Page 64 of Marked
“He let it go, Ruin. Promise. He was a gentleman. Or as much of one as a demon can be.” I dip my hands down, under the hem of his shirt and stroke the velvet heat of his skin. My thighs clench.
Feet away, several of the men make sounds. Caine among them.
“He meant lust, though,” I say against Ruin’s back. “Right?”
“Yeah.” His voice comes out breathy. I let my hands curve over the hard plains of his hips. Fingers stroking back and forth. My mouth pools at each defined ridge, and I can almosttastethe salty slickness of his skin.
“He was right. About the lust. It just isn’t for him.”
Silence follows my words. My fingers dip, toying with his waistband.
Ruin spins. His hands grasp my wrists, and I tilt my head back. “You’re playing with fire,” he warns.
I smile, palms pressed to the heaving plains of his abs. “Oh I know.” His dark eyes glint. “But it burnssogood.”
Tanner chokes. “Fuck, you two. Can wenotdo this now?”
Caine shushes him. “Silence, beast. This is the most I have fed in days.”
Ruin snarls and rounds on the demon. “How much of this is your doing?”
Caine huffs. “None, my fearless Captain. The little bird sings all on her own.”
I press back against Ruin. He’s warmer than normal, but not unbearably so. And his spicy scent fills my head in a cloud, making my center ache and swell. Tightening again and again.
“Lilah ...” Ruin murmurs, his back vibrating with my name.
I giggle and then stop. Some of the strange lust recedes, making it easier to think. “Ugh. I hate girls that do that,” I say under my breath, “and get all doe-eyed for some guy.”
It takes everything in me to peel myself from his body, but when I do, every step gets easier. I take a few more until the distance between us leaves air cooling my feverish skin. But the ache remains.
He peers at me. “Fuck.”
I nod, eyes wide and breathing erratic. “I’m sor–”
His head shakes. “Don’t.” My lips clamp closed. “Gage.”
The Fae warrior stalks over, weird multimeter back in hand. It powers up with a soft beep and he skims first Ruin, then me.
Something seems to pull at my skin from the little wand’s tip, filtering through every breath and beat of my heart. I shudder. He levels the wand on my pocket and the multimeter gives a shrill chime.
He peers over his shoulder at Ruin. “Charm. Level three.”
Ruin swears. His dark eyes lock on mine. “Lilah, walk around the car and take the jeans off.”
My mouth drops. “What?”
He scrubs a hand over his face and it raises the hem of his shirt. I catch a narrow expanse of delicious muscle before Caine moans.
“Little bird,please.”
My eyes dart away and land on the demon. His face is slack-jawed and his eyes glow like embers straight from Hell. Horan’s hand digs into his shoulder and his naked sword presses to the demon’s throat. As the demon swallows, the long blade bobs and blood trickles down his pale skin.
“Caine ...”
He shakes his head. “Tis not of my doing, but you are calling me, little bird. And to assuage what I feel, I would force themallto take you. And I would sate my need. Again and again.” There is no teasing in his voice, just truth. His eyes pulse.
I tremble as a small ripple goes through my core. My eyes scan over the men assembled before locking on Ruin’s hardened jaw.
