Page 35 of The Fallen
“I’ll let the doctor know you’re awake and let a healer know you need their assistance with the pain. If you need anything just push that call button and I’ll fly right in.” I chuckle at her pun as she leaves the room, letting my head fall back onto the pillow as soon as the door shuts softly.
Ben jerks at the sound, mumbling something before rolling onto his side and dragging a thin hospital blanket over his shoulders. Once it’s apparent he is still asleep, Asenath approaches me silently, I avert my eyes from his very large member hanging between his legs. I guess it’s a plus that he’s not aroused. That would be majorly awkward.
“If we are going to have any sort of conversation, you need to cover up,” I grouse.
“I will never understand you humans and your discomfort of nudity,” Asenath replies, grabbing a sheet from a cabinet and wrapping it securely around his waist.
“Has more to do with the fact your dick has tentacles,” I point out. I’m also not going to have any sort of conversation lying flat on my back. I glance around for a way to lift the head of the bed but to no avail.
With a sigh of exasperation, Asenath reaches above my head and does something. The next thing I know I’m sitting up at anangle, the sheet falling down around my waist. With a squeak, I grab for the it, almost desperate to cover my bare chest with the thin material, but the IV in my arm sends a bolt of pain up to my shoulder and I freeze.
Asenath’s hand shoots out, gently returning my arm to my side. Even still my arm throbs from the sudden movement. Fluidly, he crouches beside my bed, crimson eyes running up my bare torso and I blush. I can feel the heat in my cheeks and I have to look away from him.
I don’t know why the demon is staring. I don’t work out and I’m definitely not bulging with muscles. In fact, I have absolutely no muscle definition in my abs at all, just a pooch from too many noodles, too much gaming, and not nearly enough exercise.
I’m a nerd. Don’t judge me.
“There is nothing wrong with your body, so I do not understand why you wish to hide it from me,” Asenath murmurs, one hand softly trailing up my exposed skin to stop over the center of my chest. I take a shuddering breath, the pain forgotten as he rubs his thumb over one nipple. It hardens beneath his touch and I shiver, not able to look away from him.
This close, I can see that his eyes aren’t just red, but rather a subtle mix of maroon and deep orange too. Like some neon version of fire.
“Unfortunately, this is a bit concerning,” he sighs, tapping my chest. The sudden shift snaps me out of whatever dick deficient trance I’m in and I wrinkle my brow in confusion. Glancing at my chest I’m met with a fancy black sigil standing out starkly against my blindingly white skin.
Yes, my nerd status includes lack of sunlight. And chest hair, I might add. An embarrassment for me throughout high school and my first year of college.
But that sigil has a coil of fear twisting in my gut. “What the hell is that?” I gasp out, smacking my chest as if I can slap off the sigil.
“Proof of our incomplete binding. If it remains incomplete. . . .”
“What happens?” I hiss out, staring into his eyes.
He regards me quietly, seemingly calm despite my growing apprehension. “The magic forces the completion and if unable to do so, annihilates those involved.”
My stomach plummets at his words and it feels like my heart stops. Though, from the sound of the monitor alarms going off by my head, it might have done just that.
“What the hell am I supposed to tell the doctors?”
Asenath gives me a patient look. “The binding sigil is visible only to those who are involved. And a regular human will not be able to see it either way.” My shoulders relax at that. Thank the gods. I don’t even want to think about how awkward it will be to have to explain why I suddenly have a sigil on my chest.
With a snort, Ben sits up, eyes wide at the blaring alarm. I see him from my peripheral vision, but my focus is on Asenath. “How exactly do we complete it?”
He gives me a scornful lift of his lips. “My powers reside with lust and sex.” With that, he drifts away from me, making room for Ben as my best friend trips over the blanket to get to my side.
“Issac! Are you okay?” Ben asks, leaning close to me and trying to get me to focus on him. But I can’t. I can only focus on the demon in the corner. His implication very clear, and absolutely terrifying.
In order to complete this binding and not get annihilated, I’m going to have to have sex with Asenath.
Fuck my life.
Ben grabs my shoulders and shakes me at about the same time the door to the room thuds open and a man in a white coatwith a stethoscope over his shoulders comes barreling in, the sprite hovering beside him.
I look between all three of them, embarrassment burning my cheeks. I’m going to have to lie through my teeth about his, and Ben knows me well enough to know when I’m lying. This will get awkward.
All three of them start talking at once — the doctor shining a light into my eyes, the sprite checking the monitors and Ben only inches from my face demanding to know if I am ok. And on top of all that, Asenath in the background, his shoulders and jaw tense as the others continue to crowd me.
Space.
I need space or I’m going to have a freak out.
