by Rue Volley
He caressed her face as he spoke and despite her best effort to remain composed, Selina began to cry. There was magic in his hands, and as his fingertips glided over her she felt his meaning. It had been millennia since Asmodeus had been loved.
“Don’t cry,” he said softly. “Everything is going to be all right.”
“How can you know?”
“I’ve come too far to doubt now.”
Selina ran a hand down his chest. To her surprise, she felt her body responding to him again.
“Do you have much strength left?” she asked provocatively.
His amber eyes flashed bright. “I fought fifty Hell beasts to get here,” he said with a grin.
Selina had no idea what a Hell beast was, but it sounded fierce.
“I must say, that sounds very impressive.”
“You should have seen them.”
She moved to straddle his waist. “You have no visible injuries,” she said, running her hands slowly over his upper body.
“I said I fought. I didn’t say I got my ass kicked.”
She felt his chest rumble beneath her hands as he laughed. Selina leaned forward and kissed him, long, slow, and easy. “You are tired,” she said. “I can feel it when I touch you. How is that possible? I’m not psychic in any way.”
“My powers are not fully awakened in this world. However, being able to convey strong sensations or emotions through touch is one of them. If it bothers you, I can block it.”
“No,” she said. “I like knowing what a man is really feeling, for once.”
His smile was contagious. Despite the fact that she’d summoned a potentially non-returnable demon prince, Selina couldn’t help but smile back. He was so damn sexy she wanted to grin every time she looked at him.
“How would you like to join me in my bed and actually sleep?” she teased.
Asmodeus sighed. “That sounds wonderful.”
Selina continued to smile as she watched him dry off, admiring his tight ass, and big, thick cock.
“Have you always had a body like that, or is it some kind of magic?”
He dropped the towel in a basket beside the door and turned to her, arms wide. “Does it look like magic?”
She laughed. “You are a little too sexy to be real.”
“Hell has changed me over the years, just as war changes all its instruments. However, I did start with black hair, and I was six-foot-five when I arrived in Hell.”
“I can’t possibly imagine what you’ve been through.”
“Hell is only a concept to most people. Don’t feel bad. Be glad you don’t have firsthand knowledge.”
Selina shivered as she slid back into a robe. “I was so hot by the fire, and I think touching you raised my temperature at first, but that’s wearing off.”
“It happens.”
“Anyway, I forgot it’s January. Do you want a robe?”
It occurred to her then that if Asmodeus remained in this world, he had no clothes.
He smiled as if reading her mind. The demon walked toward her bed. She watched the muscles of his long legs flex with every move and licked her lips. Asmodeus stretched out across the crimson sheets, looking like something out of a wet dream, that knowing grin still on his face.
“Even though I am able to leave the circle, you are still in control. Technically.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying that I will wear whatever you want me to. Focus on me, and whatever you picture in your mind will become a reality.”
Selina’s heart nearly skipped a beat. “You can’t be serious.”
“I never joke about magic.”
“Anything I want? You tell me this when we are about to go to sleep?” She laughed. “The possibilities alone will keep me awake.”
“We could start with something simple, like sleepwear.” He leaned back as he spoke and gestured at his washboard abs. “Unless you prefer me like this.”
“Are you cold?”
He shrugged. “The weather does not affect me like humans. I’m comfortable.”
“In that case, let’s leave clothing choices for the morning.”
She turned to the fireplace at the foot of her bed, but couldn’t find the lighter.
“Allow me,” the demon said.
With a snap of his fingers and a flash of his amber eyes the fire was lit.
“If you want to drop the robe, I could keep you warm,” he said.
“How can I refuse an offer like that?”
Asmodeus held her tight against his chest and she sighed. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so safe or content. Despite her efforts to remain awake and enjoy the moment, she drifted off to sleep in a few minutes.
* * *
Asmodeus remained awake for more than an hour. He took comfort in her body against his, in the feel of her soft skin, and the smell of her hair. He savored the moment. Sooner or later, they would come for him.
Chapter Three
Selina woke at ten o’clock that morning. Still resting against his chest, she listened for a while to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. “He is real,” she thought. “Last night really happened.” She was unaccustomed to the gentle comfort of waking up next to someone. Part of her expected it to be a dream. When she finally lifted her head to look at him, she found the demon’s amber eyes watching her. She saw a tenderness in his expression she hadn’t expected. And more emotion in his touch than she would’ve thought a demon capable of.
“We should go see Anya, ask her more about the spell,” she said.
As much as she was enjoying his nearness, Selina knew that they needed answers. She also realized that acquiring those answers meant Asmodeus might be sent back to Hell. He’d been with her for one night and already the thought of losing him did not appeal to her. Why couldn’t anything be simple?
“I could cook you breakfast first,” he offered.
He kissed her and in that moment Selina knew that food wasn’t what she was craving.
“Are you on the menu?” she teased.
“If you wish.”
“And what about your strength?”
His smile was wicked. “I feel very much recovered.”
He looked amazing in the morning sun. His hair, which hung in layers down his back, looked polished beneath the soft rays of daylight. Selina had always thought of demons as creatures of darkness. But seeing him this way changed her mind. Asmodeus looked wonderful in the light.
“How do you feel?” he asked. “You were looking for a one night stand and might be stuck, at least for a few days, with a demon prince. That’s a lot to deal with.”
She laughed softly. “I’ll manage.”
When she rose from the bed he gave her a questioning look. “Are you no longer interested in what’s on the menu?”
“Sexy and a sense of humor. What will you do if you don’t go back to Hell? I mean, since you clearly don’t want to return.”
She ignored his question and continued toward the bathroom. When he didn’t immediately answer her, she looked back through the open bathroom door. “I want to brush my teeth first,” she said. She also wanted to take her birth control pill. She’d read that demons couldn’t contract diseases, but they could definitely reproduce.
Asmodeus chuckled. “Women worry too much.”
“Morning breath may not affect your kind, but I don’t want to take any chances. By the way, how is it that you tasted like mint when you kissed me?”
“I used the unopened brush in the cabinet while you were asleep,” he confessed.
Selina looked back through the door to see the demon barely able to contain his laughter.
“And I worry too much?”
“I didn’t want to kiss you good morning and knock you unconscious,” he joked. “Who knows what a demon tastes like first thing in the morning? I kept worrying that I would have brimstone breath.”
Selina returned a few minutes later, minty fresh. “How did I sleep through that
?”
“You were out cold,” he said. “You didn’t move all night.” He stretched back against the pillows. “Are you hungry for food or would you like me for breakfast?”
Her answer was a kiss. Selina leaned over him and the shock of his warm chest beneath her breasts made her nipples hard. She moaned against his lips as he deepened the kiss, and she drew his tongue into her mouth. There was something about him she could not resist. Maybe it was because he was the ruler of Lust? She sucked his tongue, enjoying both the mint flavor and the way her pussy ached in response.
“Are all demons like this?” she asked, gasping as she drew back.
“Like what?”
She kissed him again and Asmodeus wrapped his arms around her. He lifted her higher, taking one of her nipples into his mouth. Even as her mouth went dry, she felt her pussy becoming wetter with his every touch. He sucked harder, drawing more of her flesh into his mouth. She ran her fingers through his hair as she pressed him against her. She had never felt anything close to this level of painful arousal. To her delight, Selina realized that she liked the pain.
She was so wet, her juices were running down her thighs. She wondered if a demon’s senses were as acute as a werewolf’s. She had heard so many interesting things about werewolves and their heightened awareness. With no way to estimate how powerful he was, she speculated at all the enhanced abilities he must have. She wondered if he could feel her level of arousal through his touch.
The night before, she summoned him for sex. She saw no reason to hold anything back now. This was not the time. She wanted him and had no trouble acting on her desires. She pulled back for a moment and Asmodeus looked her up and down. A shuddering breath escaped his lips as his eyes flamed to life the way they had the night before. Had they been in the dark, she was certain they would have glowed.
At that moment, she remembered something else, something very important. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but there’s something I need to clear up. I read somewhere that demons can steal your soul with a kiss if you aren’t controlling them. I don’t kid myself to think that I have complete control over you. Am I in danger of you stealing my soul?”
Asmodeus rolled her to her back so fast she gasped.
“Do you feel like you are in danger?”
“I believe you are dangerous. But I trust you.”
He smiled. “That’s definitely the right answer to get me to have sex with you again.”
He continued to look down at her with those amazing amber/flame eyes as he ran one hand up her thigh and one long finger inside her pussy. He moved lower and lower, trailing kisses down her body. He paused above her neatly trimmed pubic hair as if he wanted her to anticipate his next move.
She moaned and threw back her head as his mouth claimed her. He pulled her flesh into his mouth, just as he had done with her breast, sucking until the point of pain, but not yet beyond the realm of pleasure.
His tongue found her clit and he pulled it hard into his mouth. Selina screamed incoherently, murmuring curses as she writhed beneath him.
“I like it when a woman talks dirty,” he said, moving right back to her clit.
She had no idea what filth she was saying, and couldn’t seem to shut up. All she knew was that he was hitting the right spot and she could not be quiet. His tongue never left her clit and his rhythm grew faster. His finger dipped in and out of her slick pussy while his tongue worked her to a fevered pitch. She wanted him so bad that she hurt. She ached to have him insider her and wouldn’t be satisfied until she felt his big cock splitting her in two.
Asmodeus lifted his head from between her legs and his body trembled. A fine sheen of sweat was visible against his skin. His flaming eyes and tousled hair made him look dangerous, but still she felt safe. He was in control.
Asmodeus lowered his head to her breast again. He pulled the already sensitive flesh into his mouth. Somehow he flicked his tongue over her nipple at the same time he sucked it hard. As he did this he reached between her legs and began to rub her clit in slow, deliberate circles. Her pussy throbbed with need as her juices soaked the bed.
“I want you inside me,” she moaned.
He moved on top of her, pushing her back against the pillows. She felt him spread her legs wider, pressing himself against her. She could feel his cock growing harder as he used it to spread her labia wide. He began to slip inside and she moaned. Involuntary tears blurred her vision as his thick cock stretched her further, but he would only go so far. No matter how hard she arched against him, he would not penetrate her fully. He was teasing her.
Asmodeus moved slowly, sucking her nipple hard as he continued to press deeper, inch by inch. Then, just when she thought she couldn’t stretch any more, he thrust in completely and she screamed. He remained still for a moment as he buried himself deep inside her. Then, slowly, he began to move. Her back arched as she ground her hips against him, rising to meet his every thrust. She raked her nails over the smooth skin of his back before slipping one hand between them to work her clit.
“Make me come,” she commanded.
“As you wish.”
Asmodeus moved to take her earlobe into his mouth and she felt the first twinges of orgasm begin. He pulled the delicate skin into his mouth and the sensations became stronger. An ache began at the base of her spine, spreading to her thighs and settling around the muscles that gripped his cock.
She arched upward again and release flooded her body. She felt her muscles spasm around him, gripping him, pulling him down inside her. She lifted her hips higher, wrapping her legs around him.
“Say my name,” she whispered. “I want to hear you say my name when you come.”
He ran his hand up through the back of her hair, tugging just hard enough to tilt her head back. The feel of her hair being pulled sent a chill of pleasure down her spine as she heard him whisper, “Selina.”
He gasped and as his body stiffened, he thrust into her deep and hard. “I’m coming.”
They rested for several minutes, both breathing hard.
“As much as I dread the possibility, you do realize that Hell will want me back?” he said.
“I thought as much. Let’s go see Anya. She may know what went wrong with the spell. She’s been practicing the craft a lot longer than I have. Her great grandmother was a high priestess of Hecate. She might even be able to find a way to keep you here.”
“I know how to do that,” he said casually. “I have to find someone willing to help break the curse that sent me to Hell in the first place.”
“Oh. You make it sound simple.”
“In theory, it is. But we can discuss that later. What am I wearing to meet your friend?”
A short while later Asmodeus stood admiring the handiwork of Selina’s imagination.
“The velvet pants are a nice touch,” he said.
“I thought so.”
Selina smiled. He was dressed all in black. From his polished, knee-high boots to his long frock coat, he was like a fantasy come to life.
“You don’t mind, do you? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
“I am here to satisfy you.” He winked. “And I like velvet.”
“Good. Let me finish getting dressed and we can go.”
Selina selected her favorite pair of jeans, a black dress coat, and matching t-shirt. Her short hair required little more than brushing, and she never wore much makeup. Dark, smoky eyeliner and clear lip gloss were the extent of her “war paint” as Anya called it.
* * *
When they arrived at Anya’s house, everything appeared normal to Selina. Anya’s herb garden (that they passed on the way up her driveway) was flourishing as usual. Thanks to her spells (and a few tributes offered to old gods) Anya’s place was never affected by the cold.
Selina asked her once about the tributes to the old gods.
“No one dies. I offer them energy, alcohol, and a few drops of my own blood. The better the quality of the liquor, the less blood t
hey require,” Anya explained.
She lived in a cottage-style house only a little smaller than Selina’s. As soon as they got out of the car, Asmodeus was at her side.
“What is it?” Selina asked, sensing his tension.
He took a few deep breaths. “Do you smell that?”
Selina breathed deeply. “I smell mint and lavender.”
“There is a trace of sulfur in the air,” he said. “A Hell beast has been here.”
She gasped.
“It’s long gone by now. We should check on your friend.”
The moment Anya answered the door, Selina sighed with relief. “You’re all right, thank goodness.”
Anya looked confused. She shook her head and a lock of short, curly blond hair fell over one eye.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
Before Selina could answer, Anya caught sight of the demon. “Oh, my.”
Selina thought her friend was about to comment on his good looks. Instead Anya looked surprised and said, “You’re a demon, a powerful one. Selina, what’s going on?”
“That’s kind of why I’m here. I’ll explain everything. How did you know he was a demon?”
She glanced back at Asmodeus and his eyes flashed bright with flame again.
“Because she too has demon blood,” he said.
“What?!” the women asked together.
A few minutes later they were sitting in Anya’s living room. Asmodeus had yet to answer their question. He appeared to be studying Anya.
“You don’t have a lot of demon blood,” he said at last. “Perhaps a grandparent was half-demon.”
Anya just sat there for a few minutes, looking stunned. “My great-grandmother,” she said.
“What?” Selina asked. “Why do you think it was her?”
Anya sighed and tucked an unruly curl behind her ear. “She wasn’t half-demon, but she lived to be one hundred and two, and we were close. In my early twenties, when she started to teach me high magic, she said there was little that magic could not accomplish. She also explained that there was always a price.” Anya paused as if considering how to word the rest of her story. “She told me that she used a spell to help her conceive. All these years, I thought she used a fertility spell.” She gestured toward the grimoire on the table. “I guess we know which spell she used now. She must have summoned a demon to get her pregnant. That would explain why my grandpa can still run triathlons.”
