A Legacy of the Damned: Daughter of Astaroth

Chapter 41 - No Meet Cute

"You're ready," he says, sounding surprised. I've taken my shower and now I'm standing in front of a long mirror in his room, swiping a tinted gloss over my lips.

Our eyes meet in the mirror as he leans against the wall behind me with his arms folded across his chest. The white t-shirt stretches over his broad shoulders and his fully dried hair is sexily tousled. The butterflies in my stomach flutter and my heart flip almost painfully in my chest as they always do every time I look at him.

The fluttering in my stomach actually feels worse now because we're having breakfast with his family this morning. It makes me feel a bit anxious. Well, if I'm being really honest, I'm not just a bit anxious- there's a heavy block of ice in my stomach.

A half-demon meeting a family of royal Nephilims. How crazy is that? I mean, they've met Alistair who is also a half-demon, obviously, but our circumstances are totally different. To be honest, I don't know how this is going to work. But surely Sacha knows his family best, right?

I also don't know how formal his family is at the dinner table so, I'm following his lead. He's in jeans and a t-shirt, so I've put on high-waisted white denim with a pale blue top and white strappy sandals.

"Most women I know take forever to get ready but it only took you fifteen minutes," he muses before he pushes himself off the wall to stroll over to me.

I shrug my shoulders. I don't know about other women but I don't need long to get ready...most days. Like all my siblings, though, I could spend hours in front of the mirror, admiring myself. But today is not the day.

Today I have my hair up in a high classic ballerina bun. A few loose tendrils that are framing my face look soft buttery yellow and silvery white in the morning sunlight that's streaming in through the big windows and the french doors to the balcony.

He stands behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders and I watch him from beneath my lashes. I'm quite tall for a woman but he still towers over me.

"You are so unbelievably beautiful, some days it hurts just to look at you," he murmurs. His piercing hazel gaze is studying me closely in the mirror as if he's cataloging my features. "When we went out, I saw strangers doing a double take when they saw you. Men tripped over their own feet or literally walked into walls, unable to take their eyes off of you. But you're used to that, aren't you, Danica Saint? Even Alistair, my long-time friend couldn't help himself. He had to go and disregard my warning not to go anywhere near you."

I swallow hard. I don't know how to answer that. I'm aware of the effect that I have on men and I normally use that to my advantage.

"When I see his hands and lips on you, I wanted to kill him," he says, his hands are tightening possessively on my shoulders. His eyes flash with a sheen of gold. I know now that his eyes turn golden when he's angry, just like they turn red for a demon or a half-demon like me. "I wanted to break every bone in his body for touching you and grant him a slow painful death." Clearly, he's not over last night. "I couldn't stand it. I hate seeing you with someone else."

"I know the feeling," I tell him. My heavy-lidded eyes are half dazed by his close proximity and his violent possessiveness is turning me on. But my gaze is also half challenging- he can't expect me to agree to be with him exclusively, no matter how long this arrangement between us is going to last if he's not going to do the same. I had never stayed loyal to one lover my whole life but seeing him with someone else hurts. The reality is, I have no desire to be with anyone else now that I've experienced what it's like to be with him. No one else compares. "I hate seeing you with someone else too."

He brushes his mouth against the back of my neck and I close my eyes as the tingle of electricity skitters down my spine. "You won't ever see me with someone else. I only want you," he says against my skin. His husky voice is like a silky caress.