Page 54 of The Wickedness of Man

It wasn’t like I was some stranger to sleeping with women, but honestly, couldn’t think of a time when I’d said cringier things than what I was saying right now. Magda looked flattered, rather than frightened, as I figured any other woman might, but I forced my mouth shut before I said something else idiotic.

“You don’t have to make me feel better. You’re sweet for trying though,” she said with a dimpled smile, allowing me an out.

I couldn’t take it. This near to her, the smell of her, the touch of her… the higher functionality of my brain kicked itself to the curb. I was about to begin shaking with need. I’d never knownanything like this—was this the power of a succubus? If she tried to send me away, it might literally devastate me.

Or is it because of whatyou’rebecoming?I thought distantly.You failed to mention to her that you’re going to be a demon any day now, too.

“I’m not,” I replied, my voice low, hungry, “being sweet. I’m a complete and total selfish asshole, and I can’t stop thinking about how badly I want to have you again. In fact, it’s taking asubstantialamount of my willpower to keep myself from ripping that sheet away and taking you. There is nothing sweet or innocent in what I feel about this.”

I can’t stop talking. Why can’t I stop? Stop talking. Stop talking! Shut up!

Magda’s mouth parted, ever so, surprise painting her features. I leaned forward and kissed her, trying not to be rough, but desperately needing to taste her. I grasped her chin in my hand—incapable of being as gentle as I wanted—and turned her face up to mine. She allowed me to move her; granted me more access to her inviting lips and the nervous tongue darting out to wet them, past the fangs, which had faded but were coming back, bit by bit. I kissed her again, sliding my hands to either side of her neck and cradling her as I explored her taste and the feeling of her tongue against mine.

With some effort, I sat back, trying to keep myself from pushing things too far, too fast. I could scarcely breathe; my heart was hammering so hard in my chest I thought I might start shaking. I’d never—never—had to fight my own want so badly.

“When you kiss me like that, I would believe anything you tell me,” she whispered. Her eyes were a deep, lustrous gray, heavy with desire. She touched her lips with her fingers. “What Dr. Lowe said must be true… that I really am a succubus. I’ve never had this… effect… on men before.”

“I find itverydifficult to believe,” I told her, stroking her dark hair back away from her face, “that succubus or not, you’ve never driven a man senseless with want.”

She blushed, tried to look away, but I caught her chin again. I had to say something—I had to tell her about me—about my suspicions with the doctor. I tried to wrestle my brain under control, but instead, I kissed her again.

The urge to be inside of her shook me. I’d left the organization fully intending to get her to safety and flee as quickly as possible, but I couldn’t stop touching her; couldn’t stop kissing her. I laid her down against the bed, knowing that all that was between her glorious body and mine was a thin sheet of fabric. She wrapped her legs around my waist and I growled as I focused my attention on the taste of her mouth; her hands sliding beneath my shirt and scratching lightly against my skin. She bit my lower lip as I drew my head back and moaned. I could taste blood, but I didn’t care. I went to kiss her again, but Magda went still beneath me.

I looked down at her, and there were tears welling in her eyes. “My parents were right about me. They always told me that sex was the pathway to Hell, but I don’t think I could haveeverimagined they meant it quite so literally. I’m amonsternow. They were right. Oh god?—”

“No,” I said. I couldn’t bear the sadness welling within her.

I kissed her cheeks, and then the corners of her eyes, my tongue flicking out to taste the salt of her unshed sorrow on my lips. “You’re not a horrible person, demon or no. I’ve met my fair share of monsters, and you are definitely not among their number.”

Hell, I’ve got more blood on my hands than you ever will. If thereisa monster in this room, it’s not you. I was a monster before I ever knew I was a demon.

“You said you hunt demons,” Magda said. She’d stopped crying; she was looking at my mouth, studying it. She lifted a hand and ran her thumb across my lower lip, where the evidence of her teeth marks had left little droplets of blood that now pattered her cheek. Even that small touch sent a thrill through me at the possibility of more.

“Only until recently,” I admitted. “The truth is, Magda, you weren’t the only one who had no idea about their demonic nature before meeting Dr. Lowe.”

She didn’t look away from my mouth but whispered, “You’re a succubus, too?”

I smirked. “Something like that.”

“Then… we’re both… we’re both demons.”

“Yes,” I answered. Another drop of my blood dripped down and landed on her lips.

Her tongue darted out and and she tasted it; her eyes glowed a fierce, devious purple, and she finally looked up into my face. “So we’re both monsters now.”

“Yes,” I whispered, kissing her. “We’re the same. If you’re a monster, then so am I.”

I had to have more of her. Ihadto. I was a fool to think that I would ever survive without her touch. My decision to get her to safety and then leave her… how the fuck would I ever manage to do such a stupid thing? Her voice brought shivers down my spine. Her kiss was like a drug. From the moment I’d seen her, I’d wanted her so badly that I didn’t know how I was going to live without being able to be near her again.

This woman… she was mine.

I felt myself get even harder as she bit her lips, a little bit of fang peeking through. Magda’s eyes deepened to a dark, violet color that left me mesmerized. “Then we should be monstrous together. It’s only natural… right?”

She slid her hand around the back of my neck and pulled my head toward hers. Our mouths met in a tangle of tongues, blood and saliva smearing as we consumed each other. Her lips parted to welcome more of me, and I deepened the kiss as that same pulsating thrum began to vibrate between us once more, like a heartbeat our bodies shared. I sat back and yanked my shirt off and threw it to the floor before I started working on my pants. I had no other clothes; couldn’t risk Magda ripping these, too. As I stripped down to my boxers and had to fight the elastic band off my erection, she let the sheet slip away, revealing her beautiful body and a dark tangle of hair between her thighs.

I swallowed, audibly. She was even sexier than I’d remembered, if that was possible.

“Wait…” she gasped, taking in the sight of me as I watched her. “I know we’ve already… once, but… I’m not on birth control or anything… I don’t have any… y’know.” She offered me a nervous smile. “Since I’m… I was… a virgin.”

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