To Lyra's surprise, they spent the next few days together quite comfortably. Sebastian had her things brought over from her apartment, her remaining rent paid in full. Lyra donated the furniture that they had no need of to the Goodwill, much to the demon's amusement. The girl was nervous at first when they brought Ludus to the new house, fearing that he would run away and become lost. Sebastian had laughed and reassured her that the cat would return when it had finished exploring.

Two days after they had settled in together, the demon approached her with the proposition that she quit her job. Lyra, until that moment complacent, put her foot down. "I like my job," she protested. "I like meeting people I otherwise wouldn't have met. Besides, it gives me something to do. It gives me a purpose. It makes me feel useful." Sebastian couldn't persuade her otherwise, so he dropped the subject. Of course, he still insisted on coming with her; if he couldn't keep her at home, he could at least keep an eye out inside her head.

By far though, the most interesting and amusing aspect of the young woman's adjustment to her life with Sebastian was watching her explain the situation to the people she interacted with. Of course, her co-workers and customers were all curious about the sleek Aston Martin she now drove to work instead of her clunky old Chevy. The poor girl blushed to the roots of her hair when she had to mutter the phrase, "It's my boyfriend's car." She didn't consider Sebastian to be her boyfriend in any sense of the word; just saying the word in association with him made her want to take a shower. She didn't really know what exactly he was to her; "lover" might have been an accurate description, but it still felt too romantic for their circumstance.

One afternoon, Lyra received a phone call from her mother, inviting her over to dinner later that evening. Lyra realized she hadn't seen her mother in over three weeks, and suddenly felt very homesick. Still, there were complications now. Other things she had to consider.

"I…I don't know, Mom. I might be busy."

As if on cue, Sebastian entered the room behind her, gently squeezing her shoulders and kissing the top of her had. "Who is it, love?"

"Lyra? Who was that?"

The girl swore to herself. "Just a friend, Mom."

"Just a friend?" Sebastian's tone was amused.

"Knock it off."

"They can come too, there's plenty." The woman paused. "I miss you, dolly."

She sighed. "I miss you too, Mom." The girl chewed on her lip, weighing the pros and cons, then ducked her head. "Alright, we'll be there. Is six-thirty okay?"

"Perfect. Love you, dolly."

"Love you too." Lyra hung up, then buried her face in her hands. "Oh, God…"

Sebastian laughed, sitting beside her. "So, do I finally get to meet your family?"

"I was hoping I could avoid it, but I guess you're going to have to." She rubbed her forehead with her fingertips, then raised her head. "I have some rules, and I swear to God, if you break them, I'm cutting you off for a month."

The demon smirked. "Such fearsome threats, my lady." He leaned back against the arm of the sofa and gestured. "And your demands are?"

"One, don't tell her we're living together. Two, don't tell her we're sleeping together. And three, you cannot let it slip that you are anything other than human."

He arched one eyebrow, still looking quite amused. "Anything else?"

She narrowed her eyes at him in return. "If I think of anything, I'll let you-" Her gaze dropped to her left hand. "Oh God. The marks. We'll have to cover those up." She clenched her right hand into a fist, as if to hide the crimson pentagram. "If she sees these, she'll know something's up. She'll ask questions, and I can't pass this off as a tattoo."

"Why not?"
She glared at him. "Last time I checked, tattoos didn't glow like this." The color, while not exactly glowing, did possess a strange luminescence that she knew could not be accomplished with normal ink. "Besides, the colors don't look natural. She'd know something was off."

"Is she that perceptive?"

Lyra nodded. "Yes, she is. If something's not right with one of her kids, she instantly knows. Mother's intuition." She smiled, though it was half-hearted. "If I cough once, she brings me a month's worth of cold medicine."

He smiled. "She sounds like a remarkable woman."

"She is." Lyra sighed, rubbing her forehead again. "Okay…okay, I'll bandage my hand. We'll say I slipped with a knife. You…" She bit her lip. "Can you wear gloves or something?"

Sebastian nodded. "I believe so."

"Okay." She raked a hand through her hair. "This is going to be the most uncomfortable dinner of my life."

The demon laughed and ruffled her hair playfully. "Your optimism is an inspiration, my lady."

Two and a half hours later, they pulled into the driveway of the attractive ranch-style house where Lyra's mother and younger brother lived. She insisted on taking her car, saying that the Aston Martin would attract too much attention, especially from her brother, who was a bit of a car enthusiast. The demon had to admit, it was entertaining to watch Lyra scramble in panicky disarray to cover up all traces of his nature, even going so far as to procure colored contact lenses to cover his crimson eyes and brushing a clear coat of nail polish on his fingernails, so that the black color would look artificial.

Before she got out of the car, she turned to the demon and put her hand on his arm. "Just behave yourself, okay? Please. This is important to me. If my mother found out that I…" She trailed off, biting her lip. Sebastian took her hand and gently kissed her fingertips.

"You have my word, Lyra," he murmured reassuringly.

"Okay." She unbuckled her seatbelt, then almost as an afterthought, she leaned over again and kissed him. When she pulled away, she whispered, "As a little added incentive, if you pull this off, I'll make it worth your while when we get back home."

"Oh, really?" He purred, stroking a cool finger down her throat. "In that case, I shan't put a toe out of line."

"Glad to hear it."

Lyra felt her stomach rolling with anxiety as they came in through the garage. She took a deep breath, then opened the door into the family room. Instantly, a sixty-five pound ball of energetic Labrador came scrambling into the room, nails clicking on the wood floor, jumping up on its hind legs and licking the girl's chin. Sebastian took a step back, his eyes narrowing in distaste, but Lyra laughed and threw her arms around the creature, scratching it behind the ears and holding its paws so it would stay upright. "Hi there, Penny! Who's a good puppy? Huh? Are you a good pup? Did you miss your sissy? Did you miss her, puppy?"

The demon couldn't help a small smile as he watched the young woman play with her dog, rubbing its belly when it flopped onto its back. While he wasn't fond of the animals and didn't understand why anyone would be, the pure joy he saw on Lyra's face could only be described as adorable.

"Hi, dolly!" A woman who looked like a middle-aged version of Lyra walked into the room, embracing her daughter. The two of them laughed as the dog continued to jump, eager to join in on their hug.

"Hi, Mom."

When they broke apart, Lyra's mother glanced over at Sebastian. To the woman's credit, she hid her surprise well, reaching out one hand and smiling brightly. "Hi!"

"Hello," he replied, returning her smile and shaking her hand.

"Mom, I'd like you to meet Sebastian Michaelis. Sebastian, this is my mother."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

True to his word, the demon was pleasant all evening, offering to help Lyra's mother in the kitchen and answering all of her questions dutifully and without hesitation. Lyra had wanted to see her brother, but her mother informed her that he was eating dinner at his girlfriend's house and would not be joining them. Despite this, Lyra relaxed, enjoying being at home again, being with her family again. Only once did she worry about being discovered.

"What'd you do to your hand, birdie?"

The girl had shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "I was making dinner and I got myself with the knife."

"You want me to look at it?" Her mother being a nurse at a college where many dumb kids did dumb things, she was good with small wounds and injuries.

Lyra's stomach flipped and her heart rose into her throat. "No, that's fine. It's not that big of a deal."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." She glanced over at the demon, who was smirking. "Sebastian took good care of it, and it's really not that deep. I just used a big bandage because the little ones wouldn't stick."

Her mother nodded slowly, her expression clearly indicating that she knew Lyra wasn't telling the truth, but she wasn't going to press the issue. At the end of the night, just as Lyra and Sebastian were about to leave, her mother jerked her head toward the front room. "Lyra, can I talk to you for a sec?"

Shit.

The girl swallowed and fought to keep her panic down as she followed her mother. When they were safe from prying ears, the woman fixed Lyra with a searching stare.

"So…Sebastian."

"What about him?"

"Is he your boyfriend?" She fussed with her rings, clearly worried about something. Lyra fidgeted, shoving her hands in her pockets.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Don't you think he's a bit old for you?"

The girl's cheeks turned red; they'd told her mother that Sebastian was twenty-five, but she had a feeling that his vocabulary and obsolescent speech pattern might give him away. "Mom, he's only five years older than me."

"I know." She looked like she wanted to say more, but she shook her head slightly, raising her hands to shoulder level. She was silent for a moment longer, then asked, "You two are being safe, right?"

"Mom!"

"What? It's a legitimate question."

Lyra sighed and hid her face in her hands, her blush creeping down her neck. Her voice was small as she answered, "Yes, Mom. We're being safe." This was a lie; they had never used any form of protection, but telling her mother the truth would only provoke a lecture and, God forbid, the handing out of contraceptives. A thought occurred to her; was it possible for Sebastian to get her pregnant? Could demons even have children? The thought that she might be carrying his child scared her, but she fought it back so her mother wouldn't suspect something was wrong.

"Okay." Lyra looked up to see a smile on her mother's face. "He is pretty cute…so good job."

"…Really?"

"Really."

"Thanks." Lyra was dumbstruck. Her mother actually approved of Sebastian? The demon was a better actor than she gave him credit for. She suppressed a groan; she was going to owe him big-time for this. "Well, we better be going. Thanks for supper."

"You're welcome, dolly." The two embraced, then Lyra left with Sebastian, chewing on her lip. Two blocks from her mother's house, she sighed.

"Sebastian?"

"Yes?"

"Is it possible for you to…?" She struggled to get the words out. "To get me pregnant?"

He laughed. "Is that what your mother wanted to speak to you about?"

"Kind of." She picked at a crack in the rubber of her steering wheel. "I'm actually amazed that this didn't occur to me sooner."

He reached over to twine a lock of her hair around his finger. "Worry not. Demons cannot reproduce sexually. We are barren creatures, love."

Goosebumps broke out on her skin as his knuckles softly grazed her neck. "Then…how are demons born? Or created, or whatever?"

"Demons are the spawn of every negative, evil, or malicious craving within the human heart. We spring into being when there is a particularly high concentration of malevolent intent. For instance, war breeds thousands of demons."

She blinked. "So…demons come from the evil that humans create?"

"Precisely."

She shivered a bit, wondering what sort of sinister event Sebastian had been bred from.

When they pulled into the drive of their house, the demon leaned over and trailed his fingertips up her thigh. "I believe you promised to make this evening worth my while?"

She bit her lip, but didn't stop him. "How do you know she bought it?"

He smirked. "Oh, I think I won her over. It's been a long time since anyone referred to me as 'cute.'"

The girl squeaked as his hand inched higher. "You were listening?"

"Perhaps."

She turned cherry-red and clapped her hand over her eyes. "Oh, God…"

Sebastian chuckled. "You should feel flattered that she's so worried about you."

"Really? All I feel right now is embarrassed."

The demon nipped at her ear, kissing at her neck. "Would you like me to help you feel something else, my lady?"

She sighed, then turned her head, clumsily kissing the corner of his mouth. "I suppose a did promise." A small grin curled on her lips. "Go upstairs and wait for me."

"Your room or mine."

"Yours, please."

"As you wish." He tilted her chin up and gave her a short but heated kiss. "Don't be long, pet."

She lingered for a moment after he was gone, savoring the feel of his lips on hers, then dashed up to her room. Hidden within her giant closet was a bright pink bag that held something she'd been saving for an occasion like this. Her best friend from high school, Skye, had bought this for her when she turned eighteen, as sort of a gag gift. She'd never worn it, too embarrassed to even think of a situation where she might need to wear something like this. But now, she finally had a use for it. Her cheeks reddened as she drew it out of the bag, but she took a deep breath and started undressing. She had made a promise, and she did not intend to break it.

Sebastian waited silently, patiently, sitting on his bed with his legs crossed and smirking to himself. Just what sort of surprise did his little darling have in store for him? Suddenly, there was a gentle tapping at his door, and he leaned back on his hands, his smirk deepening. "Come in, my dear."

The door slowly swung open, revealing the young woman standing on the threshold and clothed in a very revealing silk and lace ensemble. Impossibly delicate black lace covered her breasts, with panties that matched. A silk robe of deep purple flowed from her shoulders to her hips, the color making her creamy pale skin look incredibly appetizing. It was obvious that she felt ridiculous in this getup, but it was certainly having its intended effect. Sebastian's desire surged within him so strongly that it was almost painful, and he relished the intense sensation.

"Lyra…"

She smiled coyly, encouraged by his evident arousal, and sauntered across the room, dropping the robe onto the floor as she went. "Do you like it?"

He stayed put, controlling the urge to pounce on her and ravish her on the carpet until she screamed. "You look delicious, pretty." He grinned, beckoning her to come closer. "I could eat you alive."

The girl smirked and lowered herself onto his lap, straddling his hips. "Ooh, that sounds like it could be fun." She leaned in and kissed him, sliding her hands around his neck as he curled one arm around her waist. Their tongues twisted around each other like serpents, Lyra's body going weak as she combed her fingers through his thick black hair. Slowly, she slid one hand to his collar and began unbuttoning his shirt, slipping each button open with a sweet shyness that made the demon smirk against her lips. Lyra's mouth moved from his, kissing the line of his jaw and down to his neck, her hands sliding over his bared chest, pushing his shirt halfway off his shoulders. A purr rumbled deep in Sebastian's throat as her soft, warm mouth kissing slowly down his chest, her firm bottom rubbing against him as she slid down to kiss a line down his stomach.

He tangled one hand in her soft curls, twining the strands around his fingers. "Do you think it wise to tempt a demon so recklessly, little one?"

For a moment, she felt an icy stab of fear, but when she glanced up at him, his scarlet eyes did not threaten her. "Oh, am I tempting you?" The girl feigned innocence. "Do you want me to stop?"

He laughed softly, his eyes burning into hers. "Not at all, pet. In fact, I think I like this more depraved side of you."

She blushed, but kissed lower, until she was kneeling on the floor between his legs. He groaned, the feel of her hot mouth on his stomach almost making him come undone. The demon leaned back and watched her as her shaking hands unfastened his pants, hissing a bit as the cool air hit his hot, rigid length.

"Oh…"

Lyra squeaked, swallowing hard. She'd seen him before, but never this close. The area between her legs throbbed at just the sight of it, and she hesitantly wrapped her hand around him, stroking him slowly.

Sebastian gave an approving growl as she touched him, his eyes narrowing with pleasure. This was exactly how he'd wanted to see her; wanton, abandoning all pretense of purity and embracing her carnal desires. A pious choir girl who had lost herself within the sins of the flesh. True, he loved the skimpy clothing and the way she touched him, but what thrilled him the most was seeing her innocence being corrupted.

She stroked him slowly at first, then faster, feeling an increasing need to please him. After a few moments, he grabbed her hair harshly, pulling her head up so he could look into her eyes. Lyra gasped as the demon growled not with pleasure, but need, his pupils becoming black slits as his irises began to glow. She knew almost instinctively what he wanted, and as he relaxed his grip on her hair, she lowered her head, her lips parting. Slowly, looking up at him through her lashes to gauge his reaction, she ran her tongue softly up the underside of his length, moaning quietly.

He groaned, clenching the bedspread in his fists as she torturously licked him again and again. Her tongue felt so soft and wet and warm against his skin, her eyes like emeralds and honey, warm and bright as she stared up at him. Sebastian allowed himself a small taste of what was going through her mind, and he purred at the strength of her desire, her need to please him, as well as a fierce longing to have him touch her back.

With a devilish smirk, the girl suddenly wrapped her lips around him and took him into her mouth, sucking lightly and feeling a surge of triumph as Sebastian gave a particularly loud groan. "Little minx," he whispered, his breath coming just a little bit quicker. It was apparent that she was a novice, but he had to admit, she was better at this than he had anticipated.

Lyra moaned around him as his hands twisted in her hair, pulling it back so he could see her face. She'd felt weird about it at first, but eventually, the descriptive stories and smutty romance novels she'd read in the past finally proved useful. The way he groaned and arched ever so slightly, the pure lust and desire that crackled in his eyes when he looked at her; it turned her on like nothing else. Her skin burned, ached for his touch. Her entire body trembled, eager to feel him on top of her, within her. She could no longer deny how good it felt, couldn't pretend that she didn't want it. Some part of her realized how bad it was, how sinful and wrong her lusts were, but she couldn't help herself.

Soon, he tensed up, his hands fisting so tightly in her hair that it hurt a bit. She raked her nails down his thigh, sucking hard and swirling her tongue against his flesh. She was worried that he would choke her when he released, but Sebastian's grip prevented her from pulling back. Suddenly, he stiffened, pushing her head down, and climaxed powerfully into her mouth. The girl gagged a bit as the hot fluid ran down her throat, but managed to swallow it as he finally released her, smirking down at her. She panted, wiping her lips on the back of her hand, then looked up at him, her eyes searching his face for signs of approval.

"How was that?"

Sebastian grabbed her chin and pulled her up to kiss the corner of her mouth. "That was quite good for your first time, love." He pressed his lips to hers as his hand crept between her legs, rubbing her torturously. "It seems you enjoyed that almost as much as I did." She moaned, arching her back as he kissed down her chest, his lips leaving spots of heat on her skin. Lyra's hands clenched into fists as she felt his tongue sweep over her nipples through her bra, the sensation driving her crazy.

"A-ah…please…"

With a short growl, he tore the offending fabric away from her breasts, flinging the tattered scraps of lace into the corner.

"Hey," the girl groaned weakly, helpless to protest as he pushed her onto her back. "My friend Skye gave me that as a birthday present."

Sebastian smirked up at her. "Remind me to thank her." Just as quickly, he ripped her panties into shreds, grabbing her hips and pushing into her without so much as a warning. She shrieked, raking her nails down his back as he drove into her mercilessly, becoming almost feral in his need. Lyra whimpered and clung to him, arching her hips in time with him, her legs wrapped around his waist. She understood now why some people preferred rougher sex; there was something raw about it, something freeing. She still favored the gentle, tender method of lovemaking, but it was nice to know that she could still enjoy herself if Sebastian was a bit brutal with her.

The demon, hell-bent on hearing his little lover cry out, rocking his hips in an almost frantic rhythm, kissing her passionately. As worked up as she'd gotten from her earlier actions, it took no time at all to feel her body tightening around him, his lips pressed against her throat to feel the vibrations of her screams. He rolled, flipping them so that she was straddling him, and with hardly a moment's hesitation, she starting rolling her hips, pushing herself up and down on his length. He went to grab her waist, but she quickly took hold of his wrists, holding his arms down against his chest.

"Not so fast. I think I can handle this on my own."

He smirked and easily broke her grasp. "As you wish, my lady." Her slid his hands up her sides and cupped them over her breasts, her nipples as hard as pebbles against his palms. He rubbed the sensitive buds with his fingertips as she rode him, his teeth slightly bared as her moans grew louder. This was what he'd wanted from the beginning, the vision he'd had since he first laid eyes on her; this sweet girl with her eyes glazed over in lust, desiring him, wanting his touch, his kisses. Craving the pleasure only he could give her. She very nearly belonged to him now, and as soon as she made a contract, he would possess her entirely. His mouth watered in anticipation; the day of her surrender could not come soon enough.

His hand crept between her legs against, rubbing that little hill until she flew screaming into her second orgasm. Lyra collapsed on top of him, panting heavily, her hair in beautiful curled disarray. "Sebastian…I can't take any more…"

The demon chuckled. "I'd have thought your stamina would be much greater by now, my lady."

She narrowed her eyes, though since her face was buried in his chest, her poisonous glare was wasted. "Shut up. I can't help it if you're exhausting."

His laugh was louder now. "Ah, I see. Then I suppose I can take the blame for your weakness." She growled at him, but he simply smirked and flipped them over again, lying her on her back so she could at least relax in comfort as he finished. As he came for the second time, he groaned and murmured something in another language, the words lilting and foreign, like music from a magical realm. She couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder at his words. He swept her hair out of her face, kissed her, and tried to roll over onto his back, but she locked her arms around his neck, her eyes silently pleading with him to stay where he was. If he rolled over, he would undoubtedly pull her into his chest, and she was far too comfortable to move. Besides, she liked the feel of his body on top of hers, warm and solid and secure. Sebastian smile and laid down with his arms around her, his head pillowed on her breasts, and closed his eyes as she ran her fingers through his hair. They were silent for several long moments, just enjoying the feel of being so close, then Lyra spoke.

"What did it mean?"

He raised his head slightly, arching his eyebrows. "Hm?"

"You lapsed into another language at the end…what did you say?"

He smiled softly. "It was a spell of sorts in ancient Gaelic."

"What kind of spell?"

His grin widened. "An enchantment to keep demons and evil spirits away."

Lyra couldn't help a small giggle. "It's a bit too late for that, don't you think?"

Sebastian laughed as well. "Forgive me, my lady. Many hundreds of years ago, I had a lover who was unaware of my true nature. After a particularly vigorous round of lovemaking, she would always mutter that spell to herself. She believed that after a powerful orgasm, the soul was left weakened and would be easy prey for the fiends of Hell." He grinned, his eyes sparkling with dark mirth. "I found the irony of it simply delightful, and have repeated the spell ever since. A sort of private joke."

Lyra nibbled on her lip. "If you don't mind me asking…how old are you, exactly?"

He reached up and stroked her cheek. "By human standards, I'm well over a thousand years old, my lady."

Her eyes widened almost comically. "Oh my God…I was expecting a couple of centuries, but a thousand years…?"

"Believe me, love, by demon standards, I'm still fairly young." His smirk deepened as he ran his fingertips down her neck, feeling her shiver beneath him.

She sighed. "It's strange…I've known you for what, almost a month now? And I still know hardly anything about you."

He smirked, brushing his lips against the skin between her breasts. "You only needed to ask, pet. I had no idea you were so curious."

She closed her eyes, sighing and smiling at the touch of his warm mouth against her skin. "Well, I've always been good at reading other people. What they're feeling, their strengths and weaknesses, character traits. But you, I can't figure out, and I guess I felt stupid for needing to ask."

The demon laughed quietly, his breath like the tickle of feathers. "Well, feel free to ask your questions, my lady. I am an open book."

Lyra returned to stroking his hair, combing her fingers lazily through the strands. "Well…how many contracts have you made?"

He arched an eyebrow. "Is that something you truly wish to know?"

She shivered at the look in his eyes. "I guess not."

He smirked. "That is how I eat, after all."

Lyra quickly changed the subject, unwilling to speculate just how many souls he'd consumed. "How many languages do you know?"

"Well over a hundred. English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi, Portuguese, Welsh, Romanian, Russian, Gaelic, and Polish, to name a few. As well as several dead languages."

"Well, aren't you fancy?" She smiled, liking the way his laugh rumbled against her belly, pleased by the fact that she could make him laugh. It still astounded her how quickly she'd grown comfortable with Sebastian, considering all that he had done to her. She liked being with him, not just sexually, but casually as well. He was considerate and kind to her, always touching her gently and speaking to her in a soft, if somewhat obsolescent way. She had always been a sucker for Victorian speech and vocabulary, and with that sensuous British accent, there was no way she could resist. It was easy for her to forget that he was a demon, that he was everything she had been taught to fear. She let herself ignore his dark nature, embracing the romantic veil he shrouded himself with. She was fully aware that the man she had come to know was most likely an act, that demons shouldn't be so loving toward their prey. Still…some part of her, despite what he had told her about his kind's lack of human emotion, felt that his actions might be sincere. That he might truly care about her. Either way, she didn't allow herself to dwell on it, choosing to see only the mask he put on, because it made living with him so much easier. For the time being, she could fool herself into thinking that he might really be fond of her, that everything was and would be okay. Pushing aside the unsavory aspects of her reality and focusing on what was good, even if it was a false comfort, had always been a specialty of hers.

"Are you alright, my lady? You're terribly quiet all of a sudden."

She nodded, sighing a bit. "Yeah. Sorry, I got lost in thought for a moment."

"Shall I let you rest, or do you have more questions for me?"

The girl thought for a minute, then murmured, "Tell me about Ciel."

There was a beat of silence. "Why does my young master suddenly intrigue you?"

Lyra shrugged. "Well, the two of you went through a lot together, and he's obviously important to you. I'd kind of like to know more about him."

Slowly, the demon smiled. "He's very prideful, full of determination and singular ambition. He can be arrogant at times, but that is to be expected of a young man of noble birth. He does not tolerate foolishness or frivolity." He chuckled softly, as if reliving a good memory. "Though, like any child, he was quite fond of sweets."

That made the young woman smile. "Good. He should enjoy some aspects of being a little boy. Someone that young shouldn't have to be so grown up." Her fingertips lazily traced the ridge of Sebastian's shoulder blade. "He must have been a fascinating kid."

"Indeed he was." His scarlet eyes closed, and for the first time in many years, he felt as if he might actually sleep. The girl was certainly drifting away, her lashes brushing her cheeks as her breathing slowed. The demon noted with amusement that she still scrunched up her brow in her sleep, as if thinking very hard. He leaned up and kissed her brow, then rolled over onto his back, pulling her against him. She murmured sleepily in protest of the movement, but was too far gone for her words to be coherent. Sebastian smirked, hushed her gently, and closed his eyes.

A week passed. Then another. The two of them, a demon and his human lover, were getting along remarkably well, considering the tense and hostile circumstances at the beginning of their time together. Sebastian had adapted so precisely to her moods that he could almost predict them, knowing which days she would be vivacious and joyful, and which days filled her with melancholy. Fortunately for him, the latter happened very seldomly. She in turn accepted and even embraced his more sinister personality, letting him be rough with her in the bedroom when he needed to be, because the tender, romantic moments they shared were worth enduring a little pain. Sebastian had cunningly molded her into everything he desired in a lover; submissive and innocent, but still feisty, able to take command if he wanted a change of pace. She had become his in more ways than she could imagine, and though he still hungered for her soul, the little tastes he received when they made lover were enough to tide him over until the day she made a contract.

One of the things that Lyra was surprised and overjoyed to discover was Sebastian's talent in the kitchen, particularly at baking. Something that had always soothed her was baking gingerbread on a chilly fall afternoon, the air heavy and fragrant. They conversed happily in the warm kitchen, smudging flour across each other's cheeks as their treats baked. It was exactly like something out of a cheesy romance movie, but she enjoyed every second of it, regardless of how cliché it was.

All that cooking, of course, required ingredients and supplies. One crisp Saturday, they were walking through the grocery store for the items that they needed. Lyra insisted on paying for half, even though she knew Sebastian could buy a year's worth of groceries and then some. It would be easy for her to become completely dependent on him, but she refused to allow herself to be taken care of. She wasn't helpless or weak, and it was important to her that Sebastian knew it. While in the produce section, Lyra encountered a familiar, yet unexpected face.

"Lyra! Hi!"

Oh God.

She smiled back, trying to ignore the guilty turning of her stomach. "Hi, Susan."

The fifty-ish woman's warm brown eyes slid expectantly over to the demon. "And who is this?"

"Oh. Susan, this is Sebastian Michaelis, a friend of mine." Sebastian's eyes flashed with intrigue as she faltered on the word "friend." He extended a hand with a smile as Lyra continued. "Sebastian, this is Susan Daniels. My pastor."

His pleasant expression didn't change, though his eyes narrowed just the tiniest bit; Lyra was unable to tell if he was repulsed or amused. "A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Daniels."

"Likewise." She shook his hand warmly, completely unaware of his true nature. "It's good to see you , Lyra. It's been a while since you've come to church. We were getting a bit worried."

She nibbled at her lip, shoving her hands in her pockets and trying to look contrite, but not guilty. "Well, I've been pretty busy lately. Work's been crazy, you know." It was a lie that she had told many times before, yet she was still surprised at how easily it rolled off her tongue.

Susan nodded. "Uh-huh. Well, are we going to see you tomorrow?" She smiled. "The ladies really miss hearing you sing."

Her eyes darted momentarily to Sebastian. "I don't know…I think we're going to be busy tomorrow."

To her horror, Sebastian said, "Oh, I think our schedule is clear tomorrow." He turned to Susan with a charming smile. "We'll be there with bells on, Ms. Daniels."

She smiled brightly in return. "Great! We'll see you tomorrow morning, Lyra. Nice to meet you, Sebastian." Her end of the conversation complete, she pushed her cart away, heading for the frozen foods.

Once her pastor was out of sight, Lyra rounded on Sebastian, her eyes bright with panic. "Are you insane?" Her voice was a low hiss, her lips drawn back over her teeth. "We can't go to church!"

"Whyever not? I think it could be interesting." His smirk had returned, one eyebrow arched mischievously.

"But you're a de-!" She pressed her lips together, not wanting to even say the word in a public place, lest she be overheard.

"I'm perfectly aware of my nature, Lyra." He folded his arms, his eyes still gleaming with amusement.

She rubbed her forehead in frustration. "Can you even go inside a church?"

"Why shouldn't I? It's just a building."

"A holy building."

He laughed. "Churches are rarely as sacred as humans would believe them to be. Few people truly have enough faith to make them so."

Her eyes narrowed. "Will it…do anything to you? Will it hurt you?"

Sebastian smirked. "The worst it could do is give me a slight headache." His grin widened. "Honestly, it would be worth enduring a bit of discomfort just to watch you fidgeting with anxiety in your pew."

She smacked him on the shoulder, though it was light. "You are going to kill me one of these days."

As she pushed their cart toward the check-out counter, his smirk grew dark, his eyes pulsing a faint scarlet. He muttered too low for anyone to hear, "That's the idea."

The next morning, Lyra rose uncharacteristically early, making sure she had plenty of time to get ready. Sebastian chuckled as she fussed around her bedroom, trying on outfit after outfit. After the fourth time she changed her clothes, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her down onto his lap. "You needn't fret, love. It's only a mid-morning service." He kissed her briefly. "You look lovely as you are."

She kissed him back, though it was quick and rather absent-minded. "You don't understand, I have to wear just the right outfit. I can't look too nice or people will wonder where I got the money for the clothes, and I can't dress too casually because they'll think I don't want to be there." She whined in frustration. "If they suspect something's wrong, they'll dig and pry until they find out."

"Are these women overprotective, or just meddlesome?"

She smiled. "A little of both." Relaxing, she wound her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. "They're like my family, so they worry about me." She smiled gently, sighing. "I have to admit, though, I'm kind of excited to see Angie again."

"Oh?"

"Angie's like my second mom. She and I used to teach Sunday School to the little ones, and sometimes we'd do special music together. She'd play the piano, and I'd sing." She sighed again, he breath feathering against his neck. "I miss that."

He smirked, twisted a curl of her hair around his finger. "I see."

Forty-five minutes later, they pulled up in front of the welcoming brick structure, the marquee out front declaring GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. She smiled, turning off the car and unbuckling her seat belt. She had insisted once again that they take her Chevy, and Sebastian had of course conceded. Her outfit was bright, but conservative, wearing a pair of bootcut jeans and a silky, colorful top. He himself was dressed in dark jeans, black shoes, and a black button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, with a pair of black fingerless gloves on his hands to hide the seal. Lyra had bandaged her hand again, sticking with the story that she had injured it. Her smile was bright and genuine as she was greeted, sticking out a hand to shake or holding her arms open for an embrace. Sebastian couldn't help a secretive little smile as a crowd of young children began to climb all over her, chattering away as she laughed and crouched to hug them. She would have made a wonderful mother, eventually. His smile widened at the knowledge that she would never bear children, that she would never marry or have a family of her own. All that potential for goodness corrupted and torn asunder by his own hand.

As the piano player-not Angie, to Lyra's disappointment-began to play the gathering music, they took a seat in the back. Since the weather had gotten colder, most of the elderly crowd sat up front where it was warm, so their pew was otherwise unoccupied, a small favor for which Lyra was thankful. She had to admit, it was nice to be back in her element. This building, these people; they were familiar, safe, comforting. Even so, she was worried to the point of nausea that Sebastian would do or say something suspicious.

The congregation settled into their seats with a chorus of creaking wood as Susan strode up to the pulpit, Bible in hand. Tapping the microphone to make sure it was on, she welcomed everybody and began the service with a prayer. Lyra closed her eyes, but peeked out from under her lashes to spy on her companion. His head was bowed reverently, his hands folded in his lap, but the small smirk on his lips gave him away. He wasn't praying, but simply enjoying this small mockery of the God who would never listen to him. She sighed, wishing she hadn't agreed to come, but it couldn't be helped now. As quietly as possible, she took a pencil and a collections envelope from the back of the pew in front of them, hastily scrawling You doing okay? on the back of the envelope and passing it to Sebastian. As the demon felt the paper nudge the side of his hand, he opened his eyes and read her note. His grin deepened; it was just adorable the way she was worried about his wellbeing. As if he would burst into flames during the Lord's Prayer. He tucked the envelope between the pages of a hymnal and thought, Yes, my lady. I'm perfectly fine.

He almost laughed out loud as she gave a silvery little gasp of surprise. I thought you could only do this when you were inside my head?

My lady, I'm always inside your head.

She shivered. Well, that's spooky.

More discreet than passing notes, I should think. Not very pious of you, my lady, to pass notes during the prayer.

Oh, shut up, she thought, but with no real venom in her tone. As the prayer concluded, they stood to sing the opening hymns. Sebastian didn't join in, but simply enjoyed the way Lyra poured her heart into the simple melodies. Her voice always seemed to resonate more deeply, her tone growing richer and fuller when she sang hymns. It interested him greatly.

After the opening songs came the scripture, read by an old woman in a floral print pantsuit. Sebastian, quickly bored with the sacred text, decided to amuse himself by tormenting his little pet. With a smirk, he sent her an image of her spread out on his bed, her wrists tied to the headboard with red silk scarves and wearing nothing but a sheer red bra and matching underwear. She gasped, her cheeks immediately turning red. S-Sebastian, what the hell are you doing?

Entertaining myself, dear one. His thoughts were a soft purr, dripping with lascivious intent. The words of your God don't interest me…but I do so enjoy the lovely shade of crimson your cheeks are turning. The image began to move, showing how her chest heaved, how she fidgeted, pulling at the scarves. Lyra curled her hands into fists as the dark-haired demon entered the little mind-movie, wearing nothing but tight black pants slung low on his hips. He climbed onto the bed, crawling over her and wedging his thigh between her legs. She could almost hear herself moaning as she rubbed against him, his mouth at her neck.

Dammit, Sebastian, stop! I can't be blushing like this in the middle of the service! She tried to force the image away, but his will was stronger than hers, and instead, the little scene grew more intense. Suddenly, the demon's head was down between her legs, his long tongue stroking the triangle of scarlet fabric at the meeting of her thighs. The poor girl had to clench her jaw to keep from moaning out loud, squeezing her legs shut to ease the throbbing ache she felt. Sebastian smirked, and as the pastor began passing the offering plate, he began mentally removing those lacy panties with his teeth. Lyra was shaking now as she watched the imaginary Sebastian sink two fingers into her wet folds, watched as her imaginary self arched her back, squirming with pleasure.

Stop it…please…

Why should I? You can't deny that it excites you to watch what I could do to you. His tone was bemused. I've always wanted to tie you down before making love to you. Now that I know how much it thrills you, I shall have to try that once we get home.

She wanted to protest, wanted to put him out on the couch permanently for pulling a stunt like this in church, but with the way her body was heating up, craving his touch, his kisses, she was going to need him to relieve this tension. Damn you, she gasped mentally, watching as imaginary Sebastian moved his fingers faster within her.

The demon kept his features arranged in a rather beatific smile that deepened slightly as he realized the pew was shaking beneath him, trembling as she trembled. His little trick was affecting her more than he had anticipated, and the look of mingled shame and arousal on her face was simply delicious. As the sermon began, he allowed his imaginary self to shed the little clothing he wore and part her legs, sliding into her with one deep, fluid thrust. Her face grew more scarlet by the second as she watched him take her slowly at first, but moving faster and faster, their faces displaying primal need and boundless pleasure. Finally, the girl could take it no more. Gasping, she bolted from her pew and into the bathroom at the back of the sanctuary. He smirked and let the vision fade from her mind, lulling her into believing that the torment was over. Sebastian slowly counted to ten before resuming the passage of his fantasy to her.

In the bathroom, Lyra splashed cold water on her face, gripped the sides of the sink to keep her hands from trembling, and tried to catch her breath. Oh, she could just murder him! Just as she was starting to get herself under control, the lewd images returned, showing Sebastian taking her on her hands and knees, the scarves that had bound her to the headboard still tied around her wrists. She covered her mouth with one hand to stifle a moan, sinking to the tiled floor with her back pressed against the door, her legs shaking too badly to hold her up. Almost against her will, her hand crept between her legs, rubbing herself through the coarse fabric of her jeans to try and relieve herself of this awful pressure. As the imaginary Sebastian moved his hips faster, she groaned and slid her hand inside her underwear, gasping as her fingers made contact with hot, sensitive flesh. Finally, as the two of them reached their climaxes in the vision, she rubbed herself harder and harder until the heat that had been building within her exploded into breath-taking release, her head tossed back and her mouth open in a silent scream. As she came down from her orgasmic high, she hid her face in her hands. Oh God, I just touched myself inside a church. I made myself come inside a church. Following almost automatically was the thought, I am so going to Hell for this.

This brought Sebastian to mind, and the warm amber in her hazel eyes suddenly gave way to livid green. She stood and washed her hands in water so hot that it turned her hands red, then dried them on a paper towel before walking back out into the sanctuary, taking her place beside the demon as the congregation stood for the doxology. She was silent for a moment, then she leaned over and said in a calm whisper, "When we get home, you and I are going to fuck like bunnies. And then I am going to kill you."

Sebastian's only retort was a soft smile.

They dashed from the church as soon as the last note on the piano was played, weaving between the clusters of chatting folks and elderly couples that moved too slow. Once out in the parking lot, Lyra let Sebastian take the wheel, knowing he could drive much faster and much more safely than she could under such duress. It was all she could do to keep her hands from straying into his lap, wanting to touch him so badly that it hurt. Sebastian, seeming to sense this, drove with one hand on the steering wheel, stripping the glove from his right hand with his teeth and sliding his bare hand into her pants, rubbing her through the damp fabric of her panties. She writhed in the seat, thrusting her hips into his hand and moaning, panting his name lustfully. She was still angry with him, but that part of her was small for now, overshadowed by the crushing desire she had for him.

When they finally pulled into the driveway, Lyra promptly leapt from the car, wanting to entice Sebastian into a chase…and stopped dead in her tracks. While they were away, someone had trashed the Aston Martin. The sleek black paint was terribly scratched, the windows smashed and lined with spiderweb cracks. The passenger side door had been almost wrenched from its hinges, and the upholstery had been cut to ribbons with a sharp object of some kind; Lyra had the sinking feeling that it wasn't a knife that had made those horrible slashes.

Suddenly, her insides wrenched; was the perpetrator still here? Perhaps he was inside seeing what valuables he could find. Knowing that Sebastian was right behind her, she bounded up the steps and stopped again, her eyes growing wide with horror. There on the mat in front of the door was a strange black, furry heap. Four legs stuck out at stiff, impossible angles, a long tail draped sadly over the mat like a limp flag. A strong, repulsive smell came from the sticky pool of dark liquid that the heap was lying in, something unpleasant and thick. It took her a moment to figure out what it was, but when she saw the pinkish-red strings of veins and tendons that trailed from where a neck should be, she knew.

Ludus was dead. The poor creature's head had been ripped off.

Lyra began to scream.

Suddenly, Sebastian's arms closed around her, one hand wrapping around her eyes to shield them from the hideous sight. She struggled for an instant, fearing that whatever had killed her kitty had come back for her, but then recognized him, turning in his arms and burying her face in his chest. He cradled her head in the crook of his shoulder as she sobbed in grief and horror, stroking her hair to soothe her. He felt a pang of sympathy for the cat-such a sweet thing, its death was a shame-but it was quickly replaced by the one detail that Lyra had missed. On the door, smeared in drying streaks of cat blood, were two words, their message as threatening as the ink they were written with.

SHE'S MINE

He suppressed a growl of rage; Lyra belonged to no one but him. He would tear to pieces anyone who dared try to claim ownership of what was his. He would not have his prey snatched from him again.

The girl jerked away from him, lurching into the house, yelping something about being sick. He sighed and followed her inside; calming her was the first priority. He could dispose of the body later. As he began ascending the stairs, he heard Lyra give a shrill cry, a sound that twisted to form the syllables of his name. Fearing that the killer of cats had been lurking in wait upstairs, he flew up the steps and into the hallway, unexpectedly colliding with the violently trembling girl, who clung to him desperately.

"Lyra, what-?"

"They know where I sleep. They know where I s-sleep. Oh God, they know where I sleep."

Sebastian lifted her into his arms, as it was obvious she was not about to let go of him, and went to her bedroom, stopping at the threshold and staring inside with hard, furious eyes.

There on her pillow was the cat's missing head.

Why do I do this to myself? I was in tears when I had to write about the cat dying. Sorry if this traumatizes some people. Please review, you know I always love to hear from you!