The demon was lying next to him curled up into a ball sound asleep. Something about that seemed absurd to him. The way she had her arm draped over his waist was protective. And the way he just let her was unnatural. But as unnatural as it felt, he didn’t move away from her. Because as unnatural as it was, it also didn’t feel wrong. A sigh escaped his mouth as he drew her closer to him.  

“Filthy demon,” he muttered under his breath.  

She stirred slightly. He knew he wouldn’t do anything to wake her, and after her words to him last night, he also knew he wouldn’t try to run away from her. He didn’t doubt her when she said she would chase him. He had a feeling the mark on his back would lead her right to him anyways. He groaned as he thought about that. The demon put the mark of Hell on him somehow. Her hair fell in waves over his hand, and he twirled a strand in his fingers. How could something that looked so perfect be so absolutely sinful? He didn’t suppose he would ever know the answer to that.  

The next couple of hours went by slowly for him. He watched as the sun rose through the small windows of the cottage. He wished more than anything that the demon would wake up so he could move from the spot on the ground. The thought of waking her crossed his mind again, but again, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. After all, she had saved him from getting burned alive. He wasn’t sure of the life she had taken him into, but time would tell that. 

                                              ___________________________________________ 

Lily was acutely aware that Luke was waiting on her to wake up. Truth was that she hadn’t been asleep in the first place. She was just comfortable listening to the rhythmic beating of his heart, so she stayed put. She had to stifle laughter as she heard him curse her occasionally. As much as he outwardly expressed his hatred towards her, she knew he didn’t mean it.  

“Good morning, my virgin priest,” she said in a low voice. She made sure he felt her intent, and his body hardened with her words. 

“You made sure that isn’t true, demon.” Luke whispered. “It’s about time you woke up.”  

Luke wiggled out from underneath her and sat up. She watched as he stretched away all the kinks in his back. That’s what he got for threatening to run, though. He could have slept on the couch, or the cot. But the threat made her want to make sure he stayed put. Lily looked up at him with wide eyes. His chest was bare, and everything about it made her hot with need. 

 

“I didn’t do anything you didn’t want.” She replied. Luke laughed at the statement.

“Yes, ruining my life was at the top of my list, demon. I have nothing now.”

 

A small hint of pain went through Lily’s chest. He really thought he had nothing? He had captured a demon, for all that was worth. She couldn’t leave his side even if she wanted to. Something deep within her said that if he left her side, she would die. She had to follow him.

“You really believe that?” Her voice was small. “You really believe that you have nothing?”

Lily tried to ignore the nagging pain inside her, but it only grew the more the priest looked at her without answering. She could see that he was warring with himself. He wanted her, but he would never admit that to himself. Not when he had lived as a chaste man of God for so long. She sighed.

“Talk to me, priest. What’s going on?”

“Why should I?” He was petulant. She supposed she didn’t blame him.

“Because I want to help you, believe it or not.” She said honestly. “I don’t know exactly what is going on, but I can’t figure it out unless you’re honest with me. What’s going on?”

He sighed. “I don’t know what’s going on either. All I know is that I was fine until you came around.” Luke pushed himself up against her couch. “I was in a position that I loved, and you took that from me. Now they want to burn me, demon.”

Fear shot through her, “That will never happen as long as I’m alive, priest.” She meant that. “They will have to go through me to hurt you. They’ll have to go through my people. As I said, you have a demon’s mark. You may not like that, but it guarantees you protection.”

 

Luke raised his eyebrow in amusement. “Are you afraid that I will die?”

 

Lily paused a beat. How did she answer this without revealing her vulnerability? He could theoretically kill them both. “I want you alive. That’s all you need to know.”

 

“No, it’s not. You uprooted my life and now you owe me an explanation. You want me to be honest with you, but you need to be honest with me too.” Luke stared her down. Lily was still acutely aware at the fact that he was shirtless in front of her. She sighed.

 

“Fine. You started preaching about the perils of lust and ‘pleasure demons’ as you call us right after I started coming to services. I suspect that you knew what I was then, you felt my power over you, you just didn’t want to admit it.” Lily looked pointedly at him.

 

“I honestly didn’t know.” He replied. “I just thought I was attracted to you.”

 

“You were. Well you still are. I can feel it. But you only have us half right.” She continued, “Most demons like me don’t wait to take what they want. They’ll rip it right out of you. As soon as I know someone wants me, so do I. You were different, though. I waited, I got to know you. Made you trust me.”

 

“So most of you are crazy rapists?” He asked, accusation in his tone.

 

“Simply put, yes. But I’m different. I told you that I couldn’t take anyone without consent, I wasn’t lying to you. I can’t get into your mind or access your body unless you want me to. I can’t feed without consent, using you would serve no purpose to me without it. What I don’t understand is how you got that mark on your back, or why I feel tied to you. Or why I feel safe spilling all these things to you.”

 

“Why do you feed on virgins?” He asked.

 

“I get more power that way. That’s the simple answer. I can go longer between feedings.” Lily locked eyes with him. He looked scared, but not of her.

 

“Why me? I asked you that last night, but you didn’t answer it directly. Why me?” Luke crossed his arms over his chest. Lily saw the self-consciousness roll through him.

 

“You were assigned to me.” She said simply. “Don’t ask me why, I don’t know that. I was told to come and seek you out. I can’t refuse an assignment.”

 

“Assignment?” He was confused. “Why couldn’t you refuse? You have free will.”

 

Lily roared out a laugh. “I forget you are human, little Father. I am a demon from a high demon family, I do not have free will. If I am compelled to do something, I must do it. I was compelled to acquire you, and after I did, you should have perished into the demon realm, but you are still here.”

 

“Demon realm? You would have taken a man of God into the demon realm?” His eyes were wide with shock.

 

“Don’t be so surprised. It wouldn’t be the first time. But what is curious is the mark on your back. I think that’s why you’re still here.”

 

Lily watched as a shudder went through his body. He didn’t like what he just heard. “What does the mark mean, Lily?”

 

Lily shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’ve never come across one. Usually, I leave my mark on someone’s soul, not their skin.”

 

“Is it a bond?” He asked quietly.

 

“Of some sort. Yes. But I don’t know what kind of bond it is. All I know is that it makes me want to keep you alive.”

 

“That’s comforting, I guess.” Luke whispered. Lily reached for him. The look of sorrow on his face pierced her darkened heart more than his derision. He didn’t make a move towards her.

“It should be, Priest. If I let you move on to the demon realm, you would be tortured by your lust for as long as you remained there. But as it is, you will stay here with me where I can keep an eye on you. I meant it when I said I wouldn’t let them burn you.” Lily took his forearm in her hand. He tensed up a bit, then relaxed as he realized she wasn’t trying to seduce him.

“You’ll be my demon protector?” He said, amusement in his voice.

“You could do worse.” She replied.

“But what is in this for you?” He asked carefully. Lily shrugged.

“I’m not sure about that yet. I know I can’t let you die, though. So as long as I have a say in it, you won’t.”

“Will you die if I die?” He asked. Lily locked her gaze on his for longer than was necessary or comfortable.

“I don’t know, but I sure as hell don’t want to find out.”

Was she being honest with him? That he didn’t know. But her fear for his life was genuine. That much he knew; he could see it across her face. Although, he didn’t know if it was fear that she would die if he did. One question did keep swirling in his mind after their conversation. Why would her family (was it her family?) set her up if they knew he wouldn’t die when she took him? Or did they know? He wasn’t going to voice this to her. Lily’s thumb was stroking his arm absently, trying to instill some type of confidence in him. As much as he wanted to pull away from her, he didn’t. Something about the act was comforting to him.

Luke uncrossed his arms and reached out to the demon. He grabbed her into his arms and brought her close. Nothing about it made sense, he just had the overwhelming urge to have her as close to him as possible. As he settled her small frame against his, he felt the tension in his body relax. She didn’t fight him, either. She just nuzzled her head against his bare chest. Her arms snaked around his waist, and his body reacted of its own volition. She had awakened a lust in him that he hadn’t known existed. His body wanted hers all the time. Lily had mentioned to him that if he had been sent to her demon realm, he would be tortured with his lust for her. He was tortured with it now, but it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. None of the lust he was currently feeling was manipulated by her, though. This was all him. He would never admit it to her, but he had real feelings for her.

“You feel at home right now, don’t you, little Father?” Lily asked.

Luke thought about it for a minute. He did feel pretty comfortable. The creature in his arms was a predator sent from Hell, but she wasn’t trying to kill him. Quite the opposite, actually. But did that mean she wouldn’t kill him if she could figure out a way to break their bond? He didn’t know the answer to that.

“At the moment I do,” He settled with the truth. “But that doesn’t mean you won’t kill me later, does it, demon?”

Lily looked up at him with startled eyes. He felt regret at his words, but the question was valid.

“You really think I’d kill you after saving you?” She pushed heat through his body.

“I think that if you knew you wouldn’t die, you would.” He replied, silently begging his body not to respond to her touch.

“I feel you fighting me, Priest. I’m not going to do anything to you. Relax. I’m also not going to kill you. I don’t know how many times I have to say that.” She stroked her fingers down his spine. “Trust me, if I wanted you dead, you would be dead.”

“That’s just it, though. You did want me dead. I just got this mark instead.” Luke returned her touch, stroking her back. He wasn’t looking for a fight with the demon, he just didn’t want to give in to his baser instincts and fuck her.

“There is truth in your words, but things have changed.” She stated.

“Why?” he asked.

“If I sent you to the demon realm, yes, there’s a chance I can die. But there’s also a large chance that my family would take my death out on you. So, not only would you be tortured by my family, but you would also be tortured by your lust for me, and since I would be dead, you would get no reprieve.” She shrugged against his body. “I’d rather skip all that and take care of you here.”

She sent a shimmer of magic through his body. He moaned in response. Why did it have to feel so good? She still didn’t move, though. She didn’t advance on him. He appreciated that, but now his body wanted her. He wasn’t going to stop it. He lifted her off him.

“Why do you care about a human’s feelings so much?” he asked as he dipped his face to hers. She inched away from him with a smile.

“You read too much, Father. I do have feelings. I do care about people. Why is it so hard to believe that you could be one of them?” Lily brought her hands up to his face. “Just accept it.”

He brought his lips to hers. The contact lit a fire in his body. How could something this unholy feel so good? Lily met his kisses eagerly. Her hands tightened on his face as he lowered her to the floor. Her legs spread to accommodate him. He suddenly felt that her clothes were offensive. He wanted to tear them off her body with his teeth. But being the gentleman that he was, he just lifted the dress over her head. He stared down at her perfect body, dumbstruck. Was this really his? Lily raised her eyebrow as she watched him. 

 

“Have you never even appreciated the female form?” she asked, curious. He was raking his gaze over her body, obviously not quite sure what to do without her influence. He shook his head in response. “Interesting.” 

 

“But even if I had, you’re not exactly human, are you?” His hands were tracing the direction of his gaze down her body. Lily laughed. 

 

“Maybe not, but this body definitely is. Explore it, Priest. I’m not going to influence you this time.” Lily propped herself up on her elbows and locked eyes with him. There was amusement glinting in the chocolate brown of her eyes, and heat rushed up Luke’s neck into his face. He stopped his exploration at her hips, and he gripped them tightly in his hands. “Go on, don’t be shy. It’s yours.” 

 

“I...” He stammered, “I’m not sure what to do, demon.”  

 

Lily smiled at him. Of course. Her influence had made him bold before, but she was leaving him barren now. She shrugged at him. He needed to figure out his way around her body at some point or another, why not now?  

 

“Follow your instincts. Learn my body, do with it as you please,” she stated simply. “Touch it, caress it, taste it, do these things without me in your mind. Don’t be afraid of the passion that’s in you, Priest.” 

 

The red on his cheeks deepened. “Taste you?”  

 

Lily quirked her eyebrows once more. “Has no one ever spoke to you about pleasing a woman? Even before you decided to be a priest?”  

He shook his head, “I was groomed to be a priest, I didn’t decide to do it. I was taught nothing of carnal pleasures.” 

 

“Had you ever known the pleasures of your own body?” She already knew the answer to this question, but she asked it anyway. 

 

He scowled at her, “Not until you came around.” 

“You’re telling me you never even touched your body, not for sexual pleasure, but just to explore it?” Lily reached down and took one of his hands in hers, leaving the weight of her upper body on one arm. She stroked the back of his hand slowly. 

“Right. What are you getting at, demon?” There was annoyance in his tone. 

“I’m saying, you’re going to learn and explore tonight, my Virgin Priest. Because even though you’ve known my body, you don’t know my body.” Lily gripped his hand, trying to release his hold on her hip. “Trust me, let yourself explore. Don’t be ashamed.”  

“Can’t you just, you know, give me a little of your.... seduction?” he asked. 

“No.” She left it at that. “Learn my body because you want to, not because I’m making you want to.”  

Luke grunted in frustration. Why was she doing this to him now? He moved his hand out from under hers. He met her eyes and gave her a look of indignation. Did he actually want this? There was no hint of the demon magic in the air, so he knew any feelings he had were well and truly his. Lily withdrew her hand and readjusted herself.  

“I’ve got eternity, Priest. Something tells me you don’t have that long, I’d hurry if I were you.” She let a spark of her magic out then. Not enough to influence him, but enough to encourage him. She watched as the lust flared in his eyes. Slowly, he bent forward and kissed her right above her pubic bone. She shuttered with pleasure.  He raised his head back up and locked eyes with her again. 

“What did you mean by taste you?” He asked once more.  

“Take me in your mouth as I took you in mine,” she replied. Her priest was the same shade of red as her lipstick now. “Priest, you are lying with a demon, you don’t have to be embarrassed.”  

She reached her hand down and locked her fingers through his hair. Gently, she pressed his head down towards her body. He didn’t fight her. Confusion flashed in his eyes briefly before he composed himself. He wouldn’t embarrass himself in front of the demon. He was already embarrassed enough at his lack of sexual knowledge. He dropped his gaze back to her body and locked it between her legs. Was this really what a man did to a woman? With a deep sigh, he lowered his head to her. He let her guide him to her body’s entrance, and he did as she suggested.  

“There you go, Priest,” she sighed as he flicked his tongue nervously around her cunt. Lily pressed his face against her body, trying to guide his movements. He grunted his satisfaction against her, the sensation made her call out in pleasure. She dropped her hand from his head to his neck and kept him cradled against her. He looked at her with uncertainty. She stroked the nape of his neck gently, trying to urge him on. “Keep going, don’t stop now.”  

He took her encouragement and continued. His movements got more and more confident, and she bucked against his face with pleasure. He was getting lost in her now, the taste of her on his tongue was driving him wild. His cock was jerking, begging to be acknowledged. He didn’t want to give in to its demands, but her body was calling to his. He lifted his face from her and started his trek up her body. She looked down at him with heavily lidded eyes. 

“Done so soon?” She asked, lazily. He grunted in response, taking her breasts into his hands, kneading them slowly. He pressed his lips to hers before she could talk anymore. Filthy demon, always trying to taunt him. He was in no mood for words. He moaned as her hand wrapped around his length. “I want you inside me.” 

She slowly guided his length to her entrance, the look in her eyes begging him to complete the task. He was taking sick pleasure in how much this demon seemed to want him. He hesitated for a moment before plunging into her. The feeling of her tight warmth almost sent him immediately over the edge. His breath caught and a strangled moan tore from his lips. Lily thrust her hips up to welcome him inside her, grunting her pleasure as he thrust into her.  

“Show me how much you want me, Priest.” she moaned into his ear as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling his body to hers.  

“Shut up, demon.” he murmured as he took her mouth in his. She could taste herself on his tongue. She laughed against his mouth and pulled back. 

“A bit bossy for a human, aren’t we?” Lily wanted nothing more than to ride him, but the priest was happy where he was at. She could see how close he was, how close her body was bringing him to his climax. “Fuck me, Father.” she whispered in his ear. 

Luke groaned as he pushed into her. His movements were becoming choppy, his breath ragged. Lily gripped him closer, grinding her pelvis into his as she tried to give him release. In a fit of pleasure, Luke wrenched himself from her grasp and threw his head back as the pleasure radiated through his body. His pleasure hit Lily in waves, and she fed off it, amplifying what he was feeling with her own pleasure. Her priest looked down at her with wild eyes before he collapsed on top of her, clearly not caring that his weight was crushing her. She welcomed it, encasing him in her arms, pulling him close to her. He nuzzled his head in the crook of her neck and grunted in satisfaction. Lily stroked his back gently, pausing where she could feel the imprint of the mark on his back.  

There was something strangely familiar about the mark under her fingers. She hadn’t really looked at it, she knew from a glance that it was a demon mark, but as far as the intricacies of it? She had just assumed that the mark she tried to give him manifested differently. Something about this mark allowed him to stay here with her, though. Abruptly, Luke rolled off her, cutting her exploration of the mark short.  

“How did that feel?” she asked, her voice heavy. She was sated and tired, but for some reason she didn’t want him to feel alone after what they had just done.  

He looked at her with scorn in his eyes, yet they were still soft around the edges, “Filthy demon,” he muttered. His arm stretched across her stomach, keeping her body close to his. 

“Now, now. There’s no need for that, Priest.” She drug her fingers across his arm, he shivered under her touch.  

“You damned my soul to hell.” He said, voice small. 

“I damned your soul to an eternity with me,” she said, still stroking his arm. Something about the contempt in his voice bothered her. What could she do that would convince him that she wouldn’t let him suffer? “I’ll make sure you have the best life. You’ll have everything you could ever want.”  

“You can get me the favor of my God back, then?” he asked with indignation. She chortled. 

“Well, anything but that. But I do promise that I will make you happy.” She said. Her fingers were dangling above his elbow when she stopped. “Priest, can I see the mark on your back?”  

“Haven’t you already seen it?” he asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious.  

“I have, but when I touched it, there was something familiar about it. I just want to look at it up close.” she heard him sigh.  

With a groan he pulled himself away from her body and rolled onto his stomach. Lily sat up and stared down at him, at the muscles that adorned his back, the firmness of his ass. Her breath caught as she stared at the mark that covered his back. When she saw it at the church, it had been a simple mark of a demon. The mark that spanned her priest’s back now was an intricate replica of the wings that she once possessed and lost. Sorrow flooded through her as she traced the pattern that was etched in silver and gold on him. Her wings were magnificent, and against the milk chocolate of his skin, the outline was exquisite. She placed the palm of her hand in the center of his back where the wings came together. Tears fell down her cheeks silently, landing squarely on his shoulder. As they hit him, he jumped in surprise.  

Luke rose to his knees under her touch. She didn’t notice as her hand fell from him, she was too stunned with what she saw. He turned to face her, his expression turned tender when he saw the tears falling down her cheeks. He reached up and wiped them away. She didn’t react. Her arms lay loosely by her side, her eyes fixed on the wall behind him.  

“Lily,” he said softly. She didn’t move her gaze from the wall. He cupped her face in his hands, running his thumbs across her cheeks. He was trying to keep her cheeks dry, but the tears were falling faster than he could wipe them. “Demon, what did you see?”  

He felt a twinge of guilt as he watched her. She was completely unmoving. It even looked like she had stopped breathing. Did demons need to breathe? Luke dropped his hands to her shoulders and shook her slightly. Her eyes tracked over to him slowly, but there was no life in them. The chocolate brown was replaced by black holes. Demon eyes. Full demon eyes. It startled him, for a moment he had forgot she wasn’t human. Her pale skin darkened slightly as her raw emotions ran through her. She was losing control of her human form in her grief. 

“Lily!” Luke tried again, this time with a little more urgency. He watched as she tried to regain her faculties, but all he saw in her eyes was an empty pool. She wasn’t the cool and collected demon he had come to know. “Lily come back, please come back.” 

He felt like he should be scared for his life, but he couldn’t bring himself to be afraid of her. Even in this state he didn’t truly believe that she would hurt him. She was the picture of terror, but it wasn’t enough to deter him from her. He gave her another firm shake and saw some light spark in her eyes, a distant glimpse of the emotions she had pushed down. She locked eyes with him, still not saying anything, but she reached up and lifted his hands off her with ease. With little more than a thought, she turned him back around and stared at the patterns on his back. Her hand had resumed its position on the middle of his back as if it was meant to be there. Tenderly, she brushed her hand down the mark, remembering the feel of the wings she used to have.  

“You took them,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. Unbridled pain squeaked through her words, hearing herself speak them out loud tore a hole through her heart. “You took them and I can never get them back.”  

A low, pained moan reverberated through her chest, and poured out of her mouth by way of an ear splitting wail. It was all Luke could do not to turn around and bring her to his chest and hold her in his arms. That plan didn’t seem quite right, though. Lily’s hands stayed soft on his back, her cries echoing though the cottage.  

“What did I take, Lily?” he asked.  

“My wings,” she whispered through her sobs. “They’re on your back, Priest. You took my wings.”  

Luke inched away from Lily and turned to face her. He couldn’t stand to see the pain on her face. Even with her pitch black demon eyes, all he could see in them was sorrow. Her hand was frozen in the air. Luke reached up and grasped her outstretched hand in his own. He wanted to give her some warmth, she looked so cold. Her hand was delicate in his, but he wasn’t stupid enough to think she was weak. Even though he knew that, he could feel her shrink under his touch.  

“What do you mean I took your wings?” He watched as the light started to return to her eyes. She yanked her hand from his grasp and shook her head. Her eyes had returned to normal.  

“Huh?” She said in a daze.  

“You said I took your wings, Lily. What did you mean by that?” Concern coated his features.  

“Your back, Priest. The mark on your back is my wings. I haven’t seen them in so long.” She looked at him longingly. “They’re gold and silver just as I remember them.” 

“How do I have them?” He was confused again.  

“There’s a legend in my world. But it doesn’t make any sense. I’ve never heard about it applying to a human.” Lily dropped her head into her hands. “If a demon marks you with the imprint of their wings, it means that they’ve bonded eternally to you. I’ve never seen this type of bond, and I’ve certainly never seen it with a mortal, human man. But I also lost my wings hundreds of years ago, I don’t have them to mark you with.”  

“Eternally bonded?” Luke’s voice shook. “As in for as long as you live?” 

Lily sighed, “I don’t know.”  

“How do you not know,” he spat, “How am I supposed to believe that you don’t know that you bonded to me for eternity? You tied me to Hell for the rest of my eternal life, demon.” 

The air around Lily warmed uncomfortably, “Do you think I would have knowingly condemned myself to death, human? I’ve been alive for a thousand years, I don’t want to die at the hands of a human priest. Besides, I never could have left that mark on you if it wasn’t meant to be there. The only thing I know for certain about that mark is that it will claim my life if anything were to happen to you.”  

“What does that mean?” His voice shook. He didn’t know if it was from anger, fear, or a little of both.  

“It means that you are mine, Priest.” Determination glinted in her eyes. “No one will lay a hand on you if I have a say in it.”  

“I belong to no one, especially not a demon.” His confidence was wavering. Truth was, no matter how angry he was at this development, he actually wanted to stay with her.  

“You lie over and over again,” Lily laughed, “But whether you want to or not, you’re stuck with me now, Priest.”  

Pain flowed through Lily as she realized he would always have the piece of herself that she missed the most. It was the part of her that always gave her freedom, and not a day had gone by since she lost her wings that she hadn’t thought about them. If her other peculiarities hadn’t estranged her from her family, her lack of wings surely did. What she would give to be able to take to the skies again and be carefree. She would probably give up the priest sitting next to her.  

“I don’t have a say in this, do I?” Defeat marred his voice. 

“Neither of us do, Luke,” she said softly. “I know you have no reason to believe this, but I don’t take any pleasure in holding you against your will. I can’t get any pleasure out of it. There’s nothing in it for me. I can’t take what you don’t freely give.” 

“I didn’t freely give myself to you in the church,” he said. He was running out of ways to argue with her. 

“I didn’t touch you in the church. But you were open to me,” She sighed. “I don’t want to argue about this. I’m as happy about it as you are.”  

“Get me out of this, demon, please.” He had resorted to begging. He saw the hurt flash across her eyes, her pain came as a sharp blow to him. He could feel it deep within him. Her loss. 

“I wish I could.” She met his gaze. “But the wings look perfect on you, Priest.” 

Luke rolled his eyes and stood. What he needed was clothing. He had been sitting in front of the demon painfully nude. He saw his discarded pants over to the side. He picked them up and slid them on. Lily didn’t move.  

“Please don’t cover them, Luke.” she held her hand out, reaching for him. He hesitated before he took her hand and pulled her up from the floor. For the first time since he met her, Lily looked utterly defeated. Maybe this was as much a shock to her as it was to him. She looked at him with such tenderness now. None of his readings had prepared him for the painfully human emotions his demon had. All the literature said that demons were cruel and heartless.  

“Does it scare you that I could end us both if I wanted to?” He asked her. Lily shook her head. 

“No, because you would go to Hell either way now. Suicide is a cardinal sin, is it not?”  

“Yes,” Luke let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding in. “Yes, I suppose it is.”  

“Work with me, then.” She wanted to make him see how much she meant it. “As much as I don’t want to, I care about you. You wear my wings on your back now. You’re as much a part of me as I am of you.” 

“I don’t like it,” he said truthfully, “But, do you think your family, or whoever assigned me to you, knew that this would happen? Do you think they would do this to intentionally weaken you?”  

“I’m as weak as they come, Priest. I can’t do anything a demon should do.” Fire lit in her eyes, “They have no reason to try to weaken me more than I already am.”  

“Nothing about your power feels weak, Lily.” 

“Not to you. But you want me in your head. I can only seduce those who wish to be seduced. And I can’t fly, either. I often go hungry because I can’t feed on forced lust. That starvation cost me my wings.”  

“Why are you telling me all of this?” He was skeptical of her motives. 

“Because of the bond, I assume. I can’t lie to the one I’m bonded to. Apparently that isn’t a two way street, though.” Lily reached for him, anxious to lay eyes on the mark again. He stood firm, though. She didn’t press him. “Promise me you won’t do anything to get yourself killed, Priest.”  

Luke looked into her eyes. He wanted so badly to see proof that she was lying, but all that he could see was resignation. He felt the truth in him. She didn’t mean him any harm, she didn't harbor any ill will. If he opened himself to it, he could feel her emotions radiating through his body, and he had been able to feel them since the first night they were together. He decided that he wouldn’t fight against her. 

“I won’t.” He reached out and pulled her close to him. Warmth radiated through him as she wrapped her arms around his back, her hands coming to a stop in the middle of the mark. It was as if they were meant to rest there. The feeling of her hands on him made him oddly complete.