Page 42 of Caught in the Devil’s Hand

“There is no way for me to get it,” he said, defeated and slouching. “The witch would not give up such a book, and though I can get inside the village’s barriers, the witch has barriers I cannot pass. I could sense she was practicing strong magic inside her home, but I could not come close without tripping an alarm spell that tells her of visitors.”

Which explained why Shumei never needed to knock.

“When I had my magic,” he continued, “I could have easily dispelled everything she has in place and bound her magic before she could even say half a word. But now? Now I’m powerless. It’s one thing to search for the book and another for me to get it.” She frowned, disliking his desolate tone. He always acted so confident and pushy, but to hear him talk of giving up after locating the single object he had been seeking for centuries…

“I could trade her for the information we need. Perhaps she’ll trace a copy of the right page for—”

“No, she’ll definitely know of our affair then. She’ll use it against you, and I don’t want you to trade anything more with her,” he commanded, slashing his hand through the air. She jutted her chin at his authoritarian attitude. “If you’re lucky, she won’t use her magic on you, but she’ll ask for much more than a kiss. No one touches you but me.” He snatched her wrists, forcing her to drop her dress.

Neither of them spoke. Enthralled by the heated look he was giving her, she took a deep breath of the charged air swirling between them. Arousal stirred and quickened. Her gaze flicked to his lap. He wanted her again.

“Don’t you want to be human again?” she asked.

“Of course,” he said, teeth clenched. “But not if it risks you.” He pulled her to him, sprawling her across his lap. His show of strength stunned her, and she could only cling to him, overwhelmed, as he hungrily pressed his lips to hers.

She opened for him, letting in his expert tongue, but this kiss instantly felt different. It was desperate, almost angry, and it made her heart pound. He wasn’t seducing her this time, evoking pleasure with every swipe of his tongue and every pull of his lips. He was conveying an emotion. She wished she could see his eyes. She was certain she’d find something other than cold emptiness.

They came up for air together. She swept her hands across his shoulders and down his back. He kept one arm around her and squeezed his other hand between them to grasp her breast. Her pert nipple grazed his rough palm. He captured it with his fingers and pinched.

Both moaned low as they sought each other’s lips again. She ran her thumb over the shell of his ear and savored the pleasant tingle she knew he was feeling. Vallen was rougher, tugging her nipple before massaging the abused flesh with his palm.

“Gods, I want you again. Even more than before,” he rasped when their mouths broke apart. He pressed his hand between her legs.

“Then have me. Take me,” she begged, eagerly opening her thighs to give him more room. He slipped two fingers inside her and rubbed her clit with the heel of his hand. Moaning, she twined her arms around his shoulders.

“Bear down,” he hotly whispered into her ear. She fervently did so, clamping around his thrusting fingers while he licked and sucked on the side of her neck.

A thought popped into her head, one that gave her a great thrill. She brought her hand down, found his stomach, and stroked lower, searching for the part of him she’d been sneaking glances at for the last ten minutes. She grasped his cock, and he grunted against her cheek, fingers pausing. His hair brushed her cheek, and his breath was hot on her ear. The jolt of his reflected pleasure was so strong it was almost painful.

He was so hard—as hard as stone—but also as smooth as the expensive pillows they reclined upon. Her fingertips barely met on the other side and the heat of him was surprising.

“Does this feel good?” she asked.

“You know it does,” he rasped, voice dropping to a pitch that made the air shudder. He wrapped his slick fingers around hers and helped her find the right grip, the right speed. It felt so good she could hardly breathe. “Up and down like this. Y-Yes.”

“Oh gods,” she gasped.

“Use your thumb and press on the tip like thi—” He groaned against her neck as she followed his instructions. She cried out, pumping her hand faster.

“I want more,” she pleaded.

“Then put those beautiful lips around my cock and suck the pleasure out of me.” He wrapped his hand around her nape, lay back, and pulled her head between his legs.

Still holding the base of his cock, she rolled onto her stomach and took in the sight of him before her. His muscular thighs, spread to make space for her. His heavy-lidded stare, hot and eager. His chest, heaving with excitement. He was so masculine, and the part of him grasped within her greedy fingers was the most masculine part of him.

She pressed a chaste kiss to the tip and mewled at the mirrored pleasure she felt. The tip was the most sensitive part, like her clit. Slowly sliding her mouth down the length of him, she softly moaned the entire way, stopping about halfway when the back of her throat stopped her. She heard another, deeper moan and glanced up at the wild look in his eyes.

His familiar taste was strongest here. She could even smell his spicy soap. She groaned, hips curving as a particularly hard stroke of her tongue produced a pleasant result. She did it again, then again, until she and her demon lover were both gasping and crying out. Though she was having some difficulty concentrating on sucking, she didn’t and couldn’t stop doing it.

His hand settled on the back of her head, gripping her hair and helping her remember her rhythm as nectar seeped from the flower of her body. Following her lips with her stroking hand felt even better as she bobbed up and down. The hand in her hair tightened, and she could feel their orgasm was close.

“S-Stop. I long to come inside of you as I once did, but stop,” he choked out, pulling her head up.

Thighs trembling, she licked her lips as she gazed at him with every ounce of want raging through her veins. She also wanted him to come inside her and didn’t really care where anymore.

“By the dueling gods, you’re beautiful,” he muttered. He rose over her and pushed her onto the pillows behind her. She tried to part her thighs and make room for him, hoping desperately that he would be inside her soon, but he turned her over and packed a couple pillows beneath her hips.

“What are you doing?”