Page 81 of The Demon Prince's Accidental Mate
Lily
My mom yawned loudly, glancing back and forth between us. “If it’s okay with you both, I’m going to go take a nap. Between the excitement and the shower and food, I’m on the verge of exhaustion.”
“Of course,” I said. “Do you want me to walk you to your room?”
She laughed, waving it off. “No, no, dear. I can manage. I’ll see you both later. Or tomorrow. Or whenever I wake up!”
Once she’d gone, I moved around the counter where we’d been standing and talking to rest my head on Bee’s shoulder. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“For what?”
“Everything. Just … everything.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, resting his head on mine.
“There’s something we need to talk about, though,” I said after a minute.
“What’s that?”
I looked him in the eyes. “I miss you.”
He frowned. “I’m right here? In front of you.”
“I miss youhere,” I said softly, tapping just over my left breast. “I want you back, Bee. I … life was better with you there.”
“You want to bind yourself to me?” he asked, shocked. “A second time? Bychoice? You wanted to be free of that so badly. Now you want it back?”
“I wantyouback,” I said. “And you’re forgetting something.”
“What’s that?”
“You’re going to be bound tome,” I said with a hesitant smile. “Assuming you’re okay with that, of course.”
Belial waved a hand over the counter, producing a piece of paper. “In a heartbeat, my love. In a heartbeat.”
I leaned up to kiss him. “I must be insane, falling in love with a demon and binding myself to him through my own free will.”
“Prince,” Belial added. “Falling in love with a demonprince. Must you always forget that part? I’m rich. I have a castle. I’m hellishly good-looking. Those are some key traits.”
I rolled my eyes. “And utterly humble about it, too.”
He laughed. “So, are you going to sign it still, then? Think you can put up with me?”
“I do,” I whispered, running my finger against the edge of the paper until it bled.
I hissed at the pain but kept my eyes locked on Belial as I did. Then I signed, running the ink through the blood as I did. That time, I didn’t even read the contract. I didn’t need to.
The parchment began to glow almost immediately. Sparks shot forth like one of those children’s sticks they give out at fireworks displays. Then they became flames, roiling up from the parchment in a wave that rushed over Belial and me in unison, covering us.
I bit back a scream as they plunged deep into the cut and into me. The fire scorched through my veins, searing me from the inside. Tears streamed down my face, but still, I didn’t utter a sound. Belial was suffering, too, but he stood straight and tall, bearing the pain with pride.
When it hit my mind, latching its tentacles deep inside me, I could no longer hold back. A long moan filled the room, and I bent in half, bowed over by the agony. I’d forgotten about that part, about the pain that came first.
Everything came to a head and then exploded.
That time, Belial was there to catch me as I reeled backward. He grabbed me, holding me tight to his chest as we both sagged in relief, the pain fading, becoming a fleeting memory. In its wake came the release, the endorphins that followed such a rush.
I looked up as foreign happiness entered my mind with it.
