Page 103 of Protected By Monsters (Everwood Demons 1)

“It was meaningful to you, therefore a special gift to receive,” she assured me.

I locked into those emerald eyes, bright and happy as she smiled at me.

My breath caught as I stared at her, at her true beauty, no makeup to obscure it. The way strands of brown hair had fallen from her bun and framed her face, or how her sterling silver sleeper earrings glinted in the afternoon sunlight. She’d had Hadley spell them so they wouldn’t melt in her hellfire just like the bracelet Jack had gotten her.

My eyes flicked down to her lips as I wondered what it would be like to kiss her. I’d spoken with the others, and they’d said it had been wonderful, that it ignited a fire inside them.

I wanted to know what that was like.

Her smile faltered as she watched me, and my mouth went dry as I tried to bring myself to do it.

I could smell her, her sweet, flowery scent that she’d had since day one. It made me feel at peace and content. She had that ability over me, it was why I liked to be around her.

All my tension from this world would fall away when I was with her.

“Creeper,” she murmured, her eyes falling to my lips as well.

I drew in a sharp breath and turned back to the piano as my cheeks flushed scarlet.

I couldn’t do it. My chest was aching and my heart hammered as I struggled to swallow.

Jack had told me that it was called nerves.

Why would I be scared though? I didn’t scare easy.

I frowned as I began playing a new piece, trying to understand why I was responding like this.

I could feel her peering at me curiously, but she just moved closer to me, her shoulder brushing mine as she took up playing her flute again.

I wanted to take her on a date. All the others had, and then they’d kissed her. That was probably it.

I wanted to do it right.

A few days passed, and I watched how close Lily was with the other three. The way she’d spend an afternoon nestled into Bug’s side reading her kindle while he read a book, or holding hands with Jack when wandering the halls.

He was sneaking kisses from her, hell, they all were, even Chumley when he watched movies with her. I knew because they would tell one another, not keeping any secrets.

It didn’t bother me that she was close with them, only that I was struggling to take the step needed to reach that point too. Jack had urged me to take the leap, to not let the nerves beat me down.

It was easier said than done. I hated that strange, jittery feeling I got when I thought of kissing her. It was odd for me, especially since I made fun of the others when their moments with her would lead to them being aroused.

We’d even brought up the sex topic once, but they were all worried about it.

Who would have her first? She’d never been with anyone, and neither had we.

Today, I stood outside in the training area with her as she practiced hurling her hellfire.

She was starting to keep the ball ignited when it left her hand, but it fizzled out before hitting the target.

“Pretty wicked stuff.”

My whole body tensed as the growl rose up in my throat automatically, And I whipped my head to see Charlie sauntering over.

Lily stiffened, as did Chumley on her far side. We were helping her today with her powers.

“I really need to focus and practice,” Lily said, although I could hear the annoyance in her voice at his intrusion.

“Of course, being the daughter of a Prince of Hell, you really need to get a handle on this stuff. At least you’ve got your dogs, um, hellhounds, to help you out. That’s handy,” Charlie said, and my lip pulled back into a snarl.

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