The jolt of possessiveness shook me enough that I stiffened, and his hand paused.

He nuzzled at my neck, and I shivered. “Is this… jealousy, Danica?” his voice was delighted.

I used his moment of distraction and rolled out of his arms, making my way off the ridiculously large bed.

“I don’t think so,” he said, catching my wrist. With one yank, I was on top of him once more, his body spread out below me.

I gave him the scowl that little move deserved, and he grinned up at me. I forced myself to look away. That grin made him look younger, boyish, almost… approachable.

“I like you this way,” he purred.

“What way?”

“Possessive, jealous, avaricious for your male.”

“What did you tell me once? You don’t like your tools broken while you’re still using them? Well, I don’t like to share my toys until I’m finished playing with them.”

He threw his head back and laughed, and my gaze dropped to the strong muscle of his throat. I wanted to kiss him there. To mark him. To demonstrate my claim to everyone and anyone he came into contact with.

Yeah, and any hickeys I created would heal instantly. Meanwhile, I was stuck with his stupid gold mark on my arm.

“While your jealousy pleases me immensely, I’m not feeding from anyone right now.”

I barely refrained from hissing that I wasn’t jealous. Anything I said now would just make the demon more amused.

“Then why aren’t you starving?”

“I am able to take sustenance from the demons bonded to me. There are enough that they barely notice the slight drain. However, I will need to feed within the next few weeks.”

He didn’t tell me that if I didn’t feed him, he’d be forced to go elsewhere. But the subtext was there.

He was playing with my hair, stroking his hand through it and occasionally brushing the shell of my ear, the sensitive skin at the base of my neck. It was incredibly distracting.

“My family would have liked you, little witch,” he murmured, and I went still. A lump formed in my throat at the memory of their deaths, at the memory of the little boy who’d been left behind.

“You think so?”

I felt him nod and gave in to a satisfied smile. “I wish I could’ve met them.”

“I wish that too. And I would have liked to have known your mother.”

I laughed at that. “She probably would’ve tried to kill you, Samael. She always warned us away from demons. I guess, knowing what I know now about my father, it made sense.”

“Why did she not take your sister with you?”