Under His Constant Watch

Prologue

She was beautiful, stunning in every movement, every sweep of her hand through her long, dark hair calling out the beast dwelling within.

Some might consider me a true monster, a demon lurking in the shadows, yet I was very much a man consumed with need.

For her.

In the quiet of the room, her breathing was the only sound that mattered.

Without the sharp wit and guarded glances she wore like armor during the day, she looked entirely defenseless.

A stray lock of hair had fallen across her cheek.

I resisted the urge to brush it away, terrified that even the lightest touch might pull her back into the harsh reality of the waking world.

For now, she was safe, and I was content to keep watch.

Just as I’d done before, only tonight was even more special.

I stood at the foot of her bed, absorbing her sweet perfume, the intoxicating scent derailing my thoughts, my needs. My conscience.

The moonlight cut a silver path across the bed, highlighting the faint slope of her nose and the soft curve of her jaw. I’d seen her dozens of times, yet watching her sleep always felt like discovering a secret.

We’d shared the same space, enjoying a dance. A drink. Time spent together.

We’d touched. We’d tasted.

Heated kisses captivating the moment.

Rough embraces forming a deep bond, a connection unlike any other.

We’d shared in our insatiable need for the other. All under the guise of passion.

But I wanted more. No, I needed everything. All of her.

Was this love? How the hell would I know? What I did know was that the hunger to possess was stronger than ever before. And the only thing surfacing from the deepest moments of anguish and need so intense I couldn’t breathe was a single word.

Mine.

She twitched slightly, murmuring something incoherent into her pillow before settling back into the soft sheets. A quiet warmth settled in my chest. It was a rare, unfiltered view of the person she was when nobody else was looking.

And in my mind, she was perfect.

Every action she took was with purpose, every challenge made done without reservation. One of the many aspects of her personality that I adored.

And soon, she truly would become mine. All mine. There’d be no more reservations, no guarded times spent or anxiety concerning me. As if there ever was.

In truth, she’d become mine the moment I’d laid eyes on her, even if she’d yet to comprehend how important she’d become.

With her soft murmurs continuing, she shifted under the covers, the sheet sliding ever so slowly toward the floor. Seeing her wearing only a tank top and panties, I was drawn to her in a way that couldn’t be explained, possessive to a point of losing all sense of control.

She was my everything.

The sunlight in the morning, the air I breathed, and I’d maintained control until the timing was right.

But fractures had developed, the ache felt so deep threatening to overwhelm me.

I moved closer, the taste of her sweet lips lingering in my mouth. While indulging in studying the dance of moonlight shimmering against her soft skin, my cock ached, twitching from desire. As her eyelids fluttered, I curled my fingers and brushed them across her cheek.

She looked fragile, almost impossibly soft, and a sudden, fierce need to protect her tightened in my chest. While holding my breath, I trailed a line down her arm, moving toward the deep V of her top.

Without hesitation, I rolled the tip of my index finger around the outline of her nipple, careful not to awaken her.

All while keeping my eyes pinned on her reaction. She shifted again, her fingers tightening around the pillowcase as she shifted her legs, finally bending one knee and spreading her long legs apart. She was wet, her panties soaked from the same desire spilling through her.

My breath hitched, the longing reaching a crashing level that wasn’t like me and never had been. I studied her face before being unable to resist. My control was slipping. I moved to the side of the bed, fighting urges that would shatter the connection we shared.

Yet there was no chance of ignoring my desire.

With a single finger, I rolled it up and down her pussy, challenging myself to maintain control. Around her doing so had become close to impossible.

With a soft moan, she dug her heel into the sheet, writhing from the single touch. Even another light brush and I’d risk awakening her. I brought my finger under my nose, inhaling deeply.

Sweet and pungent at the same time.

A daring move, defying the promise made to myself, but necessary to keep hold on my sanity.

I could easily slip between her legs, ripping away the thin lace and satisfying the brutality of a yearning keeping me in pain.

But in a moment of self-control, I chose otherwise, pulling the sheet over her.

Just a layer of protection from the monster standing over her.

As I backed away into the shadows, I fought a gripping intensity, a need so powerful I hesitated.

However, I turned away, burning with the knowledge the game would soon reach a conclusion.

Then she would truly be mine.

Not just for a tormented night or a few days of sacrificial satisfaction, but forever.

Death the only demon capable of tearing us apart.