Page 33 of My Demon Charming

Maybe that’s what finding your soulmate is really like. Maybe this is how it’s supposed to feel. This feeling like you’re going crazy but wouldn’t have it any other way.

But I’d rather be crazy and free and his than someone else’s puppet.

“Come here.” I take his hand and pull back the tentacles. “If I’m going to be free, so are you.”

I step up to the edge of the circle and bite my lip. “Can you help?”

Lucian steps forward. I shake my head. “Not you.”

What do you think? The monster takes back control of the tentacles and slices away at the spell until there’s not a shred of it left, sucking in all of its magic.

“I have to admit. You’re even more charming as an eldritch witch. Power suits you.”

I smirk and pull us both out of the previously magical circle and toward the hall.

“One moment.” Lucian stops and whistles.

Brimfang appears right in front of us.

“Hey, girl.” He stretches his free hand, and Brimfang steps into it. “I thought you’d like a snack.”

Brim enjoys Lucian’s ear scratches for a moment or two, then demands some from me with a purr. I use both my hand and tentacles and her purr gets louder.

Kitty.

“Kitty indeed.” I laugh when Brim sets her eyes on the pieces of Kevin’s body.

Her purr turns into a roar, and she jumps across the room at him, wasting no time chomping on the dead bastard.

“There’s more food in the cellar, dear. Enjoy.” Lucian’s eyes turn into slits, and while I’d love nothing more than to enjoy seeing Kevin and company turned into cat food, I’ve got more important things to do.

Like free my soulmate.

I find the book that came with the kit in Kevin’s room, of course, and take it upstairs to the attic. Lucian sits by the bed while I redraw the circle on the floor and light the black candles.

“You truly don’t have to do this,” he says.

“Yes, I do.”

His smile gets bigger, brighter, like the fucking sun, and I can’t stop staring at it, even if it threatens to blind me.

I would never be happy if he was bound to me. I would never feel good about myself. I have to do this, for both our sakes.

And if he chooses to leave me…then that’s okay too. I’ll find a way to live without him. I’ll always burn for him though. Always.

I take the knife and cut my other palm. The blood pours over the chalk and the monster inside flexes its muscles.

It’s stronger.

Blood sacrifice doesn’t only invoke the eldritch monsters. It strengthens them, if that’s even possible.

“You’ve heard my call, our pact is done.

Though you’re bound, now you’re not.

Hear this chant, you are released,

Our contract is forever unleashed.”

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