Sex, Lies & Demon Ties (Dark Desires #1)

by C. J. Laurence

“Don’t tempt me.”

  “Give it your best shot. I double dare you.”

  “What is going on?” Kyla asked, her voice finally cooperating with her thoughts.

  The two brothers turned their attention to the panic-stricken woman standing before them, her mind reeling, her stomach lurching, and her mouth tasting like metallic strawberries. She had found her bag and promptly fished her ring out, slipping it onto her finger with a sigh of relief. She also told herself she was going to be using her pomegranate oil when she got home tonight.

  “Azazel here has been a little naughty with you, Kyla.” Balthazar uncrossed his arms as he took a couple of steps in her direction.

  “In what way?” Her voice trembled as she spoke. “Did…did he make me do this?”

  Balthazar hesitated before he shook his head. “No. That was just your natural curiosity. Some humans have it, some don’t. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

  “So what did he do?” Her voice was barely a whisper as she laid her eyes on Azazel. He shifted uncomfortably underneath her scared look. It wasn’t very often Kyla let her vulnerable side show and now that he had exposed it, he actually felt a little bad. Just a little.

  “You didn’t need to drink Azazel’s blood to be able to see Marcus’ life memories. You already have abilities in your blood—all you needed to do was drink from Marcus.” He motioned his head towards the dead body.

  Kyla inhaled sharply before her features clouded over with anger. Her cobalt eyes flashed with rage as she settled a hardened stare on Azazel.

  “Why did you make me drink your blood?”

  Azazel crossed his arms over his chest defensively as he glared at his brother for interrupting his evening entertainment. “Because I wanted to know how badly you wanted to see it.”

  Balthazar turned and gave him a withering look. “Tell her the truth or I will.”

  “What have you done to me?” Her heart pounded inside her ribcage as she wondered what the answer was going to be.

  “Well, I haven’t technically done anything to you…” His voice was cocksure, his lips quirking up in a playful smirk.

  “Azazel…” Balthazar said, his voice nothing short of a growl.

  “Fine.” He sighed, throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation. “Everything is always such a drama to you,” he said, glaring at Balthazar. He turned to Kyla as he cleared his throat. “All I merely did by allowing you to drink my blood was…ingest a form of…GPS, if you will.” He waved his hands around in the air nonchalantly as he spoke his last words.

  Kyla stepped forwards, kicking Marcus’ foot out of the way as she closed the gap between her and the manipulative demon. “You did what?” Her voice was sharp and clear as she pinned his cheeky look into her angry stare.

  Balthazar spoke for his cowardly brother, still as useless as ever at confronting his own wicked actions. “In other words, he is literally inside you, swimming around in your veins and you can’t do or say anything without him knowing about it.”

  CHAPTER XIII

  To say Kyla had been mad was rather an understatement. After declaring to the two brothers that she wanted nothing more to do with either of them, she went home, saturated her skin in pomegranate oil and fell asleep. When she woke the next morning, a devilish grin crossed her face as she thought of exactly what to do to drive that demonic, good-looking bastard mad. She bided her time on her plan and now, a week on, she was thoroughly immersing herself in it.

  She had picked up the cute barman, Chad, who had always eyed her up, and tonight, for her own wicked purposes of course, she was allowing him to have his way with her.

  She was currently laid on his soft blue bed in her matching red lacy underwear set. He kissed his way down her body, skimming his fingers over her damp thong.

  As he teased her underwear down her slim legs, she propped herself up on her elbows and bit her lip seductively. “God you’re fit,” she whispered, her eyes lingering on his taught six pack and well-defined arms.

  Up until now, she had managed to keep her focus solely on cooking, soaps, and the next pair of shoes she wanted. It had been difficult, but she had done it. She didn’t want her foreplay being ruined just yet.

  She had already had a cigarette out of the window and lined the threshold with sea salt whilst Chad was in the bathroom. After her own trip to the bathroom, she had lined his bedroom doorway with it as well.

  Chad grinned at her as he climbed in between her legs, his huge erection looming near her sweet little entrance. She laid back down and groaned in relief as he eased his way through her. She allowed all of her thoughts to instantly be consumed by his body, the pulsing movements between her legs sending hot tingles surging around her.

  He nuzzled into her neck, his groans and heavy breathing resonating in her ears. She clamped onto his neck as he drove himself deeper and deeper inside her with each stroke. It was then, as she nibbled at his soft flesh, that she began wondering what memories she would see from his blood.

  She shook her head as she tried to force the thought away, but it wouldn’t leave. The more she tried to ignore it, the more determined it became to stay in the front of her mind.

  Chad broke her thoughts as he lifted himself from her. He flipped her onto her stomach and took her from behind instead. “Your ass…hmmm,” he said, stroking it as he continued moving in and out of her vigorously. He gripped her hips as he nestled further inside her. Stilling his movements, he ground his hips in a circular motion, one particular spot causing Kyla to gasp involuntarily. “There it is,” he whispered, pulling himself all the way out before slamming back into her with all his might.

  She cried out as he hit the spot harshly, but with a distinct promise of relief.

  “I suppose you think you’re funny, do you?” Azazel’s voice glided across the room from the open doorway.

  “What the fuck, man? Get out!” Chad jumped up and shot to the doorway, only to be greeted with Azazel’s hand wrapped around his throat in an instant.

  “Shut up.” His snarling voice alone compelled Chad to be quiet.

  “Do you mind?” Kyla asked, sitting up on the bed. “You’re kind of interrupting.”

  Azazel smirked at her as he leaned against the wooden doorframe. “Do you want to finish up with this weed or do you want a real good fuck?”

  “If you’re insinuating I might get that from you, then no, I don’t. I would have thought it obvious that if I wanted you to fuck me then I would have asked you to by now.”

  Azazel’s face darkened, his eyes glassed over with his profound blackness and his purple veins began highlighting their way through his porcelain skin. “Let me reword that then,” he said, holding Chad off the floor by several inches. “He either lives or he dies. I’m sure you can guess what you need to do to ensure he lives.”

  Kyla’s mouth dropped open at Azazel’s ultimatum. “Is this your idea of romance?”

  Azazel chuckled, a deep hearty chuckle that shook his entire masculine body. “Romance is for Walt Disney, sweetheart. Although, I guess there is some irony here in The Beauty and The Beast.”

  Kyla snorted at him. “You’re ridiculous, do you know that? You are absolutely insane and believe you me, this is not how you get someone into bed, let alone me.” For good measure, Kyla sat on the edge of the bed and spread her legs, a wry smile washing over her face as Azazel’s temper began to boil. “Kill him,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “I was wondering what memories he had floating around in there anyway…”

  Azazel balked at her, his mouth falling open to reveal his sharpening teeth. Chad was still in his vice-like grip, his eyes glazed over and his body motionless under the compulsion. “Fine,” he said, throwing Chad back on the bed. “Have him. See if I care.”

  “Well, you clearly do or you wouldn’t be here, would you?”

  “Don’t test me.” His dark veins throbbed through his face with menace as his sharp nails dug into the doorframe, flicking splinters onto the floor.
r />   “Or what?” she asked, standing up and taking a couple of steps towards him. She kept her distance enough so she was just out of reach.

  “You can’t stay in there forever, Kyla, hiding behind these pathetic salt lines. I’ll be right here waiting when you do come out.”

  “Oh, I think I could have a few good hours at least. He is quite entertaining and rather good with his hands…I would fill you in, but, I think I’m more interested in him filling me in right now.” She flashed him a sickly sweet smile as she turned back to the bed. Chad was still flopped on his side from where he’d been thrown.

  “I won’t release the compulsion.”

  Kyla stopped before she clambered back onto the bed, turning around to meet Azazel’s demonic face. “That’s fine,” she said, sighing. “I’ll just finish the job myself.” She roamed over her naked body, snaking her hands down towards her aching needs.

  Azazel let out a big sigh as he snapped under her relentless attitude. “What do you want?”

  “I want away from you, and I want you out of me. Undo whatever you did so I can go back to my happy little life that I had before you ever came along.”

  A sharp sting caught Azazel from beneath his ribcage. His anger simmered away at her words as he registered what she was saying. He tried to ignore the rising disappointment in him but found himself sighing deeply as he agreed to her request. “Whatever the lady wants.”

  CHAPTER XIV

  The next morning, with a rather triumphant smile on her face, Kyla was knocking on the grand dark wood door of the Worthington mansion. The heavy doors opened with a creak to reveal a smiling Mildred.

  “Good morning, Kyla. How lovely to see you again.”

  “Hi, Mildred,” she said, smiling. “How are you?”

  Motioning for her to step inside, Mildred replied, “Better now that wretched demon is going to fix what he did to you. He’s quite the little scamp.”

  Kyla smirked, following Mildred into the kitchen. A customary cup of tea ensued, the sweet liquid just reaching her lips when Azazel strode into the room.

  “You’re early,” he said, a deep scowl settling on his handsome features.

  “No, I’m eager.”

  Balthazar appeared behind Azazel, slapping him around the back of the head. “Be nice for once.”

  Azazel narrowed his eyes but said nothing. He stood in the doorway, arms folded across his chest, glaring at Kyla. She ignored him, her eyes following his brother as he walked towards Mildred’s offer of tea.

  “Do we need to keep him on a leash or something? Thinking forwards and all?” Kyla asked, stifling a smile.

  Balthazar chuckled. “Careful. He might think you mean something else.”

  Clearing his throat, Azazel said, “I think she’s made her feelings on that one pretty clear. Can we just get this over with?”

  “When she’s finished her tea,” Mildred said. “You’re lucky I’ve not made you a leash. Now go sit, and wait, like a good demon.”

  Azazel’s bright green eyes flashed with anger at the spirited maid’s instructions. His gaze fell to her hexagram before he turned and left, muttering to himself.

  “What’s the deal with that?” Kyla asked, pointing to Mildred’s pendant.

  Mildred gave a coy smile. “The hexagram, one triangle facing up, the other facing down, represents Heaven and Hell. A certain lineage of witches are able to referee the balance between both realms and all the creatures within it.”

  Kyla frowned. “But isn’t that the religious symbol for Jews?”

  Mildred smiled. “There are many debates on this topic these days. Many confuse the pentagram with the hexagram, thinking one is for evil and one is religious. In fact, the hexagram is the original symbol of evil. Druids would use it way back in the 14th Century, and is actually where Halloween originates from. On the night of October 31st, you had two choices—submit a female from your household to them, or have your door marked with a hexagram and death would be brought upon your family that night. The hexagram was, and still is, a powerful tool to command demons.”

  After a couple of seconds, Kyla’s eyes widened. “Oh wow. That’s really cool.” She took a swig of her tea. “Wait a minute. Did you say creatures from both realms? Do you mean like angels?”

  The old lady nodded. “Indeed. But they are not the angelic beings people think they are. They are just as bad as this lot.” She nodded towards Balthazar who simply smiled in reply. “We have the power to put them in their place if they misbehave.”

  “In what way?”

  “If we so wish, we can send them on their merry way to Perdition.”

  “Perdition?”

  “You’ve heard of Purgatory?” Mildred said, fiddling with her chain. “Well, Perdition is kind of like that. Instead of them undergoing purification to achieve passage to Heaven, they simply…stagnate in a magickal world of their own version of Hell. We are the gatekeepers and say who gets out, and when.” She turned to Balthazar, a cheesy smile creasing her smooth face. “The creatures from Hell are left to the joys of being surrounded by daisies, cuddly lambs, and beautiful meadows, whilst the beings from Heaven get the exact opposite.”

  Kyla laughed. “I like that idea.”

  “It keeps them in check when needed.”

  Balthazar cleared his throat, motioning towards the doorway. “Shall we?”

  “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, Balthazar,” Mildred said, a sweet smile crossing her lips.

  “You can go now, Mildred,” Balthazar said, his voice flat. “We can take it from here.”

  She glanced at Kyla, gave a cheeky wink, and disappeared into a hazy mist.

  Taking Kyla’s hand, Balthazar led her into the living room. Azazel sat on one of the plump red sofas, his face brightening when he saw her. As she sat down next to him, her heart began pumping like mad as the realisation of what was going to happen sunk in.

  “Isn’t there another way to do this?” she asked, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans.

  “Well,” Balthazar said. “You can wait until the twenty-first of June, when we go back, in which case his link to you will weaken over a period of time and then invariably disappear once the autumn equinox passes. Other than that, no.”

  “Can’t you do something to him? Magick or something?”

  Balthazar shook his head. “Sorry, Kyla. We use it to aid us—it can’t be used against us. We’re too strong for it. It would work on a lesser demon, though.”

  Her big blue eyes filled with despair as she began clutching at straws. “What if I ate a tonne of sea salt?”

  Balthazar’s face creased up with amusement at her desperation. “Then I think you’d die,” he said. “He won’t hurt you. That’s why I’m here.”

  Kyla flickered her gaze back to Azazel. His beaming smile only served to irritate her and remind her why she had to do this.

  “Mildred?” she asked, one last hope.

  Balthazar shook his head. “She can’t affect our magick like that. All she can do is chastise us so to speak. Think of her like a prison guard.”

  She closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath. “OK. Let’s get this over with.”

  Azazel smirked to himself as he reached for her, curling her into his arms with glee. “Hmmm. You smell so good.”

  Kyla’s skin rose in goose bumps from his words and his hot breath tickling her neck. “I haven’t showered since last night so actually, Chad smells good.” She struggled to hide her victory smirk as his grip stiffened around her.

  “Don’t be a bitch or I’ll make this hurt.”

  “I dare you,” she said, placing her hands on his muscled biceps to steady herself. She leaned in towards his ear, put his ear lobe in between her teeth, and nibbled at his soft flesh. He shivered from her touch as she whispered, “I might like it.”

  “Enough you two,” Balthazar said. “Either get this over with or get a room.”

  Azazel’s wound his hands around the back of Kyla’s head. Pulling it t
o one side, he exposed her neck to him. “Hmmm, I can hear your pulse.” He brushed his lips across her quivering flesh. “I can smell your blood. Oh, you’re going to taste so good.”

  Without another second to spare, he sharpened his teeth and sank into her jugular vein. She gasped as he pierced her taught skin, gripping onto his strong arms for all she was worth. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for a further explosion of screaming agony.

  But it never came.

  Instead, serene bliss surrounded her as her life essence oozed into the gorgeous demon’s mouth.

  Azazel massaged the back of her head, lulling her into a trance. He minutely readjusted his mouth against her, his lips grazing against her soft skin. A sharp throb shot between her legs, her mind beginning to whir away with obscene images of her and the hot demon grasping her in his hold. Shame began to surface—how could she even think such things at a time like this?

  “It’s perfectly natural,” Balthazar said, picking up on her body’s reactions. “Some women find this erotic.”

  Her cheeks flushed as Azazel smiled against her. Hot tingles surged up and down her body. As they began to settle, her insides stirred with unmet desires.

  “This isn’t normal,” she whispered, her mind focused on Azazel’s fingers and what they could do to her elsewhere.

  Azazel was completely transfixed on the little minx who tasted so good. He couldn’t stop savouring the sweetness of her blood as it glided like silk down his throat. He was totally immersed in her life’s images playing out in his mind’s eye., As she squirmed and gasped underneath him, he began to allow his own vulnerable side to peek through his dark layers.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, withdrawing his teeth from her delicious body. “I’m so sorry I upset you.”

  Kyla pulled back from him. She rubbed at her neck to feel the wound, which was already healing. She looked at Azazel’s serious face. His darkness recessed underneath his bronzed skin once more, and his teeth shortened and returned to normal.

  “You saw it didn’t you?”

  Azazel hesitated before he nodded, his unfamiliarity with guilt pushing his mind into places he’d long forgotten. He grasped one of Kyla’s hands, giving her a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll kill him.”