Page 38 of The Devil of London

The moment he entered the circle, the power hissed as flames erupted from the candles. Khaos stepped closer as the circle began spinning around us. The erotic humming in the circle’s air caused my nipples to harden, and I tensed my thighs to keep from shifting. Lust rushed through me—raw, heady, and unchecked. Goosebumps spread over my flesh as his thumb traced over my palm.

“You’re going to need to release my hand,” I whispered through the need tightening my throat.

“What if I don’t want to release it?” he countered huskily.

My stare lifted to his as I licked my dry lips. Khaos’s hand slid to the small of my back, jerking me flush against his body. The feel of his thick, erect cock against my belly had my lashes dusting against my cheeks. A shiver rushed through me as he lowered his heated mouth and whispered into my ear.

“I feel you within me, brat. Do you feel me inside you?” The raspy tone he spoke in had arousal rushing to my pussy.

“Yes,” I admitted, fighting to hold back the moan.

The magic I pulled from came from both Hecate and Lilith. One time, I had come so fucking hard I squirted. Of course, I’d thought I’d pissed myself and was thankful I’d been alone, so the embarrassment was mine alone to experience. I was praying I didn’t have another sexual seizure, as I’d termed it, here.

Khaos’s soul was brushing against mine as our minds linked. It was euphoric, magical, and right. His soul against mine felt right. Khaos had always been my quicksand. The one man I continually sank to my knees for. He was the only man I’d ever questioned my sanity for. With him, I felt like I was home. This sadistic sociopath was the man I wanted, more than my next breath.

“How do I feel inside you?” he murmured, his words rushing through me as if he were fucking my soul and liked it!

“Euphoric and right,” I admitted. I could not lie inside the circle. If I did, I’d taint the magic of it. He knew it too. “How do I feel inside you?” Chancing a peek up at him, I found his eyes heavy with lust. The tic pounding in his cheek caused my heart to clench. Obviously, he didn’t like me drifting through him.

“Like you’ve always been there.”

My eyes widened, but then his fingers slipped from mine, which had only our palms connecting as the circle took control of us. The moment our palms connected, the rope wrapped around our wrist, binding us together. Dark, inky shadows slithered over our bodies, forcing us even closer together. Vines ripped from my spine, twisted around my ankles, and then up to cross behind his lower back. My eyes rounded as the magic began forcing us into a coupling position.

“That’s new,” he said, with mirth sparkling in his eyes.

“Lilith chooses how we fit before blessing the spell,” I offered in explanation.

“I’m aware of what Lilith prefers. Any woman who isn’t afraid of her own sexuality or eroticism is worth studying, after all.” My chest pressed against his until I was certain he could feel the tempestuous beating of my heart.

The wind howled around us as the circle began melding us in the minds of those who’d trespassed against him. Khaos’s body heat drifted against my chilled flesh, sending warmth fluttering through me. His hard cock was forced against my lower lips until it felt as if they were wrapping around the monstrous beast. The whole bun-for-the-hot-dog pun held a new meaning. As if he felt it as acutely as I did, his hand, which wasn’t bound to mine, slid to my ass, moving me against him.

“That’s not needed,” I warned as my clit began to pulse.

“No, it’s not needed. It’s wanted. You’re soaked, brat. It’s been a long time since we’ve been this close together inside your circle.”

“It will be nice to wait another fifty years to do it again. Right?” I offered a split second before the knowledge of him marrying another shot through my mind. The wind howled as it sensed my unease.

“It won’t be fifty years. You’ll be coming to my house tomorrow night. It’s not negotiable, Aderyn.”

It was then that the singing began inside the circle, but no one outside of it would hear the Irish traditional signing, melismatic, melodic Sean-nós tune. It was a woman’s voice singingA ógánaigh an chúil chraobhaigh.It was hauntingly beautiful, but impractical and unneeded.

“Do you know the words?” Khaos asked.

“Quiet, I’m working on my big-witch energy.” Closing my eyes against the disarming smile spreading over his lips, I felt the world spinning around us. “Heed my call, Lilith. Assist us in discovering who has betrayed Nasir.” The Lilith glyphs shot through my mind as an owl hooted in the distance. The vines holding us together became snakes, and I shiver in apprehension before pressing closer to the masculine form I was wrapped around.

“Don’t like snakes, love?”

“No,” I admitted. Meowing sounded all around us as the world slowed to a stop, along with the music. “Do not step on the cats. Don’t look at the owl either. She doesn’t like it,” I warned. Sliding down his frame and getting my first good look around us. Peering at the street sign, I tried to recall when we had built a homeless shelter in Tophet. “When did we get a homeless shelter?” I asked softly.

“It was built in the early 70s because it was needed. I required a place to hide people, and it worked to keep others from finding them. No one likes going to a homeless shelter. They’re uncomfortable in them, which means they tend to be distracted when they do enter them,” he replied as his fingers threaded through mine. It made sense why he’d built it. He’d used the brothels for a similar reason. People who were uncomfortable tended to get in and out quickly, while they missed things in their haste. “We need to get closer.” At his statement, we both turned at the sound of voices. “There’s Thomas, Aderyn.”

“Are you going to kill the kid?”

“Are you fond of him?”

“Sorta,” I replied.

“Yes,” he said matter-of-factly. I paused, which caused him to do so as well. Startling blue-gold eyes slid to mine, and his smile was almost . . . teasing. Khaos’s eyes had only turned that dizzying shade when his own magic was working, which meant he was trying to learn my secrets through my spell. “He’s just a kid, love. You know that I don’t enjoy killing children.”

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