Page 12 of Unbound By Shadows
With a jolt of clarity, his eyes widened. He realized why she’d appeared familiar to him. Desire pounded through him so swiftly it made him tremble.
Demon. She looks like a demon.
Female demons were known for their beauty. Most were born as Tempters, using their charms, curvaceous bodies, and enigmatic eyes as a tool to feed on the emotions and actions of mortals. Unlike the Punisher class of demons such as Sam, female demons spent most of their time among the living.
Demon! What was she doing here?
Who sent her?
Why didn’t I sense her arrival?
A wisp of the pomegranate scent he caught yesterday breezed past him. It was not unlike the perfume his mother wore, and the realization made his eyes fly open. Of course! It had been this strange, beautiful demon he had scented yesterday morning. He breathed in again, focusing on the essence of juicy red fruits and honey.
He watched the stranger converse with those around her until Rig approached to offer her a glass of wine. When she accepted it, Sam gritted his teeth as white-hot jealousy tore through him. He watched Rig let his hand linger as she reached for the glass, touching her fingers in a clumsy caress. Sam’s nostrils flared as hetamped down the urge to run across the room to snap the idiot guard’s neck.
Then, as if the stranger could sense Sam’s sudden mood shift, she turned to look across the room and froze. A current of energy seemed to pass between them. Hot, urgent, and potent. Everything else in the room, the realm, the nine dimensions of the multiverse fell away.
Sam’s rage at Rig dissolved as he stared into her eyes. She tugged at the shawl she wore around her shoulders, her grip on the fabric tight.
Sam was used to females looking at him with revulsion or sometimes pity for his scars, but her expression held neither. Her eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open, and a blush stained her cheeks. She seemed startled, but she held his gaze.
Another demon here in Aurelia.Why hadn’t he realized she was here sooner? In the Underworld, family members could easily pick each other out of a horde of demons by scent alone. His mother used to say that even the Underworld’s master perfumer could never create a fragrance as alluring as the hearth smoke musk that clung to Sam’s father.
The memory of his parents’ devotion to each other brought a single word to his mind. One that made his horns flare with heat and his loins stir.
Mate.
He swallowed thickly and fixed his gaze on the female even harder, studying her. He wanted to move closer to get a better look, but his knees were shaking.
Could this demon be my fated mate?
He’d told himself that fated mates were only a legend, a fanciful tale that sentimental elders used to spin for him at bedtime. But… what if it were actually true? It was said that every demon is destined to find a consort—one to magnify the other’s power. What other reason could there be for the intensity of his reaction? The corners of his mouth rose in a satisfied smile.
His change of expression had a noticeable effecton the female. Possessiveness burned in him as he watched the muscles of her throat work. Her pink tongue slipped out to moisten her lips.
She recognizes me. She craves to be claimed.
Heart pounding, Samael took a step to walk across the dance floor to her. He was ready to announce himself as the demon she had come for. Ready to pull her away from the hungry gaze of other males in the room. Ready to fully embrace his violent tendencies instead of holding them back. Ready to claim what he knew was his.
He would destroy anyone who dared to stand in his way.
My love, my love, I’ve found you at last.Suddenly the refrain of the musician’s song didn’t seem so trite.
Sam slowed his steps as he watched Rig tap the female’s shoulder yet again. As she tore her eyes away, Sam resolved he would not snap Rig’s neck but instead tear the guard’s head from his body. Demon edicts against killing be damned.
The fool must have asked her to dance because Sam watched his mate rise from her seat and drop the shawl from her shoulders. The sight of all that creamy bare skin was enough to make Sam moan, but when she turned he stopped moving, nearly knocking over a dancing couple. His mouth went dry as he stared at her exposed back. What he saw shocked him.
No wings.
Sam tried to see if the demon had tucked her magnificent wings away or hidden them beneath her dress. Moonlight shone on her hair, and her hips swayed as she walked. But her back was smooth. She had no wings.
Which could only mean one thing…
Not a demon.
He closed his eyes, fighting to control the disappointment that lashed through him like a whip. He watched her smile as Rig placed a hand at her waist. Icy shards tore at Sam’s insides as he struggled to control himself.
Male demons were easily distinguishable by their large build,retractable claws, and imposing horns. Those especially prone to beastly drives, like demons of Gluttony, were born with cloven hooves and goat-like legs. Female demons, however, lacked all animalistic features except one—leathery black wings set into their shoulder blades. Their wings were strong, elegant, but easily tucked away under clothing to escape angry mortals if their true identities were discovered.
