Deals With Demons (2 page)

“You’re thinking too hard,” Devlin told her, opening the wine and pouring them each a glass. “I can see the little wrinkle you get on your forehead.”

Talia touched her face self-consciously. “You can’t,” she denied.

“What were you thinking of?”

“Birthdays,” she said with a sigh.

“Yes, because you are getting so very old,” he teased.

She supposed for a man who’d lived centuries, a nineteenth birthday was nothing at all. But she was mortal. The best she had to hope for was another five or six decades with him. Every year mattered.

“I haven’t gotten you a birthday present yet, have I?” Devlin mused. “What do you wish for your birthday, Tali?”

“You,” she blurted without thinking. Talia winced. It hadn’t been the smooth, seductive invitation she’d imagined. When she peeked at Devlin she saw he was frozen with an unreadable look on his face.

Dammit
,
she thought, a blush heating her cheeks. How did she undo this blunder?

“What do you wish for your birthday?” he asked again, slowly.

Talia sucked in a sharp breath. Was he serious? She’d spent enough time around demons to understand the basic tenants of magic. To bind a wish you had to answer it three times. He was taking her seriously.

“You,” she whispered, unable to look away from his eerie green eyes.

Moving faster than Talia could see, he appeared before her, crouching on his knees. “Careful,” he warned her. “Only one more chance. Have a care with your answer, Talia, for if you bind this wish I won’t let you go. What do you wish for your—”

“You,” she cut in.

Devlin swept her into his arms before she’d even finished the word. One hand tangled in her long black hair, tilting her head up. Devlin met her eyes, hesitating a moment before he lowered his head and claimed her mouth.

Talia gasped as he kissed her for the first time. How many nights had she imagined being in his arms?

And now she was. Before the night was finished, she’d be a demon’s lover.

Her hands gripped the chair arms uncertainly as he kissed her. His intensity was overwhelming. She struggled to match his passion but Talia didn’t exactly have much experience to draw from. She’d been in love with one man all her life. Dating boys her age had never seemed very appealing when she compared them to Devlin.

“Open your mouth, darling,” he murmured against her lips.

Parting her lips for him, Talia gasped as his tongue touched hers. She wanted this, she did, but suddenly everything was moving too fast. She couldn’t find her footing.

Gasping for breath, she pushed the demon back and jumped to her feet.

“Dev,” she panted. “Wait.”

Slowly, Devlin rose before her. His eyes glowed with an inner fire and the sight sent a shiver of delight racing down her spine. A demon’s eyes glowed in situations of intense attraction. At least she knew he truly wanted her.

“I told you,” he murmured, waltzing her backwards until she hit the brick wall of the mansion, “I’m not letting you go.”

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“I’m not asking you to,” she said breathlessly.

He stepped forwards, pressing his body against the full length of hers. When his knee parted her legs, she clutched his shoulders for support.

“I’ve waited so long for you,” he told her, cupping her face in his hands. “Don’t be afraid.”

Twisting her head, she laid a gentle kiss on the palm of his hand. “I could never fear you,” she whispered.

Devlin closed his eyes as he leaned his forehead against hers. She made no protest, revelling in his closeness. The way he held her soothed her trepidations. Devlin touched her as if she were something infinitely precious to him. How she wished she truly was. Maybe tonight was their new start. She’d make him fall as deeply in love with her as she was with him.

When he opened his eyes, Talia read only tenderness in them.

“Come inside with me.”

Talia swallowed hard, managing only a shaky nod.

Stepping back, Devlin caught her hands and pulled her with him. He led her slowly to the entrance to his bedroom and slid the glass door open.

Talia glanced back at the birthday cake and bottle of wine. She wished she’d thought to have an extra glass for courage.

“Your choice,” Devlin told her. “It’s always your choice.”

She knew that. For all he was a demon, she knew he’d never hurt her in any way. There was no one she trusted more than him.

Tentatively, she placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed him backwards.

His room was dark. Only the weak moonlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows illuminated the massive space. But she didn’t need light. She knew every inch of the mansion, including Devlin’s personal domain. He had never restricted anything from her.

Which meant she knew exactly where the decadent king-sized bed lay.

The door slid closed behind her, moved with invisible hands. Talia never flinched. She was used to being around demons working magic.

Devlin walked backwards, his gaze never leaving hers, until he stood before the bed.

Unable to tear her gaze from him, she forgot to breathe as she watched him slowly grip the hem of his shirt and pull it over his head. She’d seen him bare-chested before but never under such exciting circumstances.

He tossed the shirt away before running his fingers along the fastening of his slacks. Talia held her breath as he hesitated, toying with her. With a crooked smile, he finally unzipped the pants and let them slip over his hips. He kicked the material away, but Talia didn’t even spare the discarded clothing a glance.

Devlin had just revealed he wasn’t the kind of demon to wear underwear.

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Talia sucked in a sharp breath as she looked at him naked for the first time. There was nothing soft about Devlin. His body was as honed as a blade. It was made for power and strength. And yet tonight it would be capable of bringing pleasure as well.

He let her look her fill before raising a hand to her.

“Come to me,” he commanded.

Talia had no choice but to obey.

She walked to him, trying to hide her nervousness. There was no denying she was in over her head.

When she slipped her trembling fingers into his, he pulled her into his arms. He kissed her thoroughly, drawing his lips over hers. Talia tried her best to match his passion but she lacked the experience she needed to truly bring him to his knees.

“Relax,” he murmured, answering her groan of frustration. “There will be other nights, my daring girl.

Tonight is for you.”

“But I want to be good for you,” she confessed in a humiliated whisper.

Devlin laughed painfully. “Tali, nothing about you could ever disappoint me. If you want to learn—”

he drew his lips over hers, “—I am more than willing to teach. But it would only be refining your natural skills.”

“What skills?” she groaned.

Devlin dropped a light kiss on her exposed shoulder. “You destroy me,” he whispered to her. “No one else has the power you do.”

She drew a sharp breath at his words. Biting her lip, Talia reached behind to grasp the zipper of her dress.

“Teach me,” she told him, drawing down the zipper.

Devlin watched with hot eyes as the fabric parted and fell away. The dress had been too tight for a bra and Talia stood before him in only her skimpy black panties. Rolling her shoulders back, she stood tall and waited for his verdict.

“You are so incredibly perfect,” Devlin murmured, his eyes glowing brightly in the darkness.

Talia released the breath she hadn’t even realised she’d been holding.

Grabbing her around the waist, Devlin grinned wickedly. Before she could protest, he tossed her backwards onto the bed.

“Warning next time,” she grumbled, trying to sit up.

Devlin dropped onto her before she could move. He caught her wrists and pinned them above her head with one powerful hand.

“Mmmm,” he murmured, looking down at her. “Delicious.”

She laughed nervously. “Is the big bad demon going to eat me?”

His eyes glowed brighter. “Your wish is my command.”

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Devlin ran his lips down her throat and continued to slide down her torso. Talia gripped the black sheets, riding the incredible sensation of his touch. She barely noticed when he pulled her panties down her legs. But she did notice when his fingers trailed slowly up her inner thigh.

“Devlin!” she gasped, reaching to push away his hand.

A delighted chuckle rumbled from him. “Enjoy,” he told her, moving up to kiss her quickly.

Talia eyed him dubiously as he reached out to run the tips of his fingers up her legs. Her breath caught at the shocking sensations such a light touch inspired. Devlin’s hot mouth trailed over her body, finally pausing when he reached her breast. Rolling his eyes up so he could see her, he took one pink nipple into his mouth. Talia cried out as pleasure shot through her.

“Devlin,” she groaned, trying to navigate the new sensations.

As he suckled her, he drew his fingers higher and touched her lightly between her thighs.

“Oh my,” she gasped as a single finger traced her folds. “That can’t be legal.”

“Little innocent,” Devlin murmured, sliding back down her body. “You told me to eat you, remember?”

As his head slipped down between her legs, she realised what he intended. “I didn’t mean…ah…” she moaned as his tongue replaced his fingers.

Talia arched off the bed with a ragged cry. She twisted in the sheets as her demon lover played with her. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined anything like what he did to her.

“Dev, stop!” she finally cried when she couldn’t take it anymore.

With a last lick, Devlin raised his head. Overwhelmed by the pleasure, Talia could only stare mutely at the smiling Devlin. His expression was filled with pure male satisfaction as he climbed up her body.

“Ready?” he asked wickedly, licking at her breast.

“Oh my God,” she gasped.

“Come now, darling, you don’t have to call me that. I’ll also answer to ‘my master’.”

Talia laughed, hitting him on the shoulder. He retaliated by squeezing her nipple, making her writhe beneath him.

When her pleasure-fogged mind cleared enough for conscious thought, she cupped his face between her palms and kissed him softly. “I’m ready,” she told him.

Wordlessly, he shifted to fit himself against her entrance.

“Hold on to me, sweetheart,” he told her, pressing forwards.

Talia gasped as he forced his long length into her. Pleasure disappeared in the wake of a painful pressure building within her.

“I changed my mind,” she cried.

“Hold on, love,” he replied, stopping. “Just a little more and I swear I’ll make it all better.”

Talia eyed him warily, biting her lip, but slowly nodded.

13

Gritting his teeth, Devlin thrust into her.

Talia screamed, arching off the bed. “Oh hell!” she yelled, battering his shoulders. “I don’t know what the other women told you, but trust me, they lied. You are so not good in bed.”

Devlin groaned, striving to hold himself perfectly still. “It’s only like this the first time,” he assured her.

“Dev, if you think there’ll be a second time you are one seriously delusional demon.”

Devlin shook his head in exasperation before leaning down to stop her flow of words with a kiss.

With his free hand, he played with her breasts, sending spikes of pleasure through her to make her forget the pain. Talia willed her tense body to relax. Already the pain was fading, leaving behind the foreign feeling of invasion.

“Better?” he asked her, his voice strained.

“A little.”

Devlin groaned in relief and carefully shifted inside her.

Talia gasped in surprise at the pleasure she felt.

“Much better,” he purred, seeing her reaction. Slowly, he withdrew.

Watching her wide eyes, he slid into her again. Unlike the first time, Talia felt no searing pain.

Instead, a curious heat spread through her.

“Again,” she commanded, wanting to test this unfamiliar pleasure.

Grinning, Devlin complied. He rocked into her leisurely, giving her time to adjust to his presence.

When her body started to relax around him, however, he picked up the pace.

“Lift your hips,” he commanded, pulling her up to meet his thrusts.

Talia threw back her head, moving her body as he commanded. Every time he drove into her she felt a pressure building within her. But this time, it wasn’t uncomfortable. Every thrust broke a little more of her control. She dug her nails into his shoulders, trying to ride out the waves of unfamiliar pleasures pounding through her body. She rocked her hips instinctively, matching his rhythm.

Any thought of pain was long gone from her mind. Instead, all she felt was tortuous heat.

“More!” she cried, not even realising what she was asking for.

Devlin drove into her, pushing her closer and closer to that precipice within her.

“Devlin,” she gasped as he thrust into her one last time and pushed her over the edge.

Talia screamed as her climax rocked her. She’d never felt anything like the pleasure that swamped her. Every cell in her body exploded at the same time. The world blacked around her as she tried to cling to consciousness.

She heard Devlin above her cry out and felt a piercing pain in her neck. Her demon lover had sunk his sharp fangs into her throat. The thought might have disturbed her before, but right now it only added to the 14

pleasure. Her orgasm continued as he drank from her, battering her with unending waves of indescribable pleasure.

Finally, Devlin drew back his head.

Talia stared at her lover and watched a single drop of her blood trail down his chin.