Page 31 of Witch's Dawn
"Yes," he said, fingers brushing against my neck now. "God makes sure his way is not easily forgotten. But I'm sure you could easily kill one before it killsyou."
He had a pointthere.
I moved his hand away from my neck. His light, exploratory touches were too distracting, too good at sending shivers through my whole body. But my fingers laced through his as if they had a mind of theirown.
"Here's a question," I said, determined to not let his now gentle squeezes of my fingers distract me. "I grew up knowing who Lucifer and Beelzebub were. How have I never heard ofyou?"
"My full name is Ashtaroth, for one," he said, drawing our hands to his backward beating heart. "And while my two brothers have been ruling the realm of Hell, I've been having much more fun." His eyes flashed with excitement. "Walking the earth disguised as ahuman."
"And you've been doing that since what,forever?"
"Pretty much,yes."
He brushed the back of my palm against the bristles of his beard before planting a lazy kiss there. The friction of roughness followed by the softness of his lips drove me wild. I nearly melted into a hot puddle of fuck-me goo rightthen.
Must not get distracted. I am finally learning valuableinformation.
"Haven't you gotten bored?" I asked. "I mean, how many centuries of life, death, war, and peace does it take to seeeverything?"
"Not at all. That's the fun of it." He flashed a rare smile. "Humanity and all its nuances is incredibly fascinating to observe. I'm not often surprised anymore but alwaysfascinated."
"So what on earth have you been doing all thistime?"
"What demons do best." His smile grew wider. "Turning people away fromGod."
"And toward worshiping thedevil?"
"Not at all." He lowered our still-clasped hands and rested them on my knee. "Lord Lucifer wishes for nothing. He only wants to give what Godforbids."
I swallowed. My throat grewparched.
"And thatis?"
He leaned in close again, his forehead barely brushing against mine as my heart skipped abeat.
"Knowledge," he whispered. "Awareness. Independence. Empowerment. Carnal pleasure. Everything the forbidden fruit stood for." He pulled away a few inches, just far enough to look at me with a steely, intense gaze. "And whatyoustoodfor."
"Me?" I blinked. "What do you mean,me?"
"You're no ordinary witch, Deja. You must know that." His commanding voice gave a hint apleading.
"Well yeah because I've just found out about it after believing my whole life that witchcraft and devil worship were the same thing," Isaid.
He sighed as if disappointed and pulled away from me, releasing our hands. Already my body cried out with craving histouch.
"Are you aware of the dark magic in your aura?" heasked.
"Yes, I may have absorbed some demon magic in the womb which killed mymother."
His lips pressed into a tightline.
"I suggest you spend some time with it. Meditate on it and explore that aspect of your abilities. You may have found it already talking to you indreams."
Before the shock could fully settle in, he pressed a soft kiss to my lips and looked at me mournfully, like he didn't want toleave.
"Until next time, Deja," he whispered, anddisappeared.
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