10. A Man Possessed

QUINN

"Are you going to pace the whole time he's gone?" I wrinkled my nose as Mateo continued to pace in front of me. All of my nerves had become a frazzled mess when the demon lord appeared in the living room seconds after the prince departed. There was a part of me that had anticipated the original one that had wanted to kill me.

Was it better that it hadn't been? Not in the least.

There wasn't any doubt in my mind that this one had Russian origins just by his stance alone. The way his skin was covered with various tattoos only emphasized my unspoken guess. He was downright intimidating. Add in the way his aura swirled with a rage of its own, he was just as dangerous as his red-eyed lord.

Mateo had been content to ignore me for the most part. During the next two hours that passed, he spent the majority of it at the bar with an open bottle of bourbon. His demeanor changed out of nowhere, and he was currently trying to work a worn path into the smooth wooden floor. It certainly didn't help me when he refused to say a damn thing the entire time. Now that I'd snapped at him, those piercing wide eyes swung my way. He released a low growl.

It was the closest I would get to a verbal answer.

Although the noise raised the hair on the back of my neck, his irritation wasn't enough to leave me curled up in a ball beside the far wall. Something had changed dramatically since the moment I'd woken up in the club and now. The demon lord's reaction left me weary, sure, but I wasn't going to be growled into submission now. I raised my chin defiantly and remained on the couch.

His steps faltered long enough for him to realize I hadn't cowered away. His eyes narrowed into thin slits, but he didn't utter a word. He simply tore his gaze away with a scowl and continued pacing. Neither of us spoke for several minutes. The demon lord's pacing ceased the moment the energy in the air shifted dramatically. As soon as Asher's body materialized by the bar, he stopped cold. Every muscle in his body seemed to tense.

All I had to do was shift my gaze before I understood why he was weary. There were far too many emotions swirling within Asher's aura to tell them apart. Swallowing, I eased off the back of the couch and settled on the cushion. I was growing used to the way his behavior would shift, but this seemed to get thrown straight over into extreme. I honed in on his hands as he retrieved a bottle of wine that had been abandoned at the edge of the bar.

Mateo's lips thinned. "Something wrong, boss?" His voice was soft.

"Leave." Asher poured himself a full glass. Turning away, he started to chug it.

The demon lord disappeared without an ounce of protest.

I stiffened. As soon as the demon was gone, my body became aware of how alone I was now. While I could feel a wetness already beginning just from his scent alone, I was aware that this wasn't the prince that I was accustomed to dealing with. There were sparks of rage that were quickly followed by agony, and I had no idea what would happen while he was in this state of mind. My heart pounded in my chest as I struggled to contemplate the best way to approach this situation.

A part of me was eager to remain right where I was and let him stew in his own rage until he cooled off. The rest seemed to know that the emotions probably wouldn't die down until the turn of the century. Something had set him off. Whatever it was, it was clearly a sore subject.

Asher had yet to acknowledge me, keeping his body turned toward the window.

Nibbling on my lower lip, I eased off the couch and slowly made my way toward him. Every foot that I closed between us, I could feel my body threatening to give out. My legs grew rubbery beneath me and my lungs refused to take as much air. "Did something happen?" I murmured.

He turned his head slightly, uttering a guttural growl. It was a warning, one enough to stop me cold. Those golden eyes didn't stray toward me. Instead, they remained fixed upon the drawn curtains as if his life depended on it.

I remained still for a minute while I waited for his thoughts to stray again. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that this move was absolutely reckless, yet I couldn't convince myself to head in the opposite direction. This horrible brew of emotions drew me to him just as much as the hunger we shared did, except I yearned to ease this pain that haunted him. "What can I do?"

The muscles in his jaw flexed. "You can return to your room and leave me be."

The attempt to soften his voice was noticeable, and the small hint of concern within his voice simply ensured my body wouldn't allow me to abandon him now. Drawing in a deep breath, I reached out and rested a hand against his back. The only thing I had expected was for him to tear away from me, snarling the command again. I didn't anticipate him to simply drop the wine glass, jerk around, and seize me by the throat. My vision went hazy as he slammed me against the window.

The glass shattered at our feet while the prince leaned forward to hiss in my ear, "I told you to leave me be. Could it be that you are still trying to force my hand so that I will kill you?"

My hands immediately rose and I weaseled my fingers underneath his palm just enough to maintain some airflow. I shivered as his rage washed over me, leaving me with strange emotions that I couldn't understand. Swallowing, I looked into those blazing golden eyes and rasped, "I'm not trying to die anymore, Asher. I want to help you."

Like the first time he'd taken me, uttering his name seemed to click something deep inside him. Asher drew back slightly. His golden eyes surveyed my face while the emotions continued to wage war within him. Although only seconds passed, time had slowed to a crawl. Each one felt like it had taken an eternity to pass. His hold on my throat softened, even if it was just a little. "Why would you give a damn? I've taken everything from you. I bought you as a pet that I could fuck any time my cock demanded it. The reality of breaking you was very real. You owe me nothing."

"Just because I don't understand why yet doesn't mean I don't want to help." I swallowed, wincing as the ache pulsed down my spine. It wasn't the type of pain I liked coming from him, but that didn't mean I was going to back down now. I had managed to break through that wall, and I wasn't going to allow him to patch up the damage. I refused to be tossed out now that I had brushed the unique soul beneath it all.

The prince released a scoff. "I'm an incubus. You only feel this pull to me because of my race. There is nothing to understand."

Narrowing my eyes, I lifted my jaw. "If you believed that, you wouldn't have reached out to Bianca with an inquiry about further testing of my blood. You said it yourself, Asher. You feel the pull just as much as I do."

With how tense his body was, I had no clue how I managed to detect the slight trembles as he drew close to me. Common sense warned that it wasn't fear that was pulsing through his body. He barely had a grip on a rage that could spiral out of control at any minute — and he already had his hand wrapped around my throat.

Asher leaned forward. Instead of answering a verbal response, he drew in several lungfuls of my scent. When he released a growl this time, the energy within it had shifted dramatically. The hunger that I was so used to seeing had returned with a vengeance, only now it was strengthened by his anger. He didn't give me a chance to prepare myself before our surroundings changed.

A yelp escaped me when he cast me back. Part of me anticipated that I would slam against the glass window again. I was pleasantly surprised to feel myself sink down onto the bed instead. The relief was short-lived before the prince was on me, his bulge pressing against my sensitive pussy. I immediately parted my legs to let him closer, a moan escaping my lips.

He didn't utter a single word as he tore the clothes off my body. There wasn't a single ounce of care for the shredded material. All that mattered was getting them out of his way to toss them aside. As soon as my entire body was exposed to him, he nudged my legs apart and latched onto my clit.

I arched my back with a gasp. My hands immediately found their way to his hair, tangling within the soft strands. "Fuck, yes!"

The lust clinging to every inch of my body seemed to encourage the prince. He unleashed more nips to my clit than he'd done before, leaving me to shake with each one he delivered. It didn't matter how much I jerked, he managed to keep an iron grip on my legs and keep them pinned down on the sheets. It didn't even occur to me that he'd managed to tear off the stained comforter until I was pinned down. Content hums soon leaked into the air as he unleashed hell upon me.

The orgasm was already building well before he loosened his grip on one of my legs only to drag his nails down my inner thigh. My hips immediately bucked against his mouth. Holy fucking hell…I'm a goddamn masochist. The path he left behind stung like hell, yet it only made his nipping even more intense. I was turned on by the very pain he was causing, and I yearned for more.

Asher didn't force me to wait long before his other hand dragged along my skin.

I released a noise that was literally a mixture of a moan and a whine. Digging my head back into the mattress, I closed my eyes and gave myself to my senses completely. The drag marks stung even more now that I had shut out the rest of the world and I could feel his lips curling to start the suction on my clit. Delighted chills trickled down my spine as the orgasm continued to build. All it took was one hell of a nip to my inner thigh to send me tumbling over the edge.

The prince simply seized my leg, keeping it trapped against his mouth while those fangs pierced the delicate skin. His fingers found their way to my pussy. He thrust three of them inside me immediately to start a rapid pace.

"Harder!" I demanded in a rasp.

His golden eyes flickered toward me. I could feel his lips curling into a smirk against my skin. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that he knew I meant his fingers, yet that didn't bind him to that plea. He bit down harder until blood oozed out. Only when the crimson droplets trailed down my skin did he finally pull away.

My nails threatened to make his scalp bleed as he ran his tongue along the fresh wound. "Holy fuck." I struggled to maintain my breathing as my heart pounded in my chest and my vision grew hazy. All of my senses were completely overwhelmed and I knew he wasn't done.

"I am not holy in any sense of the word, pet." Asher dragged his tongue from the leg he'd bitten, trailing over my pussy as he made his way to the other one. He didn't give me a chance to respond before he clamped down on that one, too.

A startled squeal escaped my lips.

The prince's fingers continued to fuck me as my pussy walls started to tighten around them. He didn't ease up on my leg, no matter how much I bucked against him. His grip remained firm until the orgasm hit me so hard that my juices coated his fingers. He hummed softly. "Your blood has changed."

I was reeling from the orgasm, my mind far too hazy for me to comprehend what he'd said until he pulled away. "W-What?" I stammered.

Asher crawled up my body, his shirt brushing against my skin. When he brought his face close to mine, those piercing eyes locked on me. "I've bitten you often enough to notice that the taste of your blood has changed. The human part of you is fading, pet. The demonic blood coursing through your veins is taking dominance."

My body shivered as he brushed his thumb against my sensitive clit. "Is this…what you wanted…to talk to me about?"

The edges of his lips twitched. "Prior to tonight"s events, yes."

I shifted my hips, eager to draw his fingers back inside. Hell, I yearned for his cock more than anything right now, but he didn't seem eager to tear those jeans off quite yet. I had to gun for the limbs that happened to still be close by to help curb the hunger tearing through me. "What happened?"

The prince arched an eyebrow. "Now isn't the time for a conversation, pet. You offered yourself to me with the hope of controlling my rage and I plan on taking you until you lose consciousness. The only question is…are you prepared for me to take you without holding myself back?"

My eyes widened. Is he seriously trying to give me the impression that he's been restraining himself?

Asher drew closer until his warm breath brushed against me, each exhale painting me with the aroma of my pussy. "It would be wise to answer."

I flexed my fingers, running my nails along his scalp. "I offered you my body tonight. That offer is still there. Do with me as you wish, Asher."

His eyes closed and a unique noise escaped him. There was a hint of a groan, yet it was completely overwhelmed by his own lust. "Fucking hell. You're going to be the death of me, Quinn." He slammed his lips down onto mine before I had a chance to react. All it took was a few nips at my lips for me to part them and he thrust his tongue inside my mouth. He was so busy trying to tangle mine with his that he casually dragged his tongue against my teeth. As soon as he brushed against them, he jerked back.

I froze, horrified by his reaction. Had I finally done it? Did I do something that finally convinced him that I wasn't worth keeping? I couldn't even bring myself to breath as he cocked his head to the side, shifting his weight so that he could nudge my upper lip. Confusion leaked into my veins as intrigue leaked out across his face. What the fuck is going on?

Asher didn't seem to notice how my own emotions were starting to wage a war within myself. He simply brushed his thumb along my teeth. "How curious…" he murmured.

A hint of irritation leaked into my veins. I turned my head just enough to deliver a nip to his finger, causing him to pull back with a soft hiss. "Will you please explain to me what is going on?" I paused when he shifted his hand slightly, exposing a small wound. Oh, fuck…

The prince's lips twitched. "I've felt that mouth wrapped around my cock, pet. I would've known if you had enough demon blood coursing through your blood to hint at fangs."

"I-I don't have fangs."

That smirk simply grew. "I beg to differ."

There was no way that I could argue with the small droplet trailing down along his hand until it dripped down onto the sheet beside me. I nibbled on my lower lip as the emotions conflicted within me. A sharp pain pulsed from my lip. The demon's firm grip on my leg kept me pinned against the bed as I jerked, a sharp tooth brushing against the fresh wound. Swallowing, I cautiously maneuvered my tongue along it. As soon as I felt along the double set of sharp teeth, the image of Asher's fangs flickered through my mind. There's no way this is possible.

They weren't as elegant as his, but they were still there. Fangs.

Asher leaned down, latching onto my lip long enough to suck the blood away. He hummed with content. "Even if you don't believe me, pet…your own body won't lie to you. You're changing more with every time we fuck."

I groaned against his mouth. "Then why…the fuck…are you…still dressed?"

He chuckled. "Are you that hungry for my cock?"

I'm dying for it.

His golden eyes honed in on me. "I want to hear you say the words, Quinn. Tell me what you want."

My groan shifted into a loud whine that only made that grin grow. "God damn it, Asher! I need you to fuck me with that insanely large cock of yours. You said you would go at me until I lost consciousness. I want you to do it. Fulfill the promise you made to me."

The prince studied me for a moment as I growled the words at him. There was a hint of surprise at the lust clinging to every single word. Hell, he seemed impressed that I was willing to voice the demand. It wasn't long until he smirked and pulled away from me. "I don't think you realize how sexy it is to hear you make demands from me, pet. I am the prince of the demonic race and yet…your boldness makes me lust for your pussy even more."

I shuddered at his words.

That seemed to please Asher. He immediately started shedding his clothing, even going as far as ripping his shirt when it simply wouldn't cooperate. By the time he had tossed everything aside, his cock had sprung to attention and it was already growing to the incubus size. He seized it and squeezed, prompting a little precum to the tip. "Do you see how much you make me hunger for you, pet?"

I shifted my leg so that I could brush my foot against his balls, causing him to hiss. "Take me, Asher. Fuck me like you own me."

A chuckle rumbled from his chest. "Have you forgotten that I do own you? From your body all the way to that innocent little soul." He released his cock and grabbed my legs, using them to shove me toward the middle of the bed. Once my body was repositioned to his heart's content, he eased onto the bed and took his rightful place in between my legs. "Take a deep breath, pet. It'll be the last one you'll have while I take you."

He might've given me a warning, but it didn't mean he was going to give me enough time to react. Just as I started to suck in a breath, he pushed inside and started stretching my pussy walls. I clung to him, digging my nails into his shoulders while my body ached in its desperation to accommodate him. If I hadn't taken him several times already, the human within me would have sworn there was no way in hell someone his width could fit.

As soon as he started a rough pace within me, Asher settled one hand beside my face and grunted with every thrust he made. My body was pushed and pulled during every single one of them and the ribbed lining along his cock only emphasized the intoxicating sensation.

I struggled to take in shallow breaths, something to ensure that the dizziness haunting me wouldn't get worse before I got to climax. It was bad enough that I was already getting whiplash from how hard he was thrusting. My body wouldn't protest for long. All it took was the next thrust for my walls to tighten on his cock and attempt to lock him in for the pleasure to override my senses. With the way the room was starting to tilt around me, I knew I wasn't getting anywhere near enough air. "I-I can't—"

Asher delivered one hell of a thrust that caused the words to catch in my throat. He tucked a hand underneath my head and raised me upright enough to where he could brush his lips against my throat. "What's that, pet?"

With my lungs already burning with the protest for the lack of proper airflow, I arched my back in sync with his next thrust in a desperate attempt to grab a deeper breath. His cock pulsed inside, squeezing the next orgasm from me before I could achieve that task. Although my vision was getting hazy, I couldn't ignore the delicious aroma coming off the demon's skin in waves. I could still smell the faint copper smell in the air from his tiny thumb wound and it made my mouth water.

The prince nuzzled my jaw. "I asked you a question—"

I didn't give him the chance to finish repeating himself before I wrapped an arm around his neck and hoisted myself up against him. Hell, the thoughts weren't even processed clearly. By the time the next moment of clarity struck, I found myself with my lips pressed against the skin along his shoulder with my newly discovered fangs sinking in. A quiet squeal escaped me as the demon immediately rolled onto his back with a lustful growl.

I had no clue how I managed to maintain my hold on him through the rapid motion.

Asher hissed as he angled his head away to grant me better access. "Didn't take you long to figure out how to use those."

Humming softly, I pressed against him and wiggled my hips to continue taking his thrust. I'd never tasted any blood before except for my own. It came with the territory of the nasty habit of biting my lip. The flow wasn't heavy, but it was enough for the delicious taste coating my tongue. My mind reeled from it. I couldn't even begin to tag it with an accurate description. It was simply intoxicating in its own way and my body quivered with excitement.

The demon groaned below me, seizing me by the hips and keeping me still so he could continue his thrusts. The next orgasm was on the horizon, which meant my pussy was clamping down on his cock and trying to slow him down.

Chills trickled down my spine when I felt the familiar spot along the end of his cock beginning to widen. I finally released his shoulder and straightened my back, letting him keep me upright while I took over the pacing. All it took was a firm grip on his arms before I was moving along his cock. My excited hums quickly evolved into groans that echoed off the walls. When his knot clicked into place, the orgasm tore through me with so much strength that I cried out.

Asher regained control over the thrusts, his movements becoming ragged and frantic. He was so lost in his own high that he didn't realize I had gone stiff above him. His fingers dug into my hips as the restricted movement pushed him over the edge and he groaned his release. His cock twitched deep inside of me as he spilled his seed deep inside me.

The room had already begun spinning around me when he loosened his grip, allowing me to slump down against him. Even with my body firmly pressed up against him, my surroundings didn't stop moving. I fought to recover my breath. The red dots were already painting my vision, bringing on a wave of shadows with it. Hell, even my lungs were still burning. A part of me was starting to realize that I still wasn't breathing.

The demon prince had fucked me into a paralysis and I had no idea how to break it.

Shit, shit, shit!I struggled to suck in a deep breath, desperate to avoid unconsciousness. I didn't mind the reality of it now that I knew he wasn't going to eliminate me while I was out cold, but it did leave me with one hell of a headache when I came to. A sharp pain pulsed from my shoulder and I gasped. What in the hell is this?

Asher didn't hold down for long, releasing my shoulder just as quickly as he clamped down. "Don't growl at me, pet," he teased. "You were going limp on me. I was under the impression that you still wanted to talk."

My heart pounded in my chest as I resisted the urge to fire back with a smartass remark. I couldn't deny the fact that I was grateful he'd managed to shatter the paralysis for me, especially now that he'd acknowledged he had calmed down enough for the conversation. I simply responded with a soft growl while I pressed my forehead against his chest. My head was already pounding from how close I'd come to succumbing to the icy darkness. "Are you…okay now?" I panted.

He reached out to turn my head so that our gazes could lock. "I can feel your desire to know what I've uncovered through our bond and you're still more concerned about my well-being?"

The shock in his tone was enough to make me smile. Laughing softly, I pulled my chin free and closed my eyes. "Maybe…I'm growing fond…of you. The way you…came back…had me worried."

Asher responded with a soft noise that made my heart squeeze. He immediately wrapped his arms around me and held me close against him. "I appreciate your concern, pet. You have absolutely no reason to give me that much."

I sucked in a deep breath, trapping the air in my lungs for a moment before I released it. The haze was already starting to clear, allowing the thoughts to come together with ease. The only downside of our lovemaking was the headache pulsing in my temples. That pain was one I could tolerate compared to the things I had endured growing up. Dragging my nail along his skin, I murmured, "You might've had different intentions for me in the beginning, but that doesn't change the fact that you still saved me from an abusive woman."

"You're referring to the cigarette burns."

I nodded slowly, relieved that my voice wasn't cracking. There was a part of me that hoped the sorrow didn't leak into my voice. When his arms simply tightened, I knew he could sense that emotion tearing through me as much as I could sense the lingering rage still deep within him. I didn't protest how tight he was holding me, even if my lungs weren't very thrilled. It was a comforting touch that I didn't realize I had been so deprived of. "Everything else has healed. Those are taking longer because she'd constantly go over them whenever she managed to get the upper hand."

Asher stiffened. "What else did she do to you, Quinn?"

My name rolled off his tongue with so much grace that I found myself comforted on a whole new level. Gone was the timid child hiding behind a new identity and trying to find her way within a world that couldn't even embrace her mixed bloodline. Gone was the angry young woman who just didn't belong, even with her own family. I was myself again and I wanted to weep.

"Quinn."

I closed my eyes, yearning to keep the building tears trapped. The last thing I wanted to do in front of him was cry. Did demons consider sorrow a weakness like humanity did? I had no clue, nor did I have any desire to find out. I drew in a quivering breath. "She'd…beat me with a belt bad enough to leave bruises. If it caused an open wound, she'd aim for it until I bled."

He released a livid snarl. "What else?"

An empty laugh escaped me. "I wasn't kidding when I told you I didn't eat three square meals a day, Asher. There wasn't a whole lot of money to go around. What she did get for her job, she spent on herself. Food and cigarettes for one. I'd have to steal from a neighbor's garden just to get anything at all."

Asher started to run his hand along my back, sending shivers down my spine. "I'm sorry, pet…"

I raised my head slightly, arching an eyebrow. "Are you, the prince of the demon race, apologizing to me? I'm nothing more than a bastard hybrid. You don't owe me anything." I jolted when his hand lashed out, catching me by the chin to ensure I couldn't turn my face away. The air caught in my throat.

"The blood I tasted tonight wasn't that of a bastard hybrid, pet."

"That's all I am—"

The prince eased up to slam his lips against mine, essentially silencing me. He didn't end the kiss until I was in dire need of air. While I was forced on trying to focus on my breathing, those piercing golden eyes honed in on me. "That's what you were. You are not a mundane hybrid to overlook because your father wasn't a low-class demon. He was royalty, pet."

My heart skidded to a halt. "W-What?"

He reached up to brush my hair away from my eyes. "The good doctor still had some of your blood on file. I asked her to run a test against one of the only remaining vials from the original ruling family. Your father was the final surviving heir of the Faxiss bloodline. That's the furthest you can get from being a bastard."

The prince's words left me reeling. I had spent so much of my life being told that my father had been the smart one. He'd taken off long before Anita had discovered that she was pregnant with me. Not much time had passed until someone found his body rotting in a ditch on the outskirts of the city.

"That should have been my cue," Anita snarled."I should've aborted your ungrateful ass right from the start. What better sign than the man who helped spawn you killing himself?" Even from a distant memory, I could still hear those words dripping with venom.

"You're wrong." I shook my head. "My father was nothing more than a scumbag—"

"Your mother's words, pet." Asher arched an eyebrow, effectively silencing me with just a firm look. "Blood doesn't lie about where you stand in my world."

I reluctantly relaxed against him and mused over his words. It was a struggle just to wrap my head around it. My mother's disgust over the blood running through my veins was no secret. When she called my father a cowardly piece of trash, all I could do was believe it. He was long gone by the time she brought me into the world and I was left with nothing about him except for what she spewed at me during her fits of rage.

The prince trailed his fingers along my spine, leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake. "I can feel those wheels turning."

"That's not funny." I wrinkled my nose. Blowing out a heavy breath, I studied the flawless skin I was still pressed against.

He chuckled, the noise rumbling from his chest. "Might as well ponder out loud."

I shifted so that my chin rested on him. "I suppose it makes sense… My mother has always despised demon kind. If my father was from the original ruling family and she found out who he was after he died … I don't know, all that rage just makes sense. It doesn't really matter now. I guess I'm just…trying to figure out where I stand. I've always had a foot in both worlds, but I never truly belonged in either."

Asher's golden eyes searched my face. "There's a question lingering on your tongue, pet. The best thing you can do is just ask."

Instinct drove me to nibble on my lower lip again, although the raw wound that had barely dried quickly drove me away from succumbing to that desire completely. I released a frustrated groan that only caused the edges of his lips to twitch. "Where does that leave me now?"

He shifted, moving his hand to my face. It wasn't long until those fingers danced along the side of my face. "It changes everything. You're not someone that can be owned. How you came to be in my possession doesn't matter anymore. Your demonic blood is taking dominance and that can't be ignored. You're the last of your bloodline, pet."

"So…"

Asher rolled over, pinning me beneath him. "It means you're my equal, Quinn Rossi."

I squirmed beneath him. "If you're thinking that I'm going to take over this whole ruling the demonic race, you're hilarious. I'm not royalty material."

He shifted his hips, nudging his hard cock further inside me. The sensation of his knot brushing against my sore pussy walls squeezed a moan from me. "That's not quite how ruling works. Just because an heir survives doesn't mean the throne is immediately handed back over. My family still has that right. Now that we…officially…mated, that would change things dramatically."

"How would that change? We've already made love quite a few times now."

Asher eased onto an elbow, using his free hand to trace the tattoo that had darkened on my right breast. "The first step occurred when you triggered my knot, pet. All you had to do was give me permission and I marked you. The tattoo of my family's emblem is proof of the bond we've begun. The only thing left to do to seal our bond would be for you to do the same to me."

Closing my eyes, I sucked in a breath as he continued to trace along the tattoo. "I don't understand how I would do that. I didn't grow up in this world, Asher."

The demon merely eased down as much as he could before the knot protested. Although I jerked with a soft hiss, he was more focused on grazing my breast with his fangs. "The need to fulfill that unfinished bond is driven by instinct. It's triggered by the height of sex, when you're driven by the primal need to claim the other person. Which, you essentially got the idea of when you bit me on the shoulder." His golden eyes returned to my face. "All you have to do is reach deep inside to that untapped magic and instruct it to claim me as yours — should you wish to."

"Should I want to?" I repeated. Running my fingers through his hair, I tugged on a strand that caused him to wince slightly. "Why would you word it like I might not want to?"

He released a snort. "I did buy you to serve as a personal toy for my entertainment, Quinn. That doesn't exactly leave a good impression on the other party."

Although the desire to release a heavy sigh was strong, I managed to suppress it. I reached down and seized his chin, prompting him to come back up. "You're describing it like it's really simple. Is that all it takes? A bite and the urge to stake a claim?"

The prince turned his head, nipping at my fingers. "Yes."

He made it sound like it was easy to do. Pressing my lips together, I could feel him pulsing inside me. Every small movement he made lit the fire back up and I noticed a strange yearning coming all the way from the depths of my soul. It was so small that I almost didn't catch it until my upper jaw started to ache. All it took was brushing my tongue along my teeth to realize the fangs had returned.

Asher didn't attempt to break the silence. His golden eyes studied me closely. When my eyebrows furrowed, he simply nodded.

Very well, then. If it was that easy, then I was going to put it to the test. I threw my weight sideways, encouraging the prince to roll back underneath me. As soon as I was back on top, I started moving against him. The knot kept him deep inside me, but the angle was perfect for grinding. My clit was still very much on fire. That didn't stop my pace from shifting into a pure frenzy. I dug my nails into his chest, a series of groans escaping me.

The prince didn't protest the thin crimson lines that I was leaving behind on his skin. He simply held me by the hips to keep me upright while I rode him. His golden eyes fluttered shut and a moan of his own filled the air. "Gods, pet…You have a tight pussy no matter how many times I take you. I'm not going to be able to hold off my release for long this time."

I tilted my head back as the tension built within me. I had absolutely no protest with this round not being anywhere near as long. I hadn't instigated it just to prolong the lovemaking. No, I was after the unique high because my body yearned for that only a bite seemed to trigger. My breathing grew ragged as the orgasm quickly built. No, not yet…

The noises escaping the demon beneath me became short and ragged. His grip tightening on my hips hinted that his release wasn't far off.

I waited to grind my body at the perfect angle to trigger my orgasm until a strange chill tore down my spine. I could feel him stiffen beneath me. Only when he jerked from his release did I finally allow my climax to rip through me. My vision grew hazy as I leaned forward and latched onto his chest, sinking my fangs into the same spot he'd chosen on me. Mine. All mine! A territorial growl escaped my lips as his blood coated my tongue.

Asher wrapped an arm around my back, keeping me tight against him. "Fu-Fuck," he grunted.

He's all mine.I couldn't find it within myself to release him from my iron grip until the wild hunger within me started dying and the haze cleared. It took everything I had just to pull back. The smell of his blood made it close to impossible, yet a gentle nudge helped me ignore the overwhelming urge to latch back onto him. I allowed him to straighten me. "Holy hell." I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the room to quit spinning.

A pleased chuckle escaped the prince. He didn't budge an inch when I insisted on leaning back down just to run my tongue along the open wound. The noise quickly shifted into a hiss. It didn't take very long to evolve into a groan that flooded me with excited chills. "I told you…that it was simple."

I didn't think anything of it until I had licked most of the blood away. As soon as the faint black ink underneath was exposed, I froze. There's no way in hell it worked. I was a bastard child, a hybrid that had no clue how to embrace the demonic side. Yet the longer I stared at the healing wound, the more the tattoo darkened before my very eyes. I rested my chin on his chest, watching the lines become clear until a tribal jackal gazed right back at me. "I-I did it," I breathed.

"I knew you could, pet."

I wrinkled my nose and locked gazes with him. "Don't get me wrong. I was really doubtful that it was as easy as that, but I do appreciate you being such a firm believer." I shifted my weight and started tracing the tattoo. "Are you going to tell me what had you so riled up earlier?"

I could tell by the way Asher flinched that he had been hoping I would have forgotten about his initial behavior. He released a slow sigh and shifted his gaze up toward the ceiling. "The country used to belong to the angels. The more territory they have to hand over to cover their debts, the more they've started to resist. Which led to one of my gun shipments going missing."

"Hence why you threw on the extra requests with their prince."

"Yes." Asher returned his gaze toward me. He started brushing his fingers along my jaw, using my touch to keep his emotions grounded. "I attempted to keep an eye on his location through my demon lords, but it seems…he won't stop at the same boundaries as I would to ensure he could slip out."

"Boundaries like what?" I managed through clenched teeth. My grip tightened on him as a strong shiver ripped down my spine.

The prince reached out to tug the other end of the sheets loose and fling it over my body. "I might be a demon, pet, and there are many behaviors that are like second nature for me. Violent spurts and appeasing to the temptation of others are not something I would reject. But…" He winced, his words catching in his throat. Raw agony leaked into those eyes with so much strength that I could almost feel the emotion tearing through my own veins.

"Asher…" I eased up slightly. "What did Marcillo do?"

He closed his eyes. "He slit the throat of a child to consume his essence."

As soon as those words hit the air, all of the warmth escaped my body. The chill that haunted me left me with so many emotions that I wasn't ready to acknowledge. "He…He killed a child?"

Asher nodded slowly. "That's one line that I won't cross, Quinn. Mature mortals are another story, but a child…Their soul is innocent. Pure. It's a burst of magic that an angel like Marcillo desperately needed to get out of my grasp."

"I'm so sorry." I relaxed against him, tucking my head underneath his chin.

He surprised me by uttering a bitter laugh that was borderline empty. "Don't act like I've not disappointed you with that admission, pet. Not every demon would agree with that boundary. There are some that will walk right across it without any regret. It's an unnecessary weakness."

"Then I'm an unnecessary weakness."

His golden eyes flew open. "Like hell." The words were almost a primal snarl. If it had been the first day, I would have recoiled from the sudden change of tone.

Tonight, I merely glared right back at him. "If I'm not a weakness to you, then neither is upholding the belief that a child's soul is pure and should be left alone. That just goes to show you aren't a wild animal, Asher. You know right from wrong, even if humanity might disagree with a lot of it. Most people would expect an angel not to cross that line. The fact that Marcillo did… It's disgusting. I can't blame you at all for how furious you were."

I was stunned to see how much my words seemed to comfort him. All the agony that had built up within that piercing gaze was quickly tamed and he relaxed. "You really are something else, pet," he murmured.

I turned my head into his hand so that he cupped my face. "So are you."

Asher pressed his lips against my hair. "Even after all I've done to you…it's enough for you to despise me with every ounce of my being. Not only have you accepted me for who I am, but you've embraced your own bloodline with open arms. It's not…quite what I expected when I got the news about who you were the daughter of."

"It helps when you accepted me for who I was, even before that news was revealed," I mused. "I was an outcast my entire life. From my own mother taking it out on me in every way that she could to the other organization members trying to shut me out."

He responded with an agitated noise. "If they treated you that poorly, why did you stay?"

"Where else would I go?" I fired back softly.

A weary sigh escaped him. "Valid point, I suppose…" He tightened his arms around me, eager to chase away the chill that had started to seep into my bones.

I poked his chest with a soft giggle. "Face it, Asher…You bought me and now you're just flat out stuck with me."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, pet."

We fell into a comfortable silence. While I was clinging to consciousness with Sandman nipping at my heels, the prince seemed to relax with every passing moment. We were both on the verge of falling asleep when pounding on his front door echoed throughout the apartment.

Asher immediately tensed. "Fuck," he rasped.

A painful knot started to form in my stomach. "Who is it? Nico?"

"I'm afraid not. It's not any of my demon lords." Asher attempted to pull me off of him, swearing when his swollen knot kept us locked together. The noise he uttered was a mixture of pure panic and a sense of urgency.

I hissed softly as his knot brushed against my pussy walls and threatened to trigger another orgasm. "So, who is it?"

His golden eyes strayed toward me as a grim expression haunted his face. "My father."

Well, fuck.How much was I tempting fate today?