Page 85 of All Your Bloody Lies

“Damn, you got me,” I remark, chuckling.

Silence hangs for a moment. I try to focus on the instructions as best I can. When I was Mundane, I had ADHD, which didn’t really go away with my immortality. The desire to just wing it is nearly overpowering. I physically have to put the packet down, or else I’d just toss it into the trash.

“Your tattoo,” she says, releasing a heavy, lingering breath, “I... When did you get the one on your back?”

“It was actually the first one I got when I turned eighteen. Yeah, I know, crazy to get a full back piece but I said, fuck it. Why not go for it?” I break the eggs into the bowl then mix in the milk before going to the microwave to warm the butter. I don’t have a mixer, and I really don’t want clumps. “I had the idea for a long time, and my parents were the church-going type, so I had to wait until I was old enough to go myself to get it.”

I peek over at her, and she’s got a peculiar expression. “Don’t like it?”

“Um.” She shakes her head. “No, that isn’t it. They are gates, why did you choose to get gates? Where are they leading you to?”

“Well, the beauty lies in letting anyone interpret where they lead. That’s precisely why they rest on my back – concealing my face, allowing room for imagination to explore the paths they lead to.

“For me, I’ve traversed the gates of my life, and that’s why they trail behind me, not in front.”

She lowers her head. “Little demon, what is it?”

“When I feed, I see gates opening to the person’s lifeforce. I’ve never seen your back until now, and…” She bites her lip and crosses her arms, slightly hunched over. “Never mind. It just reminded me of it.”

I want to push her, but I know doing so will only backfire. There is a reason she stopped herself, and although I’m not one to hesitate to force my cock down her throat, she enjoys that, not this. At least she made some comment. Perhaps over time, I can piece together the puzzle of this demon.

“The butter is melted,” she says, prompting me to hurriedly grab it and add it to the bowl for mixing.

Silence hangs once more as I finish up making the slightly burnt pancakes. I remembered to keep honey, which is odd, but I’m not here to question her strange food choices. Then, along with a glass of tomato juice, I present it in front of her.

She graces me with a gorgeous smile and says, “Thank you,” before eagerly devouring the plate. As she finishes, she silently clears not only her plate, but also the mess I inadvertently made. I’m not even sure how, but the pre-packed powder seems to have ended up everywhere, including on me.

“How did they taste?” I’m surprised at the slight nervousness in my tone. Do I actually care if they were good or not?

“They were good, thanks again,” she says beside me, licking her thumb and swiping it across my chin. “Maybe less honey, but that was on me. I should have said I’d put it on.”

“Less honey, got it.” As she drops her hand, I take her wrist into mine. “Can’t leave the kitchen without payment,” I say playful. “I’ll take a kiss instead of a swipe of a card.”

The gentle release of her breath is shaky.

I tilt my head slightly, waiting patiently.

“Kai…” I can see her struggling. There is pain behind her eyes, but I don’t know why it’s there. All I desire is for her to be an open book, allowing me to decipher each line of her fears, to continue unraveling the layers of this enigmatic, vengeance-driven demon.

I gently bring her wrist to my lips and kiss it before releasing it. “I’ll just keep a tab.”

She grabs hold of her wrist but doesn’t make a move to step away from me.

“I’m… just not this type of girl.” Her arms tighten at her sides, and she pulls her hands to her chest. “I don’t know how to be, and truthfully, I don’t know if I want to be.”

I put my hands up in defense. “It’s just a kiss—”

“It’s notjusta kiss. I don’t dojusta kiss, Kai.”

“Oh, little demon,” I take a deep breath in and shake my head. “Then you don’t have to kiss me.”

“I’m just…”

I put my hand behind her neck and gently pull her to my chest. My other hand moves to rest against her back, and in small circles, I rub gently. “I get it, you don’t need to give me any explanation.”

She lets out apfftand shakes her head.

“Let’s move on, hmm?” She lifts her chin and nods. “Can we talk about it? Last night… and beyond that?”

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