Chapter 22 Aeri #2
I rub my thumb over his cheek before moving down to his lip, feeling the cool metal of his lip piercing. I feel his eyes on me even without looking back up at him.
“You're so fucking strong and brave. So unlike anyone I’ve ever met, and I’ve met so many people.”
I don’t doubt it; demons are immortal as far as I know.
My attention is divided between his words and his teeth as he talks, his fangs catching the low light of the candles, mesmerizing me.
Before I can think it through, I move my thumb from his lip to press against the sharp point of his tooth, hissing when I feel the sharp sting that lets me know they don’t just look sharp.
His growl bounces off the high walls, startling me. I pull back, an apology on the tip of my tongue.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
I just stuck my finger in his mouth. Oh, my god.
Before I can get my thoughts in order, his hand closes around my wrist. Leaning in, he runs his tongue up the length of my finger, catching the drop of blood before sucking my whole finger into his mouth with a groan.
Fuck.
I gulp audibly as I feel myself growing wet, unable to do anything about it with him between my legs. I let my other hand drop to grasp the counter.
He pulls my finger free with a pop, licking his lips as if I’m a dessert he wishes to savor.
“You taste delicious, even better than I imagined.”
Bast’s thought about what I might taste like… Why does that turn me on even more?
Reaching out, he ghosts his finger over the marks on my chest and up my neck. I can’t swallow down the hiss of pain despite trying to, and of course, he doesn’t miss it.
“The bath here is heated by the brimstone, so it’s hot, but it’s mixed with water from the River Styx, so it will help heal you. It might be a little uncomfortable at first, though,” he warns as he reaches for my hand, pulling me off the counter to stand before him.
“The River Styx is real? I thought that was only in mythology?”
He chuckles, and the sound is so deep and delicious that I feel my eyes go wide, and I’m thankful he isn’t looking directly at me.
“It’s not exactly the same, but it is the river that works as a boundary, if you will. It keeps anything else out; only demons can enter past it, and it has healing properties. For centuries, it didn’t have a name, but with its similarities, Lucifer figured it was as good a name as any.”
I nod along, trying to keep up.
Just a few weeks ago, I hadn’t even known demons and angels were real.
“I’m not a demon, though,” I say, cringing at how stupid that sounded out loud.
Of course, he knows that.
“No, you're not, but Lucifer is the ruler of Hell, which means he can do as he wishes. Asta asked for his help to keep you from Rome, and he agreed. If he hadn’t, and we attempted to bring you here without him, we wouldn’t be having this or any conversation.
” His face is serious, and I shiver at the thought.
Looks like I have yet another thing to thank the freaking devil for.
What has my life become?
This time, Bast doesn’t ask before he pulls the shorts off me, the same ones I'd changed into all those nights ago at home, if I can even call it that. It was a lie, one that Rome carefully crafted for me, but still no less fake.
How long ago had that been?
I’m honestly afraid to ask, but there's no denying I need this bath and probably some new clothes; I can worry about that later.
The second my shorts hit the ground, I’m in Bast’s arms again. Skin to skin with his bare chest, his warmth seeping into me as he walks around the bath, up the two stairs to the higher level on the far side of the room.
It doesn’t make sense until we get closer, and I can see the stairs through the water, just barely, but they're there.
A moment before he moves into the water, he releases his hold on me with one hand and snaps.
“Can’t go in the water with pants on, can I?” he asks with a smirk as he moves down the stairs into the very warm water.
He was right to warn me; it is hot, but thankfully, that’s exactly the way I enjoy my showers and baths. And maybe, just maybe, he will blame my red cheeks on that instead of the realization that we are both very naked in this bath, together…
Not helping.
His fingers dig into my thigh, and I suck in a breath when he presses his nose to my neck and inhales deeply.
“I can smell you, Aeri, smell the way you react to me, and it’s intoxicating.
More delicious than the taste of your blood, which I didn’t know was possible,” he groans, almost sounding as if he’s in pain, and I debate trying to remove myself from his hold.
Putting some space between us would probably help, but I don’t want to.
“For now, we need to clean you up and get you fed. You could slip back under his illusion at any moment, and I don’t need more reasons for you to panic.” I want to argue, to tell him I’m fine and I won’t slip away, but I can’t promise that.
I’m not in control.
He hooks a finger under my chin, tilting my head back until our eyes meet again.
“We’ll figure this out, Tesoro.” He sounds so sure, just like Lucifer did, and even though I try to squash it, I can’t help but feel the flicker of hope.
That’s the second time he’s called me that, though. “What does that mean?”
It’s Bast’s turn to be embarrassed, and I watch in fascination as the tips of his ears turn red.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Let’s get you cleaned up and down to eat while it’s still breakfast. The imps are good cooks if nothing else.”
Imps?