Chapter 114 - Maelani and Darian

**Maelani's P.O.V**.

Is it possible that the handsome man in front of me is my mate? I feel drawn to him. I hear what Davina sings about him being a phoenix. The look on his face makes me freeze. Is he angry at me? I take a couple of steps back in fear.

"I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong?" I ask Darian quietly. His face softens, but I'm still scared.

"Can we talk outside?" He asks. His voice makes my insides quiver, but I should prepare myself for rejection. I turn and walk out of the dining hall. When I hear Davina yell after us, I can't help smiling.

"If you hurt her, I'll bury your phoenix ass so far under the ashes you won't be able to rise again." She sounds serious even as she begins to giggle.

When we get away from everyone's prying eyes, I turn to Darian with my arms crossed. If he's my mate, I'm sure he doesn't want to be mated to a demon. Honestly, who would?

"Are you my mate?" I ask him, looking into his gorgeous blue eyes. He sighs and leans against the wall.

"I am, but I should tell you why I'm here," Darian says. Is he already mated to a chosen mate? I look down at the floor. I feel sick knowing he's about to break my heart.

"Are you already mated to someone?" I can't meet his eyes. I would rather hide my emotions so he can't see the hurt he's causing me. I'm a demon; I'm not supposed to feel this deeply, but that's another reason I never fit in down in the underworld.

"No, I'm not mated to anyone. Selene asked me to come here to help with the fight against the underworld. The demon Surtur killed my family in such a way they were unable to rise. I want to end him and every other demon from the underworld. I'm conflicted because I've been looking for my mate for centuries, yet you're a demon. How can I accept you when I want to eliminate other demons?" My heart sinks more and more.

"I'm not like the other demons; that's why I'm here. Surtur made me believe I was his mate and tried to get me to have sex with my own father. He had filled me with so much evil; I only cared about doing everything he wanted. I came here to get Davina because my dad wants her. I thought if I brought her to him, then he would have sex with me, and then Surtur would mate with me. I didn't know the demon was Surtur until I came here because he wouldn't let me look at his face. Davina's gentle spirit eliminated the evil in me, and I returned to how I was before he manipulated me. My father is Asmodeus. I'm one of the daughters he doesn't want. I was always quiet and stayed to myself because I knew I wasn't like everyone else in the underworld. I want to experience love, kindness, and everything that comes from finding my fated mate."

I can't say anymore as my voice cracks and my tears fall. Will Darian be able to see past what I am and see what I want to be? When I feel his hand on mine, I look up.

"I'm sorry. I judged you for being a demon. Did you ever have sex with Surtur?" Darian asks. I see the jealousy in his eyes and narrow my eyes at him. Is he trying to ask if I'm a virgin?

"No, not with him. I have been with others, though. What about you? Have you been with any women?" I challenge him. He glances away, and I already know the answer. I'm not jealous; what he did before he met me is none of my business.

"Yes, but it's been a long time." He replies, and I believe him.

"So tell me, where do we go from here? Yes, I'm a demon, but I'm here to help them fight others from the underworld. Can you look past me being something you want to kill and see me as your mate?" I ask, point blank. I'm not beating around the bush. I want to know where he stands.

"That depends. Can you forgive me for being an idiot?" Darian smiles slightly as I tilt my head to the side, looking him up and down. He's handsome, I'll give him that.

"I guess I can forgive you. You're not just saying what you think I want to hear so you can reject me later, are you? I don't want to open my heart only for it to be crushed later." I look into his ocean-blue eyes, and he smiles. Without saying a word, he pulls me into his arms and puts his mouth against mine. The sparks that run through my body make me moan with excitement. When I feel his tongue trying to get into my mouth, I open it willingly.

Darian pushes me against the wall and kisses me with so much passion that I feel like I'm going to pass out. He pulls back for a second and then kisses me again with even more hunger. I slide my hands into his hair while he puts his hands on my bottom and pulls me against his growing erection.

"I'm not going to break your heart. I'm ready to mark you now." He says against my lips.

"Do you want breakfast, or would you like to go to my room?" I ask as I slide my hand between us to massage him. Darian's eyes flutter, and he pushes against me.

"Food can wait," He replies, sliding his hand inside my shirt and stroking my back. I take his hand and pull him toward my room before we end up doing something we regret in the middle of the palace. I notice a woman glaring at me just before I shut the door. I believe she works here. What did I do to her?

Darian puts his arms around me from behind, and all thoughts of the other woman are long gone. I turn in his arms, and he kisses me while pulling me to the bed. I begin to remove my clothes, but he stops me.

"Let me do that. I need to make it up to you for how I acted when we met." He says while pushing me to sit on the side of the bed. I kick off my shoes and wait. Darian has me lie back with my legs hanging off the side. He leans over me as he slowly begins to lift up my shirt.

I gasp when I feel his mouth kissing my abdomen. He continues to kiss me while he exposes more of my skin. When he slides my shirt over my breasts, he stops to look at them. I'm not wearing a bra, and he smiles while lowering his head to take one of the nipples in his mouth and sucks.

I close my eyes and bite my lip from the intense pleasure that runs through my body. He moves over to the other breast, and I feel like I'm going to orgasm before he even gets my clothes all the way off. When he pulls back he smiles as he removes my shirt completely.

"You're so beautiful," Darian says as he runs his hands over my breasts and down to my jeans. I can't speak as I watch him. As he pulls my jeans down, he kisses the inside of my thigh. I can feel his warm breath on my panties, which are already soaked. He kisses me through my panties, and I moan.

"I can't wait to taste you." Darian continues kissing down the inside of my leg until my pants are tossed aside. When he's done, he switches to the other leg, and starting at my ankle, he kisses up the inside of my leg until he reaches my panties again. I've been with a lot of men, and not one of them has shown me the tenderness Darian is. He kisses me through my panties again before pulling them off.

I feel like I'm going to burst. When he stands up my eyes meet his. He pulls his shirt off, and I lick my lips. He's so muscular and has the perfect tan complexion. He slides his pants off, leaving him in only a pair of tight black boxers. I watch as he takes them off, allowing his large penis to spring free. I've seen some big ones, but my goodness, that thing could be lethal. Darian walks over and stands between my legs, where they hang off the bed.

"So, my gorgeous demon, what do you want first? Do you want to mark each other, or do you want to scream?" He keeps his eyes on mine as he rubs his hand between my legs, letting his finger swirl around my swollen clit. As much as I want him to keep going, I want us to mark each other more. I need to know that he really wants me.

"Let's mark each other," I say breathlessly as he slides a finger deep inside me. I spread my legs further apart, giving him better access. He adds a second finger and slowly pumps back and forth.

"Are you sure? You're so wet I think I could go swimming." Darian massages my walls while rubbing his thumb over my clit.

"I'll make you a deal. Let me get a drink, and then we'll mark each other." He's thirsty?

"Okay," I reply. He smiles like he just won the lottery, and I'm confused until he pulls out his fingers and replaces them with his mouth. Oh, shit, that feels amazing. He raises my legs over his shoulders while he sucks and licks aggressively. No man has ever put their mouth on me the way he is. In the underworld, they're all more interested in hard, fast sex than taking time to please each other.

Darian's face is buried so deep against me that I'm not sure how he can breathe. When he sucks my clit and slides his two fingers back inside of me, I lose it. It feels like there's an explosion in my head as my orgasm hits. My whole body shakes, and I scream his name. When I'm coming down from my high, he's still between my legs, licking me and moaning as though it's the best thing he's ever tasted. He pulls back and smiles.

"I'm sorry if I wasn't clear that the drink I wanted was your sweet cum." I feel like my bones have liquified.

"That was incredible. No one has ever done that to me." I tell him as my breathing returns to normal. His smile widens, and he pulls me up so I'm sitting.

"Good because I've never done that to another woman. I've had sex, but the thought of tasting someone who wasn't my mate turned my stomach. You, my dear mate, are the tastiest dish in the world." Darian leans down to kiss me and then sits on the side of the bed. He pulls me onto his lap, so I'm straddling him. His lethal weapon barely grazes my entrance, and it's almost enough to make me have another orgasm.

"I thought you could sit on my lap while we mark one another. I'll leave it up to you if you want it in or out." He moves slightly so the head of his penis rests in my opening. I smirk as I lower myself onto him. I wrap my legs around him so he's as deep as possible.

"In is always better than out," I say against his lips. Darian kisses me, and I feel him getting bigger. The lethal weapon is becoming a missile.

"Do you want to go first?" He asks as I grind against him, making us both moan.

"No, I want to feel you mark me first." I tilt my head, and he bites down instantly. Heat and sparks flood my body with so much intensity I begin shaking as though I'm going to orgasm again. When he pulls away, he licks the area and sucks gently. My walls clench around him.

"Your turn." He says. I look at his neck, and my fangs grow. I bite into his neck, and he wraps his arms around me, holding me tight. I feel our mate bond binding us together as one. When I pull away his eyes look glazed over. I want to cry with happiness at finally having my mate. He kisses me as I begin to ride him. No words are needed. This is what I'm fighting for and why I'm willing to turn my back on my family. I want the love of a mate, and I will fight to the death to keep it.