Desiring A Demon (Archangels) by Missy Jane

sex, but that’s all it’s going to be. You know that, right?”
    His chest moved beneath her as he took a deep breath and released it slowly. “What I know is you were gone for days without a trace. And when found, you were unconscious and unresponsive. I’ve never been so scared in all my existence, and having you in my arms, safe and sound, is the only thing that matters right now.”
    She melted, inside and out, and had to struggle against her emotions. Tears burned the back of her throat but she fought them as she let his words sink in.
    “How much longer on the brownies?” he asked.
    “The timer should be going off any minute now.”
    It buzzed right as she finished talking , and he released her. Once she’d removed the brownies and turned the oven off, Rafe pulled her back into his arms.
    “Are you hungry?” he asked.
    “No.”
    “You sure?”
    “Yeah.”
    He wrapped one arm under her legs and lifted, then carried her back to bed. He set her down gently before pulling off his jeans. She admired his nakedness before reality intruded. “Rafe. We shouldn’t—”
    “Shh. We’re going to sleep. The baggage under your eyes should be checked.”
    An unexpected smile crossed her lips , and she relaxed into the mattress. “Okay.”
    He started pulling off her clothes and she tensed again, but didn’t try to stop him. “I don’t usually sleep naked.”
    “You do now. I don’t want anything between us.”
    Part of her rejoiced at that announcement even as she scoffed. He’d pulled off her jeans and panties first before reaching for her shirt. “Rafe.”
    Her voice was muffled as the cloth covered her face and once it cleared she froze at the shocked look on his face. “What?”
    She looked down at her body to see her entire torso was now blood red. It stopped at her shoulders like a macabre T-shirt and covered her breasts. From there the stain went over her navel to end in a ragged line around her waist. Her chest squeezed and her breath became ragged as fear took over her emotions.
    …
    Rafe slowly sat on the edge of the bed and removed her bra. She made no move to stop him. He grasped her shoulder and moved her back and forth a bit so he could see how far the stain went. From collarbone to hipbone, her soft skin now held a crimson hue. Her once pink nipples were now a red so deep it was nearly black. It was the physical embodiment of her demon half, but he still thought her beautiful.
    “This wasn’t here earlier,” he said.
    “N-no. It wasn’t. Not even when I showered. But the tattoo had spread some already.”
    Her quiet voice held true fear but no deception. That alone calmed him considerably. “I think it’s safe to call it a birthmark now, baby.”
    Her hopeful gaze arrested him. “I know it’s disgusting—”
    He put a finger over her lips. “Stop. Nothing about you disgusts me.”
    A single tear tracked down her cheek , and he kissed it away. “We’ll figure this out together. Okay?”
    “Okay.”
    “Do you have any ideas on why it spread this time?”
    She bit her lip and glanced away. He called on all his reserves of patience when he really wanted to rage. There were moments when he almost forgot her demon half. While he’d been making love to her it hadn’t mattered at all. He’d been so overwhelmed with her taste, scent, and softness, she could have been purple and he wouldn’t have noticed.
    “No. I mean, I had an… episode while you were asleep. I guess that’s when it spreads. I’m sorry.”
    “You have nothing to be sorry about, Asta. This isn’t anything you’re doing on purpose.”
    “How can you trust me so much when no one else does? When I’m…tainted?”
    “I don’t care about your demon half. Not as it applies to what’s between us.”
    She pulled away from him and buried her face in a pillow.
    “Asta.”
    Her back shuddered as she cried and he moved further onto the bed slowly. He closed the distance and, when she didn’t protest, pulled her