by Nikki Prince
“You’re mine, Eva.” After every word, a hissing sound followed along with a long flick of its tongue.
“No! I don’t belong to you! Let me go!” She used her hands to push at the snake’s body and just when she’d get leeway from one coil, another would wrap about her body. She had to face facts—she was trapped.
This was no ordinary snake. Serpents didn’t talk. This was a manifestation of a demon. Perhaps she could reason with a demon. She had to hope and pray that she could and that there was something the demon wanted from her and that that something was not her life.
“Now why would I do that? Trust me, you will want this. In fact you need this.”
“I’ll stop struggling. Tell me what you want. Why do you think I need this? Who are you?” The snake pressed its large head against her cheek and rubbed, shivered. She could smell death and the pit of hell on its breath as the tongue flicked out against her lips. The sound of a raspy chuckle would echo through her head. The serpent looked at her and stated, “Damn right you will stop struggling, lest you wish to die.”
“I don’t want to die. No, just tell me what you want.” Where was Clay? She needed Clay. Her ribs were starting to feel bruised from the rough handling by the demon.
“You need this, my dear, because you always have wanted what you shouldn’t have. You’ve always wanted knowledge, the man who wasn’t yours and everyone else be damned, right?”
“That was in the past,” she protested.
“Not so far in the past, Eva Jackson, celebrated in the past as Eve.”
“If I need you, then show me who you are, who you really are.”
“Not going to happen yet. First I’m going to have some fun with you.”
This demon knew all her secrets, but the problem was what was he going to do with that information? Perhaps if she kept him talking, she could find out what he wanted.
“What did I do to you?”
The serpent laughed yet again. “Do? You did nothing to me, personally. I’m a demon. I choose my fun.”
“Then why are you here? Or most importantly why did you choose me for your fun?”
“Lust and greed, my dear, is what brought me about, something you have plenty of.” The serpent’s head turned toward the door and cocked to the side. Then his green eyes took her in once more.
“Till we meet again, my dear.” His coils wrapped about her body one more time.
She was getting dizzy from the pressure, and it wouldn’t be long before she succumbed and passed out. She looked into the serpent’s eyes. Startling deep green. Where had she seen such eyes? His eyes changed to a yellow, and she thought perhaps she’d been seeing things. She heard her bedroom door open. The light from the hallway shone in, and Clay stepped into the room. The demon was gone. It was like it truly had been a dream, but her ribs were hurting—proof that it hadn’t been.
“Clay.” She jumped up and ran into his arms, pressing her face into his chest. He held her close and kissed her forehead.
“Hmm, what brought this on? Miss me that much?”
“Nothing, I just had a bad dream is all.”
She wasn’t going to tell him. She’d take care of this herself. She wasn’t sure how, but she wouldn’t bring him into this. She’d have to do this on her own. She’d spent too many years letting others be pulled into her own personal hell. She wasn’t going to do that again. She’d figure this out. She had to. She held on to him for a few moments longer.
“Are you sure?” He peered into her eyes, concern appearing in his own. She nodded.
“Yes, I’m sure. It was a bad dream, but you’re here now. Everything will be fine. I’m okay.”
“If you’re sure you’re all right?”
“Clay, I’m fine. I promise, now come and hold me. I want to go back to sleep. This darn human body of mine needs sleep.”
She took his hand and led him back to the bed. Tossing the covers aside, she climbed back in and patted the side next to her. He held up a finger to indicate one minute and quickly divested himself of his clothing. He tossed it to the chair.
“Sure I will, since you ask so sweetly, dearest Eva.”
He teased her by sliding into the bed next to her. He pulled her close and tucked her head under his chin so that she was lying on his chest. She exhaled and tried not to think of the pain twinging her ribs. She would not think about it. She’d ignore it, and it would go away. Yes, that’s what she had to do.
Besides, Clay was here. There was no way that the demon would come back with Clay being right here with her. For Clay to not sense that another demon had been around had to mean the serpent was cloaking himself. It was hiding from Clay, which told her it wanted her and her alone. Yes, she could take care of this—she had to.
She moved against him, trying to get comfortable finally. She found the perfect spot and stopped moving. He slid his hand down her body and cupped her lower back. She bit her lip to stop the cry of pain before it escaped.
“You finally settled?”
“Mhmm, you smell good.” Distraction, she needed to distract him.
He kissed the top of her head, then reached over and turned off the lamp.
“Now I know you must be tired, if you’re giving me compliments. Get some rest,” he kidded.
Her giggle turned into a huge yawn. His body shook as he snickered. One more graze of his lips on the top of her head and then he lay back on the pillows, tugging her close into the spoon position.
“Good night, Eva. I will wake you in the morning.”
“I’m sure you will have to. I think I will sleep like the dead tonight.”
“Enough with the talking woman. Rest. ‘Cause if you don’t, I will be doing more than just holding you.” At first, in her sleep-hazed state, she wasn’t sure what he was talking about. Then she felt the insistent poke of his cock. Her breath caught but as tired as she was there was no way she was going to do anything.
“Sleep first. I will take a rain check on the other.”
She nodded and closed her eyes. Letting out a huff as her body calmed, soon she slept.
****
Asmoday, otherwise known to the human as Oz, looked on from the twisting nether of perdition as the demon of old held the newly made human. His anger built each passing moment he was thwarted and taken off task by a lesser demon such as Clay. He had to be careful or his plan would be found out before it could come to fruition.
“Soon they will understand the true meaning of despair. Tonight was only a taste, Eva and Clay. Just a small flavoring of my disdain and power. Soon the Eve of the Garden will once again present herself, and I will be there waiting in the wings.”
Another demon strode up to stand beside Asmoday. He screeched manically as he looked down at Clay and Eva through the looking glass that could show any point in time a demon wished to see.
“Damn, don’t you think you should stop messing with those two? They seriously fucked you up the last time.”
“Fuck off, Vestis. If I need your commentary, I will fucking ask for it.” Asmoday didn’t even turn his head to look at the other demon; he knew who it was just by the laugh and smell of him. The red-eyed demon was as shadowy as pitch with snow white hair. Down in the Nether the demons were in various forms: some in human, some in their demon form and some in their bestial forms.
Vestis cackled once more. “Come, come now, you may have need of me. I am corruption, remember?”
“Yes, I recall that it’s what you do best. I may have good use of you with this one. I want this to break them.”
“Oh, break them? Sign me up for that shit. Thinking about that gives me a fucking hard on.” Vestis cupped his cock and held it. Asmoday shook his head.
“Vestis, just saying your own name gives you a fucking hard on.”
“You got me there,” Vestis agreed. “Nevertheless, I want to be there if you have need of me.”
“I’ll think about it. Now get the fuck out of here. You’re messing with my fucking erection.
” Asmoday scrutinized the couple in the bed.
Vestis chuckled and was about to turn down into the annals of the labyrinth but stopped short to state in a wicked voice, “You do know that I can help you with that, Asmo.”
“Trying to tempt the tempter?” Asmoday said sardonically.
“Fuck, yes. I’ve wanted you a long time.” Vestis gave a vicious shake of his head, practically drooling.
“You’d better understand one thing, Vee. I am the top. I don’t ever fucking bottom.” Vestis moved forward to stand next to Asmoday, and then knelt before him, his hands roaming up Asmoday’s naked thighs. Vestis licked his lips as he stared at Asmoday’s cock.
“Agreed, Asmo. Now fucking shut up and put your cock in my mouth.”
Asmoday tangled his fingers in Vestis’s hair, pulling at it hard. As Vestis opened his mouth, Asmoday gripped his cock and shoved it between his lips. He hissed in pleasure as the demon’s mouth wrapped about his cock and he sucked hard, drawing him in fully till his balls slapped against his chin.
“Oh fuck, Vee! Suck me hard, drain me.” Asmoday moved his hips faster and faster, making sure that each thrust pushed his cock down Vestis’s throat. Vestis eagerly licked, sucked and lapped at the cock being shoved unceremoniously down his throat, while squeezing Asmoday’s thighs. He didn’t care that he was shoving his cock down Vestis’s throat, and as it turned out neither did Vestis. He seemed eager for it. So Asmoday gave it to him and then some.
While he was getting sucked off, Asmoday continued to stare at the couple in the bed, his lust and anger growing with each thrust into the other demon.
“Ahh, what a perfect bottom bitch you make, Vee.” He tugged at Vee, continuing to wrap his hair tight in his hands.
Vee growled around the thick cock in his mouth. He dug into Asmoday’s flesh, his clawed fingers only making him grumble in pleasure. Unable to help it, he progressed to pounding into Vestis’s mouth then without warning, he flooded the other demon’s mouth with his cum. Through that glorious orgasm, he still continued to fuck Vestis’s mouth.
Asmoday watched as Vestis drank every bit of his cream, even going so far as to suck until he was completely drained and nothing was left. He groaned with pleasure as Vestis milked him dry.
Satisfied, he pulled his cock from the other demon’s mouth and then leaned down as if he were going to kiss him and said, “What a glorious cock sucker you are. Now be a good bitch and take your leave. I’m done with you, at least for now.”
Vestis whined, and Asmoday looked him dead in the face, baring his fangs. “Go before I lose patience.” Vestis scurried away with one last mien and then he was gone. Even the demons would learn he was in charge.
Chapter Ten
Eva was tired, extremely so. It seemed to be the running pattern as of late. The dreams seemed to be intensifying. She had hoped what had happened was just a fluke. But that hadn’t been the case. Every night she was having dreams. Lately they’d been of the erotic nature, making her wake up anxious, needy and worn out.
So far when Clay asked, she’d been able to blame it on being human again. Which if one thought about it really wasn’t that far from the truth anyways, being human made her fallible now. She was weaker now than she’d ever been as a demon. Part of her identified with the fact that she should be telling Clay what was going on, but the other part of her wanted to be able to take care of the issue on her own. She knew she was being plagued by a demon. She just didn’t know why.
It wouldn’t do to have two males upset. She’d had to tell Oz a few days ago that she couldn’t make it to their lunch, and that hadn’t gone too well. Disappointment had rung loud in clear in his voice. In the vein to keep him happy, she’d told him she’d set up another time to meet him. He of course said that he’d just call her in a few days.
“God, that man was serious when he said he doesn’t take no for an answer.” She’d thought she was alone in the storage area when Liliana spoke up.
“What man?” Lili peeked her head around the corner.
“Shit, sis, I didn’t know anyone else was in here. I was working on finding something for an order we have.”
“Yeah, I just happened to come in here a few minutes ago. You startled me as well. So who are you saying doesn’t take no for an answer? I thought you and Clay were doing okay?”
Since when did she confide anything in her sister since their fallout? Never, but it could be a good way to work on their relationship. Perhaps a way of letting Lili see that she could trust her to be honest and that she truly was changing. Sitting down in a chair she waited a moment to try to find the right words.
“No, it’s not Clay really. He and I are…” She hesitated. “Well, I don’t know what he and I are. The male in question is a guy I met at Diego’s while I was waiting for Clay. I find myself intrigued by him, but at the same time I want to run in the other direction.”
“Well, that’s most likely your subconscious telling you to do just that. Run in the other direction, Eva, and don’t mess with this guy. Besides, if you do mess with this other guy, it could mess up you and Clay.”
“But it’s just a friendly lunch. It can’t hurt anything. As for me and Clay? Not sure if there is a me and Clay, as I said, and a lunch with a friend shouldn’t be a problem even with him.”
Lili grabbed a box off the shelf and shrugged as she headed for the open doorway. “You could be right. Good luck.”
Eva stared after her and shook her head. That was a great conversation compared to what they’d had of late. She’d take it. For the first time in weeks, she felt like things could possibly turn around for her and Lili.
After exiting the storage room, she was about to head back out on to the floor when the office phone rang. She answered.
“Two Sisters, can I help you?”
“Ah, just the woman I wanted to talk to,” Oz said. Eva rolled her eyes at the ceiling. It seemed the man was all knowing and could tell when he was being talked about.
“Damn, man, are you psychic?”
He chuckled. “Why do you say that?”
“I was just thinking about you.” She shouldn’t have said that.
“Wonderful, then you won’t mind coming out with me in about an hour for lunch?”
He hadn’t ordered her so that alone gave him a brownie point.
“Sure. I promised you we’d go. Why don’t you meet me at Dennison’s Grill in an hour?”
“Sounds great, I’ll be there. Goodbye, beautiful.” She shouldn’t see him. This was a train wreck waiting to happen. But she couldn’t help herself.
Before she could reply Oz had hung up. She didn’t want to think about what Clay would say. She already guessed he’d be upset. He’d all but forbidden her to see Oz. It was a social lunch. What could it hurt? Plus, as she’d said to Lili, they weren’t a couple.
An hour later she sat across from Oz at the quaint bar and grill chatting over a spinach and chicken salad about anything and everything. Oz wasn’t so bad when you sat down and just talked to him. She didn’t understand why she’d been ready to write him off.
“See, I’m not such awful company,” he said.
“No, you’re not. Why does it always seem like you’re reading my mind?”
His mouth quirked in a grin, and he countered with another question. “Why do you say that?”
“Well, I was just thinking that you’re not such a horrible guy after all. And then what do you ask me? Basically the same thing I was thinking.”
“That was just a coincidence. What fun that could be to know another’s mind.”
She took a sip from her tea, setting the glass down and then picking her fork back up.
“I’d hope so. It would be a bit disconcerting if you could read my mind, let alone anyone else’s.” He took a big bite of his hamburger and chewed slowly. Eva couldn’t help but see the alpha within that male. She’d have to tread lightly with him. There was nothing wrong with having a good time. She’d been working hard at the store
, so a little downtime was warranted, and she sure as hell was going to take it.
“So since I don’t read minds, you want to tell me what you’re thinking?” He leaned forward and batted his lashes at her. She laughed.
“I was just thinking I’m having such a great time.”
“Well then, you wouldn’t mind doing this again, would you?”
He gave a whooping sound, causing all the other patrons and staff to turn and look over at them.
“Shhh, Oz. There isn’t cause for all that.”
“But of course there is. A beautiful woman such as yourself has admitted to wanting to spend more time with me.”
“I’m sure you’ve tempted plenty of women.”
“I’ve had my fair share.” He shrugged his broad shoulders.
“Now I still believe that you’re being modest. But that’s okay. I don’t need to hear about all your conquests.”
“So they’re conquests now? You make me sound like a playboy of the worse order.”
“Naw, Oz, just a man who likes women and plenty of them.”
“I guess I can’t dispute that. Now enough of that. How about we finish having this wonderful lunch, and then I’ll get you back to the store?”
“Thank you. I really needed this. I was feeling so drained. But being here right now, I feel better than I have in a while.” She started eating again.
“Well that’s a good thing then.”
It was the truth. For some reason when she’d met up with him at the restaurant she’d instantly felt perky and not at all like dragging about. It was odd, but she wasn’t about to complain about that small blessing.
****
Clay stood outside of Dennison’s, barely controlling the anger that had built in him as soon as he called the store and been told that Eva had gone to lunch with Oz. Didn’t she realize that she was his and he’d made it perfectly clear that he didn’t want her to go out with Oz again?
He was about to storm into the restaurant but was tugged back by Samael who’d come with him. Samael had been with him when he’d talked to Lili to see about taking Eva to lunch.
