Devotion and Desire Chapter 7
This chapter is the same as Ch. 6 but its all in Marcus' POV
Nausea was not a feeling Marcus was familiar with. As a supernatural being it was rare for his kind to experience those kinds of sensations like a human would; the weak, sickly feeling accompanied with the acidity of bile was extremely uncommon for a demon of his high-ranking. But apparently for a mated demon it was a common occurrence. He forgot all reason as he felt Juliet's terrified emotions and immediately transported himself to her side.
Stopping the robbery was child's play to him. Marcus moved on instinct to quickly incapacitate the bald human but he shook with the effort not to use his full strength on the fragile man. Strength that was enhanced due to the threat to his mate's safety.
Marcus had to regain control of his anger before he turned around to face his mate but it was difficult. The majority of his rage was directed at the filthy coward lying on the floor before his feet; how dare a man attack a women least of all his mate.
His mate, his Juliet. The beast inside him was itching to be released, to destroy the threat. His saving grace was the scent of his mate's fear that kept Marcus in his human form and kept his beast caged. The tingling in his nose made him aware that Juliet needed his protection and comfort more than she needed his vengeance.
The rest of his rage was self-directed. He chastised himself harshly for his late arrival, there was no excuse to justify they fact that he was not near his mate to protect her when she was in danger. If something had happened to her not even the building would be left standing.
This incident along with the minor scare in the stairwell prompted him to take action. Marcus must assert himself into her life in order to protect her; he could not bare another scare like this to transpire.
Marcus breathed deeply and closed his eyes; not being able to see the assailant helped with his slipping self-control; he must keep himself restrained, at least for now. The beast protested his lack of violence; it wanted out to reassure itself that the threat was gone.
Kill, Destroy!
Marcus could feel the familiar tingling in his nails and eyeteeth that signaled their inhuman growth; his beast was far too influential as of late. Ever since the Quivering it seemed that the line between them was blurred, Marcus sometimes didn't know whose thoughts influenced whose actions.
The Demon Prince responded to his beast with an authoritative No.
Let me free. Fight!
No
Want his blood, it pleaded with him.
You can have it. The beast halted its rampage within his skull; it understood that his acceptance was conditional. Marcus had no qualms about making the man bleed and if it helped calm his beast then he would certainly spill red but now was not the time.
You can have his blood but not now. Our mate needs us.
Soon?
Yes, very soon. Marcus promised; it felt like he was talking to a child but the demon in him knew better than to offer the creature empty promises. The bald human wouldn't be so lucky as to walk away with just a bruise tonight.
His beast backed down slightly and focused its attention to Juliet. They could both hear her heart pounding out a rapid beat and Marcus felt compelled to answer its call. With a smooth face and a hopefully calm demeanor, he turned and faced his mate. This would be the first time she saw him; Marcus swallowed thickly.
Hazel eyes widened as he heard a slight intake of breath from her. He knew his kind was attractive to humans but he wondered if his mate would only be attracted to his physical features. Marcus has had enough of false flirtation in the past and it only upset him; he wanted Juliet to be attracted to him.
He could feel his mate's gaze like a physical touch, one that burned him all the way to his blood. Her examination of him was delicious torture and he tried not to move so she could study him at her leisure. Her hazel eyes studied the planes of his face; they traveled from his cheekbones to his hair.
Marcus never bothered with his hair, just pulled it back with a tie and let it be. He knew his hairstyle would be considered out-of-date but he never felt the need to change it, now Marcus became self-conscious about it when he saw his mate scrunch up her nose a little when she looked at it.
When she curiously drew her gaze to his lips his entire mouth went dry. His lips parted for her in anticipation and shivers went down his spine. Unconsciously her own set parted and Marcus nearly groaned at the invitation; the thought of kissing those lips was incredibly stimulating to his senses. He began to fidget, not enough that she would notice but nonetheless his little mate under minded years of strict control and she knew nothing of it.
Before the Demon Prince could embarrass himself, perhaps by moaning out loud, his mate quickly looked away from his mouth and her hazel eyes finally met his own pair.
Instantly he was hit with a wave of tranquility, her eyes seemed to melt away his tensions. Marcus could only stare back at her as he felt his calm return; his mate was safe and the Demon Prince realized he didn't arrive late but just in time. No more worries about how to start their relationship, Fate took care of that, now Marcus just had to prove himself to Juliet, to make her his mate.
He took this tranquil moment to study her as well; her hazel eyes were wide and to his mesmerizing gaze he could determine what she was feeling. There was confusion, still some fright, awe and curiosity shone from those eyes and Marcus was amazed with the peace she gave him and his beast purred in contentment. Juliet really was his perfect match; she did no more than look at him with innocent interest and he was entranced, completely under her spell.
Suddenly she broke eye contact and continued to look at the rest of his body; the line of his neck, down to his broad chest, which housed his pounding heart. Everywhere her eyes touched he felt a flame dance on his skin, then linger longer after those hazel orbs moved on to the next spot.
Like a soft caress, it was almost as if her hands where making the journey and it was slowly making him loose his cool confidence.
Her eyes drifted lower, down to his clenched fists hanging by his side. He shouldn't have thought it but those hazel eyes were gazing dangerously low. It was an innocent act on her part and he tried not to think about his painful arousal but his mate's eyes were looking low enough that if he shifted his stance she would see the length of his erection pushing at the seam of his pants. Marcus' heart beat loudly as his blood surged with his growing excitement; his breathing became shallow almost matching Juliet's rapid intakes.
Wait… Marcus put aside his body's urges and focused entirely on the brunette in front of him; her heart was still beating too fast for his liking and her breathing wasn't normal either. His green eyes drifted over her pale face, noting the shadows and the fear lingering in her hazel gaze; he realized she was still upset about what the human male tried to do to her.Acting on instinct, Marcus moved closer to his mate; it was almost as if he was pulled by an invisible chain that dragged him to her side. He wasn't complaining, the raven haired Prince waited a long time for Fate to give him this blessing and he would not waste it; he would put aside all his shortcomings for her.
Beginning with communication, Marcus wasn't one to speak often and many took him for cold and detached but in reality his aloof demeanor helped him keep his… unusual circumstances under control.
When Marcus moved around the work counter he noticed a black camera pointed directly into the space where Juliet stood. Later he would have to erase the security tapes to ensure there was no evidence of his supernatural arrival but for now he mentally willed the camera to stop recording and quickly stood by his mate.
He placed himself directly in her line of sight; he didn't want Juliet to see that filth on the floor. Selfishly he positioned his chest directly in front of her face so she had to tilt her brown head up to look at him, Marcus liked the feel of her eyes too much.
What he didn't account for was being so close to feel Juliet's warm breath hit his chest when she exhaled. It caused her mango scent to encompass and saturate the air around him and Marcus was instantly drunk on it.
Being this close to her made him realize how small his mate was; she looked so fragile to him. The top of her head came up to his shoulder and it only made the Demon Prince understand he had so much to protect her from, after all humans were frail especially when compared to his kind.
Juliet's nostrils flared as she inhaled his scent and Marcus wondered if she was as affected by his scent as he was her own. The thought came to mind that he should mask his scent so she couldn't smell him anymore but Marcus immediately banished the thought; the look in her darkened eyes told him that his mate enjoyed his aroma and he enjoyed watching her.
Marcus blinked rapidly to bring himself back to reality; he had to say something to calm her but Good Fate, she left him tongue-tied. He was acting like a human teen, gathering his courage to approach his crush. The Demon Prince shuffled his feet and opened his mouth to speak but he found that he couldn't; clearing his throat he locked away his nerves and tried again. "Are you alright?" he managed to get out, after all that was his main concern.
When his mate said nothing he began to grow worried but eventually she nodded, her brown hair spilled in front of her shoulders with the movement. Her heartbeat was now at a comfortable rate and her breathing had adopted a quieter rhythm.
It was then he noticed that his mate was holding her side, "Are you sure?" he inquired softly so as not to startle her. His green gaze pointedly moved from her wide eyes down to her torso, "Is your side injured?" Please answer no.
Juliet's eyes brightened with surprise and she looked down at herself; it seemed as if she didn't notice. Her small hand trembled as she rubbed her side; Marcus grew tense when her eyebrows quirked in what seemed to him as pain.
"Not really, it just stings" she answered, her soft voice wavered slightly and Marcus saw red. The rage built in him and he tried hard to smother it but only one thought was clear He hurt my mate.
Juliet quickly glanced back up to meet his eyes and Marcus didn't have time to hide his anger. He could feel the rage burning behind his eyes and judging by the look on his mate's face they must have turned red. He clenched his teeth hard to prevent his fangs from exposing themselves and asked roughly "What did the bastard do to you?"
Juliet jumped at his tone but Marcus knew he couldn't soften his voice even if he tried; his mate was hurt and that enraged him. Automatically he started to lean closer to her injury; he needed to see it, needed to heal it for her, it was his responsibility as a mate to care for her. It would take the smallest amount of magic to heal her and it would calm his mind greatly. His hand slowly stretched out between them and Marcus heard her surprised gasp but that didn't deter him.
What did stop him was an aggravated shout nearby. "What the hell happened here?"
Marcus instantly grew protective and turned his body to face the intruder; by his scent, the Demon Prince knew this man was angry and it was directed towards Juliet. He placed his body in front of hers and faced the man with a grim expression, one that clearly said 'back off'. He let his eyes turn feral red and gave the human a predatory smile; Marcus was pleased when the large man paled slightly.
Juliet seemed to understand the two of them were at a stalemate and she intervened by saying, "Rick, that man just tried to rob me." Rationale returned to him as his mate's calm tone soothed his anger, it helped him edge away from the violence that his beast wanted to inflict.
This man Rick apparently was her supervisor and Marcus was not pleased with him; it was his job to protect his employees and he failed. He failed Juliet. The Demon Prince watched as the human examined the burglar and he wasn't surprised when Rick directed a scathing comment at him. "I suppose you're the reason why I have an unconscious man lying on floor of my store."
He could feel the surge of anger course through his body once again at this man's lack of respect.
His little brunette was certainly annoyed with Rick's response; her warm breath hit his back in a huff and Marcus could tell she was about to confront this man. In an effort to stop her comeback, he grasped her small hand and squeezed it lightly. This simple touch caused his nerve endings to over react, each one was aware of exactly where her skin touched his own and it caused Goosebumps to erupt all over his arm.
He tried to convey to her his message of protection and Juliet seemed to understand as she shifted quietly behind him. A sense of pride tore through him at her courage to stand up to her boss and at her trust in him.
Marcus stretched out his large frame and effectively crowded the man across from him. His voice leaked none of his wild emotions, "That man used lethal force to rob your store. I stopped him from leaving."
Rick looked at Juliet for confirmation and Marcus felt her hair brush his back as she nodded her agreement. He began to calm when her supervisor called for the authorities but his earlier agitation came back in full force the second he barked out his command for them to follow. Marcus was appalled when he didn't inquire about Juliet; the human wanted them to leave but this matter wasn't over settled.
"And he hurt Juliet."
This human disgusted Marcus with his nonchalant answer, "She looks fine to me. We'll get her looked at when the cops come. Now go to my office and wait for someone there, I've got to take care of things here."
His words left a bad taste in his mouth; time and time again he found humans to be incredibly selfish, they did not follow any set of morals that he could tell. The Demon Prince opened his mouth to react to those callous words but he stopped when he felt his mate start to leave his side.
He was torn; follow his mate or teach this human some manners? The decision was taken out of his hands when Juliet asked if he would follow her. Of course he would. Raven hair shifted with his consent and stood by her side.
As they walked, Marcus cast a veil of illusion over them so none of the store's patrons would be able to see her; Juliet didn't need to be bothered with them and frankly neither did he. Using his supernatural talents, Marcus also mentally willed the security cameras to turn off their angle so the both of them could be hidden from their view as well.
He trailed behind her as they walked in silence to the back of the store; his instinct wouldn't allow very much space between them and Marcus felt like he was crowding her but his little brunette didn't seem to mind.
Looking down at her he noticed she looked rather pale; her cheeks were slightly red but other than that she had little color to her skin. In fact her shoulders were hunched slightly and they trembled as Juliet gripped her upper arms; she looks like she's outside in winter.
With his eyes trained on her face he asked, "Are you cold?"
His mate was startled by the question but answered quickly, "What? No, no I'm fine."
That cannot be right, "You are shaking" he stated, it appeared that his mate sometimes neglected her own health.
"Uhh, I guess its just shock." Juliet answered. Not good enough, both the gentleman and demon in him suggested he provide her warmth and so without a thought he took off his sweater and offered it to her.
Her hazel eyes were wide with that same curiosity she showed earlier but they appeared darker now. Marcus felt pressed to care for her so he did not examine her expression closely, "Please put it on. I don't want you to be cold."
"Ok then." She reached for his sweater and Marcus couldn't resist. Too quick for her eyes to catch he placed his hand under her own; both him and his beast sighed at the brush of her small hand, at that thrum of awareness caused by her touch. Marcus didn't want rhyme or reason as to his feelings he just wanted more of what this brunette inspired in him.
"Thank you" she replied and he could only nod as Juliet slipped his sweater over her head. He was mesmerized with her actions; the way she pushed her brown hair over her shoulder, how she smoothed the material over her body. The Demon Prince received great pleasure when he heard his mate inhale, taking his scent into her lungs.
Juliet kept her head down and continued walking. He followed behind her but strands of brown hair blocked her face from his sight. He wondered at her behavior until she murmured, "Nothing like this has ever happened to me before."
Ahh, her nerves have not settled yet. "And nothing like this will ever happen to you again, mate. I promise" was his immediate response, Marcus purposefully spoke too quietly for her to hear but nevertheless his promise lingered between them. She would know of his protection, his strength and hopefully one day his love.
Marcus abandoned that train of thought before it could take root in his heart and focused on his mate again. She was no longer shivering and she adopted a healthier complexion. He continued to monitor her vital functions; that sweet rhythm of her heart pounded calmly in his ears and her breathing was strong and steady, there were no signs of her earlier agitation.
His thoughts were interrupted, "How did you know my name?" Marcus was surprised by the urgency in her voice. "Your name tag says 'Juliet' so I assumed that was your name."
Juliet recovered herself and blushed a beautiful shade of red, she is embarrassed Marcus realized with fascination; he found her reactions captivating. "Oh yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout that."
He had to smile at her, she was endearing to watch, "That's alright" he assured her. Almost as if a light switch had been turned on, Marcus remembered she had no idea who he was.
He stuck his hand out for her to shake, "Please forgive me, I have not introduced myself. I am Marcus and it is very nice to meet you Juliet."
Her confused expression smoothed out when she smiled, revealing dimples on both of her cheeks, "It's nice to meet you too."
Marcus gently grasped her hand, stretching his fingers so they grazed her inner wrist; through her fragile skin he could feel her blood flowing, that life giving essence pumped steadily in her body and it made his fangs ache with need.
Her warmth burned him, flames licked up his arm and traveled throughout his body; he felt the painful bliss low in his body, throbbing hard with demand. Marcus swallowed hard, forcing the increasing hunger away.
Instead the Demon Prince took this time to reinforce his protection spell; he used their contact to call upon a thread of his power and put it into her palm, he formed stronger locating and tracking spells using her appendage as the mediator between them. He hoped this would ease some of his stress away.
Marcus was absurdly pleased with their current situation and when his green eyes met hazel, he smiled; rarely did he ever feel this carefree and let his joy soften his face. Leaving her warmth on a good note, he slowly returned her hand.
Juliet once again led the way to Rick's office; his heart was beating a steady rhythm, empowered by that simple touch. Without her knowledge, Marcus quickly lifted his hand to his face and inhaled deeply. It smelled of her, delicious mango, a tropical scent that was fitting for the sunny place she lived. Once he had her name, it took little effort to locate where his mate lived, the sunshine state, he also learned a few more things when he searched her name.
Suddenly his mate was falling, her body losing its balance and coming closer to the floor. Marcus did not think as he wrapped his arms to halt her fall. Encircling her waist with his arm he pulled her flush against his chest, "Steady" he whispered.
Her arms instinctively gripped his arms in an attempt to regain her balance and Marcus couldn't be more delighted that she was leaning on him for strength, literally. But another part of him was acutely aware of her soft curves pressed so intimately against his body; her head was tucked under his and it did not escape him that the column of her neck was dangerously exposed to his gaze.
Brown hair curled around his shoulder when Juliet turned her head; she met his gaze and maybe she saw his hunger reflecting in his eyes because immediately her breathing began to accelerate. Marcus received a blast of her mango scent on her exhale; this time her aroma had a muskier quality to it, female arousal. Good Fate, that scent would forever be etched into his memory, it would haunt him for nights to come.
Before him or his beast could react to that temptation, Marcus forced himself to step back from her although he never broke eye contact. The allure of her body would not let him fully release her so instead he just turned his mate so they were face to face.
The dark haired Prince could not hide his concern for her; today must have been difficult to deal with. He was about to inquire about her health when hazel eyes filled up with tears and Juliet threw herself at him, crying loudly.
Marcus could guess that her lamentation was due to the robbery; he didn't know what words to offer her so he opted to just hold her, taking advantage of the fact that it was he she was clinging to and not another. The scent of her salty tears invaded his senses and he marveled at the way a fierce protective instinct rose inside him; his mate was innocence and it hurt him to see her like this.
His beast stirred within him but it wasn't violence it hungered for. Mate it whispered, there was no rush of energy this time but a sort of communion as if the beast knew the only way to be close to Juliet was through Marcus' form. The Demon Prince was grateful for this, now he could focus entirely on Juliet and not be distracted by a temperamental, irrational creature.
The world seemed to fall away as he held Juliet, cradling her tenderly in his embrace; for a few precious moments Marcus could believe someone would care enough for him to have the power to bring him out of the darkness. And he whole-heartedly believed that he held his light in his arms.
Her heartbeat echoed throughout his ears as he held her, quietly humming a melody to his mate. Marcus continued to rub soothing circles into the small of her back until he could hear her breathing begin to calm.
How natural this felt; she needed and he provided, mate comforting mate so when she apologized to him he was genuinely confused as to what she was sorry for. Marcus looked down at her mop of brown hair, trying to decipher his mate's behavior once again; her lashes veiled those wonderful hazel eyes.
"Sorry for what?" he asked as soon as she looked up at him.
"Sorry for crying all over you" Juliet specified, her voice was muffled with tears. Anytime, mate was what Marcus thought, what he said was less personal and less likely to scare her, "Ah, that is no problem Juliet."
Something tightened in his heart when she removed her arms from around his neck; if it hurt to let her go now, what would he do when their impending separation arrived?
Shock waves of pleasure tore through him when her small hands rested on his chest; Juliet's innocent action sent a shiver through his bloodstream and made it difficult to hear her what she had to say. "I've probably ruined your shirt and all your stuff."
Stuff? His mate was very confusing. "I don't understand," he whispered to her, wishing to understand. Marcus had been under the impression that Juliet had a shy nature so imagine his surprise and delight at her bold actions that accompanied her next words.
Pressing her fingers into his shirt pocket, they both heard the rustle of paper, "I hope my tears didn't ruin what's in your pocket." Oh no, her note was sill in his pocket. A rare blush crept onto his cheeks at the reminder that he had childishly taken something of hers; Marcus was embarrassed at his actions and the fact that his mate had unknowingly caught him.
He quickly changed the subject; "Is this the office?" they were standing in a hallway with many doors so he assumed one of them must be her supervisor's. Lucky for the Prince his mate caught on to his discomfort quickly and slowly stepped out of his embrace.
Juliet opened the door and Marcus was unsettled by the way she sat into one of the chairs; it appeared as if her legs didn't have the energy to carry her any further. He promptly sat next to her and with worry for her health he asked, "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, now that I'm sitting down."
It irked him that he could not use his healing magic to alleviate her discomfort; those charms would be felt by the receiver and there was no way Marcus could logically explain what would happen to her body without raising suspicion or ridicule.
Over his lifetime the Prince had studied medicine, for both humans and immortals, he was confident in his ability to handle any medical situation concerning his mate.
In the comfortable silence that followed Marcus finally had time to regroup; being with his mate scattered his thoughts and left his emotions high strung. He prided himself on his level nature and thinking, being a slave to his emotions could severely debilitate his judgment. While she excited and energized him she also gave him peace.
Fate had confused him when he found out his mate was human but Marcus knew better than to question Her. He accepted his destiny with open arms, grateful to have his soul mate. Most often in the royal family, male demons find their destined mate rather quickly, only a few decades after maturity, but with Marcus it had taken centuries; after a while he began to think there was no one out in the world that was meant to be his mate.
"One of my employees, Juliet, was the cashier, she saw the whole thing."
"We'll have to question her, you know."
"Yeah, yeah she's in my office, it's this way."
Marcus picked up the conversation all the way across the store; he sighed quietly, Rick would bring the authorities soon and then they would have to part. He turned to his brunette and found her staring intently at him; he pushed past his reaction to that hazel gaze and told her "It shouldn't be much longer now."
Juliet's heart rate sped up some and she bit her bottom lip, dragging the flesh between her teeth causing it to become a plump red temptation that instantly drew his attention. She was nervous but why, he couldn't understand her.
"I didn't get the chance to say it before but thank you for helping me out there." Juliet declared softly. Her appreciation of his actions made him proud, pure male satisfaction, at protecting his mate.
But the reminder of the attack brought his guilt to the surface; Marcus felt compelled to confess his frustrations to her, certain she would listen. "It was no problem on my part. I only wish I had gotten there sooner." Green eyes drifted to her injured side and heaviness settled in his gut, this was his fault. Please forgive me, Juliet.
"It's alright," she immediately assured him. "I'm just glad you came when you did. I didn't even see you until you were right in front of me."
With just those simple words, the oppressive emotions left him to be replaced with gratitude; she had the right to blame him but instead his mate praised him. He could feel the tension leave his body. Even though conversation was not something he excelled in, Marcus was determined to hear more of her voice.
"That was the point; You didn't see me but neither did that man and I was able to surprise him." Not that it would have mattered if the human saw him, Marcus was skilled in hand to hand combat he had fought countless immortals, a human would not stand a chance against him.
"Well, I've never seen someone move so quick. You're really fast Marcus."
He grew rigid in his chair, every muscle in his body tensed as he restrained himself to say seated. She had said his name, softly barely making a ripple in the air as her voice stretched between them.
On a primal level his beast realized that she was interested in him as a male; her cheeks flushed with shy chagrin and her body's scent took on an aroma that was purely female. His body responded in full; even Marcus could smell his mating scent as it saturated the air. His trousers were becoming painfully tight as heat settled in between his thighs.
Mate! He wasn't sure who shouted that mental plea but it was a warning sign to Marcus.
Control! He must control his urges; since he had not satisfied the Quivering instinct, as a mated demon should, the hunger, the raw energy waited underneath the surface ready to be quenched. That Marcus could not allow, he was in foreign territory with Juliet and could not afford any mistakes.
He cut off his air supply, no longer breathing in her scent stopped his turmoil some; "Thank you," he forced out and turned away from her.
How can she have such power over him? Damn it… He had nearly lost control just a moment ago if his hand impressions in the chair were any indication. He was a Demon Prince, restrained and disciplined; yet this beauty undid all his years of strict willpower. How easily she drew emotion from him and he let her even knowing it could be dangerous.
Marcus meant those words of thanks, his mate had good reason to be afraid of him, to see him as a threat but instead she trusted him enough to sit in the same room with him. To hug him, to confide in him.
The humans he heard before were coming closer now to the point that Juliet's dull human ears could sense them. Marcus sighed quietly; their time together would end, she would leave him alone again.
Curiously her heart rate began to climb and she looked worried. Did his mate feel the same as he did about their departure? No, he could not delude himself, humans did not feel the mating instinct as strongly as demons.
Abruptly Juliet leaped up from her chair and reached across the desk in front of them. Her movements mesmerized Marcus and he could only watch as she retrieved a pen from the cluttered desktop and turned to him with bright eyes. Boldly his mate grabbed his hand in a determined grip, bent her dark head and began to write on his hand.
"Here, If you're every in the area again give me a call or text me and we can do something"
He had trouble swallowing past the lump in his throat; each stroke of the pen sent shivers up his spine, his hand felt numb, her touch invaded his senses. Her phone number, he got her phone number. Now Marcus understood why human males always bragged about getting a women's number, it was thrilling.
He stared at their joined hands hardly believing his luck; she didn't want their time to end so his little mate ensured another meeting. Surely his heart would burst from his chest from the joy he felt; the Demon Prince looked at Juliet with unrestrained elation, he gave her a genuine ecstatic smile, he felt giddy. His mate wanted to see him again!
"Yes I will most defiantly call you" he responded with complete sincerity. Her eyes were wide and they glowed with the joy of having one's intention received. Her smile filled his every thought and the powerful Demon Prince was at the mercy of this brunette; anything she wanted and it would be hers.
Marcus hardly noticed the other humans enter the room, his focus was on his mate, on his burning hand; he wisely counted his good fortune, things could have easily turned disastrous today.
With a slight of hand he concealed his hand from view; the dark haired demon did not want anyone to see it, especially these males, it was for his pleasure alone.
Rick was rapidly trying his patience, that man wanted Juliet to leave the room so they could be questioned separately. Logically Marcus knew he had to let her go but there was an ache in his chest at the thought of her leaving. His green eyes were glued to her face, trying to memorize her features, even when she stood to follow Rick out of his office.
Sighing deeply he left her with his last parting words, "Goodbye Juliet, it was nice talking with you."
Her wide eyes swung back to his face, a small smile lit her features as she stared down at him. It was an interesting feeling when he had to look up to meet her hazel eyes, he was vulnerable to her gaze and Marcus wondered what Juliet saw when she looked at him.
"Goodbye Marcus," she murmured and just like that she was gone.
He spelled the two police officers to forget his presence. He simply made them not care about his interference in the robbery; there would be no follow up questions.
Marcus left the two humans in the office and walked out into the hall debating on whether to keep watch over his mate or take care of 'clean up'.
Taking the responsible path, he headed to the security room; the proud Demon Prince had a blissful grin on his face as he looked at those numbers on his skin. Gently, slowly he traced each figure with his finger letting some of his magic coat the ink; Marcus did not want Juliet's phone number to fade.
At the front of the store he noticed that the bald human was gone; no matter that man would not be able to hide from him for long.
Blood his beast whispered to him.
Yes but we want him alone. Tonight he is ours; Marcus finished the thought with a wild grin, letting the creative images of that human's impending beating fill his mind.
His beast rumbled its approval.
He spent little time at the store, he simply erased the memories of those who saw him and destroyed any video evidence of the robbery; it was a mild but tedious task and surprisingly the widespread use of his magic didn't drain the Prince like he expected. It would take some time to adjust to the power surge of being a mated demon.
Marcus didn't linger at the store and transported himself back to his home, secure in the fact that Juliet would be safe (his new protection spell was much stronger than the one he placed on her before).
He flashed himself into the family's garden, it was a quiet place to think and he needed to sort out his tangled thoughts and tighten the reigns over his potent emotions.
Almost immediately the Demon Prince got an idea, he set to work devising a plan to be closer to his mate; he pulled out Juliet's folded paper from his shirt pocket. He would need his brother's help with this plan.
A pale figure sped through a long stretch of hallway to make his way to his master's throne room. His blue eyes were wide with excitement; the news he was about to deliver would put him in his master's good favor for sure.
Three quick raps on a thick wooden door and he was allowed entrance into the grand throne room of his coven leader, his master, his sire. Swiftly walking into the center of the room the servant bowed low, keeping his eyes trained on the ground. He twisted his blonde head to respectfully expose his throat.
His vampire lord enjoyed his submission. "Why have you troubled me, Eric?"
Setting aside his nerves, the young vampire announced clearly "My lord, the rumors are true. I myself have seen that the Demon Prince Marcus has found a mate."
Silence, disbelief, then a low chuckle filled the room "Ha! Well then we must go visit and extend our congratulations"
"Master that is not all." Swallowing past the nerves Eric gave his lord the most important news, "His mate is human."
"Look at me." His master commanded and the blonde hastily obeyed. Strange purple eyes stared back at him and the young vampire fought the urge to squirm. His master's normally impassive face was smoothed with the hint of a smile but it wasn't one of warmth, it was full of retribution. "You have done well, go and feast in my name. Take any victim you wish."
"Thank you master."
Violet eyes watched as his young servant exited the room, they were sharp with dark desire. "Marissa," he called to one of his mistresses.
Her ebony hair flowed behind her as she ran eagerly to his side, "Yes my lord?"
He teased this young female by exposing his inner wrist to her hungry gaze; little Marissa was always bloodthirsty. "I am assigning you a mission. We need to get that bastard's mate and I want you to do it for me, understand?"
Her large eyes never left their gaze of the veins in his wrist but she nodded intently.
Good, this seemed like the chance he had been waiting for, the chance to take down those repugnant demons. "Good girl," he murmured, "You may drink young one."
As Marissa sank her fangs into his wrist, the vampire lord began to plan for war.
Well there's another chapter. I'm sorry about the crappy updates but time just seems to get away from me.
Please let me know what you guys think about this chapter, your reviews really help me.
Thank you to all who reviewed and alerted this story, until next time.
Alkedema
