“Focus, woman.”
I locked gazes with Jasper. Pure unadulterated terror poured through my veins as I stood my ground. I knew he could probably kill me a thousand different ways right now, and boy did he look like he wanted to. His hand shot out and grabbed my throat.
“Dammit, Jasper. Let her go.” That commanding voice was like ice, but Jasper didn’t even flinch. In the back of my mind I felt a worry that something bigger was at play here than just me merely disobeying Jasper. Something was happening here that I didn’t understand.
“It’s you Lori. You inspire chaos. You drag the beasts out of their cage and set them free.”
If I wasn’t waiting for Jasper to squeeze the life out of me, I’d have rolled my eyes at that. Orion sounded ridiculous. How could I possibly inspire someone to go crazy?
Jasper’s calloused hand was rough against the delicate flesh of my throat. His feral face drifted closer and his eyes, now black and haunting, were savage as they studied me. His thick dark lashes cast shadows across his cheekbones and his breath rasped across my face.
“What are you?” he whispered coaxingly, that voice soft and smooth, threatening to pull secrets from the dark recesses of my soul. “There’s something about you…” His words trailed off and his eyes lost some of their threatening intensity. Orion’s words flashed through my mind. I was doing this to him. Whatever I was, whatever Orion saw in me, was somehow making Jasper lose control. Understanding blossomed in my mind with blinding clarity. But I was still pissed off and he still had me by the throat.
I took a few slow shallow breaths, wrapping my hands softly around Jasper’s wrist. “Jasper. Let me go.”
He looked up. Right into my eyes. “Or what?” He said it like I had, but with a snide curl to his lips. I could see his fangs and I knew how sharp they were. I did not want them ripping my throat out right now.
The alarmingly familiar feeling of power trickled along my arms. Like the static energy you feel in the air before a storm. A red haze clouded my vision and anger started to surge through me. I felt a moment’s hesitation and fear, but it was swallowed by this new hunger burning deep inside me. It wanted out. I could feel its need to be free.
“Let go, Lori.”
And I did.
Power exploded from my fingertips. It burst from me like the sea escaping a damn. I couldn’t hold it back even if I had wanted to. Bright light flowed from me and my mind sought Jasper’s. I had no idea what I was doing; I was acting on pure instinct but somehow I pushed the power into Jasper and forced his mind to connect with mine. I could taste his sudden fear. It was sweet and I gorged myself on it. I took my fill and then waded through his mind looking for other emotions. It was like walking along a spider’s web, memories and emotions intertwining in a beautiful intricate pattern. I followed one of the threads deeper into his mind.
Pain. There was so much pain. So much hurt and anger. It was a feast for whatever this power in me was doing. I was so hungry, and I consumed everything I could. Too much. This was all too much.
I was losing control. Panic flared in my chest. I stared at Jasper, the pain in his eyes brought me back to reality. I was hurting him. Oh, god. I was deliberately hurting someone.
“Jasper,” I cried, “help me.” I couldn’t stop. I was going to kill him.
“Close your eyes and breathe, Lori. Feel the power as part of you. Just walk your mind backwards.”
Orion’s voice echoed softly around the carnage in my mind. How could I trust him? This was his fault. I could feel the people around me closing in. I knew they were going to shoot me; I could hear their thoughts booming round my mind. Why was everything so loud?
“Focus, Lori.”
My attention snapped back to Jasper and I closed my eyes. I had to try. I walked my mind back along the threads of Jasper’s. It was like walking along a tightrope backwards. One misstep and I knew I’d fall into oblivion. Slowly, my grip unfurled on Jasper’s mind and whatever this power was faded around me and fizzled out.
I opened my eyes and the square came back into focus. Jasper’s nostrils flared as a rumble erupted from his chest. He was still in defensive mode. We stood there, staring at each other, our chests rising and falling in sync.
Slowly, he uncurled his hand from around my throat. Without his strength to support me my knees buckled and I fell to the ground. Energy swirled through me, overwhelming me. I felt giddy, like I was riding a high.
“Wow, what a head rush.” I laughed. At least I think it was a laugh, but it sounded manic and wild. Dizziness made my vision hazy, my heart pounded in my ears and suddenly I didn’t feel so good. The last thing I saw was the floor as my face fell to greet it before unconsciousness claimed me. Again.
Chapter 14
LORI
Gentle fingers stroked through tendrils of my hair and the soft warmth of a crackling fire danced across my skin. A feeling of relaxation sank deep into my bones, and for the first time since leaving home, a sense of peace swam over me. Sleep clung to me like sticky toffee, keeping me in that state where you’re not quite asleep and not quite awake either.
“Wake up, sleepy head.” A deep rumble pulled me from my slumber. It was a voice I was starting to become all too familiar with and all traces of sleep vanished with the sound of Orion’s sensual drawl.
My eyes flew open to the sight of a lopsided grin set into a face that could have been made to tempt even angels to fall.
“Hello again, Lori.” He purred over the syllables of my name, his mouth caressing them like they were the most exquisite thing they’d ever tasted. My body tightened in response.
“We need to stop meeting like this.” My tone was light, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was in way over my head in something I hadn’t even begun understand. I still had way too many unanswered questions and so little understanding about what was going on that it was fucking scary.
Orion chuckled, a deep throaty sound that had me aching to make him laugh just so I could hear it again.
He was still playing with my hair, and I realised my head was cradled in his lap. It felt like such a normal thing to do that, for a moment, I forgot he wasn’t just a man, that he was in fact a very powerful demon. It was easy to forget that when looking at him now, sprawled out on the floor in front of a massive open fire. His back was propped up against a sofa with one arm thrown casually across it whilst he nursed a glass of whisky. And here I was, my head in his lap, staring up into those strange eyes that now matched my own. About that…
“What the fuck have you done to my eyes?”
“I haven’t done anything other than bring your true nature to the surface.”
I didn’t like the sound of that at all. “Undo it.”
“Don’t you like them?” he drawled.
“No.”
He took a deep breath and a small smile played about his mouth. “Hmm, you really shouldn’t lie, Lori.”
Dammit. I’d forgotten about the whole lie eating thing. “Fine, I don’t hate them but I’m not overly happy about them either.”
He nodded. I guess that meant he was satisfied with my answer.
I pulled the neck of my shirt to one side revealing the brand. “This on the other hand, I am not best pleased with. What is it?”
Orion traced his finger over the brand and my body hummed. He moaned deep in his throat as our connection pulsed. “This is a manifestation of the magic that binds us. It is a symbol of you and me. I have one too.” He flicked his shirt to the side, and I saw the same mark burned into his own flesh.
“But what does it mean Orion? Why is there a mark at all?”
“I do not fully understand. This magic is older than me.”
“How old are you?”
He laughed derisively. “I am older than you, little dove.”
I scowled at the pet name. It spoke of an affection between us that I wasn’t entirely comfortable with. “I figured that. I was told your eyes are those of a powerful demon. Is that tr
ue?”
“In a manner.”
“Do you always talk in riddles?”
“Not always.”
“Are you ever going to give me a straight answer?”
His fingers stilled in my hair and his eyes gleamed. “And spoil the fun? No, I couldn’t do that.”
A deep sigh burst from my lips. “Why am I here, Orion?”
He smiled wickedly at me. “Your subconscious clearly wanted a face-to-face with me, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.”
I frowned. “So, if I didn’t want you here does that mean you couldn’t enter my dream?”
His fingers moved to my jaw line, softly stroking the skin there before brushing his thumb over my bottom lip. Desire lanced through me, sharp and sudden. I couldn’t deny my attraction to him. He was gorgeous, but I also couldn’t shake the feeling that somehow he was manipulating me. He was a demon after all. Maybe lust and seduction were part of his powers?
“You have to be tempted to see me. Your desire does call to me but it’s deeper than that. We’re connected, you and I. Together we could do great things.”
That sounded rather ominous. Especially since he said that with some seriously malicious intent. I needed to put some distance between us. I couldn’t think straight while being so close to him. It was like his touch addled my brain and made my thoughts fuzzy.
“What do you mean?” I asked as I sat up next to him.
He just cocked his eyebrow and grinned. “Spoilers.”
Great. He wasn’t going to tell me anything either. What a surprise. The demon was keeping secrets. As I watched the flames dance, my thoughts drifted to how I could wake up. Clearly, I was in a deep sleep somewhere in reality but how could I get myself to wake up? Did I need to die? Like when you’re falling in a dream, but you always wake up before you hit the ground. I scanned the room but there wasn’t anything sharp or pointy I could use, and I couldn’t see any windows to jump out of. Knowing my luck, I’d be on the ground floor anyway.
My gaze slid over to Orion. Perhaps I could entice him to wake me up. It didn’t seem like an awful idea and it was certainly the only thing I’d come up with that might help me shake this nightmare.
Was it really a nightmare? I was sat comfortably ensconced with a seriously hot guy in a dream. Surely I could have a bit of fun? Wait, were they my thoughts or was Orion somehow tempting me? His blonde locks fell forward over his brow in a dishevelled array of curls. From this distance I could see the shadows accentuating his sharp cheekbones. He was enticing and I had to press my legs together to stem the flow of my traitorous thoughts.
As if he could sense my arousal his gaze snapped to mine. A knowing smirk spread across his full lips and I suddenly felt ashamed of how I’d reacted to him. I looked back to the fire. The fire was safe. It didn’t make me feel weak at the knees or cause my heart to beat rapidly in my chest.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “What are you really doing here?”
His lazy smile was back. “I told you, you-,”
“Yeah, yeah,” I cut in. “I wanted to see you.” His eyes narrowed at my interruption. “But I don’t get why? Why would anybody want to see you?”
His hand flew to his chest in mock indignation. “Ouch.” He chuckled. “I don’t grant many people visitations. You’re one of the few who have ever seen my true face.”
Well, that was surprising and now I was even more curious about him. “So, what exactly do you do to people if they don’t see you? You said you aren’t a collector of souls, so what exactly is your purpose?”
“What do you think I do?”
I raked my gaze over him. De Santis had said his eyes meant he was a powerful demon, but I didn’t know enough about demons to understand what that meant. I could, however, tell he held himself with confidence. His speech and movements were delivered with grace. Every gesture and phrase was calculated to elicit a certain response. He was smart, manipulative and dangerous and I had no doubt that there was serious power running through his veins. He just oozed predatory menace. I certainly didn’t want to see what would happen if he was angry.
“I think you work for the Devil. I think you might even be his number two.”
“How do you know I’m not the Devil?”
I laughed. I didn’t believe that for a second. He didn’t seem depraved enough for that. “You’re too charming.”
He grinned. “You have no idea.” His gaze dropped to my lips and my heart thudded in my chest. A flush crept up my neck under the intensity of his gaze and I looked away, unable to squash the sudden desire to press my lips against his.
“I guess you could say I deal in persuasion,” he said huskily. My core clenched at the sound of his voice. I bet he could persuade anyone to do anything with that voice.
“How does that work?”
He raised one of his shapely eyebrows into a condescending arch. “Humanity is fickle. Most of the time they do not really need any persuasion to do wicked deeds. They manage very well all by themselves, but on the rare occasion that I do intervene, I merely ask them to tell me their deepest, darkest secret. Then all I need to do is give them a little push.” He drained his glass and then turned those eerily beautiful eyes directly on me. His gaze burned into mine and I couldn’t look away. “So, tell me Lori, what’s your deepest, darkest desire?”
His voice was slow, sensual. Its pleasurable lilt captured my attention and something inside me burst. Suddenly, my entire world revolved around him and nothing else mattered. Without thinking, I moved closer. I had to be nearer. My body had a mind of its own and it was like my consciousness was locked in a box screaming, but I didn’t care. My desire for him was all I could think of. I craved him, yearned for his touch. My inhibition vanished, and I was taking what I wanted.
I straddled him and set my weight down on his lap. A soft moan escaped my lips. He felt perfect between my thighs, like I was made only for him. My fingers reached into his hair and the strands felt as glorious as they looked, like spun silk.
Wait. This was wrong. I didn’t want to do this. This wasn’t me. I started to pull my fingers from his hair, but his hands captured my hips and rolled them against his own. Desire lanced through me, hot and fast. And I forgot everything but him. My face inched closer and I felt his breath on my skin. I captured his bottom lip between my teeth and sucked on it before releasing it with a bite. He released a growl and my heart sped up in response. I needed more. I was going to die if I didn’t taste him. I pulled him closer and my lips claimed his. I thrust my tongue into his mouth and tasted him like he was my last ever meal. He tasted like spices and whisky. Hot and fiery notes burst along my tongue and my lips tingled at the contact. Orion moaned into my mouth and I pressed my body against his. The need to be closer to him was insatiable.
This wasn’t right. There was something I couldn’t quite put my finger on… I faltered and pulled back. And then realisation hit me. It was like being doused in a bucket of ice-cold water. Sudden and inescapable. Rage flooded me as I looked down at Orion and figured out what he’d made me do. I felt violated and dirty. My hand flew through the air and connected with his cheek in a resounding slap.
“How dare you!” I seethed.
He had the audacity to laugh smugly and look unaffected by my display of anger. My fingers itched to slap him again. “That was all you, Lori. I merely gave you a little push.”
“You lie.”
Orion dragged his bottom lip between his teeth. It was so blatantly sexual, so hot, that it had my body tightening in response.
“Stop it.”
His hands trailed up and down my thighs, stoking the flames of my desire.
“Stop what?” he asked innocently.
“You know very well what.” I was trying for a commanding tone, but my voice came out all husky betraying my growing desire.
His lips curled. “Very well, I’ll stop. If you admit you want me.”
That was absurd. There was no way I was admitting that. Besides, it wasn
’t true. There was no way I wanted him. No way I could still taste him on my tongue or that I craved to have his lips on mine again. My gaze dropped to his mouth and my mind went off on a tangent thinking about all the wicked things he could do to me with those lips. My mouth was suddenly dry and my heart was beating a little bit too fast.
“Oh Lori, never play poker.” He grinned wickedly up at me and I knew I was staring into the face of a master of manipulation. I wasn’t going to underestimate him, and I was certainly going to have to find a way to block him from my mind. I’m sure Jasper would know how to help me with that.
Oh, God. Jasper. How could I forget? My blood ran cold as I thought about the events leading up to me being here. I did something to him, and it was Orion’s fault.
As if sensing a shift in my mood Orion backed up a bit to give me some space.
“What did you make me do to Jasper?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know what you mean?”
“Earlier when Jasper was threatening me, you told me, and I quote, to let go.”
“You were under attack and I saved you,” he spat.
“No. You didn’t save me! Whatever you did unleashed something. I could have killed him.” Tears prickled at the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I’d do some crying later but right now I needed answers.
“All I did was help you set the power free.”
“I don’t understand. why do I have powers? I thought I was just human.”
Orion looked at me with something akin to reverence glowing deep in his eyes. “Lori, you’re so much more than human. You have the same eyes as me. You said it yourself, they are the eyes of a powerful demon.”
“But what am I? Can you tell me?” I don’t know why I asked. I didn’t expect him to tell me anything. I sensed that he was a creature who liked to trade in secrets, and I was worried I’d have to give him something in exchange for the information.
Orion pursed his lips in thought. “I’ll give you this for free. When you wake up ask about Sin Reapers.”
To Crave Darkly: Trials Of A Morta: Book One Page 11