Page 93 of Unbinding the Demon
He shrugged and pushed himself up into a seated position. His wings fell forward on either side of him, scraping against the floor with their sharp spikes. “It’s hard to say, but I’d guess no more than an hour, tops.” He grabbed a small stone, tossed it up in his hand once, then threw it against the far wall. A few loud clanks echoed throughout the cave as the stone bounced and then settled on the floor.
An entire hour? We’re never going to get out of The Abyss at this snail’s pace.
I grumbled to myself while putting my water bottle back in the bag, but then I stopped when I saw the book. I traced my fingers over the black manuscript, which contained the incantation to unbind his powers. My gaze shifted back over to him, and I bit the inside of my cheek. I still intended to tell him I wanted to unbind him. Especially now that I knew that not only did Aunt Elowynn want me to do it, but he would die if I didn’t. It was kind of a no-brainer at this point. But I figured it was a good idea to feel him out first, just to make sure he didn’t have any sinister plans, like destroying the whole town or something, because, you never know.
I glanced down with a blank expression and twiddled with the hem of my dress. “So, um, Azathoth?”
“Yes, Buttercup?” he half-grinned, revealing his sharp, white fangs.
“Well, I was just wondering, say, hypothetically, if I were to unbind you…” His head immediately perked up, and his eyes grew brighter, cutting through the darkness of the cave like two luminescent citrine gems. “You wouldn’t do anything super destructive, like destroy the whole town, would you?” I squished my lips together and peeked over at him.
A soft chuckle rumbled out from his chest and echoed off the walls. “Well, no, I wasn’t planning on doing something like that, but I can’t promise anything.” Silky raven locks fell over his shoulders as he leaned forward with a loving look in his eyes. “If I get unbound, I plan to return to Hell... and take you back with me.”
My fingers caught a loose thread from the hem of my dress while I plucked at it. I wasn’t sure how I felt about going to Hell with him. Despite Satnakium, the city where he grew up, sounding cool, my guess was that it would still be kind of scary there since it was, well, Hell after all. The very place preachers spent their lives warning us about. I wanted things to work out between Azathoth and me because I loved him, but I was still very hurt. I was unsure if it would be worth it to salvage this relationship, let alone go live in the land of fire and death with him.
“And say, what if I didn’t want to go to Hell with you? Would you use your powers to take me there, anyway? You did tell me I could leave once Adelstein was dealt with,” I reminded him with a small shrug.
His expression became inscrutable and his voice flat. “Yes, I did. And I’ll keep my word if you choose to leave.” He tapped his chin as if thinking. “Are you still considering leaving?” His eyes betrayed his stony countenance, with apprehension flickering within their flames.
“Well, I honestly don’t know. I mean, I want this relationship to work.” I raised my palms and shook my head. “But it really hurts knowing that you didn’t even want to be with me when we first started dating. This entire relationship began just so you could use me, then throw me away like an unwanted crumpled-up napkin. I’ve been thinking that maybe it would be better for me to find someone else who will want me from the start.” I waved a hand up and tried to look tough instead of upset.
A menacing look crossed his face as soon as that last sentence left my mouth. He lowered his hand from his chin in an eerie, fluid movement. Then he rose from his seat without taking his eyes off me, like a tiger sizing up its next meal.
Oh, shoots and ladders. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.
Something dark and unnerving lingered in his eyes that I couldn’t quite place. I watched him from my spot on the floor, my heart racing like a drum. He approached me with the stealth of a predator on the prowl. The air buzzed with tension as he drew nearer, each step echoing my escalated pulse. I suddenly felt like a trembling little ant beneath a giant, menacing boot. My eyes darted around as his intimidating, demonic form circled behind me with silent, calculated steps. I was too frightened by his predatory stance to even move.
Oh man, oh man, oh man...
He crouched down right behind me so that his large thighs were on either side of my body. Then he began gently running his claws through my hair with a daunting, predatory purr. His hot breath fanned the side of my head, causing my heart rate to speed up even more. I bit my lip and tried to keep my breathing calm.
“Yes, it’s true. I didn’t intend to have a long-term relationship with a human when we first met. I had planned to use you and then abandon you as if you meant nothing to me at all. And I was a selfish fool for ever thinking such things.” He leaned in next to my face, causing his silky hair to fall over my shoulder, and looked into my eyes with remorse. “I do regret hurting you like that, and I apologize for my treacherous intent and stupidity. You deserved so much better than what I did. And if it’s of any consolation at all, I’ve always been very attracted to you. I wanted you sexually from the very first moment I laid eyes on you." His clawed hand caressed under my chin while his thumb popped my lip out from beneath my bite. “If you’ll give me the chance, I would love nothing more than to make it up to you and show you how much I do want to be with you.” He leaned back behind me once more, taking his time. The hand that was under my chin abruptly grabbed my throat with a gentle but firm grip, causing a little squeak to escape me. “However, it seems I need to remind you that regardless of our unfortunate beginning, you’re still mine!” he growled with fury.
Oh, snap...
“Azathoth,”I gasped in fear while grasping the large hand that was gripping me.
He straight up roared like an enraged demonic beast, shaking the stalactites and causing a few to fall and shatter on the ground as he picked me up. My flailing body was roughly carried the short distance to the far wall. A low menacing growl vibrated through him as he sat on a rock, then shoved me onto his lap facing away from him. He forced my legs over on either side of his outer thighs, with the black denim from his pants rubbing against my bare skin. He simultaneously brought his large wings around and used them to firmly pin my legs against his thighs, trapping me in place. Their lethally sharp spikes staked onto the floor on either side of us. Then, like a strangling serpent, one of his tattooed arms slithered around my upper body, completely immobilizing me.
“Azathoth, please... You’re scaring me,” I whimpered, my eyes wide and filled with fear.
He roughly grabbed my hair and pulled my head back to make me look at him, exposing my scarred neck. “Oh, am I?” He raised a brow with that dark, evil look still etched on his face. His legs spread, forcing mine apart with them and causing his wings to scrape against the stone floor. I tried to wiggle a little, but I was only successful in grinding my butt against the massive erection in his pants.
A low, sinister purr vibrated in his throat as he sensually ran his nose up my neck and cheek. “You don’t ever need to be afraid of me, my love.” His voice was silky smooth, but then right back to being harsh as he continued. “But don’t think for even a measly second that I’m just going to stand by and let some filthy simpleton touch what ismine!As long asmy claimis onyour neck, I will rip apart any man who dares to put his grubby hands on you!” he snarled viciously. “I will shred their vile flesh from their bones and crush their worthless brittle skulls beneath my feet...I will liquidate them!”His deep voice demonically bellowed throughout the cave.
Oh shit. He’s not just crazy; he’s jealous.
I tried to move my legs, but they were firmly imprisoned between his thighs and wings. “But you told me you would let me leave if I wanted to when this was over. What did you think would happen if I did? That I’d go off and become some wacky celibate puritan?” I asked with an irritated undertone while still trying to squirm a bit.
“Well, I guess I didn’t think you’d already be considering going off with some inferior Tom, Dick, or Harry!” With one swift swipe of his hot, wet tongue, he lasciviously licked my scar, causing me to gasp as an unexpected, dizzying wave of lust crashed over me. “I suppose I’ll just have to remind you that I can pleasure you far better and offer you far more than any weak, thimble-wittedmanever could!”
My face flushed, and I had the urge to squeeze my legs shut, unable to take the intense, agonizing heat flooding between them. I tried to squirm again, but his grip on me tightened, and he spread my legs even wider. A quiet moan slipped out from me as his soft lips brushed over the scar, lightly like a feather’s tickly touch. My lower stomach clenched, and I was suddenly downright ravenous for him.
Damn that stupid claim for so easily making me aroused! Damn it to some awful place other than Hell... like the Vermont DMV or something.
He lifted his head lazily to look at me with burning hot desire in his eyes, then he flashed a seductive grin to show off his sharp teeth. With a low, bestial growl, his head lowered back down, and he slowly scraped his fangs across his claim. “A-A-Aza—” I struggled to sputter out his name, my body jolting under his tormenting touch. His mouth crashed down, causing me to scream. He began aggressively licking and laying wet, open-mouthed kisses on the area, demanding my lustful reaction to him.“Azathoth!”
Holy fucking flapjacks!
