Page 84 of Broken Shadows

“What the fuck, Evie? Stop this.”

I gasp for breath and lean up on the heel of my hands. “You apologized! I can’t fucking believe it.”

His gaze darkens. “No, I did not.”

I hurl myself into him and his arms squeeze me to his chest. “Yes, you absolutely did.” My lips graze the hollow of his throat as I press a quick kiss against his skin. I breathe him in and sigh. “You did. But I’ll let it go because you gave me so many fucking orgasms I literally can’t stand.”

Lorcan pulled me tighter against his body. “A wise decision, as I’ll never admit to uttering such horseshit.” My heart backflips as he presses a kiss to the top of my head. “Let’s go back to the house and try to convince the others.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Evie

Shutting out the desire for benzos, alcohol, and sex suddenly feels like the hardest thing in the world. As if there’s a part of me that wishes we can all stay in this house forever, trapped in a blissful delusion.

I glance down at the bridge beneath me, my eyes tracking the shadow of a large water wraith ominously slipping under my feet—a reminder of what happened to the souls who came here and thought the same thing.

Lorcan’s at my side first when I walk away from the house, his illusion already shattered, although I feel the desire pulsing through our bond like an elastic band that could snap at any moment. My ass is still aching from earlier and all I can think about is him taking me again like that, again and again until I’m so sore I can’t walk.

Careful, Little Witch,Lorcan says into my mind.You smell like you need to be fucked.

I smirk, wanting nothing more than to tease him into chasing me again. But we can’t. We have to keep going and not to mention, we’re surrounded by my friends. Damnit. How can he occupy my thoughts like this so damned much?

We keep walking and I exhale shakily, pulling a loose shard of grass from my hair and bite my lip.

Aiden clears his throat from behind us, and I glance over my shoulder. Aiden and Gideon walk a few paces behind us, followed by Rosa and Ezra, who can’t keep their eyes off each other.

Rosa catches my eye after ogling Ezra’s muscles and I lift a brow. I mean, I get it. It’s not like I haven’t felt the allure of a demon brother. In fact, I still can’t keep my eyes off him now.

Rosa points toward a forest of tall, brittle gray trees wearing a crown of purple leaves. “That wasn’t here earlier.”

“It was,” Lorcan says with a grunt and shoves his hands in his pockets. “We just couldn’t see it through our haze.”

Rosa shakes her head, her fingers pressing against her temples. “I should have known better,” she says, breathlessly as she cradles Gomez in her arms, “than to have lost myself in a blissful feeling. Especially one artificially created.” Her brown gaze travels briefly to Ezra, who's waiting a few paces behind us, then back to me and sighs. “Let’s go. Hopefully, Lucifer’s Court is just beyond those trees.”

Gideon shakes his head. “It’s another trial.”

“Ever the pessimist,” Rosa retorts, but Gideon’s right. It probably is.

I glance over my shoulder. The house fades the further we walk, like an out-of-focus photograph. The heightened desire slips away the further we walk, the feeling quickly replaced with uncertainty.

I breathe in Lorcan’s scent, my stomach flipping at the smell as he comes up beside me and slides his hand in mine. I guess we’re holding hands now. My heart does a little stutter, to remind me I am falling, even though I shouldn’t. He’s a demon and while things have been fun, seductive, and even intimate, Lorcan cannot love me. Demons cannot love.

Yet, with a gentle squeeze to my fingers, I’m reminded of all the things he’s said, of all the sweet touches and caresses and wonder if he can and if he does. It’s just he was so thoughtful of me earlier, of my pleasure and consent. Surely, it means something.

His dark eyes find mine as he side-eyes me, his voice sultry and deep in our bond.What are you thinking about, Little Witch?

Heat flushes my neck and cheeks, and I look away.Nothing.

He clears his throat, then speaks through our bond.You’re flustered. Now I’m really intrigued.

Don’t be,I bite into his mind.It’s not about sex.

Fuck. Why am I acting like such a bitch? I don’t look at him when he tugs me closer.

His voice comes through tender, more inquisitive.Are you thinking about us?

I don’t answer. Because why? Am I embarrassed about feeling this way? For falling for him. Oh, Hell. I really am. Every word he spews is either a fucking bruise to my heart, or the ointment that heals it.

---