When I made it back to my room, I collapsed onto my bed, closed my eyes, and finally fell to sleep.
Eros sits at the edge of the bed.The moonlight shines off of his bare back, highlighting his two scars.Every fallen angel has those same scars, but Eros’s are more prominent.Unlike the rest of the fallen, he hadn’t seared them off himself; Eros’s parents had.
He had always—always—loved his wings more than anything.They meant something more to him.When he followed me to Hell, he was good and only good.But Hell turned him bad.Ihad turned him bad.
I sit up and graze my fingers up his scars to the back of his neck.He sighs and turns to me.His eyes are black and clearer than they had been earlier when I entranced him.Slowly, he pushes me back onto the bed and crawls up to me.He places his head on my stomach and curls an arm over my abdomen, pulling me closer.
I suck in a breath and draw my fingers through his hair, scratching his head lightly.I avoid his horns, knowing it would destroy the intimate moment between us.He would disappear again, and I don’t know when he would willingly possess my dreams again.
“I miss having you this close,” I say.
He doesn’t say anything, but I know he feels the same way.He wouldn’t be here if he didn’t.
I close my eyes, enjoying the moment a bit longer.I have always enjoyed us, even in Heaven.
I tug on the ends of his hair.“Talk to me, Eros.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“Say that you still want me.”
He tenses.“I’m not the same guy I was.”He shakes his head.“I love Dani.”
“But you’re here with me.”
He frowns.Suddenly, he pulls away from me and sits up.
I grab his hand, pulling him back down.“Just enjoy the moment, Eros.”
Before I can stop him, he shakes his head and disappears.The last thing I see is that expression on his face.It is one I had never seen before.Fear.
When I woke up, Eros was gone.His scent lingered in the air, and light-pink fingerprints were painted on my hip bone.I sat up and leaned against my headboard, taking a deep breath.I shook off the intimate moment.I would have him soon.I had almost broken him.
And after I took Eros, I would take Dani.
Someone knocked on my door.I groaned and rested my head against the headboard.If that was Everi …
The knock sounded again.I didn’t bother dressing, just stood and walked over to answer it.
Dani stood behind it, wiping her tired eyes with the back of her hand, dressed in a thin tank top that readSin with Meand fuzzy white pajama pants.
“Have you seen Eros?”she asked.Her nipples poked through her shirt.
I paused for a moment.“No.Why?”
“I can’t fall asleep; it’s too damn cold here.”She crossed her arms over her chest, rubbing her hands against herself.“Eros said he missed the kingdom, so we decided to stay the night.He was supposed to meet me in one of the guest rooms, but he’s not there.”
I leaned against the doorframe.“I haven’t seen him.I’m sure he’s just reminiscing about his time here.”
“Probably.”
I lightly grasped her chin.“Why don’t you come in?”
She smiled softly.“Only until Eros comes back.”
“Only until Eros comes back.”I shut the door behind her.
Ten
