Page 87 of All Your Bloody Lies

She rolls her eyes, but I see the smile she tries to hid behind her arms, “Stupid…” her murmur is cute. “Anyway, I’ve been looking for them for about six years. It took me some time to really… come to terms with what happened, and what I was.

“My mother had told me my father was an Incubus—” she says, stealing a glance at me as I maintain a neutral expression. “—When she notified me of his, for all intents and purposes, death. However, I had shown no signs of being one, and she wasn’t sure if I was even his. A lot came out of that meeting with her, including her trying to kill me. She was who I was visiting at Eldritch that day.”

Dropping her legs, she sighs and leans back onto her hands, the fire flickering in her eyes as she stares into it. “It wasn’t until those days in the shipping container that what I truly was came to life. I just didn’t know how to use it; how to harness thedemonthey created. So, I spent these past ten years becoming it.”

I wait eagerly. Gods, I do not want to interrupt. I want her to keep talking. It’s a stupid question to ask how she survived all of this, because she didn’t. Surviving would indicate that she had not been reborn into something different, and I cannot imagine the beautiful creature sitting beside me is the same person she was when she was taken. No, she had emerged as a redefined, potent incarnationof her former self.

“I’ve done incredibly horrible things, and I have no remorse for them. Even those that you or others would deem innocent, I have no pity for, because no one did for me.” A toothy grin laces across her lips. “Morals, who needs them?”

Her eyes meet mine, and she softens her expression, “I’m psychotic, and maybe I do get that from the woman that birthed me. I made Dominic suck Dante’s dick until he came down his throat, then made Dante shoot Dominic in the head. I was so turned on, oh my Gods.” She falls back and laughs, her fingers running up and through her hair. “Watching them suffer, fuck me, it was a euphoria I didn’t realize I could have, and I get to do it three more times.”

The gentle hum she releases makes my stomach tighten with need.Holy shit, this woman…

“I’d like to say that was the first time I’ve been truly happy in ten years…” When her hands move down to her eyes, covering them, she takes a deep breath. “That would be a lie, even if in the moments before killing them I thought it would be. I’ve felt the same way whenever Sydni flutters her way into my apartment unannounced. Or whenever I see your dumb ass face.”

It isn’t the fire that blazes my skin and makes me take a silent breath.

Her arm drapes across her eyes, and she smiles, “Stupid prick.” The words catch in her throat, “Stupid good-looking prick.”

I’m over her in seconds, my legs straddling her hips, guiding her arm away to hold her gaze. Though she hasn’t shed tears, I can see her eyes turning red. I’ve never seen her cry, and something tells me I never will.

“It’s okay to be happy and still seek revenge, Xera,” I offer with a smile. “I’m glad my dumb face brings joy to my little demon. Does that mean I don’t have to stalk you in the shadows anymore?”

She presses her lips together, fighting the laugh that bubbles from her throat. “I’ll think about it.”

“That isn’t a no, which is perfect for me.”

“Kai?” I have to physically restrain myself because I’m about to kiss her when she calls my name.

“Yes?”

“I can never give you what you want,” she says, her gaze shifting between my eyes. The moonlight in them brighter now that she’s full. “Not until I get everything I want, and even then, I can’t promise anything. I’ve never been able to open my gate to anyone, not even Sydni. I’ll push you away. I’ll hurt you. I’ll ruin your life. All of these things are inevitable with me.”

My chest tightens, not from fear or pain from her words, but from that one word she hates.

She reaches up and brushes my hair over my shoulder, which has in turn fallen onto her. “The smartest thing is to just let me go and stop being ‘my’ stalker. Go back to whatever good life you had before being assigned to find me because the one thing I can promise is that I will fuck it all up for you.”

“Is that what you want?” I ask quickly, not wanting to hear further bullshit from her mouth. It isn’t a question I need a verbal answer to because I already know how she feels. I may not be someone she’ll ever love, but I can give her what she needs and wants. I’m enough of a fool to be okay with that.

If all my little demon ever wanted from me was to feed and satisfy her, I would give it, because my obsession with her has ruined any chance I’ll ever give her freedom from me.

“No one has ever really asked what I wanted when it matters,” she finally says after a brief pause. “I don’t, but you should.”

I laugh through closed lips, a smirk pulling at the corner. “One of these days you’ll stop telling me what I should and shouldn’t do.”

When she frowns, I lean down closer to her. “If you walk out of here, I’ll only chase you.” I prop myself up onto an elbow, our bodies flushed together. “I told you I liked the hunt. Especially when it’s that tight ass I’m after.”

The soft crackle of the fire fills our moment of silence.

“If you think because I have a nice place and fancy car, I had a good life before meeting you, Xera, you are very much mistaken. It’s now that I feel like I’m truly living.”

Her eyes search mine, seeking out the lie, I’m sure. When those delectable cherry-red lips turn upward into a smile, I’m captivated.

“Fucking weirdo.” Her arms loop over my neck, pulling me to her before I can laugh. She turns her head, deepening our kiss, and I’m ready to lose myself in her.

29

Xeraphine

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