The Overture of Fear & Passion (The Daemonica Symphony Series Book 1)

by Eloisa Clark

  Finally, Niko’s chest was bare aside from the swathes of black ink that adorned his perfectly sculpted chest, their flowing lines blending into his arms, she knew they decorated his back as well and would admire them later. Her eyes lowered as his hands began to unfasten his belt. He moved slowly, knowing the suspense was driving her crazy. Finally, he lowered his jeans, discarding his briefs as well. Freed from its cage, his cock stood proudly at attention, growing larger under the scrutiny of her gaze.

  When he seemed satisfied that she was pleased with his appearance he smiled that lazy crooked smile of his and brought himself down to the bed, crawling up the length of her body and leaving a path of invisible bite marks along the way.

  When he reached her face, he reclaimed her mouth, lazily kissing her while he planted himself between her legs. She thought he might do it then, and excitement caused her skin to prickle with electricity.

  Instead, he brought his hand down to the apex of her thighs and gripped her hip. His lips left her mouth as he kissed along her jawline and up to her ear. She felt the heat of his breath on her neck and in her ear as he sucked on the sensitive flesh of her lobe.

  His kisses resumed their journey south as Juliet ran her fingers along the curve of his back, occasionally his teeth would score the surface of her flesh, but the pleasure always outweighed the pain, and each gentle bite would cause her to suck in breath and spasm beneath him.

  He began to writhe on top of her, holding her down by the hips as he slid the length of his hardness against her flesh, making it swell and moisten with each stroke.

  She began to pant, her skin tingling as waves of pleasure crept through her. Her toes curled as she clenched her thighs, wanting desperately for him to fill her.

  He swept his hand from her hip, caressing her thigh before sliding it upwards and towards her wet opening. She jerked at the contact as his thumb applied pressure to her swollen clit. His expert circles beginning slowly at first, as his fingers massaged and teased the folds around her slit.

  “More.” She pleaded when her need began to overwhelm her.

  He slipped a finger inside, stretching the taught skin with a smooth stroke. There was no resistance, her body was desperate for him. She moaned in pleasure and he captured her mouth with his. His tongue replicating the movements of his hand as his pace increased until she began to shake, coming close to the edge before he withdrew, making her cry out with frustration. He punished her impatience with a nip of her lip before sucking it into his mouth and resuming his kiss.

  She knew exactly what he was doing, his intentions were obvious as he brought her to the brink of orgasm only to pause and start again, the pleasure intensifying each time. He entered two fingers into her this time, the delicious stretching sensation making her eyes flutter closed as she arched her back, enjoying the feeling of fullness as each stroke sent another wave of pleasure through her. She felt herself edging closer to release, her walls tightening around Niko’s fingers as she broke away from his kiss and began to pant. She could tell he wasn’t going to stop this time so instead she stopped him with a command.

  “More”.

  She didn’t just want him to keep going, she wanted him inside of her, she was desperate for it. Her Demon was just below the surface, but she knew that if he were inside of her, she would be able to maintain control. Otherwise, her impatient Demon would take over and demand release.

  He looked down into her eyes, searching for reassurance that she was ready. Something in their depths must have reflected what he needed to see, and he kissed her again, maintaining eye contact as he withdrew his fingers and repositioned himself.

  She felt him take hold of himself, holding it against her slippery folds and guiding it along the length of her, moistening the tip of his erection.

  He continued to stroke, making a figure eight around her clit and her crease, teasing the opening with more pressure each time. She felt the tension in his body increase, his own restraint causing every muscle to clench and strain.

  She gripped his lower back and brought her knees up higher, wanting to angle herself to allow him better entry.

  Breaking from her kiss, his jaw clenched as he made the first gentle thrust, forcing the head of his cock past the tight opening. She expected it to hurt, but there was only an uncomfortable stretching sensation that faded as her body adjusted to the feel of him inside of her. He searched her eyes again, looking for a sign that she was O.K and not in any pain.

  “More.” She demanded again, lowering her hands to his hips, and raising her own to push him deeper inside of her.

  The feeling of fullness overwhelmed her, overriding the discomfort entirely. She moaned as she reached out to reassure him that she was far more than O.K.

  He exhaled slowly as he withdrew before thrusting gently into her again. Her sigh of pleasure encouraging him to continue. His thrusts were slow at first, and she could feel the intense amount of effort it was taking for him to resist the urge to hurry. His arms were beginning to shake, and he fisted the pillow beside her head as he moved rhythmically on top of her.

  He was an expert lover, he used his hips to grind against her clit with each thrust, the sensation combined with his internal strokes made Juliet’s eyes water with pleasure. Her toes curled again as she met each of his thrusts, her thighs clenching as he filled her completely each time.

  She knew the moment he had lost control, their Demons both rose to the surface and connected them mentally. She could hear and feel everything he was thinking and feeling, as well as the echo of her own thoughts and feelings, telling her that he was just as much connected to her.

  “Mine.”

  Their Demons both growled as they claimed each other as mates and Niko’s thrusts became hurried and deeper. She felt the stretch of her body as if he were plunging beyond the hollow of her and into her very soul. His increased momentum drove her to the edge, and she cried out in surprise at the crescendo of her orgasm. Niko followed her over the edge, his thrusts slowing as he spasmed inside of her, filling her with a heat that flowed from her core to her heart.

  He rested his forehead on her shoulder, breathing heavily as his body continued to shiver with aftershocks. She brought her hands to his hair and kissed her lips to his temple, unable to hide the smile that expressed her complete serenity.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Niko must have drifted off because he came to with the realisation that Juliet was drawing patterns on his back, tracing lines where tattoos adorned his flesh. Her other hand was clasped in his, their fingers lacing together as he nuzzled the hollow between her shoulder and her neck.

  She smelled amazing, the sheen of sweat covering her body mixing with the scent of lilac and limes, he breathed her in, slowly savouring the delicious perfume.

  “Did they hurt?” She asked softly.

  “Why, you thinkin’ about getting one?”

  She shrugged.

  “Maybe.”

  He growled softly.

  “That would be hot as hell. But you have to let me do it. Your first one should be special.”

  She laughed under her breath.

  “Some of them hurt more than others.” He said, answering her original question.

  She traced her fingers along his ribs.

  “Yeah, those were a son-of-a-bitch.”

  “Do all of them mean something?”

  “Mostly.”

  He rolled onto his side and pointed the one on his sternum.

  “The sun is me. The kirin,” He said, pointing to his bicep, “Is meant to ward off nightmares.”

  “Some of them are just the result of me letting the artist have free reign. I’d tell him I wanted something to represent what I was going through at the time, what I was feeling. The ink became a kind of therapy, in a way.”

  “What about the skull on your back?” She asked, “It doesn’t look finished.”

  He hesitated before nodding.

  “That was the last piece I started. My gu
y Cato was in the middle of it, but he said it had to be finished later. He told me I wasn’t ready for the rest of it. I didn’t know what he meant at the time. I thought he just meant that I needed to fully heal before I could get some more layering done. But now something he said kind of makes a bit more sense.”

  “What did he say?”

  “Well, when I asked him when I should come back, he said maybe in the next life.” He looked up at her, twirling a strand of her hair in his fingers.

  “Now I think he meant that literally.”

  Her eyebrow creased as she considered his words.

  “What do you mean? Do you think he’s some kind of psychic?”

  He shrugged and she lifted herself onto her elbow, turning him over towards her. She traced the spot where his skull tattoo lay.

  “What do you think he saw when he did this? What does it mean?”

  “Skulls always mean death, isn’t it obvious?”

  “Do you think he foresaw your death?”

  “Maybe…”

  “And the f holes, what do they represent?”

  “What?” He asked, “What f holes?”

  He knew what they were but didn’t have any inked on him.

  “Look.” She said and sent him the image she saw on his skin. He saw the skull through her eyes, but still didn’t know what she was talking about, he didn’t see any f holes. He concentrated on their connection, and the image came into focus. It was now so clear he couldn’t believe he’d never noticed it before. Within the shading of the eyes were two distinct outlines of the sound holes on a violin. He retracted his mind from hers and looked into her eyes, wondering what it meant. Had Cato seen Juliet in his future? Or was it just a coincidence?

  Juliet inhaled sharply and grabbed his ribs, “Oh my God, Niko!”

  “What?” He looked down at the piece next to her hand, “What is it?”

  “The time on the clock...” She looked at him with wide eyes, her expression worrying him.

  “It’s three-oh-five.” He said after a moment’s pause.

  “But why is it three-oh-five?” She asked, turning his face back to hers when he tried to look away.

  He felt a little bit guilty really, through their connection he had learned so much about her, about her mother dying and her relationship with her father. But he’d never opened up. It wasn’t that he wanted to keep secrets from her. It was fear that she would reject him once she knew about the Demons that haunted him.

  “Three-oh-five is my Angel number.” He began to explain.

  “When I was a little kid, I saw the number three-oh-five all the time. It was the time school broke out, so I never paid much attention to it. But it was other things too. Like, I saw a bus crash once and it was the number three-oh-five. My pet parakeet died on the thirtieth of May. I would wake up from nightmares at three-oh-five all the time. I got the text that my brother was dead at three-oh-five and the address of where he was killed was number three-oh-five.” He let out a long breath and he ran his hand through his hair, looking up at the ceiling.

  “I went to see a psychic after he died. To find out if I would share a similar fate. And it wasn’t some crystal ball whack job, she was the real deal. Cato put me on to her and I had to fly halfway across the world to find her. She didn’t even speak English, I had to hire an interpreter who looked at me like I was a total dick.” The memories flooded back, his trip to Kyoto had been a drunken blur, but he’d been stone-cold sober when he met the old woman.

  “The first thing she said to me – through the interpreter of course – was three-oh-five. I thought she was telling me her price, so I took out my wallet, but she just laughed at me and waved it away. She told me that her people didn’t believe in Angel numbers but that the Silent Ones were telling her that number and telling her to tell me that that’s what it was. That the number represented a divine presence that looked over me. She said any time I saw the number three-oh-five I was being presented with an opportunity to change my life for the better.” He turned to face her, leaning his head on the crook of his elbow and he looked into her eyes.

  “I didn’t buy it. I kind of lost it a bit. I trashed her Chashitsu and went on a rampage. I did some things that I’m not proud of, but I don’t regret going there.” He took her hand in his and pulled it to his lips.

  He was relieved to see that her face held no look of disappointment or disgust. Her eyes were full of love and concern only. He kissed her fingertips as he continued.

  “My parents cancelled my credit cards thinking it would force me to answer the phone, but I just walked the streets, not sleeping, not eating. Just roaming aimlessly and selling drawings for a couple of bucks to get by. They eventually tracked me down. They were furious that I’d been ignoring their demand to return home. Even my mother, who usually took my side, looked so disappointed. My father threatened to disown me if I didn’t clean up my act. He gave me the choice, either I got on a plane and went to Livingstone for a year or I’d be completely cut off. I told him to get fucked. That I was done with him and the Otherworld. That I didn’t need him, or his money or protection and I meant it. I’d given up. Resigned myself to a fate like my brothers.” His voice shook as he recalled the feeling of emptiness that had weighed on him back then. He’d felt so hopeless and so completely alone.

  “My father dropped my plane tickets and a wad of cash on the bench where I was sitting, and I waited until they’d left to pocket the cash and tear up the tickets. But when I saw the flight numbers, I couldn’t do it.” He lifted himself up so that he could look at Juliet at her eye level.

  “Do you remember what our flight number was, and what time our flight landed?” She shook her head, but her eyes widened.

  He knew she was figuring out where this was going, and he nodded.

  “That’s right. Three-oh-five. Both of my flight numbers. I was in seat thirty-E on both flights. My first flight departed at three-oh-five P.M. Our flight landed at three-oh-five A.M.” He stroked her arm, noticing the goose bumps that were causing her fine blonde hair to stand on end.

  “I didn’t know what any of it meant. But I knew the road I had been on was one that was leading me down a dark path, and I was being presented with a flashing billboard of a sign from the universe that I needed to come here. And then when I saw you… It all kind of just fell into place. It felt right.”

  Juliet took a deep breath and rolled onto her back, running her hand through her hair as she bit her lip.

  “What’s wrong?” He asked, not liking the concern on her face.

  “We have to go.” She said, choking back what sounded like a sob.

  “Go where?”

  Hungary sounded like a good idea.

  “The lake.” She said, rolling back to face him.

  Her eyes were so full of pain that he reached out to stroke her face, wanting to comfort her. She pulled herself against his chest, burying her face. He could feel her beginning to tremble.

  “What’s going on Juliet?” He asked, but he had a feeling he already knew.

  “Three-Oh-Five.” She said, “It’s when…” She couldn’t finish the sentence and he knew she was reliving it again.

  “It’s when I die.” He said.

  She nodded softly and he felt his heart rate accelerate as his mind began to race. Knowing he had died was bad, knowing he was going to die again was worse.

  “Was I scared?” He asked her.

  He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head which she shook gently before looking back to face him.

  “No, you were so brave. You were only thinking of trying to save the rest of us.”

  “Hmm… What were my last words?”

  He was morbidly curious.

  “You told me you loved me, and you were sorry you couldn’t stay.”

  He nodded slightly, “Yeah, well that sounds like something I would say.”

  “No wait, you said something else after that. You said something in Russian that I didn’t understand
.”

  “What?”

  “You said ‘Alexi?’ and then ‘eto ty?’ Alexi was your brother’s name, wasn’t it?”

  Niko’s heart had stopped. It felt like a hand had reached out from the grave and grabbed hold of him. He nodded after the initial shock wore off and he was able to breathe again.

  “What do the other words mean?”

  “It means, ‘Is that you?’” He whispered, “He came for me.”

  Juliet’s eyebrows drew together.

  “I was raised to believe that when you die, the person you cared about most who has already died, will meet you on the other side and guide you to the afterlife.”

  Juliet was silent for a moment and then began to quietly cry, tears falling from her eyes as her lips trembled. She closed her eyes tightly, inhaling deeply before slowly exhaling.

  “It’s not predetermined, Juliet. Don’t you see? That’s what the oracle told me. When the Angel number presents itself, it’s not the universe telling me that something bad is about to happen. It’s that I’m being given an opportunity to change my path. I made so many wrong choices in my life. Clearly, I made the wrong one tonight. When whatever I did went wrong, and I died because of it. We have another chance to try again. Maybe a million more chances. We’ll figure it out.”

  He was trying to reassure her as much as himself. It pained him to do it, but slowly he let go of Juliet, kissing her again before he rose from the bed and began to pull on his clothes. He looked at her glorious body, tangled in blankets and nearly changed his mind.

  “If whatever we try tonight doesn’t work. Promise me next time, we just stay in bed and find other ways to enjoy the hour.” He added his lopsided smile, and it had the desired effect.

  She smiled back and learned forward, allowing him to reach out and plant a kiss on her forehead before she rose and joined him in getting dressed. He checked his watch and felt his stomach drop. It was already three, they’d have to hurry to get to the lake in time.

  He helped Juliet into her jacket before kissing her one last time, wondering if it would be the last time that he kissed her. Then he smiled. It might be the last time in this lifetime. But she would come back, he wouldn’t remember it, but he knew she would come back and try again for as long as it took. Should his destiny be to spend eternity repeating the last hour of his life over and over again without even realising it, that in itself would be heaven.