Chapter 4: A Dangerous Game

Della had spent centuries mastering control of her power, of her emotions, of herself. But nothing could have prepared her for this.

For him.

Jason stood too close, his golden eyes glinting with something dark and unreadable. The air between them was thick, charged like the moment before lightning struck.

"You've been following me," he murmured, his voice smooth, edged with amusement.

Della's fists clenched at her sides. "You're a demon. It's my duty to watch you."

Jason's smirk deepened. "Watch me, huh? That's what we're calling it?" He took a step closer, his warmth seeping into her skin despite the cool night air.

Della willed herself not to move. Not to react. But she could feel him the heat of his presence, the wicked pull of his energy. It was dangerous, intoxicating.

"You're playing a dangerous game," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.

Jason's head tilted slightly, eyes flickering with mischief. "And yet, you're still here."

His words sent something sharp through her. A challenge. A taunt.

Della had faced monsters before creatures born from pure malice, demons that thrived on chaos. But this? This was something different. Jason wasn't trying to destroy her. He was toying with her.

She didn't know which was worse.

Jason lifted a hand, fingers brushing a stray strand of her platinum hair away from her face. His touch was barely there, but it burned.

Della tensed. "Don't"

"What?" His voice was soft, teasing. "Afraid you might like it?"

Her jaw tightened. She should strike him down. She should.

Instead, she grabbed his wrist, gripping it hard enough to bruise. Jason didn't flinch. He only looked at her, looked through her like he was unraveling something she had spent lifetimes locking away.

His skin was warm. Too warm.

Demons weren't supposed to feel like this.

"Let go, angel," Jason murmured, voice laced with dark amusement. "Or were you hoping I'd touch you again?"

Della's breath hitched.

Jason grinned, eyes gleaming. He had caught it. That split second of hesitation.

He leaned in, his lips grazing her ear. "You're so tense. Tell me—do all angels get this flustered, or is it just you?"

Della swallowed hard. She hated this, hated him. Hated the way her body reacted against her will.

She shoved him back, hard. Jason barely stumbled, his smirk never fading.

"Careful, angel," he drawled. "Rough hands like that might send the wrong message."

Della's wings itched beneath her skin, her pulse pounding. "Leave."

Jason stepped closer instead. "No."

Her breath caught as he lifted a hand, fingers tracing the curve of her jaw. It was bold, too bold.

Della's instincts screamed at her to stop him. But her body? It betrayed her.

"You hate this, don't you?" Jason murmured, thumb grazing her bottom lip. "Hate that I make you feel something."

Della's pulse slammed against her ribs. "I feel nothing."

"Liar."

His mouth was on hers before she could react hot, unyielding, wrong.

And yet, Della froze.

Jason didn't deepen the kiss, didn't push. He let it linger, taunting, daring her to pull away.

She should. She should.

But for one sinful second, she didn't.

The warmth of him, the sharp contrast of light and dark—it was a fire she had never touched before.

Then, reality crashed back.

Della shoved him away, breathless, heart hammering.

Jason licked his lips, golden eyes burning. "Now that… was interesting."

Della wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, rage flaring through her veins. "You" "Me," Jason interrupted smoothly. "And you. And whatever the hell this is."

Della summoned her blade, the celestial energy crackling in her grip. "If you ever"

"Oh, angel." Jason's smirk widened. "Don't make threats you don't really want to follow through on."

She lunged.

But before her blade could strike, Jason melted into the shadows, his laughter echoing around her.

Della stood there, chest rising and falling, her lips still tingling from his kiss.

She should report this to the Council. She should.

But she wouldn't.

Because for the first time in centuries, Della wasn't sure who she was fighting anymore

Was it Jason or herself.

Few Hours later....

Della paced the length of the rooftop, fists clenched so tightly her nails threatened to pierce her skin.

Her lips still tingled from the kiss.

She hated it.

Hated him.

Hated the way Jason had gotten under her skin with a single touch, a single smirk, a single challenge that she hadn't been strong enough to ignore.

The night air did little to cool the fire burning inside her.

She needed to forget. Needed to focus.

She had a mission to protect theRelic and the city from demons, not get caught up in their games.

And yet, no matter how many times she told herself that, Jason's golden eyes haunted her.

"You hate that I make you feel something."

Della scowled, shaking his voice from her head. No.

He was wrong.

He had to be.

She had felt nothing.

She has felt anything in years and this Demon whoever he might think he is won't be the one to make her feel anything.

At least, that's what she told herself as she pushed off the rooftop and flew into the night.Hours passed, but the tension in Della's chest didn't fade.

She prowled the city streets, scanning for any sign of demonic activity. She needed a fight. Needed a distraction.

But the city was quiet. Too quiet.

Then, a presence prickled at the edges of her senses.

Not just any presence. His.

Della tensed before she even saw him.

"Miss me already, angel?"

She turned sharply. Jason leaned against a brick wall in the alley, arms crossed, that infuriating smirk plastered on his face.

Della exhaled sharply. "I don't have time for your games."

Jason pushed off the wall, his movements fluid, controlled. "You sure? Because it seemed like you were enjoying them earlier."

Her jaw tightened. "You enjoyed crossing a line. That won't happen again."

Jason chuckled, stepping closer. "And yet, you haven't tried to kill me. Makes me wonder if you're lying to yourself."

Della summoned her blade in a flash of silver light, pointing it directly at his throat. "Try me."

Jason's eyes flickered with something dark, something dangerous. But he didn't back away.

Instead, he stepped closer. The blade barely grazed his skin now, but he didn't flinch.

"Go on," he murmured. "Prove it."

Della's grip tightened. Every instinct screamed at her to strike.

But she didn't.

Jason tilted his head, his smirk softening into something almost… curious. "That's what I thought."

Della's pulse pounded. She didn't understand this pull, this unbearable heat between them.

Jason slowly lifted a hand, his fingers brushing the blade's edge, then trailing down to wrap around her wrist.

She should have yanked away. Should have stopped this before it went too far.

But she didn't move.

Jason's voice dropped lower, his thumb tracing slow, deliberate circles on her skin. "Tell me, angel… What are we doing?"

Della swallowed hard. "Nothing."

"Liar," he whispered.

The space between them disappeared.

Jason leaned in, his breath warm against her cheek, his presence overwhelming. He didn't kiss her.... no, he was waiting. Waiting for her to break.

Della's heart thundered.

The blade in her hand flickered.

She hated him. Hated that she was still standing here. Hated that she wanted to be around him

Jason's lips ghosted over hers, barely a touch, but it sent a shiver down her spine.

Her breath caught.

Then, in a blur of movement, she yanked away, her blade flaring back to life.

Jason exhaled a quiet laugh, his golden eyes burning into hers. "You're fun to mess with, angel."

Della's entire body burned with frustration. "Stay away from me."

Jason only grinned. "We both know that's not happening."

And deep down, she feared he was right.