swept up

Their tattoos started to glow as they interacted; when Vaerion's fingers slid over Asuriel's navel, her runes swirled and danced on her skin as if pleased by the proximity, and the ink on Vaerion's arm and hand did the same.

Asuriel shuddered beneath his touch, the warm, tingling sensation on her tattoos becoming intoxicating. From what she could tell by his facial expressions and body language, it was an equally stimulating experience for Vaerion.

He moved his hand to the bone of her hip and squeezed, then leaned further over her with a smirk. Asuriel closed her eyes when he moved his face above hers, feeling his warm breath against her skin. Vaerion closed the distance, capturing her in a kiss.

It started surprisingly soft; he kissed both corners of her lips and gently rolled her bottom lip between his teeth. His tongue slipped out and licked over where his teeth had been, silently asking for entry. Asuriel happily obliged, opening her mouth and welcoming him.

Vaerion deepened the kiss and, despite both of them feeling impatient after teasing each other throughout the meeting, they fell victim to a perfect rhythm, which led to them losing track of time and making out for almost ten minutes.

Asuriel's head became foggy, and she nearly succumbed to her pleasure when she suddenly remembered what her mother had told her – she had implored that she neither left her apartment nor invited an infernal being inside.

…and Asuriel had accidentally done both.

She sobered up slightly at the realization but couldn't interrupt what she and Vaerion had started… she wanted him. Badly. Asuriel was ready to ride the wave and accept the consequences.

…But her phone ringing in the other room made them stop, snapping them both out of their trance. It was the custom ringtone she had set for her mom. Asuriel gasped breathlessly, gently pressing a hand against his chest to stop him.

"Fuck," he said, brows furrowed. It looked like he had been doused with icy water.

Asuriel pouted. "I have to answer it. If I don't, my mother might die of worry."

Vaerion moved off of her, a bitter smile on his face.

Asuriel sat up and left the bed quickly. It wasn't until she reached her phone that she remembered that her… explosion… had shattered the glass screen.

"Damn it," she muttered. Asuriel watched helplessly as the screen lit up and displayed her mother's caller ID, but it didn't respond to her fingers tapping. The call ended but was immediately followed by another call. Elara wasn't giving up easily.

Vaerion had followed close behind, in no mood to get pulled by their invisible tether again. He watched her struggle for a moment, then sighed. The devil waved one of his hands over her phone, and the screen mended before her eyes.

Asuriel looked up at him, impressed. She wondered if, one day, she could use magic like that.

Vaerion raised his brows at her, expecting her to answer the call, but quickly realized she had gotten distracted. So, instead, he took it upon himself to swipe the green icon. Then, he put it on speaker.

"Asuriel!" Elara's voice was hoarse and distraught as if she had been crying. "Asuriel, baby? Are you okay?"

Asuriel's attention snapped back to the present, and heart ached when she heard her mom's stress. Elara had likely been worried something terrible had happened to Asuriel when, in reality, she was on the verge of having sex with a powerful devil that she didn't know. A stranger!

Shame washed over Asuriel.

"Mom, it's me," Asuriel replied softly, hoping to ease her mother's fright. "I'm okay. Don't worry."

A deep, shaky breath echoed through the phone speaker. "Oh, thank the Gods… I thought a devil might have gotten to you!"

"I'm safe, don't worry – but, uh…" Asuriel looked up at Vaerion, who seemed both intrigued but also still slightly irritated by the fact they were interrupted. "I have a lot of questions…"

"Did you feel your powers awaken?" Elara asked. "I would love to answer all your questions, but… it would be much better if you could come see me. I have a lot of tools that can help you, and you have to learn some supernatural history and folklore."

Asuriel's brows furrowed. "I definitely felt something happen, that's for sure. I also have strange tattoos now…"

"What?" Elara's voice was stunned. "Tattoos?"

"Yeah, it's a huge tattoo made up of runes that span from just above my right knee up to my navel," Asuriel described, looking down at the markings in question.

Vaerion crossed his arms and looked accusingly at Asuriel, silently urging her to ask for a solution to their predicament.

"It's… it's that big?" her mother's voice trembled slightly. "Did anything else happen?"

"Um… it's a bit hard to explain, but I accidentally summoned a devil." Asuriel didn't know how to explain.

Elara gasped, then echoed worriedly, "A devil?!"

"Yeah," the young woman answered, glancing sideways at her companion. "He's with me…"

"Not a demon, but a devil – and you magically summoned him?" Elara asked for clarification as if she couldn't believe it.

Asuriel was starting to feel depressed. If it turned out that even her mother was confused, then there was no hope for the situation.

Vaerion sighed, then spoke sharply. "It is as she told you. She 'accidentally' teleported me to her apartment, and now there's some ancient binding spell between us. I need it removed. Immediately."

"I see. Which devil are you?" Elara asked pensively. "Be specific. Knowing what kind of creature we are working with is important to dispel the bond properly."

Vaerion's eyes narrowed at Elara's usage of the word 'creature' to describe him but answered her regardless. "I am the High Devil Xorzemel, the first prince of the Noctis Citadel. I'm known as Vaerion Sinclair in Veridion."

"I studied infernal politics for a while, but is the first prince of the Noctis Citadel, not Ruzath?" the older woman asked.

"Not anymore," Vaerion replied nonchalantly.

Asuriel listened in awe at his full name and title – she had someone so powerful bound to her?! It was then that she recalled her earlier realization, too.

"Mom, do you remember Jae?" Asuriel asked.

Elara hummed in affirmation. "Of course; that's what you named the man you drew often when you were young."

"This guy is him," she replied. Vaerion's gaze turned to ice as he looked at Asuriel, but he remained quiet. Asuriel added, "He looks exactly like him!"

"How interesting," Elara replied. "Asuriel, you have to come to see me. It's urgent if you want to gain control over what's happening to you."

"Okay," Asuriel agreed. "I'll come as soon as I-"

Vaerion intercepted, "We will come. There isn't much choice; we can't be further than ten feet apart without this damned binding pulling us back."

"…Yes, of course. I'll be waiting to see you two, then," Elara said. "I'll make all of the preparations. Since you're with him, I'm not as worried about your safety, but please be here before next Saturday. I love you, little one."

"Okay, I love you, too," Asuriel said softly. "See you soon."

After the call disconnected, Vaerion looked at her with an indiscernible expression. After a moment of pause, he said, "It seems your mother is knowledgeable in these things. Is she human? How is it that you are so clueless?"

"We come from the Draelith line of oracles, seers, and record keepers," Asuriel said. She frowned, "I'm not clueless. I know a lot more than most humans, actually… but, for some reason, she kept all this stuff about me a secret."

"You're a Draelith?" he asked with a bemused expression. "Interesting."

Asuriel was somewhat surprised. "You're familiar? I'm surprised."

Vaerion shrugged, "A little. My father was good friends with a few of the Draelith seers when he was young. It's been a long time since your family has been relevant, though, so it's unsurprising that most people are unaware."

"That's pretty cool, actually," Asuriel admitted, then inhaled deeply. "Well, when can we see her? She lives about six hours North of here by speed train."

"It will have to wait until Wednesday. I have important meetings every evening until then." Vaerion answered coolly. "…Which means you'll have to accompany me until then."

Asuriel put her face into her hands. She barely managed to survive one evening with him before trying to jump his bones! How the hell was she supposed to make it until Wednesday…

"You don't have to," Vaerion said, a devious smile gracing his features.

Asuriel looked up from her hands and blinked at him. "…What? I didn't say anything out loud."

"You didn't," the devil nodded. "And yet, I knew what you were thinking. Another side-effect of the bond, perhaps?"

"No way," Asuriel groaned. "We really get no privacy, then, I guess."