BOOK 2 of the Running With Devils Series
It's been three weeks since Coralynn Bennet was dragged down to Hell and it was nothing like how she imagined it. It was a kingdom of skyscrapers but no sky. Demons ran amok, but limited their bloodthirsty te...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The Shadow
I carefully coaxed the witch from the safety of the freezing shower. Her entire body shook with fear and cold.
I didn't have the time to undress her before shoving her into the icy water. She had been too close to becoming a perfect medium rare.
But if I wanted her to rest, I would need to peel off her soaked clothes.
"I'll leave to give you some space to take off those clothes, priestess," I swallowed, turning to leave.
Her hand shot out, grabbing my arm quickly.
"Stay," she said weakly. "Please."
I had grown used to her commands. My body no longer fought the way her will tugged mine. So I stayed.
"Tell me what you need," I breathed hoarsely, watching as her eyes lowered in embarrassment.
"I just don't want to be alone," she said quietly.
I sucked in a quiet breath. "Okay," I swallowed, stepping closer.
She kept her eyes down as she slowly lifted her soaked shirt over her head. I did what I could to keep my eyes off her tempting body as she undressed herself.
The sheer amount of restraint I had to use to keep my hands off her was astronomical. I wanted to touch her. I needed to touch her.
It was written in my very being.
Instead, I reached for the towel rack, wrapping her shivering body in the soft fabric. I dried her body carefully, doing what I could to keep my hands from touching her.
If I even let my fingertips brush against her skin, it was game over. I wouldn't be able to stop myself.
"Here," I rasped, pulling my fresh tee from over my head. "Take this."
The witch cautiously took my shirt and pulled it on. The fabric nearly swallowed her whole. The shoulders were too wide and the length of it stopped at her mid thighs.
I shouldn't be thinking about how seeing her in my own shirt made my chest swell with pride. But it did.
It made the dormant shadows within become restless. They had been all too quiet for weeks. But seeing her like this made them come alive again.
"Will you be okay climbing up," I asked.
I could see how her hands trembled— her knees shook. But she nodded.
"I should be fine," she answered quietly, finally lifting her eyes again. "Thank you."
I kept as close as physically possible without making contact as she left the bathroom to head to the ladder. It would be beneficial for me to find a pair of gloves to act as a buffer.