Neyu’s lips met his with unexpected ferocity.
Saer’s hands went to the demoness’s shoulders, at first meaning to push her away, but desire swallowed him—the ridiculous, human rush of needing to be near her.To smell her, touch her, consume her.Pulling Neyu closer, Saer’s fingers clutched tight enough to leave bruises on mortal skin, but herDaemoenicflesh held fast against his iron grip.Goosebumps rose on his skin despite the heat between them.The familiar fluttering in his stomach intensified, a sensation he’d forgotten in their years apart, and a yearning sound hummed in his throat, almost a whine.
Neyu shivered and returned the noise in kind, her arms sliding around his waist and curling up to press her body against the length of his, and his tumultuous world made sense in a way it hadn’t since he’d forced distance between them.
Heneededher.The realization rankled and righted him.
If they went down this dangerous, terrifying path, they needed to work together.They could do this.He’d make sure of it.
First and favored; he’d outwit their maker.
Hells, but she smelled wonderful.Lavender and roses.Calming and enticing all at once.
Saer broke away with care, hands still on her shoulders.He swallowed, taking a moment to focus.“Ahraan—”
“Means nothing,” Neyu said.
Longing and jealousy flitted in his stomach as Neyu leaned back to brush one of the insistent, silver strands framing his face.
“It shouldn’t matter to me,” Saer whispered.
“I’m glad it does.”
“Why?”
Neyu reached for him again, but Saer stopped her with a finger to her chin.“Tell me about Ahraan.”
She snarled.“Ihavetold you, there’s nothing between us.Nothing beyond words and posturing.”
Something tight in his guts loosened to hear it stated so plainly.He believed her.But there was still something off about the hooded man, and Neyu might have the answer.
“He isn’t human, is he?”
“How can you think about something like—”
“Neyuukhan.”The use of her extended name, more than anything, forced her to give him the authority he deserved.
“I like you when you’re more human, lessDaemoenic,” she growled.
Saer gave her a subtle smile, the first true one he remembered experiencing in too long.“If we’re unstoppable as you say, we’ll work together in truth.We tackle problems, one at a time, as a unit, and that includes the golden-skinned donkey.”
Neyu opened her mouth to argue, and Saer laid a light finger to her lower lip, speaking low, “I’m postponing the inevitable while I still have my wits about me.I promise, it’s more difficult than it looks.”
She huffed against Saer’s finger, and it almost broke him.“He finds me beautiful, but is unaffected by me.Even if I sense the smallest spark of lust in him, I can’t pull on it, the same as our kin.By that alone, he can’t be human.”
Saer nodded, a hand sliding around Neyu’s waist.“Good.And how did you know him before?”
“Your hand is distracting me.”
A knowing smile lifted the corner of Saer’s lip further, but he stopped the motion.
Neyu’s tense jaw relaxed.“Ahraan’s immunity diverted me.I was meant to harvest a town.Ahraan managed to turn them all against me and I was forced to leave.”
“You failed.”
Neyu stiffened in Saer’s arms.“Don’t say it as if you’ve never experienced it.”
“I never made the same mistake twice.You would do well to learn from your experiences.”
