Demon Kissed - Katie May Page 0,94

something stupid. You know, like when I blurt out my thoughts all the time?”

“That’s adorable. If he doesn’t like that, he’s defective. Trust me, that won’t mess up your date.”

Van grabs my hand and turns me toward a little cobblestone path that leads to a rose garden. Because, apparently, people at fancy hotels need to be able to walk through rose gardens before their afternoon tea parties or whatever the hell they do.

“What else are you nervous about?” he prompts.

And the dam erupts. Fears overflow and flood my mouth. “I didn’t pack for a date. I have nothing to wear.”

“We can fix that,” Van squeezes my hand, “and I’m sure Akor—”

“Akor is not allowed to steal anything!” I say.

Van laughs. “I’m not telling him that. But you should know, if you decide to tell him, I wouldn’t use the word allowed. Demons don’t like to be told what to do generally, though there is one exception.”

“What’s that?” I ask.

“We’ll take orders in bed.”

It takes me a full half-second to process that. And suddenly, I’m picturing myself straddling a shirtless Van, tracing my fingers down his dark red happy trail, leaning forward to kiss him. And then his face morphs into William’s, and what was a hot fantasy becomes a huge, horrid, buzzing pit of anxiety.

“What if I’m a bad kisser!” My cheeks are twin flames, and my head fills with terrifying nightmares of garlic breath and chipped teeth. My last kiss was two years ago at a party with some random guy from Union High. And he didn’t even call me afterwards.

I hadn’t minded at the time, but now my hands fly to my hair. What if he never called because I’m that bad of a kisser?

I start to hyperventilate.

Van puts his hands on my shoulders, but I’m about to go into full on panic attack.

“Katrina, calm down. Katrina. Katrina!”

I can’t. I can’t. I need to call a cab. I need to get Adam and call a cab and disappear forever—

Van grabs the back of my neck and slams his lips to mine. He isn’t gentle. He nips at my bottom lip, and that tiny bite startles me. I open my mouth, and his tongue slips inside.

Oh. Oh!

I thought I’d known what a good kiss was, but I was wrong. Van’s kiss makes my mind fizz like a root beer float—it’s bubbly and decadent and delicious. His kiss isn’t naughty. His hands don’t take advantage, like every guy I’ve ever known, but the kiss is so much more intense because of that restraint. He pours all of that passion into just his lips. They brush, they nudge, and his teeth nibble as his hand gently strokes my hair.

I feel dizzy, and my knees are in danger of giving out. I clutch his shoulders and kiss him back for all I’m worth, pouring all of my fear and gratitude into it. Unlike Van, I don’t have the same kind of restraint, so I end up stepping closer and pressing up against him.

When I’m out of breath, I pull away and step back, suddenly shy and embarrassed.

Van’s hand is still in my hair, and he gently strokes the back of my neck. “See? You are an amazing kisser.” His eyes flash red for a second before he blinks and looks off to the side, muttering sadly, “You have nothing to worry about.”

Nothing to worry about…those words nearly break me. Of course, he was only kissing me to stop me from panicking, to prove that a kiss is no big deal. I’d thought… Well, whatever I’d thought, it was wrong.

A hand slides around my waist and spins me around, out of Van’s grip. Akor stares down at me with slightly wild eyes, his mohawk shining an even lighter pink in the moonlight. “No fair. If you kiss him, you have to kiss me too.”

And before I can argue, his mouth is on mine. If Van’s kiss was an a cappella solo, Akor’s kiss is a rock concert. His thumbs trace down the sides of my neck, then tease the undersides of my breasts as he grabs me and pulls me close. He shoves a thigh in between mine, sliding me slowly up as he trails his lips down my neck. Then he bites my earlobe.

“Katty,” he whispers.

I’m a panting mess by the time he returns his lips to mine.

I lose all sense of space and time as he continues to devour me.

Only another male voice pulls me back.

“What the hell is this?” Zolroth