Page 56 of Sweet Violence
I snorted.
Thatseemed likely.
"So what magic shit are you doing to me?" I asked, not even pretending to promise to behave. He was sending me there to sniff out Eidolon's buddies and slaughter them all if I found them; that was the definition of troublemaking.
"Not magic, per se," he replied, sending a chill down my spine.
"Spit it out; stop being creepy and eerie."
"I'm the devil, babygirl. Being creepy and eerie is in my job description."
"Eh," I agreed with a shrug, allowing that.
"If you take a part of me inside you, it'll confuse their senses for a while," he finally said, getting to the point.
I snorted. "If this is all about getting your dick wet—"
"Aveline," he warned.
I gave him an exasperated look. "Are you trying to tell me the part I have to take into meisn'tyour monster cock?"
"It is a piece of mysoul," he replied, fiery eyes flashing.
I went silent.
"Which I knew you'd dislike," he went on, "because commitment and connection scares the everloving daylights out of you." He paused. "I learned that phrase from you. You said it in a dream; did I use it correctly?"
"Yeah," I confirmed. "Good job."
He brought a giant finger up to brush down my side, the heat of his skin bleeding through leather into mine. "My beautiful, broken girl. You already have my blood; a piece of my soul isn't going to feelmuchdifferent. And if you want to find your father's allies and rid their scourge from this realm and Earth, it's the only way to investigate the training hall."
"You're trying to manipulate me," I said with a poisonous laugh. "Nice try. Why do youreallywant me to do this? Because it's not about hiding me among demons is it? You benefit from this."
"Babygirl," he sighed, doing a good impression of sadness. "You don't trust me?"
"I don't trust anyone," I bit out, baring my teeth. "Put me down."
His crimson fingers flexed around me and didn't evenattemptto put me back on the ground. "If there were another way to make you register as a full demon, I'd tell you. You can ask the circle; if anyone would know, it'll be Arkan. But they'll tell you the same thing I will. Taking part of a demon's soul makes a human like them for a short time. It's only temporary, but it's a powerful thing."
I scowled.
His red eyes drilled into mine. "It's meaningful," he growled. "And something only shared by lovers who are committed to each other."
I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest. "I'm not taking your soul dick inside me. Find another way."
"You're safe with me, babygirl," he said, deadly serious—and frustratingly soft.
"Why do all you bastards want me to be someone I'm not?" I snarled, power roiling in me until my hands flashed red hot, steam rising from my fingertips. "I'm not sweet or loving, and if you think you can change me into an innocent wifey, you'resorelymistaken. Stop being nice and confessing your feelings and wanting to bond our damnsouls. It’s not going to happen."
"I would rather lose my throne than change a single thing about you," the devil swore viciously. "You're perfect as you are. Why would I change you?"
"I'm never gonna love you, so stop pushing for this emotional shit."
"You're afraid," he breathed, fiery eyes gentle.
"And you're going to get stabbed. You and the four musketeers need a team meeting—change your tactics. No sweetness, no kindness, none of this gooey shit."
"I've been inside your dreams," Dev reminded me, still watching me with that soft look that made my chest hurt. "I know you long for a home, a place to be safe. If you'd stop being so stubborn, you'd see you've already found it."
