Page 63 of Sweet Dreams

Even with the human glamour, he was still stunning—but, now, I loved seeing the hints of a demon beneath the magical mask. The way his eyes flickered gold when he looked around Salus Glen. The way one of his incisors seemed just a bit longer than a human’s, a quiet promise of the fangs hidden beneath the illusion.

My belly warmed at the thought. He still hadn’t bitten me, and I knew that as much as he wanted to, he wouldn’t—not at my grandparents’ house or under his brother’s roof.

Another idea surfaced as I waited for his answer. “I have the keys,” I added. “We could go see it.”

“See it?” he repeated.

“Yeah. The paper’s apartment. I know exactly how to get to the keys. We could go right now.”

A wicked grin stole across Zaldi’s face, sending butterflies scattering in my stomach. This male, this beautiful, delicious male, was mine.

“Trying to get me alone, are you?” he asked coolly, Zaldi’s eyes raking over me, then tossing me a wink as he started walking again. I noted quickly that he was moving at a much faster clip now.

“Oh, absolutely,” I confessed without a drop of shame, easily keeping pace with him while licking my lips. What I now knew was the effect of the incubus venom making them tingle, along with all the other eager parts of me. The trembling under my skin, a combination of his closeness and the awareness that we were about to be alone, left me panting.

Zaldi must have thought he was moving too fast, because a moment later he turned, slowing, his eyes worried for only a moment before his nostrils flared and I saw the white of his eyes as they rolled back in his head.

“Lu…” My name was a moan on his lips.

I opened my mouth, thinking I should apologize for my fragrant need to have my mate again, when, suddenly, I was being pressed up against a brick wall, the cool shadow of the building—the grocery store, I think—at my back. I only got out a squeak before Zaldi’s lips were covering mine, kissing me long and slow and deep, his hips and body an unyielding contrast to the wall behind me.

I could only kiss him back and pray that no one had moved those keys. Because if I didn’t have my mate soon, I might very well go demon myself. When he finally pulled away, his cock was hard, pressing against the fly of his pants as he cocked his head again, scenting the air.

“Careful, sweet dream. Your body is asking for things I’m more than happy to give it.”

I wanted to laugh, but it came out as more of a whimper. “Zaldi! I’m not sure I can wa—”

His muttered “fuck” was muffled as he suddenly gathered me against him. “Don’t you dare say that,” he said against my ear, twisting me around until he was carrying me across his body. Moving rapidly toward the newspaper building. “Because you smell like you’re ready for your male… like you’re dripping already.”

“Holy shit, Zaldi,” I said, wavering toward him a little as I clenched my thighs together. “You can’t say that kind of stuff.”

But, when he smiled again, the glamour was shifting, and those incisors were definitely looking a lot less human. “Well, I’d be happy to keep my mouth busy elsewhere, but I hear humans are a little nervous about public sexual encounters.”

I gasped but didn’t push him away. “As opposed to incubi?”

Zaldi leaned in. “If we were in the Underworld, my cock would be so far inside you that neither you nor I would know where the other began.”

I panted, my heart hammering in my chest.

“And not a soul would stop me… unless they were interested in joining.”

I whimpered, the ache in my core intensifying as I pictured Zaldi holding me up, pumping into me deep. Zaldi’s brow lifted. “Ah. You do like that, then?”

“I don’t know,” I gritted out. “I’m just… God, Zaldi. Please. Just take me home.”

Zaldi’s legs moved again, carrying me down the remainder of the block. Mercifully, we didn’t run into anyone as we reached the darkened newspaper. I fumbled a few times trying to find the hidden set of keys, completely rattled by Zaldi, who followed close behind, pressing strong hands over me until I finally had both keys and mate in hand. I dragged us to the apartment entrance on the side of the main newspaper door.

The door creaked a little, but I knew Bruce had the cleaners go through the place often enough that it wouldn’t be in terrible shape. The studio setup was wide open, a bathroom door at the back, lights bright save for one bulb flickering over the kitchen area. A matching set of older couches greeted us, and beyond them a large quilt-covered bed and dresser with a mirror.

All that to say: it wasn’t fancy, but it was warm, cozy, and blessedly empty.

“Wow,” Zaldi breathed behind me.

“Wow is right,” I echoed, stepping in and listening as Zaldi closed the door behind us. I swallowed. “So… do you want a tour?”

“Of?” Zaldi approached, every step filled with delicious intention.

“The place?” I said, my voice quieting as he stopped directly in front of me, forcing my chin up to meet his gaze.