Seduction in Ink - Dating the Devil series

Chapter 7: Falling from Grace

The tadger, third leg, willy, phallus, whangur, stauner, dick, prick and cock. There were countless words for the place that distinguished a man from a woman, but to be so close to it, even though it was still hiding behind far too tight trousers, rendered Amelia speechless.

The bulge looked nothing like those anatomical drawings she had seen in biology books nor did it look anything like the phalluses in those paintings. The ones where aunt Elspeth had quickly covered her eyes from the promiscuous sight. This was real, so close to her and it seemed to be moving – or rather twitching.

Lucian's fingers forced her chin up once again and Amelia reluctantly pulled her gaze away from his crotch. "Do you even know what you are eager for, my amtum?"

His voice was dripping with so much seductive implication, that Amelia knew what he meant without him saying it. She thought of what lay underneath the fabric of his trousers and immediately her mouth ran dry. A bead of sweat trickled down Amelia's forehead as she grappled with the weight of her decision, her palms becoming clammy and her pulse quickening.

This was happening, it was really happening.

Lucian's pupil were blown so wide his eyes were almost completely black. He loomed over her as his fingers tangled in her hair and his lips found that sensitive spot below her ear again, bringing his body ever closer to hers.

Desperately, she tried to concentrate on his lips. On the gentle graze of his teeth over her skin but her mind was reeling already. Doubt had found its way into her thoughts and now the fear of the unknown was threatening to drown her. Making her numb for any physical sensation. All she could see was this black shadow engulfing her entirely.

Lucian moaned her name under his breath, along with words she no longer understood. He took one of her hands in his, bringing it up to the front of his trousers.

It made her shiver.

Then everything froze.

Black eyes stared straight into her soul, both their hands still hanging in the space between their bodies, until Lucian dropped her wrist like she had burned him. Gone were his lips, his warmth, his presence, and the sudden movement made the chair tumble backwards.

"You – you're scared." Lucian said, his chest heaving erratically.

Amelia pulled herself off the ground and onto her shaking legs, unable to answer him, but the look in her eyes said everything Lucian needed to know.

The demon paced back and forth in the dimly lit room, his wild gaze never leaving her. "Fucking hell, what have I done."

"It's alright. I – I am alright." Amelia tried to sound confident but her voice broke down in the middle.

"You should have said something." Lucian snapped.

"What should I have said?"

"Oh, I don't know. How about 'stop', 'you are going to fast' or here is a good one 'I don't want to do this'!"

"But I do want to do this."

"Who are you trying to fool? Me or yourself?" Lucian shot back, eyes narrowing with a simmering intensity. "Look at you, you are shaking like a fawn who is about to be devoured by a wolf."

The room fell silent. Lucian reclined in the chair at the far end. As if he tried to put as much distance between them as he could. "For Satan's sake did you not listen to a word I said. Seduction is about fostering trust, and creating a space where desires can be explored freely and respectfully."

"haud yer wheesht, I listened to all that talk about consent." Amelia shot him a withering glare.

"No you did not." Lucian growled, and his pained expression shifted into something far darker. Something truly dangerous. "You did not listen to me, and worst of all, you don't know what I could have done to you."

Amelia took a cautious step towards him, trying to hush the tension. He hadn't done anything, and she was almost certain that he would not have hurt her, right? He stopped as soon as he saw her hesitation, so he couldn't have hurt her. But then why was she hesitating.

"Lucian," Amelia soothed in a gentle voice. "Nothing happened. Everything is fine."

"No, it's not. You don't trust me. I can't have an amtum who doesn't trust me." Lucian shot up and the room seemingly shrunk with his presence. "Go back to your room."

"Excuse me? I'm not a wee lamb you can order around. We had a deal. You would teach me as your amtum." Amelia said.

"I will not teach you anything until you trust me."

Gritting her teeth, Amelia’s frustration bubbled into anger. "Well, how am I supposed to start trusting you if you don't want to have sex with me."

"First trust, then sex, angel."

Amelia threw her hands up in exasperation. "I don't have time for that."

"And I can't have an amtum who doesn't trust me." Lucian's eyes flared with a devilish intensity, his usual composed and seductive demeanor shattered by a tempest of anger. 

But Amelia couldn't see it. She was blinded by the fear of failure, and the prospect that she would soon be forced to marry. Fueled by her own frustration, she raised her voice. "We had a deal. I might be one of countless apprentices to you, but this is my life you're talking about."

"Countless apprentices? You think an amtum comes two a penny? I am bound by rules far beyond your understanding. Your mistrust can ruining this very delicate balance."

She crossed her arms, defensive yet resolute. "I summoned you to teach me about seduction, not lecture me about some cosmic balance."

A bitter chuckle escaped Lucian's lips. "Well, a little late for that, isn't it."

Amelia met his gaze, a mixture of fear and defiance in her eyes. "At least, we agree on that."

Lucian's fingers graced across his lips, his mysterious eyes flickering with a hint of vulnerability. "You are so good at it."

"At what?"

"Keeping up your walls. Both physically and verbally. Even I mistook it for confidence."

"I am confident."

"No," Lucian stalked up to her until the distance between their bodies became nonexistent. "You, Amelia, are scared."

Forcing her feet to remain standing, Amelia froze as soon as she heard the sound of footsteps approaching the room grows louder, hinting at the possibility of aunt Elspeth discovering Amelia's forbidden pact. 

"Go to your room. The erotic gymnastics can wait." Lucian spoke with a tone that was barely above a whisper. "Good night, angel."