Page 30 of Tortured Soul
There it was again. With our talk from yesterday, I thought Kai understood me.
“If we put sex aside, that’s not what I was suggesting,” he corrected me, his tone wary.
“Was it not?” Our gazes latched. “Did you not mention his potential interest in me and did you not suggest that I use said interest to my advantage?”
He sucked on his teeth with pensive narrowed eyes.
“Not really,” he muttered. “Did he tell you what he is?” I nodded. “Do you realize what that implies?”
“If your point is that he’s powerful and that it would be beneficialfor me, I’m—”
“My point isthat he’s not utilizing his power how he could. How heshould.”
The crease between my brows deepened.
“What does it have to do with me?”
“A lot more than you think.” He chuckled dryly. “He’s half Divine, half Hellriser. More than this, he’s half Archangel and half Prince of Hell.”
I shook my head dismissively. “No matter what level of power a Hellriser parent has, their offspring will have nothing in comparison. A Nephilim born from a low level demon will probably be as powerful as a Nephilim born from a Prince of Hell.”
“Arc isn’t a Nephilim. And I beg to differ, I’ve met a few of them, they don’t all have the same amount of powers. Some of it depends on the progress of their madness…”
I refrained from saying that I knew a Nephilim too—verywell—and that I knew what I was talking about.
“Arc’s other parent is not a human or Earthwalker. He comes from two very different and immensely powerful species.”
Right, sure. “Alright. What’s your point?”
“I’m getting to that,” he gritted out. “Stop interrupting me.”
I snorted but complied, rolling the ember liquid inside my untouched glass.
“Since before we created this camp, Arc’s made a point to be good. Helpful. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t have anything against that. But we need him to be fair. To himself, and his people. He’s put a tight leash on his demon side. He’s afraid of its power—rightfully so as I’ve seen what he’s capable of when he unleashes it. But placing it in a cage is not the answer.
“And before you interrupt me again, that’s where your presence here is so interesting. You’ve been here for what…a little over twenty-four hours? Until yesterday, he hadn't lost it since the beginning of the war. Always the picture of perfect control and restraint.”
One of my brow arched in suspicion.
“I thought Carter was going to die last night,” Kai said, his eyes darkening. “I’m sure he himself thought it too. And the asshole’s Immortal.”
I finally brought the glass to my lips, letting the smoky aroma burn my throat as I swallowed it down. Who cared that it was barely noon? It was five o’clock somewhere.
“When I got back to my office after I dropped you at your new house because I forgot my damned phone, Carter was suspended in the air, flat against a wall. Because of how he treated you.”
I gave him a pointed look. “Everyone has been adamant about the fact that Arc is protective of all the people living here.”
“And yet, Carter always got away with the shit he pulled on other people.” At my worried look, he clarified, “Not as bad as what he did to you yesterday. He’s not a complete sociopath.” I snorted, taking another sip of my drink. “We’re getting off topic here. What I mean is, somehow, you unlocked that cage inside of him.”
He paused, refilling his glass and hovering the bottle over mine. I shook my head and he placed the bottle back on the wooden table between us.
“I’m not saying you should fuck his demon out of its slumber. I’m not even sure he remembers how to have sex…But him letting go is a good thing.”
How could someone not remember how sex works? Or was it a typical Succubus thing to think?
“I just think that spending time with you would be beneficial. If you end up having sex, then good for you. And him, I guess.The guy needs it,” he muttered. “So far, he met you a little over twelve hours ago. During this time, Carter got his ass handed to him twice, and the human that was caught last night and admitted to murdering one of our own three weeks ago didnotget out with a warning and memory wipe like the ones before.”
My face was kept carefully blank. There were humans around. Bad ones.
