Page 54 of The Devil and His Goddess

Harper wasn’t a fan of Sinners Do It Better. I knew she could always look us up to see pictures or videos of me, but honestly, I hadn’t expected her to care enough to. So I never anticipated her seeing Coldin’s mask or me in my demonic form, allowing her to potentially put two and two together.

Were those things enough to make her figure out the truth?

I didn’t know, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to find out, which was why I hadn’t paid her any more visits this week or lingered around the studio to catch her attention.

For some reason, the thought of Harper discovering her masked fantasy demon wasmemade my nerves spiral. When I came to her in that form, there was a sort of shield between us, a sense of freedom that existed. She could give in and enjoy her pleasure with him, because he was this other-wordly being with no risk or realness to him.

If she realized it was me, that easy-going bliss fizzled away with reality. Suddenly, she’d see the masked demon for who he really was—the man she’d been denying and keeping away all this time.

Would she still feel a desire to give into the fantasy if she put a face and name to him?

Would putting a face and name to him make it all the more real, hitting home the fact thatI, Perseus Mavros, was ademon?

What if she hated me and didn’t want anything to do with me afterward?

The thought served to make my stomach churn, and I quickly expelled all thoughts of Harper from my mind by refilling the tasteless lemonade and gulping it down. With a heavy sigh, I joined Zagan, the rest of the band, some staff, and Iyla and her sister by the windows for some photos. I smiled for each flash of the camera, though I wasn’t sure if the grin was on par with my typical smile. How could it be with a certain someone trying to snake her way into my thoughts?

The photos ended, and Iyla left the group to follow her little sister to the refreshment table. Zagan, eyes locked on Iyla, started to follow. I was eager to distract myself from my own troubles, so I decided to get involved in his.

“Don’t,” I said quietly, stepping into his path. “Don’t make this entire night be for nothing. If you go chasing after her all evening, people are going to see what you’re trying to hide.”

Zagan stared icily at me. “And what am I trying to hide?”

I chuckled, not buying his attempt at feigning ignorance. “Your infatuation with that human.”

I’d seen it. We’dallseen it. Zagan was drawn to his human bond, and it wasn’t justbecauseof said bond. There was more in his eyes when he looked at her. More in how he spoke to her. More in how he seemed toexistwhile around her.

Zagan dropped his dark head like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You’re one to talk, considering your latest obsession.”

The air moving in my lungs immediately got stuck, and I clenched my teeth as Harper once again occupied my thoughts. “That’s different. Mine is a game. It’s not real.Yoursis.”

Even as the words left my mouth, I wanted to snatch them from the air and shove them back in. Who was I trying to convince—Zagan or myself? Calling Harper a game left a sour taste in my mouth, and that reaction made me feel worse, because I didn’t understandwhy.

She was a lowly human, just like every other mortal I’d ever toyed with. I enjoyed teasing her and feeding off of her pleasure. I enjoyed our back and forth and the ever-present question of, “will we, won’t we.” It was fun and amusing for me, which was all that should’ve mattered as it had in the past.

So what if that stopped? What if I never saw Harper’s smile again?

The thought made my palms clammy and made my heart race with dread.

“What’s wrong with me?” I mumbled under my breath.

Harper was just a human. She didn’t matter more than any other source of amusement ever had. She held no power over me.

None.

I didn’t need her.

I didn’t want her.

And I’d prove that tonight by destroying what we had going.

Chapter 20

Harper

“WE’LL SEE WHAT MY SCHEDULE is like closer to Christmas,” I placated my parents.

“We know you’re busy,” Mom relented, her sweet smile evident from her mere voice over the phone. “If you can’t come, no worries. We’ll mail you your present.”

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