The Demon's Song - By Kendra Leigh Castle Page 0,31

how unfamiliar they were. Finally, he understood—he was actually offended. That was a switch. Then again, being turned down was a new one, too.

“You think I’ll hurt you.” A statement, not a question. And she had a point. He hurt a lot of people. But he thought he’d made it pretty clear that he was making an exception for her.

Sofia frowned and held herself more tightly as a cold breeze ruffled her hair. “Not exactly. The fangs and the growling just sort of drove home that we’re not coming from the same place. I’m not looking for a fling.”

It was some small comfort, Phenex guessed, that she was just as confused about what to do with him as he was about her. What was he supposed to say? He hadn’t been looking for a damned thing when he’d run into her, either. So what? He’d adapted. So should she. The scent of Sofia, warm and inviting, with a faint hint of arousal, wound around him and banished the chill.

Her common sense might be telling her one thing, but her body wasn’t going along with it. That was a relief.

“I’m not going to pretend that I don’t want you, Sofia,” Phenex finally said. “Since you want me, too, you might want to think about enjoying it instead of fighting it.”

“I— Damn it, I knew you were going to argue with me.” Sofia shoved her long dark hair away from her face when the wind blew it again, leaving her other arm wrapped around her waist.

Phenex leaned forward over the body of his guitar, the music momentarily forgotten. He loved watching her, the way her eyes went catlike in the dim light afforded by the city around them. Here in the cold night, she seemed to carry all the warmth of the sun. But the heat in her was nothing like the indifferent, brutal fire of the underworld. He would have pulled her into his arms and basked in her warmth if he didn’t think she’d punch him for his trouble. And he wanted her willing. He would have her willing.

“I’m not arguing,” he said evenly. “I’m being realistic. I see the way you look at me. It’s the same way I’m looking at you.”

The truth seemed to fluster her. “Phenex, my being attracted to you doesn’t mean I’m going to jump in bed with you, no matter what you think. It’s a bad idea.”

“Why? I’m easy.”

She laughed then, and he thought the sound was some of the sweetest music he’d heard in ages. He felt his answering grin before he could stop it.

Knock it off, asshole. Keep it casual. You’ll blink, and she’ll be dust, like all of them eventually are.

It was hard to concentrate on holding back, though, when he was so focused on the smile that warmed just for him, even as she shook her head to disagree with him.

“Great, Phenex. Good to know. But nothing else about this is easy. Not for me.”

“You humans overthink everything,” he replied, exasperated. He had forgotten just how nonsensical her kind could be. “You need protection right now. I’m offering you pleasure on top of that. No strings. No commitments. Hellfire, Sofia, it doesn’t have to be complicated.”

She arched one dark brow, and he could hear the sudden displeasure in her voice. “Just like that. It’s so easy for you.”

“Sure,” Phenex replied, uncertain where her issue was. He cast around a little to try to find it before she could argue with him. “If you’re worried about the fangs, don’t be. They don’t work like a vamp’s fangs—no venom. But I won’t use them on you anyway.”

Sofia looked skeptical, and he couldn’t blame her. He’d been close earlier—too close—to just sinking in, tasting her. What he wouldn’t tell her was that it would have been a first. He’d never used his teeth on a woman during sex. He’d heard—at length, and usually from Gadreel—about how it could heighten the sensation. But Phenex had never wanted that kind of intimacy with anyone he’d taken to his bed.

Avoiding it had never been a problem before. He’d manage.

“My word was good enough for you before. You’ve got it on this, too,” Phenex said. “I told you before, Sofia. I’m no bloodsucker.”

“No,” she replied quietly. “I guess you’re not. But that’s not so much the problem, Phenex. You make sleeping together sound like no big deal. Just a fun perk, or whatever, to this whole mess. But I don’t know if I can be comfortable with