Things Get Dark

Chapter Three

Poppy

My skin feels like it’s on fire, an ugly blush spreading across my cheeks. I can’t see it, but I recognize the familiar burn. Why am I reacting like this to her? Is it because she’s a demon? Does she have some sort of power over me?

Her smooth legs are bare, the sheer fabric falling between her thighs as she moves. It covers her, but there’s still too much soft pink skin exposed for me to be comfortable.

Rubbing my forehead, I sigh. “I don’t even know your name.”

Her tongue flicks out over her bottom lip, and for a moment I wonder if she tastes of salt from her cocktail. Deep pink eyes flash as she teases, “You can call me whatever you like, my little thundercloud.”

Closing my eyes and balling my fists, I swallow down the frustration washing over me. “Stop calling me weird names.”

“No.”

“What?”

My eyes snap open, and I hate the way my throat tightens when I see her grinning at me like some sort of self-satisfied cat. “When someone tells you to stop, you should.”

“Why?”

She perks up, making her tits bounce again. Her eyebrows raise and I bite my tongue, trying not to stare. There’s something about her that has my brain struggling to focus. It’s like she demands all of my attention just by existing. And sitting mostly naked on my bed.

“Because you’re supposed to!”

Shaking my head, I run a hand through my hair. The blast of power from earlier had turned it into a bird's nest. My black curls are messy and tangled. Great.

“Sweetie, I am a demon. I don’t have to do shit.”

She cackles before grinning widely. “Now, my grumpy little goblin, kiss me and close the deal.”

“K-k-kiss you?”

Her smile gets even bigger when my voice cracks.

“Yes. Is that too much for you?”

Crooking her finger, she beckons me closer and I find myself moving even though my brain is still reeling. Her tail snaps behind her, slapping against my bed almost like a whip. “Tough. You shouldn’t have summoned a demon if you weren’t prepared to pay the price.”

“If you need to make bargains to get kisses, I feel sorry for you, demon. You’re clearly attention starved.”

Scoffing, I stand between her spread thighs and stare down at her.

With her face tilted up to look at me, I can see her features more clearly. There’s a small scar near her eyebrow, and this close, her horns look like they’re carved out of crystal, glossy and glasslike. The shades of pink in her eyes swirl, like smoke, as her lips part. She has small fangs, almost like a vampire, and the thought of those biting my neck sends a tingle down my spine. Would it hurt? Would she be rough or would she handle me tenderly?

She refuses to rise to my ribbing, instead the corner of her mouth lifts into a ghost of a smile. “Exactly, so come and take pity on me. Kiss me. Make me feel good.”

“Fine.”

Rolling my eyes, I lean down closer until my lips are brushing against hers. “Since you’re basically begging.”

“Kiss me little witch,”

she growls. Warm hands slide under my dress to grab my legs and close the distance between us. The feel of her nails biting into my skin makes me gasp, but she’s ready and waiting to swallow the noise as I kiss her.

The instant our lips touch, it’s like there’s a live current moving through my body. Every nerve ending seems to vibrate and sing, and without thinking, I deepen the embrace. The demon hums when my tongue tangles with hers, and I realize she can probably taste the blood where I bit myself earlier.

She tastes like cinnamon edged with sweetness and I’m an instant addict as I chase that flavor. I end up crawling onto her lap, pushing us backwards onto my sheets as her hands move up my thighs.

“Manon,”

she whispers against my lips, her fingers working their way under the edge of my panties so that she’s grabbing my ass with both hands. She squeezes hard, making me groan. “Say it, witch.”

Manon’s tail slaps my ass lightly as she nips my bottom lip with her fangs, until I whimper, “Manon.”

Her chains brush against my nipples and for one insane moment, I wish I was naked. Then I could feel the coolness of the metal, mixed with the heat from her body as I grind down on her.

The energy moving through me continues to thrum, as Manon’s hand fists my hair and our kiss turns brutal, a clash of mouths and teeth. My skin feels tight and suffocating as she devours me, but all I can think is what a beautiful way to die.

The building pressure reaches a peak, and without warning, my body is arching back, forcing me upright as something in my chest feels like it’s expanding outside my body. A flash of red fills the room and then…nothing.

Chest heaving, I feel like I’ve been rung dry and I fall to the side, landing next to Manon on my small bed. Did I come?

The room is quiet, except for the sound of our heavy breathing and the occasional jangle of her chains as her chest expands and deflates with pants that slowly even out. “Ohhhhhh, that was interesting!”

she makes a satisfied humming noise, pushing up onto her elbows and looking at me with her head tilted.

Covering my face, I can’t believe I was making out with a demon. “Stop saying that! What’s interesting?”

Turning on her side, and resting her cheek on her palm, she watches me carefully as I peek through my fingers. “When we kissed, I could feel your knots slackening. I think you just undid one.”

“Knots?”

“Your magic.”

Her sharp gaze moves down my body, and I can’t even be bothered to push my skirt back down. It’s like that little surge of energy has faded away, making me more tired than before. She dances two fingers up my sternum to play with the ribbon that ties my neck around the neck. “It’s all tangled up inside you. But when we kissed, something happened.”

“Mmmm, is that what that was?”

I let my hands fall away.

There were knots inside me? Knots that were blocking my magic? I knew I wasn’t powerless. The Conclave might not have been able to feel my magic, but I knew it was there somewhere.

“I have an idea; do you trust me?”

She bats her eyelashes at me, and I find myself sighing. After kissing me like that, she could actually ask for my soul and I might just hand it to her on a silver platter.

I can’t let her know what effect she’s having on me. After all, demons are slippery creatures. Adding a little bite into my words, I admit, “No. But it’s not like I have any other options.”

“When there are knots in your body, you work them out.”

She rolls over onto her stomach, that wide smile back as she slides down the bed and onto the floor. “Let me work out your magical knots. With my tongue. Or my tail.”

“Are you just being a pervert?”

Snorting, I watch as she parts my thighs and positions herself between my legs. “Is this a pick-up line?”

Hooking my underwear with her fingers, she inches them down my legs, and eases them off me, lifting one foot at a time. “I don’t need pick-up lines, but you need my help. Now choose, tongue or tail?”

It’s like I’ve swallowed sand. What? I’d never done anything like this before. How was I supposed to make choices like that? “Whatever. I don’t care.”

Pushing my skirt up around my waist, she leans in until I can feel her exhaling against my pussy. Her breath is almost cool against the slick skin, and I flush, realizing just how wet I am.

Manon chuckles, the little huffs of breath making me squirm. “We both know you do. But I’ll let you pretend otherwise, my lingering darkness.”