Chapter One Hundred Eleven

My eyes dropped to Desmond’s mouth, desperately waiting for a yes to come out of there. We had been apart for far too long, and only a few days away from him had felt like a million years of torture.

All of Desmond’s lies and mistakes were forgiven and forgotten. His unusual appearance and true self became a part of me. Nothing mattered in that moment. My aching heart only sought solace in the man before me.

He was the one. He had always been the one. The moment he walked into my life, no other man interested me.

My knight in shining armor was perfect. His horns, wings, and tail were a bonus, not an unholy defect or curse. I wholeheartedly accepted and loved him exactly the way he was.

Desmond was testing my patience with his silence. Deliberately, I filled my mind with passionate thoughts, letting him know how every inch of me longed for him. I could see the result of my experiment in his eyes. They looked back at me with amazement and a yearning more intense than mine.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” asked Desmond.

I smiled through all the emotion. “I have never been more sure of anything else in my life. Can’t you hear my mind scream and beg to be with you? If you can’t, listen to what’s in my heart.” I placed Desmond’s shivering hand over my heart. “Do you have the answer now?”

Desmond’s hand pressed into my chest with the faintest pressure. “Your heart is beating so fast. It aligns well with your thoughts and words. You want to be with me, but Cass, I am afraid of letting you down again. What if something in the future made you fearful of me again?”

I placed my hand over Desmond’s hand, pushing it further into my chest. “I have seen everything. Is there something left to see or know? I am ready to study you inside and out. Love doesn’t judge, Desmond. Don’t be afraid to share it all with me.”

Rings of gold reappeared in Desmond’s eyes. That was usually a good sign. I had only seen that color in his eyes when he felt a positive emotion. “You don’t have a binding contract or a witch’s support to control me anymore. Will you be able to trust a demon? I urge you to consider it before giving your final answer.”

The image of the burning contract came before my eyes. “We had one, and look what happened to it. The contract was destroyed, and we are all fine. I don’t think I ever benefited from it. Except I wouldn’t have met you without it. Honestly, I feel more secure without the contract. Because it shows me how we want and care for each other out of love and not an obligation. I love you, Desmond. My faith is in you. I don’t need a witch, expert, or contract to be with you. Your unconditional love is more than enough for me.” It all had come straight from my heart. He would have felt it in every part of me as the absolute truth.

Desmond grinned brightly and brought his lips incredibly close to mine, making my heart pound faster than before. I closed my eyes, prepared to feel the tenderness and moisture of his mouth. However, he pulled away at the last moment.

“What happened?” I asked, disappointed. “You are playing with my heart by not letting me feel your lips. You have no idea how much I want it.”

“Pardon me. My intention wasn’t to tease you.” Desmond bit his lips in embarrassment. His demeanor had suddenly become cold.

“Then? What’s stopping you from coming close to me? I don’t think you even want to kiss me,” I said, pouting.

Desmond’s hands went around my waist, pulling me closer to him. “If you could read my mind, you would know there is nothing I want more than coming close to you. It has always been impossible for me to control myself around you. Your beauty calls to me, and I am smitten, but,_”

“But what?” I traced my fingers along his jawline and brushed my boobs against his body with half a mind to use my beauty as a weapon to close the distance between our bodies and souls.

“My lust for your body isn’t above the love I have for you,” Desmond continued, paying no attention to my cheap tactics. “I fear a lot of things, Cass. Losing you again is one of them. You haven’t seen where I come from. You don’t know how we lead our lives. Will your family and the world ever accept our relationship?”

“Mom isn’t the problem. She will eventually come around. I bet she will accept our relationship when Benedict Astor exits our lives. And the world doesn’t matter to me if it doesn’t include your family,” I reassured him, hoping that would end his anxieties.

Desmond rested his head against mine, blowing hot breath on my face. Now, he was the one at battle with himself. His fears, however, were much greater and more valid than mine. As humans, we are quick to judge and less tolerant.

“Will you come with me to meet my people?”

His question almost made me lose my balance, and I took the support of his shoulders. “What? You want to take me to your homeland?”

“Not exactly. My homeland’s climate is too harsh as it’s the top of a snow mountain. I fear about your survival and health there. That’s why I wish to take us somewhere else. It’s a forest that belongs to my relatives. I want to introduce you to someone from my species, and if you go there, they might agree to help us in the war against the Satanists, increasing our numbers and chances of having a much smoother win,” Desmond clarified.

“I would love to go there. When can we leave?” I agreed, even though the thought of meeting a tribe of demons made me jittery to an unhealthy extent.

“Cass, I can feel your panic and anxiety throb in my head. You can refuse,” said Desmond.

“I can’t deny my fear, but I don’t get to have you if I refuse. I want you. Plus, I know you will protect me at any cost. As long as you are there, I am safe in any situation.”

“I am glad you know what I would do for you,” Desmond said, and his tongue entered my mouth with full force.