Page 12 of Witch's Rebirth
In the next instant he was kneeling on the floor next to me, his hand around my wrist. Fuck me, I could handle him at a distance but up close? I wanted to wrap myself in his smell, his strength, his heat. His stormy eyes burned into mine and a few strands of dark hair fell over his forehead. My other hand itched to push them back and continue with running my fingers over his scalp.
Magic crackled through the air between us and I fought to tell myself that was all this was. Nothing but magic enhanced and inflated by artificial means due to Beelzebub's selfishness. But a small part of me remembered that magic wasn't possible without a spark. Something real to build upon. Even casting a glamour illusion needed something to disguise in the first place.
A suddenclicktore my gaze away from him and down to the floor. The teacup had repaired itself like new. Not a single chip remained on the floor and there were no cracks to show it had been broken at all.
"Thanks," I said begrudgingly, running my fingers over the cup to keep myself distracted from looking at his face.
"If you don't want me here, just say the word and I'll leave," he snapped bitterly.
My head jerked up. "What?"
"I heard what you told them." His aura brimmed with wounded pride and hurt feelings. "Believe it or not, I don't live to make your life miserable. I have no desire to stay where I'm not wanted.”
Shocked, I blinked. This was the most raw and emotional I'd ever seen Seth and it threw me for a loop. To say I was confused was the biggest understatement of the year, but not just because of him acting like this. The worst part was I couldn't tell him to go. My mouth refused to say the words.
"I'm not the boss of you," I deflected. "You're not a prisoner, remember? You're welcome to stay or go as you please. But if you leave, you're on your own without our protection." Internally I cringed at adding that last warning. I sounded too desperate at wanting him to stay.
He laughed dryly, leaning back just enough to give me room to breathe. He propped his elbow up on his knee and raked long fingers through his dark hair, his slender bicep jumping to life at the movement.Oh fucking Lucifer, help me.
"We both know that's not true." He peered up at me with his head tilted adorably from resting on his hand. "If we're gonna sever this thing between us, one of us has to outright tell the other to fuck off for good. That's the only way this," he gestured at our auras sparking as they touched in midair between us, "will end and we can finally move on with our lives." His eyes flashed with challenge. "I'm in your turf so you have to be the one to end it, Deja. So do it. Tell me to leave and I'll be out of your life forever."
My heart raced with panic at the thought of him being gone. Butwhy?I barely knew him and didn't even like the guy.
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't bring myself to say the words. I knew on some level that meant I didn't want him to leave. I wanted him here. But I didn't want him likethat, did I? Physically I did, yes. Everyone could see that. But all I truly wanted was to be in my happy, comfortable routine with the three men I already knew and loved. I didn't want to change what was already there.
He took my chin firmly but not roughly, his fingertips somehow charged with a spark I felt all the way down to my toes. An involuntary shudder went through me and I didn't dare to think of anything more happening. How could a simple touch like this affect me so much? It was like when Ash first touched me.
"You can't." He read both of our minds, sounding defeated. His hand on my face dropped away. "You can't tell me to go and I can't walk away from you. So where does that leave us?"
"Nowhere different than yesterday," I answered defiantly. "We're still human, capable of choice and rational thought. We're not slaves to... whatever this is."
A knowing smile spread across his face and I realized how rare it was to see. Smiling took his edge off just slightly but still sent my heart jumping into my throat.
"That's where you're wrong, Deja," he said almost sadly. "Weareslaves to this and as long as you allow me here, it's just a matter of time before we succumb." Before I could protest, he held up a finger and touched it gently to my lips. "I know exactly how you're feeling now because I feel it on my end, too. It's not just my incubus blood working on you. It'syouworking onme."
I stood up so quickly, my vision dotted from becoming lightheaded. If I stayed sitting any longer with him on that floor with his hands on me and him getting so close, I knew I would've kissed him or worse.
My feet took me up the stairs without another word, dying for as much distance between our bodies as possible. I found Sal exercising in one of the empty bedrooms and stopped in the doorway to not only admire the view, but redirect all this sexual energy to where it should be. Onmyman.
He took the closet doors off and installed a crude pull-up bar, which he used in ways I didn't know were possible. The hills and valleys of his back muscles jumped and flexed as he pulled himself up, then touched his knees to his elbows with fluid precision. I tiptoed up behind him as he finished his set, despite him already knowing I was there.
"Hey, sexy lion." I wrapped my arms around his middle as I pressed my lips to his back. His warmth and his smell were so comforting, I immediately began to relax.
"Hey." He spun around to face me and he wasn't smiling. His green eyes had a coldness to them that I never saw before.
"Want to finish what we started earlier?" I stood on tiptoe to reach his lips, only to receive an emotionless peck from him.
"Why, so you can fantasize abouthim?"
If he slapped me across the face, it would have shocked me less. I stood frozen, stunned. "What?"
"If you want to fuck him, just fuck him, Deja." The words came out bitterly, spitting poison on my heart. "But don't come running to me whenhe'sthe one getting you all hot and bothered. Come to me when you wantme."
"Idowant you!" I insisted, feeling myself come apart from the inside out. He was rejecting me? How could this be happening? "Sal, I love you. Please don't do this to me."
"I love you, too." His voice softened just slightly. "That's why I can't handle you doing this. Just be honest with yourself, and with us. Whether you need to get him out of your system or want to keep him around, we'll deal with it. But there's no point in pretending anymore, beautiful."
I leaned heavily against his chest, all the mental and emotional strength sucked out of me. He stroked a hand through my hair and dropped a kiss to the top of my head, but I still felt the detachment in his actions and it killed me.
