Demon and the Mage (Jeongcheol)

Jeonghan

Well, fuck.

I lay on my bed roll, the thin sleeping bag doing bugger all to keep out the chill in the air, and continued to chastise myself.

How was it that I'd spent decades slipping into one role or another, never breaking character no matter how much pressure I was under, yet twenty-four hours with this demon had me showing my true colours every few minutes?

And what was all that talk about his brothers? I mean, obviously, it was a warning. I wasn't that fucking stupid. Just fucking fucked. Because if I'd spooked Seungcheol enough for him to feel it was warranted, his guard was well and truly raised.

Thankfully, although he was suspicious, he didn't seem to suspect I was anything other than human. There's no way he'd be going to sleep mere feet away if he knew the truth.

The question now was, how could I play this situation to my advantage? It was becoming increasingly obvious that not only was Seungcheol not buying my meek and mild act, but he responded better when I let my true snarky self shine through. Maybe I needed to drop the act and be myself. Which was a fucking relief, to be honest. I'd bitten my tongue so often that I was surprised it wasn't swollen. No, I needed to take a different approach.

Not that I was going to tell him I was a mage. I was reckless, not stupid.

I rolled onto my side, trying to get comfortable as I pondered. I should've brought my tent. But with everything else in my head, thinking through proper camping attire wasn't really where my brain had been when I'd packed. Besides, I hadn't been lying. I had slept in worse conditions.

That didn't mean I enjoyed it. Or got much sleep.

From the light breathing and occasional movement from Seungcheol's tent, he wasn't sleeping either. Was it because he was still trying to figure out what I was up to? Or was it because he was being kept awake by fantasies of wrestling me to the floor and pinning my wrists in one of his massive hands? Teasing me open before plunging inside in one swift movement that would take my breath away?

Couldn't blame him if that was the case. It was an image I couldn't shake, even if I wanted to.

Which to be clear, I didn't. I was more than happy to indulge in filthy thoughts about the hunky lumbersnack. Anything to distract me from the clusterfuck that was my current life.

I smirked as an idea began to form. Maybe I could kill two birds with one stone. I hadn't missed the way Seungcheol's eyes lingered on my mouth or how his fists clenched like he was trying to stop himself from reaching for me.

Time to turn that to my advantage. Based on the very little I knew about the human he'd left hell for, I'd thought he'd find it easier to trust me if I adopted a meek persona. But now that jig was up and a different move was needed.

Game on, Seungcheol.

I started by focusing on the cold surrounding me. Using as much magic as I could without lifting my glamour, I focused on the tiny droplets of dew clinging to me, turning them to ice. Within minutes, I was shivering, my exposed skin turning blue. My teeth chattered loudly enough that, even without his supernatural hearing, Seungcheol would be able to hear it.

I glared at the tent, waiting for it to open. Nothing.

Pulling on every dramatic inch of my personality, I let out a low groan before dissolving it into a whimper. I thrashed my legs around like I was having a nightmare, letting my voice rise as if in terror.

I paused to throw a glance at the tent.

Nothing.

Nada.