t do it.”

“Eden.” Daion drops to his knees beside the same couch he’d laid me on a few nights ago, forcing me to look into his eyes. “When I look at you, I see you. Your dark hair and stunning blue eyes. These curves that steal my breath every time you bend over in those tight-as-hell yoga pants. Fuck. I don’t know how you haven’t caught me staring during our training sessions.”

“Oh.” I know I should say something more than that. Sadly, my brain fails me, leaving me stupidly speechless. I turn awayagain to hide whatever insane expressions must be crossing my face as I process the information.

“What I’m saying, or at least what I’m trying to say, is keeping you alive would be a happy bonus. If I fuck you, nothing about it will feel like I pity you, because I don’t. Not at all.”

“You can’t know?—”

“Let me put this as bluntly as I can,” he cuts me off, fingers lightly resting under my chin to turn my head back to face him. “So there’s no more misunderstanding between us, I want you. I have since we met. You’re beautiful, and every minute we’ve spent together has only made me want you more. I promise you, it isn’t pity making my fingers itch to pull off your clothes. Sympathy doesn’t make a man react the way I do to you. I want to look into your eyes and see them flooded with pleasure as you come on my cock, screaming my name.”

I’m stunned into silence for so long that Daion nods, suddenly standing as he finds an answer in the quiet. One that I didn’t give.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have…I’ll just go find Torrin for you now.”

“Wait! No, I—I don’t want Torrin. I mean, he’s hot and funny. He also shares his pies, but…”Goddess, why am I rambling nonsense at a time like this?

“But?” Daion turns and looks at me with so much hope in his eyes. My body reacts without a conscious thought, and this time there’s no mistaking what the tingling sensation is as it passes through me, electrifying the air. “Oh,” Daion sucks in a sharp breath, and I wince as my succubus-powered allure no doubt slams into him like a brick wall.

I move so I can stand, but Daion stops me.

“I’ll carry you,” he offers gently, sweetly, and I wonder where the dirty-talking demon hunter went. Doubt creeps in once again, and he must sense it because he shakes his head. “I can fuck you sweetly or treat you like you’re my bratty little slut.Either way, I’m desperate for you, Eden. I can say a lot of things with words, but…let me show you how badly I want you with my body. I promise you won’t doubt it then.”

“Okay,” I agree simply, mostly because it’s the only word I can get out while my mind is still replaying his words. Over both the offer of the type of sex and his assurance—his confidence—that he can simply fuck my doubts away. I want him to succeed, to free me from any chains of guilt while bringing me over the edge.

Daion leans in closer, and I slide my hands up slowly, appreciatively, over his shoulders before securing them around his neck, then he lifts me. I wrap my legs around his waist automatically, and the bulge there is unmistakable. My cheeks burn, no doubt blushing bright red, so I bury my face against his neck. It turns out all I need is one hit of his scent, though, and I’m ready to start grinding against the hardness pressing between my thighs.

He carries me into the hall and over to his bedroom door. It’s dark, but rather than turning the bright overhead light on, he uses his magic to add a soft glow to the corners of the room. The floating orbs of light he conjures are bobbing and swaying slightly in the areas they illuminate, as if they’re caught in an invisible current.

“Door,” I murmur before he can keep moving towards the bed when he moves in that direction.

He takes two steps back, and as he’s kicking the door shut, I catch a glimpse of a pissy-looking Rio walking by over his shoulder, just before it slams into the frame. Hopefully he keeps on walking and the closed door isn’t just an illusion of privacy, even if I find it hard to believe his timing was pure coincidence. Though, I’m not the least bit surprised that he wasn’t offering to save my life with the magical power of his cock…

“I need to make sure I’m not going to hurt you,” Daion says as he lays me onto the bed gently. When he pulls his shirt off, I don’t bother pretending not to stare at him.

Jeez, why is he so sexy?

Those toned arms? Pornographic.

He grins at me, but the look quickly turns almost shy, intense eyes staring at me through his unfairly long, dark lashes. “I’ve seen you looking, mostly when we were training, but I wasn’t sure if it was actually you or just your low vitav causing you to check my body out.”

“Oh, it was definitely me,” I confirm shamelessly, still staring as the hint of shyness dissipates once more.

“Good,” he replies while slowly curling his hands around my ankles, then he suddenly tugs me down to the edge of the bed with his hold on them. I lie there, frozen by the abruptness of the movement, and simply watch as he undoes the button, followed by the zipper on my jeans. He tugs them leisurely off my hips, trailing the removal of fabric with grazing fingertips and soft teasing lips. Once my legs are free, I lean up so he can pull my shirt off too.

“I only have an hour,” I remind him when he takes his sweet time in removing it.

“You’ll come long before we reach an hour.”

---