Chapter 44: .•18•.

She froze at first. Rendered into a state of utter shock and denial. Stunned by the way that his sensual mouth moved so skilfully against hers, soft yet demanding. Coaxing her to kiss him back. Making her heart pound and her belly flutter.

He licked at the seam of her lips and she mewled a little. Her hand tightly clutching at his shirt. But she didn't try to pull him any closer, no matter how much her traitorous body seemed to yearn for it. And instead she shoved at his chest and started to struggle against him, desperately trying to get away from him until he finally yielded and let her go with a step backwards, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips as he peered down at her with those blood-red eyes of his.

She stared up at him, eyes wide and filled with nothing but fear, anger and disbelief.

"You're a monster," she uttered out with a shaky voice, hands balling at her sides. Yearning for nothing more than to just run away and hide into a corner, where she could bawl her eyes out. Let those tears that were already stinging at the corners of her eyes fall free.

"So I've been told," he simply said in reply with a side-smirk. It made her want to slap it off of his face.

"You're sick and vile, and if you think that I would ever want to have anything to do with you you're sorely deluded," she spewed out, expressing an openly-disgusted grimace.

"I despise your mere presence. And I hate what you're doing to me. The way that you're keeping me trapped here, against my will," she only continued upon noticing that frown that started to take form on his features, replacing that previously arrogant expression.

"I hate this house and I hate you. And I will never accept your nearness. Ever," she spat out with conviction, angrily wiping at that stray tear that had fallen over her cheek with the back of her hand.

She could see that he was about to say something equally harsh in return. The intent so painfully clear in his gaze. He was even about to grab a rough hold of her again, probably intending to hurt her. Manhandle her like he did just two nights ago. But the dark and rumbling laughter suddenly resounding from somewhere close behind his back had him abruptly faltering. His expression suddenly turning so grim and frightening.

The girl could feel all those tiny hairs raise up on her body with apprehension and terror, even before daring to take a peek past Nicholas' shoulder.

"Looks like I don't have to try and scare her out of fucking you anymore. You've already done that by yourself," the wretched demon commented from behind Nicholas' back, his grating voice laced with a hint of dark satisfaction.

It made him bristle. His shoulders tensed, giving the visibly terrified human one cursory glance before turning to face the gnarly creature.

He was smiling with those jagged rows of teeth, peering between them with nothing but malice. Vile intent.

He could hear Diana's heart banging so wildly within her chest, the scent of her fear permeating the air around them so strongly. He found himself not to like it once again. Despite his predatory nature. It even bothered him. His vampiric senses.

The demon tilted his hideous head, crossing his charred arms over his broad chest.

"Why don't we get this over with faster then?" A muscle ticked in that place where his left brow was supposed to be.

Nicholas' scowl deepened.

"Come on, suck her dry, let me have her soul," the demon urged with a wave of his clawed hand. It made Diana's scent of fear grow even stronger, the tiniest whimper resounding from her throat.

Nicholas remained unflinching though, giving the demon an inquisitive look. He wanted her. This puny and irrelevant human standing right behind him, currently pissing her pants from the sheer terror. And he was desperate enough to show his face and even ask for him to do it. Send her into his awaiting arms.

"No," that simple word tumbled past his lips. Firm and loud.

The demon was suddenly standing right in front of him in less than a second. A visibly displeased expression painting his hideous features.

"What do you mean no?" He growled out in his face. He stunk like high hell. It made him almost retch. But he remained unmoving though, even daring to raise his chin into a defiant way. Staring right back into the demon's yellow eyes.

"You heard me."

The demon blinked once. He fought not to smirk. This was the first time that he had ever tried to defy him. Disobey his orders. He couldn't help but notice how good it actually felt.

"I'm planning on keeping her for a little while longer," he nonchalantly said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Diana's wide and glassy eyes followed Nicholas' every move as he turned to peer at her with that blood-red gaze of his, the hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. She fought not to flinch as he approached and then grabbed her and pulled her closer to him, burying his nose in her hair for a hearty inhale. She violently shivered.