With countless rooms, the Rothslor manor could be declared a castle. I had lost track of which floor we were on and how many rooms we had gone through. The fear of throat-slitting and devil sacrifice persisted with each new area we entered.“This is the last room,” said Jane Astor, removing a big bronze lock from the door. “Come inside and have a look. We’re not hiding anything here except old furniture.“We don’t need to check anything. Our mother was entirely wrong about you. Thank you for your hospitality to show us around your home,” said Derrick.No, what? I peeked inside from afar. Dusty white sheets covered what they claimed was furniture. Anything could be hidden underneath it. We couldn’t just quit looking for Satan.“You.” Mr. Astor pointed at me with a finger. “You’re still doubtful about us. I have sensed you shake like a leaf each time I stood behind you. Were you expecting me to plunge a dagger into your back?”I again trembled under his ominous stare. Benedict Astor lov
It was time. Benedict Astor was about to mention my secret conversation with his housemaid. I turned my back towards the door, preparing myself to flee after confronting him about having demon spies.“Who told you about it? Do you have ears in every corner of your home?” I carefully took the smallest step back.“I don’t know what you mean by that, but I have two perfectly well-functioning ears in this room. I heard your sister talk about your heart-wrenching breakup loud and clear,” he said.“What?! You were referring to my breakup all this time?”“Well, of course. What were you thinking? Is there something you should tell me?” Mr. Astor narrowed his eyes in suspicion.“No, uh.” I scratched my head, thinking of a plausible explanation. “I thought you were talking about my mother or someone else related to me.”“Ah, I see,” said Mr. Astor. Astoundingly, he didn’t press for more information. “I would love to talk about your mother, but right now, I have something else in mind that can g
Jane and Benedict Astor forced us to change into fancy clothes for the dinner party. I expected an extravagant party with at least fifty guests from what she made us wear.My dress was a dusty blue fitted satin gown, accentuating all my curves. It also had a deep cleavage, which left little to the imagination around my chest area. Desmond would have taken delight in ripping it off me if we were still together. In such a slinky dress, I was about to flirt with another man. I was in that stage of post-breakup, where a part of me still felt committed to Desmond. Additionally, the last thing I wanted to do was give the impression that I was seeking attention or trying too hard to appear promiscuous.Someone knocked at my door as I unsuccessfully tried to find an angle from which my evening gown would look less provocative.“Who is it?” I asked, expecting it to be that creep, Mr. Astor. I suspected him to have something to do with the selection of my figure-hugging dress with a slutty nec
I put on a facade of sensual confidence to greet the men at my door. My sexiness was my armor and weapon for the night. Benedict Astor better be extra vigilant, as I was determined to watch his life go up in flames.“Well, hello there, gentlemen,” I started with a beguiling smile. “Sorry to keep you waiting. It isn’t easy to maintain this.” I moved my hand down my body, and the men’s eyes followed it with delight.“Oh, my! Goddesses are real.” Mr. Astor tapped on his heart, still ogling my figure. "It was worth enduring the slight delay to experience the sheer beauty of this captivating sight. She has made my old heart race. What about you, young fellow?" He nudged his nephew.Charles lowered his hazel eyes in embarrassment. He was a fine-looking blonde man. Temporarily, I wanted to be attracted to him to get the green siren eyes and angular jaw out of my head. However, undeniably, his handsomeness wasn’t anything compared to Desmond.I looked away for a mental talk with myself. “His
Charles and I had our lips locked. The last time I was that close to a man, blood was shed. Where was my demon/incubus now? I moved Charles to where I had seen the shadow to give Desmond a clearer view of our mouth action.Bam! I heard a bang on the wall close to where we were kissing. My sweet plan of revenge was working. My lips spread into a cheeky smile against Charles’s mouth.To force my sneaky ex-demon lover into making his presence known more strongly, I pushed and pinned Charles against the wall exactly the way Desmond used to do it to me and slid my tongue deep into his mouth. The kiss was too passionate for two people who had just met.I wasn’t thinking about the after-effects of going to town on a stranger’s tongue. All I cared about was causing Desmond gut-wrenching pain as a start for lying to me. I wanted him to squeal with pain and interfere physically in my makeout session with a new man.Charles was initially too taken aback to participate, but now I could feel his
I darted back to the upper floor. The screams we had heard were of pure agony. Someone was in excruciating pain. My thoughts flew straight to Lily, the frail maid who had promised to reveal the Astors’ darkest secrets to me on the second floor. Benedict Astor must have sent a demon after that poor girl for daring to speak against them. My legs moved as rapidly as possible, and soon, I reached the source of the screams. I threw open the door to that room and found my fears to be spot on. Lily was on the floor, bleeding heavily through multiple stab wounds. The astonishing part was that instead of a demon, my brother Derrick was standing close to the body with a knife drenched in blood.“Derrick, what is this?!” I cried. I didn't believe him to be the actual killer. He must be possessed or under the influence of heavy drugs or witchcraft.My brother didn’t spare me a glance and continued staring mindlessly at the maid. His eyes lacked awareness, and his sluggish movements reminded me o
My chest raised and fell. In the past, that man’s voice had made me smile, cry, moan, and bite my lips in ecstasy. Now, it filled me with different emotions. I felt protected, heard, and important. After everything I said and did, Desmond didn’t give up on me and kept following me to come to my rescue at the perfect time. Was he deranged or seriously in love with me?“Yes, I did. I called for your help,” I said. My eyes searched for a glimpse of him around the height of the great hall and ground level. The cold and warm air against my skin felt like him. I sniffed it, and it smelled like him, too. Desmond had a distinctly pleasant scent to him. It was incomparable, as I had never smelled anything remotely similar to it. The fragrance was as enigmatic as him.“What do you want, Cass?” Desmond spoke again. I still couldn’t see him anywhere. His invisibility had always irked me. It was not the time to hide and test my patience.“Anyone can mimic a voice. How can I believe that the perso
I couldn’t stop staring into Desmond’s entrancing eyes. They were sparkling like the finest gold. That golden glow had evoked lust, love, and passion in me many times. Now, I found something new there. I saw sacrifice and an undying devotion to me.My heart was fluttering for Desmond. I saw a glimpse in him of the first man, my dad, who had promised to protect me and my family. It was strange to find all that in a demon. I wished things to be different. If I had never found out his secret, I would have grabbed him by his hair and dug my fingers into his sharp jaw while sucking hard on his lips and tongue. I imagined doing that and more to Desmond vividly. He must have heard my passionate thoughts and how his efforts were pushing through the walls I had put up to protect my heart.“I love you, Cass. I want you to remember that each time you’re in trouble and wondering whether anyone cares. The entire world can turn their backs on you, but I will always come to your rescue no matter ho
Two months had gone by since the war at Voocrod. With Jane and Benedict out of our lives, things were back to normal, mostly. The loss of our father was irrevocable, but we were grateful to have each other. Mom’s emotions had gotten under control, and she was slowly returning to her old self. Desmond was now her favorite person in the world. She could barely have a family dinner without him. It made me so happy to see their unique bond.Mia was doing well, too. Her scars had healed, and she had met a wonderful guy a month ago. Things were going pretty well. Her new boyfriend, Jack, had become Mom’s second favorite, so we expected a lot from that relationship.Derrick’s life had changed drastically as well. He now believed in magic and demons and supported my relationship with Desmond. What shocked us the most was when he and Becky announced they were officially dating. Good for Becky! She was a sweetheart who had always done so much to help me and my family. I couldn’t wait to have h
“Help, help!” I threw my fists at the window panically. In the building’s empty parking lot, there was no one to hear my distress-filled screams. I tried the door handle again, but it wouldn’t budge.Benedict’s demons had me cornered. Nothing was off limits for them. The fact that Alistair was on the enemy’s side was a greater shock than finding Desmond’s truth. I believed Xolmon because he acted so normal. I should have known better. Why did I agree to meet him, knowing very well that demons could look and behave normally?“Save the screaming for when we torture you, girl,” Hepzibah, the demoness, taunted. Her sharp claws gripped my shoulders, pulling me out of my seat. I struggled and shrieked. Even though it was pointless, I called Desmond’s name. The monster of my nightmares had caught me. Who would save me now? He was the only one I trusted after God.As I was kicking my feet, everything became a blur. I could hear the demons snickering at me. It all faded slowly. I had passed ou
My heart throbbed with the clock’s second needle. It was around midnight. Desmond had left fifteen minutes ago for Voocrod, leaving me and my family at Becky’s apartment. The much-awaited final war had begun. I had begged him to take me with him, but he said it was too dangerous. “Humans suffer the most during spirit wars, Cass,” Desmond had said. “Fiends will not hesitate to spill innocent blood. Violence is entertainment for them. What I fear the most is them taking you hostage to hurt me. Your love is my strength and my weakness. It doesn’t matter how close we are to winning the war. I would drop everything and sacrifice myself to save you.”Now, I was forced to wait without updates. Desmond wasn’t the only one who cared. I cared about his safety, too. Resting on Becky’s couch, I prayed to God for our victory and to bring my demon back to me unharmed.Becky wasn’t there because she had to leave to see her grandmother because of a medical emergency. My friend, however, was kind en
The water rapidly hit the rocks in a narrow stream. I watched it continuously flow. Nature is truly a miracle and the best way to refresh your mind. However, nothing can ease the anxiety of a current challenge. I couldn’t stop thinking about what Ophelia had said about not seeing a trapped child there. The war that was soon to come entailed death and imprisonment. What would I choose for my aunt when I wasn’t sure about her sins? Punishing an innocent would eat me up alive. There had to be a solution.“There is, Cass,” Desmond spoke. For the past five minutes, gushing water was the only sound around us. “I brought you here to clear your mind. Don’t punish yourself because of Jane.”With a lowered head, I walked up to Desmond. “I am sorry. Don’t you find this extremely troubling?”“No.” Desmond shook his head. “Because the solution is obvious.”“Which is what?” I said, desperate for anything.“Jane hasn’t given us any proof of her innocence. We don’t trust anyone,” Desmond began. I wa
I put a hand over my eyes, knowing very well that I could only conceal my face and not my thoughts from the two demons around me. How could I control my thoughts? For us humans, our minds and social media are the only two places to criticize safely.It was so unfair to have that taken away from you. I wished for the ground beneath to swallow me to save everyone from further embarrassment.“But I didn’t say anything, mother,” said Desmond. He must be trying to divert her attention from me. My boyfriend was very forgiving of my insulting thoughts. Was his mother the same?The lady opened her eyes to reveal the most striking golden eyes. The color was similar to Desmond’s siren irises, but they lacked the glow and appeared more natural. Her overall look reminded me of Rose from Titanic. She had red hair with the fairest skin and an elegant fashion sense.“You know I have a gift for this. You were about to introduce this beautiful human girl to me as your partner,” she spoke with a toothy
It was finally happening. Desmond’s tongue was so deep in my mouth that I could feel us becoming one. I didn’t want it to end. My mind couldn’t help but compare the kiss to the one I had shared with Charles. Kissing Charles was slobbery and warm. Whereas kissing Desmond was discovering infinite pleasures within your mouth while losing all control and touch with your surroundings. My feelings for my demon were just as massive as the difference between the two make-out sessions, which amplified the bliss even more.I liked how one of Desmond’s hands was still on my boob. He had already helped me explore the pleasures of my body in countless ways. Yet, I still wanted more. Not even an eternity locked and lost in his body could quench my thirst for him. I was addicted to him.Desmond’s hands traveled around my body, searching for more to grab and feel. With the same intention, I unzipped his jacket and slipped my hands underneath his shirt, feeling his soft skin and ripped body.“Cass, s
My eyes dropped to Desmond’s mouth, desperately waiting for a yes to come out of there. We had been apart for far too long, and only a few days away from him had felt like a million years of torture.All of Desmond’s lies and mistakes were forgiven and forgotten. His unusual appearance and true self became a part of me. Nothing mattered in that moment. My aching heart only sought solace in the man before me. He was the one. He had always been the one. The moment he walked into my life, no other man interested me. My knight in shining armor was perfect. His horns, wings, and tail were a bonus, not an unholy defect or curse. I wholeheartedly accepted and loved him exactly the way he was.Desmond was testing my patience with his silence. Deliberately, I filled my mind with passionate thoughts, letting him know how every inch of me longed for him. I could see the result of my experiment in his eyes. They looked back at me with amazement and a yearning more intense than mine.“Are you su
Standing close to the guest room window, I felt the chilly city air fan my face. Without a blanket over my shoulders, I would freeze to death. I watched the sparkling city lights and the never-ending sounds. It was two in the morning, and the streets were full of life. I would have found the scene enjoyable if my mind wasn’t troubled by a hundred different emotions.Thanks to Becky for having a three-bedroom apartment so I could have a separate guest room. That day’s events were bizarre and too overwhelming. My mind was all over the place, and I needed time to rearrange my thoughts and think of my next step.“Can I come inside?” Desmond knocked at the ajar door.“Yes, please,” I said, repositioning my blanket more fashionably. The most dominant thoughts in my mind were about Desmond. There was so much that needed to be said.Desmond walked inside, closing the door behind him. My eyes remained glued to the window. I could hear him slowly approaching me. There was tension and hesitation
Panic took over me when I heard footfalls for the third time. The first two times, it was Becky, but the steps felt heavier that time. I huffed and closed my hands into tight fists, almost piercing my skin with my sharp nails.“Cass, we’re back,” Desmond’s voice confirmed my fear.I turned around with partially opened eyes, prepared to face the wrath of my mother. Mom was unconscious in Desmond’s arms, and Becky was shocked beyond words.“Oh my God!” Becky’s jaw was almost touching the floor, and her eyes were twitching in a concerning way. “Am I magic now? Do the rules of the real world apply to me anymore, or am I now a boundless spirit floating in this never-ending universe we call life?”“None of that. You flew here at an extraordinary speed with me. The rules remain the same.” Desmond burst Becky’s bubble.Becky stared at Desmond like he was an alien or an unbelievable illusion. “I still can’t believe you are real. Cassidy must be hallucinating. He can’t be that good-looking and