Page 55 of Property of Crypt Keeper

I stared at her for a long moment before moving toward the dresser. Then I turned toward her.

Confusion flickered across her face.

“What are you doing?”

“Come here.”

At first, she hesitated. Then she crossed the room slowly.

When she reached me, I positioned her in front of the mirror, my chest against her back. Her breathing shifted immediately. I ignored it.

Slowly, I lifted her shirt. When I kept going, she raised her arms without me having to ask. Her nipples peaked in the air-conditioned coolness. My cock instantly responded, and I knew she felt it by the way her eyes dilated and she sucked in a sharp but short breath. Then I spun her to face me.

She lifted her chin and stared into my eyes. Our breathing was unsteady, but I ignored it for the moment.

“Look over your shoulder,” I gently instructed.

Initially, her brow furrowed. Then she turned slightly—and froze. The silence that followed was thick and smothering.

Dark symbols curled down her spine like living ink, faintly luminous against her skin.

Ancient.

Beautiful.

Her face drained of color. “No,” she whispered.

My chest tightened. “You know what it is.”

It wasn’t a question.

Her eyes stayed locked on the mirror.

“That’s impossible….”

“What is it?”

Her throat moved once before she answered.

“A true mate bond.” The words settled heavily between us.

“My parents had them,” she continued, her voice barely audible. “Among demons they’re… rare.”

“How rare?”

Her eyes flicked briefly to mine in the mirror.

“Demons weren’t meant to love,” she explained softly. “Not after we were cast to Earth.”

Something cold slid through my chest.

“These marks only appear when a demon finds their true mate,” she continued. “And only if the human willingly binds their life to the demon’s.”

Human. I stepped back silently. Then I pulled my shirt over my head.

Katalina turned fully as I faced away from her. The room went dead silent. And I knew she saw it immediately. The same dark symbols carved into my spine. Her breath caught sharply.

“No,” she gasped. “That’s not possible.”