by Sarah Bailey
She helped him out of his clothes until he was only wearing his boxers before she tucked him up in bed. She followed suit, slipping into bed. He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. She could feel his heart pounding in his chest.
“I’m sorry, Ella.” His voice was hardly above a whisper.
“For what?”
“For everything.”
§
Ella’s breathing was steady. Lukas looked down at her sleeping form with regret. It was inevitable. He would have to shatter all her illusions about him. Raquel had made it impossible for him to keep the truth of what he really was from Ella any more.
He worried about her reaction. She had been through enough. He wanted to be the one she could rely on, but he’d been keeping too many things hidden.
Would she be able to trust him after this?
“Lukas?”
His eyes met hers. She was so beautiful, even with her current bedhead.
“Morning, sleepyhead.”
She shoved him a little.
“You’re the one who wanted to go to bed.”
He gave her a half smile as she snuggled closer to him. Had she forgotten about last night?
“Did you sleep okay?”
“I guess.”
“Look, I’m sorry if I pushed you with all those questions last night. I just want to know the truth.”
He sighed. She hadn’t forgotten. It was time he faced up to it.
“It’s okay. I said I would give you an explanation.”
He shifted, sitting up as he shoved the pillows behind his back. She looked up at him with expectant eyes.
“You’ve got every right to be pissed off at me for not telling you the truth. I just… didn’t want you to look at me differently.”
“Why would I do that?”
“You don’t know the half of it.”
“Then tell me.”
“Raquel wasn’t wrong when she said I’m cursed. Demons make deals with humans. Contracts that give them what they want. In return, Hell receives their soul after a designated amount of time.”
“You know, I figured that much.”
“Deals are usually sealed with a kiss. I can conduct contracts that way, but there’s another way.”
“You mean sex?”
“Yes, but that’s not the all of it.”
She sat up, taking one of his hands in her own. The simple gesture threatened to undo him. He took a breath. It was now or never.
“When I sleep with someone, the contract gets forced on them, whether or not they agreed to it.”
“What?”
She frowned in confusion.
“It’s my curse. I can’t have sex without it resulting in a contract with Hell.”
She didn’t let go of his hand even when the realisation of what he meant dawned on her.
“Why did Raquel mention a brand?”
“The contract brands itself on their skin. Their deepest desire will come to pass, but ten years later, their soul is dragged to Hell.”
“Do you collect their souls?”
“No, that’s the Harvesters’ job.”
She seemed to be turning his words over in her mind. She frowned for a moment before her expression cleared and she looked at him again.
“That’s why you won’t have sex with me.”
It was a statement, not a question, but he nodded anyway, looking at her with a sad expression.
“Did you think I couldn’t handle knowing that?”
“I…”
He didn’t know what to say. He wanted her to continue looking at him in that way of hers. With desire and affection. He didn’t want her to think of him as someone who was capable of such evil, even though it was clear he was.
He was a demon and he sure as hell didn’t deserve someone like Ella.
“You’re an idiot.”
“What?”
“Do you have any idea how I feel about you?”
He stared at her, confusion written all over his face.
“I don’t care what you are or about any of that, it doesn’t matter to me. All I care about is you. When I look at you, it’s like I can’t breathe. I feel like I’m drowning.”
His heart pounded in his chest. Just what was she saying? She was still looking at him like she wanted him. Like she needed him.
“Ever since you walked into my life, all I can think about is being close to you. I can’t, no, I won’t let you go.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I don’t care about a stupid contract if it means I have you.”
He was at a loss for words. Did she have any idea what she was agreeing to? Damning her soul to Hell for eternity wasn’t something she should take so lightly.
But she wanted him.
Him.
A demon.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t you feel that way about me?” she asked.
She tugged on his hand. He looked down at their entwined fingers.
Ella would give up her soul for him. Someone she hardly knew. Is she serious?
“You… Ella… do you have any idea what you’re saying?”
She let out a frustrated sigh.
“Yes. You just explained what would happen. If you don’t feel the same way about me, then that’s fine.”
“No, Ella. I… Fuck. I can’t stay away from you even if I wanted to. And I really, really don’t want to.”
“Then come here and take me.”
“What?”
“Are you seriously being this dense right now?”
“No, I just…”
“How can I make this any clearer? I. Want. You.”
She pulled her hand out of his only to grab his face. The intensity of her expression had his heart in knots.
“Stop thinking about it. Don’t you want me?”
“Yes, more than you know.”
“Then take me, Lukas. Take me and we can worry about the consequences later.”
§
Ella stared at him for what felt like an eternity. What was he still waiting for? Now she knew the truth, it didn’t matter to her.
She was tired of pretending she didn’t have feelings for him. Pretending like their little dalliance meant nothing. All she could think about was joining with him in an intense moment of passion. Being close to him was all she wanted. Feeling his heated skin against hers.
He brushed his thumb over her mouth. The sensation sent a shiver down her spine.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
She had never been so sure about anything in her life. It was strange to see the usually confident, cocky Lukas so nervous and unsure of himself. She should be horrified by what he’d told her. It wasn’t his fault. She didn’t think he’d asked to be a demon.
There was still something that niggled at her. Raquel had said Lukas was a demon with half a soul. Was that why he seemed to maintain some shred of humanity? And where was the other half?
“Ella.” His voice was so quiet. “You are the only light I have in this darkness. I don’t want it to fade away.”
“It won’t.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life.”
Something about Lukas drew her in. Somehow, she felt complete when he was near her and she knew he felt it too.
His eyes were drawn to her mouth as he brushed his thumb over her bottom lip again.
“I’m never going to forgive myself for this,” he muttered before he kissed her.
Chapter Thirteen
As their lips met, heat pooled inside her. It felt different. Ella knew why immediately. Lukas wasn’t holding back any longer. He pressed her down onto the bed, covering her body with his own. He tugged at her t-shirt and she moved so he could take it off her. He stared down at her chest, lust filling his eyes.
“You are a goddess to me.”
She trembled at his words. His hand curved over her brea
st, thumb brushing over the hardened peak as he leant down towards her. His mouth closed over her other nipple, tongue swirling and she gasped.
“So soft, so sweet,” he murmured before he bit down.
She arched up against him, feeling his skin against hers and everywhere they were touching burnt like fire. She couldn’t hold back.
She wanted him.
Right now.
“Lukas, please. I can’t…I want…”
His dark eyes met hers. She trembled at the depth of his desire shining back at her.
“Please.”
She didn’t care she was begging. She’d waited long enough. All the pent-up tension between them had bubbled over. All the teasing, the longing. She couldn’t stand it anymore.
He caught her mouth again, holding her in place with his hands. Her fingers dug into the corded muscle on his back.
She could feel how hard he was through the thin layers of their clothing. She wanted it off. Wanted to feel him without barriers.
His fingers hooked into her underwear, tugging down. He released her mouth so he could pull them off. She looked down at his boxers pointedly. A wicked smile appeared on his lips.
“You want me to take them off?”
She nodded, unable to speak. Her mouth was dry as he moved to tug them off. Then he was bare before her and she couldn’t take her eyes off him. He really was breathtaking. He ran a hand down her chest as he knelt between her legs. Lower his fingers went until he was touching her core.
“Fuck, Ella. You’re so wet for me.”
“Lukas. Please.”
She squirmed as he ran his finger in a circle around her core. She’d enough of his teasing. She wrapped a hand around his arm and pulled at him. He didn’t resist as he moved over her.
“Tell me you’re sure.”
“Stop teasing me. Please, I’m sure!”
He put a hand between them, guiding himself towards her. She felt like she would combust any second when he finally entered her.
“Shit. Ella,” he grunted. “Fuck, you’re so… you feel so...”
He seemed to be at a loss for words. Her hands wrapped around his back, urging him to give her more. He was taking it agonisingly slow as he pushed deeper. She was panting when he finally drew back a little.
His eyes caught hers as he moved at a steady rhythm. She felt like she was burning up on the inside as he pounded into her.
“Don’t stop, Lukas.”
She couldn’t hold back. Everywhere they touched felt like fire.
His hands entwined in hers, holding her down as he thrust harder. She’d never felt like this before. Not with anyone. Whatever was between them was consuming her. She couldn’t explain it. It felt like they were one. Like the pieces of their souls had joined together in harmony through their passion.
“Ella,” he groaned. “What are you doing to me?”
She didn’t answer him, lost in the sensations and pleasure his touch gave her.
Was this what it felt like to be with someone who had your heart?
Your soul?
The realisation hit her square in the chest.
It was too soon, wasn’t it? They’d known each other for a week, yet everything had happened so fast. It felt so much longer. It felt like an eternity.
“Harder.”
She needed him to give her everything, to drown out the noise in her head, telling her she was in love with him. She felt it deep within her bones.
The all-consuming need to have him drive her over the edge of the cliff overtook her. He released her hands only to grip her hips and give her more. She cried out at the impact, but he didn’t stop. They were both lost in each other.
Her nails dug into his back as the tension inside her coiled, threatening to burst. It felt right.
He completed her.
She arched up against him as the dam broke. Her climax ripped through her. Nothing could’ve prepared her for the intensity as she clung to him whilst he continued to bury himself in her.
“Fuck, Ella. I can’t hold back.”
He fell over the cliff with her, a guttural sound emitting from his throat as he met his own end. He collapsed on her, but she barely noticed his weight. She was basking in the afterglow of the most intense sex she’d ever experienced.
His hands tangled in her hair before he rose up to look down at her. He opened his mouth to say something when his eyes went wide with shock.
“What?” she asked, frowning.
Why was he looking at her like that?
“You’re glowing.”
“What do you mean?”
“Like actually glowing, look.”
He pulled her hand up to her face. Her mouth dropped open. Her skin had a weird luminescent glow to it.
“Has this happened to you before?”
“N… No. Never. I don’t understand.”
He ran a hand through his hair as he sat up on his knees between her legs.
“Shit.”
“What just happened?”
“I don’t know. I… that wasn’t… Ella, I’ve never…”
“Never what?”
She looked up at him with confusion. Hadn’t he felt the intensity of their union? Wasn’t it the same for him?
“Being with you. It was… it was… mind-blowing.”
“It was?”
He nodded, cupping her cheek with his hand.
“Was… was it okay for you?”
She smiled at him. Didn’t he know?
“I thought it was pretty mind-blowing too.”
Relief spread across his features. She felt the love she had for him threaten to burst through her chest. She moved, sitting up and taking his hands in her own.
“It was more than I ever imagined.”
“You’re still glowing.”
“That part is a bit weird.”
He grinned, squeezing her hands. She wanted to curl herself around him again, but there was something she needed to do first.
“Um, I’ll be back in a sec.”
She wanted to know if the glowing had spread across her whole body.
She edged off the bed and hurried into the bathroom.
After she’d cleaned up, she stared at herself in the mirror. Lukas was right. She glowed everywhere like a beacon. Was this the part of her that wasn’t human? And, why had sex with Lukas brought it to the forefront?
She padded back out into the single room of her flat. He was sitting up against the pillows, watching her with narrowed eyes.
“Ella, did you feel anything else?”
“What do you mean?”
He looked at her with a frown as she approached him.
“Turn around.”
She wanted to ask him what he was looking for, but she refrained. The concern in his eyes kept her mouth from opening as she turned her back on him.
“It’s not there,” he said, a deep frown etched into his brow.
“What’s not there?”
“The brand.”
She turned back to him.
“What?”
“It’s not there. I… it’s always there.”
She looked down at herself, but her skin was clear of any sort of mark. It just glowed.
“Does that mean I didn’t sell my soul to the devil then?”
She tried not to smile, but he gave her a look which had her sitting down next to him and taking his hand.
“Hey, Lukas, it’s all right. I’m fine.”
“I… just expected it to be there. I don’t know what this means.”
“Do you think it has something to do with what I really am? If I can’t sell my soul, then maybe my soul isn’t really… human.”
His expression was blank for a moment. He ran a hand through his hair, agitation filling his features.
“That would explain a lot of things.”
“But I feel human, at least my body does. And if it is true, then what is my soul?”
“Oh, you most certainly feel human.”<
br />
His mouth quirked up at the side.
“Do I now?”
As if to reinforce his statement, his free hand curled around her waist. His fingers brushed against the bare skin of her back.
“Very human.”
Ella tried very hard not to react to his touch.
“Are you quite intent on distracting me?”
The wicked smile on his face. The gleam in his eyes told her he was.
“I think I need to confirm again just how human you feel.”
He moved so suddenly, she barely had time to register what was happening until her back landed on the bed. He pinned her down, his body flush with hers. His hands on her legs, tugging them open and pushing them up until her knees were almost drawn up against her chest.
She was very aware of how open and vulnerable she looked as his dark eyes gazed down at her.
“Shouldn’t we be working out what I am?”
She gave him a searching look. It was clear he had no intention of carrying on their conversation at that moment. Despite her feeling like they were on to something.
“No.”
He didn’t give her any time to protest. He drove inside her and she yelped.
“It’s time you glowed again.”
§
She hummed as she waited for the kettle to boil. She tightened the belt of her robe before she popped two tea bags into cups before glancing over at the bed where a very naked Lukas was lying on his back, eyes closed.
They had spent the rest of the morning exploring each other, intimately. They still needed to talk about the fact that Lukas’ curse hadn’t worked on her, but he didn’t seem to be in any rush.
She poured the now boiled water into the cups and stirred. The toast popped out and she fished it out of the toaster, careful of her fingers. She buttered the slices and smeared them with a healthy dollop of jam.
As she finished making the tea, her phone rang. She glanced at the screen before she answered it.
“Ellabellabear.”
She groaned a little. She hated Daisy’s stupid nicknames for her.
“Hey, love, what’s up?”
“Nothing much, how about you? How’s Mr Hottie Pants?”
She flushed as the images of what the two of them had done earlier flashed through her mind.
“Uh… um, he’s fine. I’m fine.”
Well, she was sort of fine other than being pretty sure her soul wasn’t human.
“Oh, he’s fine all right.”