Page 93 of Soul Redeemed

“Calix. My dreams don’t make sense. Even to me.”

“For weeks, I’ve struggled, Ava. You’re pure now. Untainted. Your blood is clean as a newborn demon’s. By claiming you, I’ll be sullying you.”

“Hey.” She pushed to her knees, knuckles pressed into the mattress. “Stop that. Stop that right now.”

“You dreamed it, Ava. You know it’s true.”

“No, it’s not. I also dreamed that I was one of those creatures, tearing into that angel. All my dream proved was that I’m stronger than my temptations.” She slid off the bed, feet hitting the cold floor, and she padded toward Calix, crouching beside him. “You are as much a temptation as any, and my dreams are a reminder that I should never take you for granted.”

“Are you prepared to give me eternity?”

“No, because not even that is enough. Even in death, remember?” Ava pressed her lips to his, eyes closing as she took in the flavor on her tongue. “Du amec, Calix.”

“Du amec, tazschlama.” He spoke against her mouth, and deepened the kiss.

41

Ava had never actually seen a bonding before. As a human, her mother hadn’t known of the demon rituals, and as a Fallen angel, her father wouldn’t have cared for her mother enough to make her his eternal mate. She’d heard stories of that kind of love, though. One so strong, the male would face an army of demons to protect his mate. Would fight to his last breath for her. And lived solely to pleasure her.

Like something out of a romance novel.

Staring at her reflection in the bathroom mirror brought a smile to her face. She almost didn’t recognize herself in the silky pink chemise. Her breasts plumped over top, waist small and curving out to full hips. The bronze of her skin gave her a Mediterranean appearance, set against the ice-blue of her eyes that’d held specs of fiery orange ever since the night with the hellsfire.

Healthy.

Happy.

She rubbed her hands over her stomach and smiled. Two days before, Drechler had examined her, offering the incredulous news that her womb had remained intact. Should she and Calix decide to, they’d have the choice of starting a family. A choice.

When she exited the bathroom, Calix stood at the end of the bed, wearing a druid-style robe, his face shielded inside the hood of it.

He reached out a hand to her, his expression indiscernible from where she stood.

From what Ava had gathered from Calla, bonding happened after midnight. She’d expected Calix to wake her from sleep and do his thing. His thing being the most exquisite sex she’d ever experienced.

She placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her toward the door. “Wait. Calix. We’re doing this outside of the bedroom?”

“Yes,” was all he said in response.

“Then, I should probably get my robe. Or something, in case we run into Bennett on the way.”

At his release, she darted back toward the armoire, nabbing the robe draped on the chair beside it, and slid it over her shoulders before returning to Calix’s side.

Down the hallway, he led her to a dark corridor, lit only by sconces. She’d never been there before, where ghostly paintings stood before various phases of the moon. There seemed to be a pattern to the images that, had she been given the opportunity to study them, she may have picked up on, but Calix didn’t pause to admire the scenery. He kept on down the hallway, which seemed to darken the further they ventured, until they reached a door at the end.

Light bled through the cracks, and as Calix pushed it open, the source of the lambent glow was confirmed in the dozens of candles lit around an open room. All of Calix’s brothers, with the exception of Zayne, lined either side of a path that led to a fire pit. Beside Logan, stood Calla, who held a sleeping Avalon, and Sabelle smiled from Gavin’s side. Both women wore a sleeveless stola and palla, looking like something out of the Roman era.

Ava shrank at the sight of them, feeling underdressed in her nightie, particularly as they seemed hell-bent on avoiding her gaze with their eyes focused downward.

“Calix,” she whispered, as they made their way toward the fire pit.

He didn’t answer.

Panic swelled inside her chest at a single thought racing through her mind—one that would seem almost ridiculous, if not for the fact that she understood demon rites to be some of the most strictly followed and respected practices of the underworld.

Finally reaching the pit of fire, she turned to face him, and from the way he tipped his head and reached out to stroke her cheek, the conflict must’ve been flashing like a marquee across her forehead.

“Calix,” she whispered, glancing at the others out of the corner of her eye. “Do we … bond in front of them?” Again, Ava was no stranger to sex with an audience, but for chrissakes, they were his brothers, and she’d never consider such a thing in front of Avalon.