full of myself

"I'm surprised you don't have a driver," Asuriel observed as she stepped into the ten-car garage.

Vaerion held his palm facing up momentarily, and a pair of keys appeared in his hand. He glanced sideways at Asuriel, hitting a button on the fob of his keys. A blood-red Bugatti Divo revved to life, its engine growling loudly.

"I like driving," the devil replied as he opened the car doors with a snap of his fingers. "Motorized vehicles are among the few good things humans have brought to the earth."

"I see," Asuriel smiled softly, seating herself and buckling. She closed the door after herself. "Having a few things to keep you occupied when your life is so long is good."

"I enjoy driving in general, but I prefer motorcycles," Vaerion admitted as he reversed the car. "But, since we're going to a dangerous meeting tonight, it's best to show up looking rich and intimidating."

Asuriel watched him manipulate the steering wheel with the palm of his hand while his other rested idly in his lap. Everything he did looked effortlessly cool and attractive, and Asuriel felt helpless by his side.

"Dangerous, huh?" Asuriel teased after a moment's pause. "You made it sound like it wasn't a big deal earlier."

"It isn't a big deal for me," he shrugged. "You're a little human; even stepping outside is dangerous."

"But I'm not a human, you said," she chuckled and rolled her eyes, watching contentedly as her handsome companion drove the car out of his garage.

Vaerion sighed in exasperation. "I don't know what you are – so, until I do, you're a little fragile mortal."

"I guess you're right." Asuriel hummed in amusement, "I'm nothing but a fragile little mortal… with a devil prince who has to obey her command."

Irritated by her statement, Vaerion scoffed. "Not for long. We're going to fix this as soon as possible. I'm the master, not the pet, and that's how it has been from the beginning."

"Alright, alright," Asuriel crossed her legs to get comfortable, "I was just teasing, Your Highness."

The pair fell into another comfortable silence. Asuriel appreciated enjoying company that didn't feel the need to talk all the time; it was rare to find someone who was neither too quiet nor too talkative. Vaerion managed to be the perfect in-between – at least, from what she could tell based on the last fifteen hours spent with him.

She leaned back in her seat and turned her gaze to admire the handsome devil beside her. His shoulder-length black waves flowed freely down his neck, and the shorter fringe around his face swayed softly with the car's movements. It was then that she noticed that tattoos were peeking out of his red t-shirt.

"You didn't have tattoos yesterday," Asuriel said aloud. "When did those get there?"

Vaerion glanced at her and smirked. "Always been there. I just hide them when I'm doing business at the company."

"Oh… did you have them done, or were you born with them?" she asked.

"I was born with my infernal runes, the ones on my arm that… react to you, but the ones on my chest and neck I had done here in the mortal realm," he explained.

Asuriel nodded at his words, intrigued. She mischievously added, "Let me see the ones on your chest later."

A deep laugh reverberated from deep in his chest; the sound was charming and seductive, enough to give Asuriel goosebumps. "You're awfully brave being so flirtatious with me, dove."

"All we've done since we met is either flirt or argue," She momentarily looked out the window, realizing it had started to rain. Asuriel laughed as she stared into the afternoon city, "I don't know why you're bothering to say something like that now, Jae."

He frowned slightly at her use of her strange name for him but didn't address it. Instead, Vaerion casually moved his hand and placed it on her thigh, "I'm saying it because there's still time for you to change your mind. Once you let me have you, there won't be any going back."

Before she could think, Asuriel instinctively placed her hand atop his, thoughtfully tracing her thumb over his warm skin. "What makes it so final? It isn't like I'm a virgin."

"I know you're not," Vaerion's brows furrowed slightly.

He seemed almost… jealous.

Although Asuriel had been slightly more in tune with his feelings, he was still very unreadable most of the time. As it turned out, though, when they had skinship… she could get a more precise feel for his emotions – and what he was emanating was something close to possessiveness.

The slip in his mask disappeared as quickly as it came, and a cocky smirk found itself at home on his face once more.

"You won't be able to enjoy intimacy with anyone else," he said, his voice low and intimate. "It will be so much better than anything you've ever dreamt of – and trust me, I know what you dream about."

Asuriel's eyes widened in realization. She didn't know how she hadn't put it together – but her strange dream… was definitely from Vaerion's perspective! That being the case, it would only make sense that he also experienced her dreams.

"You dream of war and bloodshed," she stated her observation softly, her voice somewhat uncertain.

"And you dream of accidentally spilling coffee at work or underwhelming sex with human men." Vaerion looked at her with a dry smile and added sarcastically, "We each have our struggles."

"Hey…" Asuriel couldn't help but giggle at his humor despite it being a jab at her. "Spilling coffee at work is traumatizing! But, hey, maybe I'll dream about you sometimes. Wouldn't it be fun to experience a dream like that?"

"Fucking me from your point of view?" Vaerion was pulling into the parking garage at Emberlight Holdings' tower. He looked at her with a cocky smile after he pulled into his designated parking spot, "I'd finally be having sex with someone that could satisfy me."

Asuriel was speechless for a moment. "How is it even possible to be so full of yourself?!"

"I guess I'll find out when you dream about me," he squeezed her thigh and put the car in park. "We can test just how full of me I can be."