Page 57 of His True Beloved

“Everything will be fine, Chrissy girl.” He smiled, waving until the darkness of the stairs engulfed us.

Somehow, I’m not so sure.

Darkness encompassed us as we went up the stairs. It was so familiar to my dream yet different at the same time. No candles lit the hallway, and there weren’t any creepy pictures of vampires sucking blood or ruining some poor helpless human. It was dark but was still florally decorated like a plantation home.

Sebastian’s shoes didn’t even click as he sauntered down the carpeted hall until he reached the last door on the left. This home was made explicitly for humans’ comfort. Somehow, I knew that. The double doors of heavily decorated molding had me cuddle further.

If the home held dark wallpaper, paint, and weird statues of gargoyles, I’m pretty sure all of us humans would have gone running. “Are you okay?” He pulled out a key from his pocket and rattled the door. I didn’t feel like speaking because my voice would crack once I did.

I spent many years with Wyatt, thinking of him as nothing but a human boyfriend. Nothing was amiss that would make me think he was anything else. He ate food with me, played cards, sports, and went on runs. He was my damn best friend as we laughed and joked about the little things.

Sure, he went off on weekends out of town with his family, but that was normal since I’ve known him. Then again, I never really got to see much of his family because they ‘traveled’ for work. Just the occasional “How are you?” in passing.

Wyatt promised me he would wait to have sex—or ‘make love’—until I was ready. My apprehension was that I wanted to be a cliché virgin bride. He was content with that and never pushed until one day on our anniversary, he asked. I couldn’t say no. We had been together for so long, and everyone else was doing it. I did it because I thought I loved him.

That was my mistake.

I questioned it before it happened, and when it finally came down to do the deed, my conscience screamed at me not to do it.

Did it anyway, didn’t you, Chrissy?

Now look at me. I had sex with an incubus, and it wasn’t really that good.

“What is an incubus, exactly?” I muttered as Sebastian laid me on the bed. Proceeding to take off his vest, jacket, and shoes. He had me roll to my side, so we faced each other. His arm wrapped me tightly, kissing my forehead continuously.

Sebastian cleared his throat, his eyes softening as he explained. “They are a type of demon.” I sucked in a breath.

I had sex with a demon.

I have never felt more ashamed as I do now.

“Christine,” Sebastian scolded. “You didn’t know. He tricked you.”

Still fucking hurt.

I don’t know why it hurt so bad. I knew he had cheated and cried out all those tears of pain because he lied to me. The possibility of him cheating on me before was there, too. It was pretty much known. But now I know he could have done this for years.

“Is it true that an incubus… they feed by having sex?” I sucked in my bottom lip. Not looking at Sebastian, I held in those tears of frustration.

How long had I been played?

“Usually, in dreams. They haunt women and men in their dreams. It only sates them enough to not feel hungry but not full. Like a vampire will drink animals’ blood. If they have sex with a willing participant who is awake, then—”

“Right,” I cut him off.

I was cheated on from the very beginning. I never once had a dream about him doing anything to me. He never haunted my dreams, so he haunted others. Then why be with me? Why put me through that?

“He may have genuinely liked you, Christine,” Sebastian tried to soothe me. Here I was being a bitch thinking about the past, and Sebastian was here holding me tight, telling me everything was fine.

Sebastian is my damn mate. My heart wasn’t broken for Wyatt. I was just frustrated I let him play me for so long.

“I’m just mad I didn’t know. Not one clue. I feel stupid.” Sebastian ticked, shaking his head.

“You are not stupid, Bella. Supernaturals and demons hide in the dark. Look how long it took for you to find out about vampires.” I felt his smile on my forehead. “Not all of us are bad, but I will kill the bastard for hurting you.”

I smiled, even though I shouldn’t. I wasn’t about to go kill someone, but then again, it was a demon. What if he did it to others? Brutally broke their hearts and moved on?

Can’t have that.

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