I swatted a piece of my hair out of my face before heaving a sigh. “Kian traced the necromancy magic to an unknown source with traces of familiar magic. To be completely honest, that thing was terrifying before it was undead. He was emotionless, ruthless, andsostrong. I felt useless against him.”
Cherry blossoms floated down with the heavy flakes of snow. I sucked in a crisp breath as they swirled with each other.
Shadows cast from the tree formed in front of us to block our path. They formed a dark blob as Damien stepped out.
My lips tugged into a smile. He never strayed far from me.
“Little bird,” he sang, stepping into my space and leaning down until his breath mingled with mine. “What’s this I hear about you feeling useless?”
Heat blossomed on my cheeks as I bit my lip. “Ididfeel useless.”
“But now that we’ve mated…” He reached toward my top and let his fingers dip under the tie and down my shirt until they brushed against his mark adorning my chest. Love rippled through my skin, coursing through the bond. “You have a way to protect yourself with the shadow I gave you.”
His fingers made my skin dance with a burning need, and my eyelids fluttered closed.
Damien was everything I never knew I needed. And Ineededevery part of him. Constantly.
“Did you know that she pierces me with her shadow every fucking time I make her come?” he bragged, as he used his other hand to tug my bottom lip free from my teeth.
“Damien.”
His lips descended on mine. I nipped at one of his piercings and tugged, eliciting a moan from his throat. My desire for him filled every crevice in my mind. His mark, the shadow embedded in my chest, erupted. The buttons from my top popped off as the shadow tendril pierced through Damien’s shoulder.
Again. I winced as he rested his forehead against mine and pulled in a ragged breath. “I’m sorry!”
“Why would you be sorry for giving me what I desire?” He breathed out a chuckle as I willed the shadow to remove itself. I swear it had a mind of its own.
It jerked out of his flesh and slithered back into my chest, splattering Damien’s blood all over the front of me. His blood seeped slowly out of his wound, and he pressed his palm into it with a wide grin.
“Messy demon.” Trixie snorted and snapped her fingers, and his blood dissipated from me. Trixie’s powers were always so useful. I envied the magic she possessed.
Damien pouted his lip at her. “She looked fucking divine coated in my blood.”
Callie’s eyes widened as she glanced down at her feet with a red face.
“She’s going to class, you psycho,” Trixie scolded him. “She can’t wear your blood as an accessory.”
“I can’t seem to control this thing,” I muttered, letting my fingers glide over the spot where the buttons had been on my top. “It does what it wants, and every time you’re around, it always hurts you.”
He grabbed my chin between his index finger and thumb before smirking. “I like the way you hurt me, little bird.”
My entire body lit on fire. It always happened when he was around. Ever since we’d bonded, I couldn’t get enough of him.“Damien.”
“I love it when you say my name,” he purred.
Trixie clapped her hands. “Okay, lover demon, off you go. It’s our time with her now. You all hogged her last term.”
I swallowed hard before nodding. “We do need to get to class.”
He huffed and rolled his eyes before reaching toward my tie and moving it around until it covered the broken buttons. “I’ll be in the shadows.”
“That’s stalking!” Trixie shook her head while Callie looked like she was about to pass out.
“She loves it when I stalk her.” He winked at me before pressing another kiss to my lips. “I love you, little bird.”
“I love you too,” I mumbled against his lips before he faded back into the shadows cast by the cherry blossom tree.
“He’s intense.” Callie glanced up with her face completely reddened. “But you are very sweet together.”
