Chapter 23

The air was filled with heat, like someone had turned on a dozen flamethrowers, Eve was literally going through a baptism of fire in her bare form. The ground beneath her feet cracked, the flames swallowing the space around her in a violent, searing manner. It should have burned her and at first it did.

 But it didn't kill her.

And that was her ability, what didn't kill her always made her stronger

But she felt nothing.

Lilith hovered a few feet away, barely lifting a finger as she controlled the inferno. Her expression was neutral, eyes washing with a complex light as she watched her flames rage. Then, just as effortlessly as she had summoned them, she snapped her fingers.

The fire vanished.

Eve stood there, nude, her body covered in a light sheen of sweat—not from the fire, but from the sheer exertion of the past hour. Her breathing was steady, her heart thrummed wildly, but the flames had left her untouched.

Lilith let out an approving hum. "Not bad, little sister. You manifested the fire immunity rune faster than I expected."

Eve barely acknowledged the compliment. She was still staring at her own skin, where another one of those strange markings had appeared. This one was positioned on her ribs, right beneath her breast. It looked like a swirling flame, etched in black like a delicate tattoo.

Another one.

Her gaze drifted down her arms, where she could see the previous runes that had appeared. First, the winged one—the first mark that ever appeared, the one that had come when she sprouted those feathery monstrosities. Then, the one on her abdomen, which Lilith had explained was for healing—the reason she had survived the bullets her own father fired at her. Another mark coiled around her shoulder a defence rune, she had been told. This one had appeared after Lilith had beaten her into the ground over and over again, forcing her body to adapt.

And now… fire immunity.

She should have cared more.

Should have been more excited about her newfound abilities or maybe sad at the fact that her parents now thought of her as a monster that would steal their souls.

But all she could think about was him.

Zane.

It was an obsession now. A need. A gnawing, aching hunger that kept on increasing with each minute.

She barely remembered him. Their first meeting was brief, they had flirted a bit though she couldn't really recall what she or he said. Then the second meeting outside, that she could remember quite well, he saved her, yes, but why was he all she could think about? 

Why did the thought of him make her insides twist, her thighs press together in frustrating need? Why did she crave the sound of his voice, the feel of his touch, the warmth of his presence?

It was wierd.

She had only met him twice, or once if counting it by days.

And yet, she was willing to push through this gruelling training, willing to endure every burn, every cut, every broken bone—because Lilith promised she would take her to him.

Her fingers twitched. She wanted to feel him. Needed to.

Her mind wandered, picturing him. Imagining his body beneath hers, above hers, inside—

"Enough."

Lilith's voice cut through her spiralling thoughts like a sharp blade.

Eve flinched, blinking rapidly. She turned to see Lilith watching her with thinly veiled disapproval.

"You're slipping," Lilith sighed, placing a hand on her hip. "Really, little sister, it's embarrassing."

Eve shifted awkwardly, removing her hand from its very conveniently placed position, wrapping her arms around herself—not out of modesty, but because she was still throbbing with desire.

Lilith rolled her eyes. "You're thinking about him again, aren't you?"

Eve swallowed, hesitating before nodding. "I… I can't help it."

Lilith groaned, rubbing her temples. "Of course, you can. You're just not trying.....what is it with Eves and not trying!"

Eve frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Lilith said, stepping closer, "that you're letting your instincts control you. You're obsessing over him when it should be the other way around. A woman should never crave a man more than he craves her."

Eve scowled. "That's stupid."

Lilith gave her a condescending look. "Is it? Take it from someone who knew the first man."

Eve tilted her head. "You mean like… some past lover or something?"

Lilith's expression darkened slightly, but her smirk remained. "Not exactly but yes."

Eve was too distracted to think deeper on that. Her body was still betraying her, still aching with need.

"I don't care," Eve muttered. "I respect your whole… seduction demon queen philosophy, really. But I'm not playing those games with him." She exhaled heavily, frustration dripping from every word. "I just want him....everything about him"

Lilith studied her carefully, her usual amusement dimming slightly. For the first time, a flicker of concern crossed her face.

She sighed, shaking her head. "This is getting worse."

"What is?"

Lilith folded her arms. "The sire bond."

Eve's eyes narrowed at that damn annoying word she had grown to hate.

"Here you go again.." Eve muttered annoyed

Lilith had mentioned it before. That connection between her and Zane. A supernatural thread tying them together, growing stronger by the day.

It made her feel like her feelings were insignificant in front of this "bond" but she didn't think so! She felt completely in control....well not completely.

Lilith's eyes narrowed. "Do you think it's normal when i tell you that Zane might have other women and you are not shaken in the slightest? Do you think it's normal for you to then suggest that you are okay with "sharing"? or do you think the Eve from before will willingly masturbate for a guy she met once?"

Eve stiffened. "What do you want from me, i love him okay?!and i would do anything for him even sharing him with other girls! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"

Lilith let out a slow breath, tapping a sharp nail against her arm. "Unfortunately, there is no way to break this bond and the more time passes without you confirming you bond with him intimately, the weaker you'll become before you eventually...."

Eve's heart pounded.

She didn't like that at all.

But she liked the idea of being away from Zane even less.

Lilith turned away, staring into the distance. "…I need to get you to him soon."

Eve barely heard her.

She was already slipping back into her Zane-filled fantasies.

But this time.....

His hands gripping her throat. His voice commanding, dominating. His body pressing her down, holding her in place as he pierced her—

Oh not there daddy, it's so dirtyy

Lilith groaned loudly.

"For the love of—are you serious!?"

Eve blinked rapidly before swiftly removing her fingers from both her other hole, "Huh? Did i say that out loud?"

Lilith glared at her. "You have to be joking."

"What?"

Lilith pointed at her accusingly. "Even in your own damn fantasies, you're letting him be the dominant one?"

Eve flushed.

Lilith's face twisted in genuine frustration. "Hopeless. Absolutely hopeless."

She dragged a hand down her face, muttering something under her breath about "pathetic mortal instincts."

Eve just smiled dreamily as she continued to indulge in her fantasy, before she meet him and bring them to reality.