The Lure of the Devil (The Demons' Muse #4) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,98

us influence you, and ignore what other people think. I want you to stop listening to the rules that were meant to domesticate humans and keep women subservient. If this is who you are, and you are supposed to be evil, then yes, I want you to be very evil."

"I love you," I breathed as I collapsed back against him. "I love that you do this, and that you think about how I'll feel and don't tell me things because you know it will only make me worried."

"You do?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. All of you do it, but they're following your lead, Nick. I know that I can always ask. I do! I just... sometimes it feels like too much, you know? Five worlds, new people, and all these rules to things I can barely understand. It's like my entire life has been turned inside out, and I kinda feel like you're holding my hand through all of it."

"Always," he promised. "Legion is forever, Sia."

"And that," I agreed, "is the best part of all."

"Mm," he grumbled playfully as he rolled into me, pushing me onto my back. "So I'm not in trouble?"

"No! Why?"

He bent his arms, lowering himself so he could kiss me. "Because the guys wanted to draw straws for who got to tell you the bad news. I kinda volunteered."

"Not surprised." And I reached up for the back of his neck. "I'm ok, Nick. I promise."

"Would you tell me if you weren't?" he asked. "Or would you just make plans on your own like with the pregnancy test?"

I lifted myself up just enough to kiss him again. "I'd tell you if you asked."

He snapped his wings open and put on his best evil demon face. "That's my trick, you succubus!"

And then he reached down with one hand and grabbed my ribs, tickling them. I squealed, bucking beneath him as I tried to get away. However, he had the advantage. Each time I managed to shift far enough away, he used another limb. His wings, his tail, and both of his hands until I was laughing so hard I couldn't even breathe, but I wasn't about to give up.

Then I pushed, and he finally gave in, letting me roll with him until I was straddling his lap. Immediately, his hands found my hips, and we both stopped laughing. The smiles, however, stayed.

"You know," Nick said, glancing at the door, "I did tell the guys that this talk would probably take a little time."

I grabbed his wrist and pushed it over his head as I leaned down toward his face. "And here I thought you were more interested in Sam than me now."

"No, dove." His other hand moved higher, begging me to come just a little closer. "I still prefer women to men, and you more than anything else, but you asked me to try, so I gave it my all. It's the only way I can keep up with you."

"Prove it," I breathed.

And he spent every minute of that hour doing exactly that.

23

Sienna

That night, we talked about everything that had happened. Every single thing. It was too much for us to figure it all out, but hearing what had happened to me made me understand why Nick wanted to talk to me as soon as I woke up. Evidently, I'd done some pretty freaky shit when I was dead. Never mind that I'd been dead!

When they'd said that, for some reason, I'd assumed that I'd been out for a few seconds before they put me back together. Something like the demonic version of CPR. Listening to them, however, it sounded more like ten, maybe even fifteen minutes. I'd been like dead-dead, and I didn't remember a single thing about it. I'd slipped; I'd woken up. Everything in the middle, including the part I assumed had hurt like a bitch, was completely gone.

But my veins still hummed with power. That was the only way I could think to describe it. It burned but didn't hurt. More like that sensation of sitting in front of a fireplace or crawling into the perfect steaming bath, where the heat was comfortable yet noticeable. I was pretty sure dying had something to do with this, but I couldn't even begin to figure out how or why.

So, the next day, we headed to Vesdar, since most of our questions led us there for answers. I didn't even need to ask about seeing the dragon first. That seemed to be what the guys thought was