Page 9 of Cuddly Demon

"But... you're a demon. And I'm a human." I shake my head in disappointment. "Is this even allowed?"

Onyx's expression softens. "Let me teach you a thing or two about human and demon relationships. Back in the day, humans experienced lots of prejudice when they fell in love with demons. It was forbidden, and many faced persecution for it. It was the same as loving outside of your race or social class. But over time in Etruria, things changed. People began to accept that love doesn't always follow the rules of society. And the same went for demons and humans. We learned to love whoever we wanted, regardless of what others thought."

I stare at him, my heart racing. "I wonder if attitudes have truly changed. In America today, people say we've made a lot of progress, but there's still discrimination. Even at the highest levels of society, people are ostracized because of who they love. I like you a lot, but I'm worried what people such as my parents would think if I gave my heart to a demon."

Onyx cups my cheek. "We have to be true to who we are in this life. I know you feel this connection we have. This spark between us is… undeniable."

I nod, knowing he's right. There’s something powerful between us, something that defies all logic and reason. It's like we were meant to be together, despite the three-thousand-year age gap we share.

"How old are you actually?" I wonder.

"I was twenty-eight when my last master locked me in the tomb. I'm three thousand and twenty-eight now."

I lean in to kiss him again, and this time, there's no hesitation. Our lips meet, and we both moan in pleasure. I run my hands through his hair, pulling him closer, and he responds by deepening the kiss.

We break apart, gasping for air. "I like you a lot," I say, my voice husky with desire.

"I'm glad you said that. And I want you to know—I'm kissing you because I feel real affection for you. I know you probably think I kiss all my masters, but that's not true. You're sweet, kind, and the way you listened to me talk about my past was incredible. You're not like the other masters I've met that pay lip service to tolerance and acceptance but shy away from giving me a chance when the time arrives. I like that about you, beautiful boy. You're true."

I lean in again, this time letting Onyx kiss me harder. He cups the back of my head, his tongue plunging into my mouth. My heart races as we kiss, and I can feel my body responding. I never thought I'd be in this position—kissing a demon—but I know I'm where I'm supposed to be.

This is real.

This is what love feels like.

Onyx pulls away, gazing into my eyes. "Do you want to take this further?"

My body screams yes, but my brain takes a few seconds to catch up. "Not yet," I whisper, my voice trembling. "I like you so much, but I'm nervous. As you know, I'm... a virgin. I've never even kissed a guy before, and you're my first in every way."

Onyx runs his right hand across my arm. "I'm so proud of you for telling me that. Thank you for being honest and expressing your emotions. We can wait as long as you need to. I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you, and I want to make sure you're comfortable with everything we do."

Tears prick at my eyes as I realize how much I trust him. How much I want to be with him.

"Thank you," I say softly, before leaning in for another kiss.

Onyx is right. Love doesn't follow the rules of society. It doesn't care about race, gender, or paranormal species. Love is about two souls connecting, and that's exactly what Onyx and I have.

"Tell me about your brothers," I urge. "What are their names?"

Onyx pulls back, a grin spreading across his face. "Oh, they're quite a handful. I have one older brother and three younger brothers, all demons like me. There's Moloch, the oldest. He's always been the most responsible one—he's like a second father to us all. Then there's Leviathan, who's the joker of the family. He's always playing pranks on everyone, but he has a good heart. And then there's Asmodeus and Azazel, who are twins. Asmodeus is the quieter one—he likes to spend his time reading and studying. Azazel, on the other hand, is the rebel. He's always getting into trouble, but he's got a heart of gold."

"They sound like a lively bunch." I push out a laugh.

"They are. But they're also fiercely loyal to each other and to me. We may bicker and fight, but at the end of the day, we're family."

"I can relate to that," I say, thinking of my own family. "My parents and I don't always see eye to eye, but we're still there for each other when it counts."

"I'd love to hear more about your family."

I hesitate for a moment before speaking. Talking about my family always brings up mixed emotions for me.

"Well, my parents are both lawyers. They're very successful and always busy with work. I have an older brother who's a doctor. He's always been the golden child, the one who's done everything right. And then there's me, the black sheep. I never had the same drive as my parents and brother. I always felt like I was meant for something different. I loved reading, so I wanted to become an English major. However, I'm not totally sure what I'll do after I graduate. Do I go to grad school and become a professor? Apply to become a secretary at my parents' firm? What jobs are there for English majors? I didn't think it through."

Onyx nods, understanding. "I can relate to that feeling. When I was still serving some of my old masters, I always felt like I was meant for something... more than just being a servant. That's probably how you felt around your parents growing up. Did they push you into following their paths?"

"Yeah." I let out a breath, unable to believe Onyx reads me so well. It's like I'm being seen for the first time in my life. "They were livid when I chose English. They wanted me to study poli sci so I'd have the best shot at getting into Yale Law."

"And what do you want to do?" Onyx asks curiously.