“Oh, hey, Ramel.” Art smiled at me, though it slipped off his face the moment he took in my rage. I didn’t respond. I wrapped my death-ridden hand around his throat and lifted him off the ground.
“Ramel, what are youdoing?”Hazai barked just as I crushed Art’s neck between my fingers. I flooded him with my death magic and watched with a burning chest full of rage as his immortal body turned to rot before me. He fell in stinking chunks to the ground, his eyes wide with pain and fear as he looked up at me in horror at what I had done to him.
“Mine,”I spat at him, still possessed with mindless fury. Everyone in the hall had gone silent at my violent outburst. One of the demons tried to step forward to the writhing mess I had made of Art, and I snarled at them.
A tiny hand reached out to touch my death-soaked fingers, and I whirled, snarling again, to find Lilith looking at me with an expression full of concern.
“Ramel. Let’s go back to the room,” she said gently, and I felt my anger suddenly melt away. I looked down at Art and felt a pang of something unpleasant in my chest. Was it guilt? What had I just done?Whyhad I just done that?
“Ramel, take me to our room,” Lilith repeated, and I nodded silently, scooping her up and crushing her into my chest before stalking away. Shem followed behind silently, though I didn’t miss the way he quietly ordered one of the demons to get a healer to help Art recover from what I had done to him.
I was shaking by the time we made it to the bedroom, though this time not with rage. I put Lilith down and began pacing. My mind was whirling. Why had I just done that? I had never done anything like that before.
“Ramel…” Lilith said gently, laying a hand on my arm. Her touch caused me to pause, and I met her eyes. Both Shemhazai and her were staring at me with conflicted expressions.
“I’m sorry,” I said, swallowing. “I don’t know why I did that.” My voice was rough. I glanced at Shem. “Is he going to be alright?” I asked, and Hazai nodded, though he didn’t smile.
“He will be, but that definitely fucking hurt, man. Probably worse than his angel form ever did.”
That feeling that I was now sure was guilt crashed through me. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me.” I turned to Lilith, “I saw him go to kiss you, and I just lost it.”
Lilith’s eyes widened. “I see,” she said quietly. She gestured to the bed, indicating that she wanted me to sit. I collapsed on the edge and dropped my head into my hands, but Lilith came forward and tilted my head up to face her.
“That feeling is calledjealousy,” she informed me. “It means that you do not want to share me.”
“What?” I choked, not following.
“It’s okay, Ramel. I don’t mind saving my body just for you.”
I frowned at her, confused. “That doesn’t make any sense. I don’t mind sharing you with Hazai.” I pointed out, glancing over at him. He was watching me carefully, with his hands in his pockets.
On the contrary, Ilovedsharing her with Hazai. I liked watching him touch her. I had seen him kiss her a thousand times. So why had it bothered me when Art had done it?
She smiled at me. “Okay. I will save my body for you and Shemhazai then if that is what you wish.”
“I don’t understand it,” I rasped, my voice cracking, and she laughed softly.
“Must you? Does it matterwhyyou feel this way? Isn’t it just enough that you do, and I am willing to respect that?”
I frowned, glancing at Shem again, who gave me a crooked smile and a shrug.
“I agree with Lil. If you’re going to shred up one of our people every time someone touches her, it’s probably best if she saves herself just for us.”
I nodded, still feeling strange about the whole scenario. Shem’s smirk widened.
“Just to be clear, I will not be held to the same standard. I’m still fucking whoever I want.”
I thought about that and imagined him touching Art. I did not get the same feeling.Jealousy,Lilith had called it.
“That’s fine, I don’t care who you fuck,” I agreed once I was sure that was true.
I turned my attention back to Lilith and cupped her face in my hands. Kissing her gently on her perfect lips, I relished in the moan she hummed against me.
“I love you,” I whispered against her, and she smiled, crawling up into my lap and wrapping her arms around me.
“I love you, too.”
Year: 2667 BC
