them breathing harshly, well spent and utterly sated.
81
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Elise awoke the next morning to find Damien gone. She got out of
bed and stretched. She felt his presence and knew exactly where he
had gone. It was weird to be able to feel him. She accepted it without
any reservation.
Her body was delightfully sore. Turning towards the bed, she
paused and smiled at the tussled and rumpled bedding where they had
spent the entire night making love. Damien had remained in his
demon form the rest of the time at her insistence.
Her body tingled with pleasant vibrations, remembering how she
had been like a wild animal, gluttonous and demanding. Warm
emotions filled her heart. Damien was everything she had ever
wanted and more. For the first time in her life, Elise felt truly free of
spirit. She embraced her newfound independence with greedy
acceptance.
She reached for the blanket to wrap around herself, then thought
better of it. Her nakedness felt wonderful. Leaving the room, Elise
found her way to the grand hall to find Damien standing, naked with
his back to her in front of the fireplace. He waved his hand and the
flames became more intense.
"Just in case you catch a chill, love."
Elise chuckled, no longer by phased his amazing otherworldly
abilities. She went up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist,
laying her head against his mid back.
He placed his hand over hers.
"What are you doing?"
Damien sighed. He tugged at her arm and brought her around to
his front. Bending forward, he captured her lips. The kiss was
sensuous, sweet. It lasted only a few seconds, before he broke it. He
looked deep into Elise's eyes, expressing every ounce of his devotion
and love for her, before placing a kiss on her forehead.
"I'm wondering why you would want to stay with a beast like me,
cursed forever. There is nothing I can offer you Elise."
82
His words stabbed her chest like a knife. She saw the pain etched
in his face at his declaration.
"Damien, it is my choice. And I wouldn't choose anyone but you.
If it is my destiny to be cursed with you, then I am ready for it."
He shook his head and placed another chaste kiss on her forehead.
"You don't understand Elise. I have the means to break the curse. I
have found the name of the demon that cursed me. It's the same one
that tried to break you with all those impossible tasks."
Elise reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from his eyes,
tucking it behind his ear.
"That is wonderful news! You can say his name and be done with
this mess. Then we can stop Rumpel–"
He placed two fingers to her lips before she could say the name.
Elise gently moved his hand away. His reaction puzzled her.
Damien shook his head, his expression hopeless, "No I can't. I've
tried. That's what I was trying to do when you found me in the study.
The words just won't come out. Every time I try to speak the chant,
my voice fails me."
What a cruel, evil trick. Elise now understood Damien's dilemma.
Honestly what did they expect from a lowly Boggart demon anyway.
DeMumart had planned well.
However, Elise refused to be deterred.
"Can't you just concentrate on the chant and use your mind too?"
Damien slowly shook his head.
"It doesn't work that way. In order to break a demon's curse the
name of that demon must be spoken aloud, so that all of demon kind
can bear witness."
Elise thought for a moment.
"What if you used someone else's voice?"
Damien was about to dispute her suggestion, however, he thought it
over for a minute. There was a sliver of hope in her solution.
"Do you know what that would require?"
Elise didn't hesitate. She nodded.
"I would do anything for you, even give you my soul."
83
She spoke with such certainty, that Damien could only stare back at
her in awe. Offering your human soul to a demon was worst thing
anyone could do. It guaranteed certain damnation in the hell fires.
Especially, if the giver was
81
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Elise awoke the next morning to find Damien gone. She got out of
bed and stretched. She felt his presence and knew exactly where he
had gone. It was weird to be able to feel him. She accepted it without
any reservation.
Her body was delightfully sore. Turning towards the bed, she
paused and smiled at the tussled and rumpled bedding where they had
spent the entire night making love. Damien had remained in his
demon form the rest of the time at her insistence.
Her body tingled with pleasant vibrations, remembering how she
had been like a wild animal, gluttonous and demanding. Warm
emotions filled her heart. Damien was everything she had ever
wanted and more. For the first time in her life, Elise felt truly free of
spirit. She embraced her newfound independence with greedy
acceptance.
She reached for the blanket to wrap around herself, then thought
better of it. Her nakedness felt wonderful. Leaving the room, Elise
found her way to the grand hall to find Damien standing, naked with
his back to her in front of the fireplace. He waved his hand and the
flames became more intense.
"Just in case you catch a chill, love."
Elise chuckled, no longer by phased his amazing otherworldly
abilities. She went up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist,
laying her head against his mid back.
He placed his hand over hers.
"What are you doing?"
Damien sighed. He tugged at her arm and brought her around to
his front. Bending forward, he captured her lips. The kiss was
sensuous, sweet. It lasted only a few seconds, before he broke it. He
looked deep into Elise's eyes, expressing every ounce of his devotion
and love for her, before placing a kiss on her forehead.
"I'm wondering why you would want to stay with a beast like me,
cursed forever. There is nothing I can offer you Elise."
82
His words stabbed her chest like a knife. She saw the pain etched
in his face at his declaration.
"Damien, it is my choice. And I wouldn't choose anyone but you.
If it is my destiny to be cursed with you, then I am ready for it."
He shook his head and placed another chaste kiss on her forehead.
"You don't understand Elise. I have the means to break the curse. I
have found the name of the demon that cursed me. It's the same one
that tried to break you with all those impossible tasks."
Elise reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from his eyes,
tucking it behind his ear.
"That is wonderful news! You can say his name and be done with
this mess. Then we can stop Rumpel–"
He placed two fingers to her lips before she could say the name.
Elise gently moved his hand away. His reaction puzzled her.
Damien shook his head, his expression hopeless, "No I can't. I've
tried. That's what I was trying to do when you found me in the study.
The words just won't come out. Every time I try to speak the chant,
my voice fails me."
What a cruel, evil trick. Elise now understood Damien's dilemma.
Honestly what did they expect from a lowly Boggart demon anyway.
DeMumart had planned well.
However, Elise refused to be deterred.
"Can't you just concentrate on the chant and use your mind too?"
Damien slowly shook his head.
"It doesn't work that way. In order to break a demon's curse the
name of that demon must be spoken aloud, so that all of demon kind
can bear witness."
Elise thought for a moment.
"What if you used someone else's voice?"
Damien was about to dispute her suggestion, however, he thought it
over for a minute. There was a sliver of hope in her solution.
"Do you know what that would require?"
Elise didn't hesitate. She nodded.
"I would do anything for you, even give you my soul."
83
She spoke with such certainty, that Damien could only stare back at
her in awe. Offering your human soul to a demon was worst thing
anyone could do. It guaranteed certain damnation in the hell fires.
Especially, if the giver was
Similar Books
