Page 38 of Falling for Ash
It was another of his Demonic gifts, and one he used to track his prey. Though, he’d never dreamed he’d be hunting his own mate. Another deep inhale and somewhere beneath the familiar vanilla-raspberry-lime fragrance, he discovered the problem.
“Shit. Gabriella, I’m coming,” he murmured, taking off at breakneck speeds to follow her trail all the way to the Hermosa Valley Greenbelt trail.
Shit.
This was obviously a popular hiking destination, he could tell by the joggers and dog walkers in the area. Not a good place for a Werewolf to have her first Change.
“Hold on, Gabriella. I’m coming.”
Breaking promises was no way to begin a relationship. Even a Demon knew that much. Ash was already vowing to make it right by the time he caught up to her, doubled over in agony near a tall and shady pine.
“Gabriella!” he yelled.
Her gaze flashed to him, the beautiful blue rimmed in a glowing silver color that was simply beautiful.
Like watching an ocean turn to ice or the sky swallowed by a cloud.
Riveting, breathtaking, and he could not look away. Even as he approached calmly, arms wide, palms up.
She trembled as another wave of pain washed over her, and Ash grunted, feeling it as if it were his own. Gabriella growled deep inside her chest, a sound that spoke to his own Demon who responded with his own guttural reverberation.
“Hurts,” she whimpered.
“I know, love. You’re fighting it. I can sense your fear,” he said, whipping his head back as someone approached.
Thankfully, the jogger was too busy checking his fitness watch to bother with them. Still, he thought, staying there was a recipe for disaster.
“Listen, love, I am going to lift you up. It is going to hurt because you are starting your Change. Your skin is exceedingly sensitive, but we must go somewhere more private. This place is too crowded.”
“Okay,” she nodded, and he paused.
“Are you sure?—”
“Would you ever hurt me, Ash?” Gabriella asked, cutting him off.
Her eyes were glowing full on silver, and he knew he had to move her out of there and fast. But first her question, though it didn’t truly seem like one. More like she was forcing him to think about his own hesitations.
“Never! Gabriella, I know things seem crazy and fast, but I swear I would never hurt you,” Ash said, his response automatic.
“I know, Ash. I trust you.”
Her reply shocked and humbled him. He had her trust. Nothing had ever felt better to him, except maybe her love. But he could wait for that, he realized, knowing full well he was already in love with her.
Ash swore he saw playfulness in her eyes, and when he looked even deeper, he saw resolve and certitude. If he were a praying Demon, Ash would’ve dropped to his knees in that moment. As it were, he simply thanked all the gods for the gift of her. Then he hauled ass, attending her needs first was his priority.
The sweet, beautiful miracle that was Gabriella Keen somehow, someway, trusted in him, in Asmodeus, Demon of Lust, Prince of Hell, to do right by her. And she wasn’t above letting him see her feelings, despite the obvious pain of her Shift.
No mind games or manipulations. Not with her. She was real and pure and honest, and fuck, he did not deserve her. No. Not in this lifetime.
But he would take her. Ash had every intention of keeping the beautiful she-Wolf as his own. The second she was willing, he planned to gather her close, claim her with his bite, and hold on tightly to her with both hands. For as long as he could, until he took his very last breath.
Forever, his Demonic side inserted.
Mine.
Forever mine.
“Ash,” she whispered his name, gorgeous silver orbs boring into his. “I know you would never hurt me. I trust you. Please, take me somewhere safe, Ash. Before I scare the crap out of these people, or worse, hurt someone.”
