“You want to dance? Fine. We’ll dance.”
She rolls her eyes, and her fingers circle my wrist. “You’re infuriating.”
“I’ve been called many things before but never infuriating.” I lean down and whisper in her ear. “Won’t you feel safer grinding that perfect little ass on me instead of some asshole who thinks his dick is the greatest gift to women?”
“I’m not admitting that, but I won’t stop you if you come with me,” she says stubbornly.
“Good girl,” I murmur, and she shivers. I tuck away that little piece of information for later. While witches and demons don’t usually hook up, I’m done resisting her. Not that I tried very hard before. She’s too perfect, too enticing. If I’m not careful, she’ll be my downfall. I’m not sure I particularly care, though. For now, I’m going to enjoy being with her while I don’t feel like shit. I’ll deal with Omen and Providence and my curse tomorrow. Or the next time I’m in Hell.
I bury my face in her neck and spear my magic out to create a path. If I’m not careful, someone will spot my mask slipping and we’ll be in trouble. I’m not ready to make a mad dash for the exit just yet.
She strains against me, and I lead us toward the middle of the crowd. I spot another witch among the humans, her skin glittering in the party lights flashing over the throng. This must be the infamous Percy. Witches aren’t hard to spot when you know what to look for, and Percy isn’t any different.
The gap closes behind us, leaving us with a bubble of space and I force us to stop. Percy’s eyebrows climbs higher, disappearing under her swooping bangs. Her gaze snaps to Mari and she presses her lips together. Mari does a weird flopping thing with her hand, and I can feel her roll her eyes. Mostly because her entire body tries to roll with them. A grin splits my face.
Mari tips her head back and gestures me down. I duck closer and her lips brush my ear. If she feels my cock hardening against her back, she doesn’t give any indication.
“Percy’s my best friend. Be nice.”
I turn my head, our mouths almost touching, and her eyes grow wide. “Are you fucking her?”
I meant to be more tactful when I asked. Subtly isn’t in my repertoire tonight. Besides, she probably wouldn’t pick up on it in her tipsy state. She shakes her head, her brows pulling low. Realization dawns and she grins.
“Are you jealous?”
“Nope. Just wondering,” I mutter, though I don’t think she hears me over the music.
The lie sits on my tongue as she turns back to Percy. I press a light kiss to her neck, then straighten. I don’t know why I did it, but the taste of her washes away the falsehood. It takes all my focus to empty my mind and not whisk her away.
Percy scowls at me, though that’s not surprising. To her, I look like some random man Mari picked from the crowd. With my arm around her waist and her relaxed state, I’m sure this doesn’t look good.
Unless she knows I’m a demon.
That would complicate things. Most witches know more than Mari does about us, but they also don’t like us very much. There’s a fraught history between our kinds. If Percy’s been taught any of the saga, she’s sure to attack me. I don’t know how Mari will react to that. Being put between her best friend and me, she’s sure to pick her friend. I’d expect no less.
“We should dance,” I murmur into her ear.
Her hips are already swaying, keeping time with the music swirling around us. A man comes up behind Percy and lightly touches her arm. They exchange a few words, and her hands end up behind his neck while his hands fall to her hips.
As Mari moves, her ass grinds into my cock. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. I’m going to end up throwing her over my shoulder and taking her someplace more secluded. The alleydidn’t seem too dirty. I doubt she’d appreciate fucking there, though. Like hell would I take her in the bathroom. Only assholes and degenerates fuck women in a public toilet. Then again, I’ve probably had dirtier experiences.
Mari doesn’t deserve something quick and dirty. She’s worth more than that. She deserves candlelight and flower petals and wooing. So much fucking wooing. Except I don’t know how to woo a witch.
Mari turns and presses her palms to my chest. I wish she was gazing at my actual form instead of this skinsuit I hastily threw on. She raises an eyebrow as her body slithers against me. Her tits brush against me, and my cock hardens even more, though I didn’t think it’d be possible.
She says something, but it’s too quiet—too slurred—for me to understand. Those drinks are finally hitting her. My main job won’t be dancing, it’ll be keeping her upright. With her flushed cheeks and pert nose, I don’t think I’ve seen a sight more adorable. She scowls, only endearing her to me more. If I’m not careful, I’ll fall hard for her.
It wouldn’t be so bad. Until she rejected me. Or I was called to Hell once more. If I can’t break this curse, I’ll end up bouncing around dimensions, leaving her for days, weeks, months. No one should live like that. Always waiting for someone to come home. I don’t know if I’ll be able to resist her. Especially with the way she’s moving against me.
I get lost in the music, in the thrumming of bass within my blood, in her glittering gaze. It’s not until Percy’s waving her toward the edge of the dance floor I let her go. Trailing behind, I stand just out of earshot while the friend sends me dirty looks. When she leaves with the guy she was dancing with, I’m surprised.
Mari smiles lazily at me. “You’ll take me home, right?”
I nod, then lead her outside into the cool night air. She fans her face and lets out a deep sigh. When she wobbles, I wrap an arm around her waist and guide her into the alley. I have no idea if I’ll be able to transport her through the void. It might reject us, throw us out into some desolate wasteland. Or we could end up right where we’re supposed to be.
“I don’t know how my curse?—”
She sways in my hold, her eyes already shut. “Don’t care. Home, please.”
