Ignoring her protests, I waved a hand and a magical doorway appeared. I stepped through the archway, dragging her behind me.
“Where are we going—” Her question immediately cut off when we came through on the other side, stepping out onto a desolate cliffside. It overlooked the sea on one side, with the labyrinth far below on the other. On the very edge of the cliff was a wooden door, built into the ruins of a stone wall that had crumbled over time.
Rayven turned to see my castle grounds, which looked like miniatures from where we stood. The castle was at least an entire day’s walk from this point. Even if she’d found the door leading out of my garden, even if she’d had a map to lead her straight here, she never would have made it in time.
She spun around, her eyes bouncing between the cliffside door and the castle as understanding set in. “Is that…?”
“The way back to your world, yes.”
Her eyes went wild and glossy with tears of fury. “Thatfucker.I never had a chance.”
We stood there for several minutes, and I watched her stare out at the castle, arms wrapped around herself. She was shivering, and I had a feeling it had nothing to do with the cold.
“Why are you showing me the door now?” She turned, her raven hair lashing around her shoulders in the breeze.
Weeping Hells. She was so beautiful.
“You want to go home,” I forced out.
Her head tilted to the side. “Do you want me to leave?”
“No. But it would be objectively stupid for you not to.. I want you to stay, but as I’ve told you, I’m not a good man…”
“You can’t be all that bad if you’re defying your lord and showing me the way home.” She pointed at the door. “You’re giving me a way out. You’re saving me, yet again.”
“Don’t do that.” I shook my head adamantly. “I’m not a hero. That first night when I told you I was your only shot at salvation? That was the first of many lies I’ve told you. I’m not your savior. I’m your damnation.”
Her lips parted as she stared at me, her gaze heavy as her mind worked. It didn’t matter what I said, she’d still try to make me out to be the good guy. Meanwhile, I’d been the villain all along.
“Can I ask you one question?” she said, breaking my train of thought. “And you give me your word that the answer I get will be the truth.”
I tensed. “Yes.”
She approached me, the breeze blowing harder, making the dead grass dance and her hair thrash around her like a dark halo. “Do you love me, Belial? Can a demon even love?”
My heart fluttered curiously at her question, and I swallowed as she came to stand in front of me, my eyes sparkling at the mere inches between us. “When I died, I forgot how to feel most human emotions. But love was not among them.”
A smile as dark as my infernal magic bowed her lips. “Then I’ll stay.”
I reached for her, desperate to feel her skin against mine, but I only allowed my fingers to graze her cheek. “If you stay, and you give me your soul… It’s going to hurt. Iwillhurt you.”
“I thought we established how much I like the pain you bring me.”
“Rayven—”
“I’m not going,” she said in a firm voice that told me she would argue. “I’m giving you my soul…” She pressed her hands against my hard chest, her smile canting into a mischievous smirk. “And you’re going to take it like a good little demon.”
I gaped, my jaw falling slack in disbelief. I’d given her an out. Even if I hadn’t told her the full truth of what she was getting herself into, my conscience was relieved… Enough for me to do what I was about to do.
“This is your last chance,” I warned, my hand dropping to her shoulder, then to her waist. “You can return to your normal human life. No one would blame you for walking away.”
Her gaze flitted back to the door, then straight back to me. “Or I could stay.”
“Or you can stay here with me and be my mate.” I nodded. “Come hell or high water, you’ll be mine forever.”
“The funny thing is, forever doesn’t seem like such a long time anymore. You can have my soul. You can have my everything, so long as you take your mask off. I want to know what you look like.” She paused, chewing her lip. “What my mate looks like.”
I took her hands in mine and guided them to my face. She sucked in a breath, her fingers trembling as they curled underneath the mask and slowly lifted it off.
