Page 17 of Raising the Sun

For the foreseeable, I had a demon roommate.

And I didn’t know how to feel about it.

Chapter five

ISAAC

The demon—I really ought to learn his name if he’s going to be a semi-permanent fixture in my home—was still in my flat when I returned, and thankfully, nothing was on fire or broken. He was, however, wearing significantly less clothing than when I’d left him. It should have been an impossible feat considering he’d only had a robe on this morning. But there he was, in my living room, lounging at one end of the sofa with a book in his hand, showing his wares and seeming entirely unbothered about it.

I was no prude, but come on.

That had to be grounds for eviction, surely?

Gone were the drapes of fabric hanging from his hips, and the long, veil-like shawl that had been covering his shoulders when he’d arrived. Even his waist-length ginger hair was swept out of the way, tied into a high ponytail between his horns to show off the shimmering jewels that adorned his thin, pointed ears.

His robe, at least, had covered everything bar his collarbones, ankles, and wrists. It had been indecently figure-hugging, leaving little to the imagination, but stillsomething. His current outfit had no such wiggle room. He wore a silk vest, cropped at his ribcage, displaying the delicate chains dangling around his waist like a body necklace, the silver a beautiful complement to his brown skin. It was also sleeveless, revealing his toned arms and the bejewelled bangles cinching his biceps. His harem pants sat low on his hips, cuffed above the ankles but slit up the outsides to show his long legs.

He was a vision, that was undeniable, and from where I stood in the doorway, it was as if he was posed just for me, like the subject of a renaissance painting. His relaxed demeanour screamed royalty, so poised and perfect. He was still out of place in my bland shoebox flat, but he looked more at ease in his surroundings than when he’d descended on me like a pretentious, sassy hurricane.

I let out a soft laugh.

Seeing him like that had me wondering if maybe it wouldn’t be so bad having him around. He’d definitely liven the dreary walls up a bit, and he’d obviously had no trouble adjusting to our predicament after such a small acclimatisation period, so why couldn’t I? Sure, he was an immortal being who most likely antagonised people for fun, but it wasn’t as if he could get up totoo muchmischief here—hopefully—so he wasn’t exactly in the way.

Saying any of that out loud, though, would have felt like admitting defeat. Or at least admitting I’d failed at fixing one more thing life had kindly thrown at me, and I wasn’t very good at that, so I’d just have to think it instead.

“You know…” the demon said without looking up. He didn’t have all of his metal claw-cuffs on, only the pointer finger and thumb, and I found myself mesmerised by the way they flexed as he flipped the page. “It’s rude to stare, pet.”

I cringed, realising I’d been fully ogling him. “Sorry,” I said before stepping further into the room—deciding it best not to linger in the doorway like a creep. “I didn’t mean to.”

Finally, his eyes lifted from the page and fixed themselves to mine, a wicked, fang-filled smirk on his lips. “Don’t be, I like a little rudeness.”

He curled his legs closer to himself, presumably to make room for me on the couch, but I was too distracted by his bare feet to sit. Or rather, by the pretty jingle of his anklets as they moved.

I stayed standing.

“What, er—” I coughed to clear my throat. “What have you been doing since I left?”

“Snooping, mostly.” Least he was honest about it. “Which took less than thirty minutes, what with your house being so small.”Arsehole.“I also took it upon myself to set some wards since security is extremely lax here. I’m far too important to be left vulnerable and unattended.”

“You?Vulnerable? Somehow, I highly doubt that.”

He pouted. “I am a delicate flower who needs a handsome knight to keep me safe and protected at all times.” Shrugging, he tacked on, “But since you haven’t yet fallen for my wit and charm, magic shields will have to do.”

Nope, I was wrong. Having him here would be as terrible as I’d first anticipated.

“Mhm.”

“Unless you’d like to change that right now?” With his book clasped in one hand, he began idly rubbing at his collarbone with the pads of the unarmoured fingers on the other. His bottom lip was pinned between his sharp teeth, and his legs were ever so slightly parted.

I wasn’t made of steel—his seductions were unbelievably convincing, and a subtle yet deliberate tilt of his hips almost had me giving in, but I couldn’t. It wasn’t a ‘save myself for marriage’ situation, or that I was waiting for the right man to come along and sweep me off my feet. Not really. It was just sort of… nerve-wracking. I’d delayed so long that the thought of finally taking that leap scared the shite out of me, and the added pressure of doing it with someone as fit ashimmade that feeling ten times worse. I mean, next to him, anyone would have felt inadequate, and without sounding too self-deprecating, I ended up disappointing everyone, so why would this be any different?

Better men probably would have said ‘fuck it’ and knelt at his feet already, but I had no experience in this department. Everything we did would be awkward and fumbly, and thatonly served to add another medal of embarrassment to my extensive collection.

No, it was best to resist, and save myself the bloody stress.

Even if the temptation was killing me.

Swallowing thickly, I tore my gaze away. “I’m good.”

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