Page 44 of Demonic Cage
I’m trembling from shock and my eyes are watery. Only now am I starting to realize what just happened.
This creature came into my room despite Darya showing what he does to those who reach me. And Darya… He arrived the moment before I was about to be killed.
I’m completely frozen; I can’t move. Darya slowly turns his head towards me. His gray eyes are now completely black, the strip tattoos from the inner corners even sharper. His chest rises, then falls. He’s facing me, but his dark gaze seems focused on somewhere far away. The hair on my nape stands up, but… I dare not move. I lie bare-chested before the Demon King.
I should run. Cover myself with a blanket, but I don’t care. I can’t…
Remaining on my back, I continue looking up at the Demon King.
Darya throws away the dead demon’s body. The bones clatter as it hits the ground. The hairs on my bare shoulder stand up.
Darya steps beside me. Slowly, he bends down, causing all my muscles to tense. Holding my breath, I watch as he gently places his hand next to my head, his knees on either side of my thighs. I sense his fiery scent on me. Every fiber of my being screams for me to escape, but my limbs refuse to move. I lose myself in the black gaze that holds mine, as if I have no other choice.
I don’t want to look anywhere else.
Darya’s eyes move down from my face, and at the sight of my uncovered chest, his own rises sharply, prompting a warm wave to scorch my thighs. His cold hand slowly travels up my arm, and I tremble under his touch. My breath quickens as he assesses the damage to my body. He won’t find any. He saved me before I could get hurt.
The demon takes hold of one of my wrists, examining a newly formed scratch. So, I did hurt myself after all, but I don’tremember when. Darya runs his thumb over the scratch, and I hiss. He turns his head towards me, then gently places my hand back on the ground. I’ve never seen him like this.
His gaze is black, and his chest is rising slowly and heavily, as if he has to command himself to breathe. He saved me… Darya saved me from a demon who almost killed me. The experience is so fresh that a tear silently rolls down my face.
Darya looks at it before brushing it away with a cold finger. His gaze begins to clear, and now I can see where he’s looking. His hand pauses for a moment near my face, and warmth sparks on my skin at his touch. His fingers slowly move downward. My pulse quickens as he reaches the upper part of my chest. His fingers spread, and he delicately drags his claws down. His eyes follow the movement, and when he reaches my exposed breast, I shudder, pressing the back of my head into the ground. His eyes briefly return to my face, studying, then they follow his hand again. I’m terrified; fear shakes my spine, but I let it happen, let Darya explore my body. His hand continues down to my bare stomach, and I feel relief and regret at the same time at him not staying at my breast. The man gazes at my bellybutton, then leans closer to it.
My body sounds an alarm. Life moves into my muscles, and in a panic, I try to pull myself out from under him, but he firmly presses down on my hips.
“Shhh,” he whispers, and even in this small sound, there’s so much power that I immediately stop. “Don’t move. I won’t hurt you, just… don’t move.”
More emotions run through my head than I want to admit. Relief again, then disappointment, shame.
Darya’s hand moves from my stomach to my waist, and his mouth reaches the area below it. I tense up, and a moan escapes me.
“Tell me, Lotte,” he whispers from beneath my navel, and if I weren’t lying down, I would probably collapse from his touch. “Do you want me to continue?”
I bite my lip because I’m afraid of what answer might come out of my mouth.
Darya blows tantalizingly onto my skin. He descends a few centimeters, and I have to bite back another moan. I feel his breath exactly where I require it the most. “Do you now understand why you need to be able to defend yourself?”
I lift my head to look at him. Darya whispers to that place where my underwear should be, his dark eyes scrutinizing me. My mouth goes dry. I nod slowly.
The demon returns to my stomach, and he breathes such a soft kiss onto my skin that I almost want to cry.
“That’s right, my clever little champion. There will be a day when I won’t be able to protect you.”
The hand that was holding my hip climbs higher, and I wonder where his touch is heading next, but then he takes my torn nightgown and smooths it over my breasts. The feeling is so wild, so erotic, and yet so gentle that I feel the need to defend myself against it. I can’t deal with it. As much as my belly burns from desire, and my body trembles at Darya’s touch, anger climbs up my spine. Why should I be grateful just because he saved me from his own demon in a world that he brought me to?
“Get. Off. Me.” I grit my teeth, and a smile spreads across Darya’s beautiful porcelain face. He places the hand that was resting on my chest next to my shoulder and pushes himself up.
Now free, I explode from my position, shock no longer pinning me to the ground. I defensively put my arm in front of my chest, and with sharp eyes, I look at Darya, who has already thrown the dead demon outside the door. His hand lies on the handle, and he’s looking back at me sitting here, covering mychest and pulling my legs under me. His face suddenly becomes so serious that a lump forms in my throat.
“What do you think, Lotte? Could you have defended yourself with your medicine?”
My mouth falls open, and I stare at Darya.
“Was this a test?!” I ask angrily, feeling my face burn. To prove that I don’t need my medicine? What a fucking asshole…
“No, Lotte. It wasn’t. The demon resisted my commands. I arrived in time. You were lucky. That’s all.”
I’m confused by Darya’s serious gaze. I start trembling again, feeling only a small flame of anger.
