The Soul on Fire | Slow Updates

Chapter Nine

She couldn't believe she had just admitted her deepest desires to him. Her heart was pounding uncontrollably, and she couldn't breathe. Her mouth dried out the moment the words left it. Several minutes had already passed.

Yet he just stood there.

He hadn't uttered a single word. She was beginning to wish she had never said anything at all. Had she misread the situation? The last time they were together he had said he cared for her deeply. Even though he hadn't said the exact words she had hoped for, it was beautiful to hear.

She thought things would be different between them now. He disappeared for yet another week without explanation. He had asked her to stay out of sight and she had – spending all her time in Heaven and watching her charge from the pool of knowledge in the Guardians' quarters.

Bored out of her mind, she spent every waking moment scrutinizing Abdul's every move. When she wasn't by the pool, she day dreamed... a lot. Her every thought was consumed by Asmodeus. They weren't all dirty (though many of them were). A lot of times she fantasized about his smile and the possessive way he wrapped his arms around her waist and pinned her against him. Sometimes she would remember the curve of his full lips and the way they felt against hers.

She shuddered whenever she recalled the feel of his tongue ring on her throat or stroking against her own tongue. She imagined the feel of his beard scratching the top of her breast as he kissed the juncture where her neck and shoulder met.

Angels didn't sleep, but if they did she knew she would envision them finishing what they had started that day in the meadow. She still couldn't believe what a beautiful, secluded paradise he had created. He might have reigned over Hell, but he certainly appreciated Earth's winsomeness.

The longer they stood there in awkward silence, the more she felt like a fool. Her patience finally ran dry and she threw her hands up in irritation.

"Did you hear a word I said?"

He blinked a few times and cleared his throat. The action made another cloud of smoke escape his lungs.

"Every one," he grated.

Her nipples pebbled in response to the deep baritone of his voice. Her attraction to him was bordering on discourteous.

She rested her hands on her hips and shot him a glare. "Then why haven't you said anything?"

His eyes softened. "Forgive me, little angel. You shocked me into silence. I never expected you to admit that you missed me, let alone say you wanted a relationship with me."

She furrowed her brows and her arms fell limply by her sides. "I never expected to say these things either. I expected to feel them even less. I tried to keep my guard up around you – avoided every pass at me you made. I don't know how this happened, but it did. Somewhere down the line you surprised me. You might be the King of Demons but you're neither cruel nor unkind. You were relentless in your pursuit of me and I guess you finally broke through my defenses. You made me care for you, and I never saw it coming."

He winced at her admission, distressing her further.

"Am I going to regret this?" Her voice was a quiet whisper.

"I hope not," he said, taking a step toward her. He rested his hand on her cheek and flitted his gaze between hers. She noticed that his eyes glowed brighter – their yellow color warm and radiant like the sun.

She traced the features of his handsome face with her eyes, lingering on all her favorite parts. She loved the sharp structure of his cheek bones and jaw, and the straightness of his nose. The bow of his upper lip was perfect, accompanied by the curve of his bottom one. The ring that hung from his septum was sexy and wild, and the snake-bite piercings in his bottom lip turned her on to no end. Her favorite was the one that lay beyond the barrier of his beautiful mouth and teeth.