Page 76 of An Unexpected Ascension
“No. You could bleed it out, but then there’s the matter of losing too much blood. You’ll need your energy.”
“I hate this.”
“Hmm?”
“I hate how much I loved tonight. How alive I felt again.”
“It’s hell, isn’t it?” He chuckles.
“Yeah, yeah, I guess it is.”
We come upon a building, windows boarded, but door intact. He shoves it open, ushering me through before sliding the bolt into place, locking it. Then nods his head to the stairs and as I take each step, I feel his body behind mine. Like a net should I fall. After the fifth set of stairs, my legs wobble with defeat, but he finally stops at a lone door.
I take in the small apartment, all open and industrial. Black piping lines the wooden ceiling, the walls stacked with rust-colored bricks. Facing us is a wall entirely made of glass, overlooking the city. To the right is a small kitchen: cabinets, oven, sink, and fridge. To the left lies a door, presumably the bathroom. Beside the door, against the bricks is a bed draped in a black duvet.
It’s simple, empty, lifeless.
There’s no wonder he chooses to spend most of his time at the Devil’s manor.
“There are other things that can make you feel alive.”
The heat of his chest seeps into my back, his fingertips grazing my arms.
“And what might that be?”
“I can show you.”
His words tickle the side of my neck as he tilts my head, his fist gripped tightly in my hair. My eyes flutter closed as I breathe, trying to refocus myself. Stepping away, I spin to face him.
“I think I’ll have to live without your torment for the night.”
“If I’m not mistaken, I think you still owe me.”
“Owe you?!”
“I saved you, didn’t I? In exchange for whatever I want.”
“And what exactly do you want?” It was a stupid question because I know damn well what he wants.
“You. On your knees.”
Navy eyes gleam back at me, his body suddenly crowding this small room. I feel swallowed whole by his presence, meek in comparison. He wants me humiliated. He wants my pride handed over to him like I never owned it in the first place.
He sees the fight warring within me.
“I’ll do no such thing. Find something else.”
“Come on, Angel. How long has it been? Hmm?”
Hermes steps closer and I retreat, a dangerous dance of willpower. The back of my knees hit the edge of his bed, and I know how this night is going to end. His words light a fire in my core so hot it burns me from the inside out.
His fingers graze my stomach beneath my shirt before he lifts it over my head. I can only stare, my breath caught short in my lungs. I’m paralyzed with confliction, wishing so badly to have the strength to deny him, but my body has been aching since the first time our mouths joined back in Heaven.
“Let go for just one night,” he whispers.
Chapter 25
The Demon
