Forbidden: Broken

Chapter Three

Elathan fended off her attacks with little effort. The wings were a distraction, though.

What demon had white wings?

"You are going to have to do better than that to get me to break my oath, little one."

Irin hit the wall with a grunt. "Well, Elathan, if you would quit over-compensating and put those wings away..."

His chuckle pissed her off to a new level.

She feinted right and, as he moved his arm to swat her away, she reached out and got in a scratch.

He gave her a smile for her efforts.

"What kind of demon are you anyway?" Irin asked. She stood and looked at him for a moment.

"A tired one." Elathan gave a small smile

"Well, I can think of another term. Starts with a P and ends in a Y."

"I find you pretty as well." He tilted his head. "No, that's not the word. Beautiful."

Irin frowned. "Definitely a pus-."

"Come now." As he rolled his wings in he closed his eyes, which irritated her to no end. "Better?"

She rushed him as they opened.

Stooping low, Elathan kicked out a leg sweeping her feet out from under her and she hit the carpet.

Rolling, she jumped to her feet, lashing out as she came up. Blood trickled from the small cut on his chest. She got him.

"What demon has white wings?" she asked, scorn in her voice.

"Think, Irin. I am sure it will come to you." He lifted a brow and gave that mocking grin.

"Can you at least pretend I can kill you? It will be our secret."

"When I give an oath, I don't break it."

Irin rushed him, ducked, dodging his sword, and jumped. She was almost over his head when she took a forearm to the chest. The force of her back hitting the floor almost stole her breath. It only took seconds, but as fast as she went down, she was back on her feet. Out of options, she flung one sai and, as he dodged it, she threw the other. He caught it midair before it hit him and with hardly a glance at her, he sent it back with astonishing dexterity.

Her back against the wall, the sai quivered beside her eye.

Despite her claim to want to die, she was terrified.

Elathan slowly moved toward her, sword held out in front of him. "Why the fear?"

"I am not afraid," she lied. The cool metal touched her throat and she lifted her head.

"Don't lie to me, angel. Fear is what I do." His red eyes bored into hers. "I smell it on you." The metal pressed harder into the soft skin at the base of her throat.

"Alright, Elathan."

His lips curved that the emphasis on his name.

"I am scared. But that doesn't mean I don't want it."

He said nothing, only pressed a little harder. There was a small sharp pain, a trickle of warm blood and she closed her eyes.

This was it.

Only it wasn't. With her heart pounding in her ears, she almost missed him saying "I can't."

Her eyes flew open and met his whiskey eyes. He dropped the sword and turned away.