Page 13 of My Demon Charming

I shake my head.

“I’ve lived the last five years of my life blood-bound to those monsters. Why would I want to do the same to someone else?”

I suddenly feel so horrible. If I’d known the summoning would bind a demon to me, I’d never have performed it. I’d rather die than enslave someone to me.

“Don’t worry, darling boy. Like I said, it’s only until you release me. So if you don’t want to control me, you just perform the exorcism spell, and that’s that.”

I release a long sigh and nod in understanding.

“But…I left it at home. I can’t do it. If you take me back, I c?—”

Lucian touches my face with the back of his hand and strokes my cheekbone with his thumb. It feels so warm and intimate that I find myself frozen in place, embracing the sensation that ripples through me. One of serenity and safety.

“Relax. We can get to that. I just want to make sure you’re all right first.”

He does?

“I think so. I probably need to eat something. That always makes me feel better after a feeding.”

His hand pauses, and he pulls away.

It feels like a slap, but how can I blame him. What the Taylors have been doing to me is disgusting. I wouldn’t want to touch me either if I’d witnessed that.

“How long has that been going on?”

I hug myself as I answer him.

“Five years, give or take. Since they killed my mom.”

Lucian grimaces.

“Are you trying to tell me that little shit did the same thing to your mom?”

“No, not him. His father. Mom married Kevin about ten or so years ago. They were happy at first. But then…he showed his true colors. He was jealous of my mom’s power and wanted it all for himself. Which was when he started feeding on her in order to steal it. Which was when we found out he was already married to Michelle and that he had a grown son. But it was too late then. We were both trapped by that point.”

The demon narrowed his eyes and licked his teeth.

“What is he? This Kevin guy.”

“The same thing as Mason—that’s my stepbrother you just killed. A witch with the power of blood bonding.”

“Blood bonders, huh? I haven’t seen those in some centuries.”

Did he say…?

“Centuries? How old are you?”

“A few hundred years, but don’t concern yourself with my age, darling boy. Demon years don’t compare to human years. We live far longer.”

“Oh,” is all I say. What is there to say? For demons, we’re probably like dogs are to humans. These pathetic, brutal creatures who live only a fraction of a life. And yet we’re the ones who summon them—and, as it turns out, enslave them—for sport.

“So father and son are blood bonders. That means they can borrow the powers of whoever’s blood they drink, right?”

I nod.

“Why are they…assaulting you too?”

That’s a nice way of putting it.

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