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The Deal With The Devil 14
StefanVeronica looked so completely confused sitting there, it was charming. Almost endearing, even."Up. I'm taking you to bed." I hauled her to her feet. It was the first time I'd really held her, and she felt smaller, lighter than I expected. More fragile."That's what you'd like, isn't it?"She tried to stand on her own and stumbled, her little hand shooting out to grab hold of me to steady herself. The moment we made contact, we both stopped. I looked down at her hand, pale and delicate against my chest. I'd been working outside since late spring, so my skin had been tanned a rich golden brown, making her soft white a beautiful contrast.I thought she'd pull away, and maybe if she hadn't drunk that whiskey, she would have. Hell, she'd be smart to. I'd been messing with her up until now, but something about her innocent, maybe naive directness, intrigued me. And when she let her hand move over my chest, softly feeling the touch of my skin, sliding it over to my shoulder, then bic
The Deal With The Devil 15
StefanAfter she ate, I led the way to the large garage. It was built in the same style of the house and had enough space for three cars, but two of those were loaded with old equipment for the vineyard we no longer used. In the third stood the truck I'd been working on, a 1970s Chevy."That's very old. Does it still run?" she asked when we neared."I hope so. I spent last night and two hours this morning working on the thing." I'd been up since half past five."You didn't get much sleep."I shrugged a shoulder.She touched the rust and peeled off a layer of old paint, then opened the door and climbed in as I settled behind the driver's seat."Is it safe?""I wouldn't drive you around in it if it wasn't."She stole a glance when I said it, then fastened her seat belt. The engine hiccupped then roared to life, and we drove off."I hope you don't mind the wind." I had both windows rolled all the way down. "Couldn't quite get the AC working.""No. I like it. How big is the property?""Ab
The Deal With The Devil 16
VeronicaWhen I'd woken up this morning with a headache and bad memories of what I may have said last night, I hadn't expected to be smiling from ear-to-ear later that same day. But here I was, carrying my brand-new puppy into the house. I decided to name him Charlie.Stefan surprised me. Even if he did end on that cryptic "I'll think of some way for you to repay me later." The memory of it made me shiver.Last night, the whiskey had hit me hard. For one thing, I was an inexperienced drinker, to say the least, and for another, I was jet lagged and exhausted. I remembered almost everything but hoped I'd dreamed parts of it, especially the last part when I'd told him he smelled good, and worky—what kind of word was worky—oh, and like a man. God. How embarrassing. And if that wasn't enough, I also clearly remembered telling him I was a virgin.Stefan had said he had work to do and left me at the house to wait for the seamstress.Maria gave Charlie a little pat on the head, but from the w
The Deal With The Devil 17
Veronica The door opened at that moment. There was no knock first. We both turned to find Stefan standing there. His mouth fell open, and he didn't speak for a long time. Finally, I moved, sliding the veil from my head, and facing him."It's bad luck for the groom to see his bride before the wedding," the seamstress said with a wink.Was she oblivious to the tension between us?"This is no ordinary wedding," I muttered.Stefan cleared his throat and dragged his gaze from me. "Do you need anything?" he asked the seamstress."No, I should be fine. I'll have it back within a few days. Not too much to do.""Good." He looked me over again, his expression strange, tight. He then nodded, walked back out, and closed the door. The seamstress helped me undress and carefully placed the gown back in its bag. After gathering her things, she said good-bye and left.Feeling the weight of jet lag, I lay down to close my eyes for a few minutes, but those few minutes turned into two nightmarish hours.
The Deal With The Devil 18
VeronicaMy heart beat hard as he swam out to me, his dark head parting the water like a shark as, with two powerful strokes, he was at my side, then had me cornered, his arms trapping me at the edge of the pool."One thing I learned early in life is never let your enemies see your fear." He moved in closer, his wet face inches from mine. "Never let them smell it on you because it's like a fucking drug." He inhaled deeply. "You can get high from it, Veronica.""Are you my enemy?" I asked, focusing on that one word. Unable to think about the rest. Knowing it was true."I'm not your friend, am I?""No.""Your eyes betray your desire, Veronica. Your hunger.""You don't see very clearly, Stefan.""I see very clearly. And I read you like a fucking book."I looked away, very aware of his body so close to mine, very aware of how my lips parted and my tongue darted out to lick them. And how he watched that little involuntary movement so knowingly."You're curious, Veronica. At least admit it
The Deal With The Devil 19
Stefan"Look at me, Veronica."She did, and her pale eyes searched mine. Inside them I saw humiliation. I saw sadness. Uncertainty. I saw vulnerability, and I saw a loneliness, a longing, a hope, that I recognized. One I couldn't ignore. One that threatened to resurrect a part of me I'd buried long ago.One I intended on keeping buried.I knew only one way to shut it down, and I needed to shut it the fuck down. Now.Anger boiled inside me. Rage at my own weakness. My weakness around her."I own you," I said, gripping her jaw harder than I needed to and bringing her face to me."Stop!""When I want to fucking kiss you, I'll fucking kiss you." To prove my point, I mashed my lips over hers. This time, they didn't open. They didn't yield like they had just a few moments ago.Good. That was good. That was the point.I released her, and she tried to scramble away, scraping her thigh on the edge of the pool as she tried to slip out of my grasp but ending up on her back instead, with me on top
The Deal With The Devil 20
StefanTake care when fighting the monsters you don't become one.My mom used to tell me that. All the time. It was her favorite fucking quote from Nietzsche.I fought for her too. I fought him. I always lost. I always knew I'd lose, but I did it anyway, and I took the penalties, endured the consequences.I guess I didn't realize when the transformation had happened. When the monster had beaten me. Had taken me over and made me like him. Like my father.I staggered to my feet like a drunken man and went into the house, up to my room, unable to even look at her closed door. I didn't bother to shower. I just pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, got into my car, and drove, not sure where I was even going until I pulled up to the seminary gates. I'd never been here before. It was while I was in prison that Stephen had told me his plans. We hadn't really talked much before that. Stephen and I, we were as opposite as could be. I guess, though, in a way, we were both surviving.My father
The Deal With The Devil 21
VeronicaIt wasn't hard to avoid Stefan after the incident at the pool. He seemed to be avoiding me too. He seemed to have always eaten before I did, and I kept to my room when I didn't have to go downstairs to take care of Charlie. I didn't know where Stefan was most of the time, and I didn't want to care. But I did.He had two sides to him, and he flipped with deadly precision on a dime. His demons were so dark and so deep that when they reared their heads, when they overtook him, he was the scariest beast of all. A man filled with hate and vengeance. But wasn't it those very things that had broken him?But that fissure, it only made him more dangerous because that hurt, it could swallow me up too. It could destroy me like it was him.I could still feel him on my lips, his mouth on mine, his tongue inside my own when I'd opened to him. Like some fool, I'd yielded and so fucking easily. He hadn't even had to make me. If he made me, it would be easier. If he made me, I could hate him.
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