Watch of the Wicked (Devil's Witch Book 3)

Warm water sloshes against my skin as I wake up from my recovery nap. I hope Stella’s doing okay. Nick told me she’d need the biggest space to adjust more comfortably.

After talking with Will, Nick called me and said Stella was recuperating here. Since our magic didn’t clean up the bloody mess he left on my neck, he told me I may as well use the bathroom since Stella will be here for a while.

Stella didn’t seem disturbed by her turning as I thought she’d be. I know she loves Colin, and right now, most of what she feels is anger. That’s what she told me when we arrived here at Nick’s family ranch home. Heinrich and Colin are taking turns feeding her. They’re in their own room down the hall.

Cold, hard scales are painted over his thick fatty black shiny body. He isn’t as humongous as I remember seeing earlier this evening. It’s like he’s shrunk down to a normal sized snake and not one out some horror dinosaur film.

The bubbles in the tub hide me well enough, but that doesn’t mean I’m fine with him coming in here to check on me. He was not in here when I was awake. At least, that I know of.

The bathroom door is still shut. Half his snake form is hanging off the white porcelain tub providing a neck rest for me. The other half is sloppily coiled and smashed against my bare legs beneath the water.

Heat rushes to my face as I nudge my knee against him hoping he gets the hint. He doesn’t move though. I wonder if he’s asleep...or he could be pretending.

His diamond-shaped head remains still on my shoulder. “What are you doing?” I ask uneasily.

“Resting.”

“On me?”

He starts to slither around my neck as if pretending to be my new scarf. “Yes, you’re softer and much more pleasant than a meager mattress.”

Water splashes against the tub as I sit up. With shaky hands, I reach for the towel I had put by the foot of the tub. When I go to grab for it, I find it to be missing. No, it’s already been...used. It hangs, dripping on the towel rack soaking all the dry towels beneath across the bathroom. Puddles lead up to where I remain lounged in the water of the tub.

I cross my arms, inching upward as new understanding sinks in. He was in here and then walking around. I bite my lip wondering if he only just now shifted because I happened to wake up. It would explain while he’s cramped against me in a very uncomfortable position half in and half out of the tub.

There’s a half-eaten cheeseburger sitting on the plate on the other side of the tub -- where he would have stepped in. It’s covered now in water, made soggy from him probably stepping in and out.

“You w-were sitting in here with me. What did you do?” I ask.

Nick’s head dips downward as he starts to twist around my arm. “I brought you dinner, but it’s a bit spoiled now as you can see.”

“Were you sitting in here with me?” I repeat in shock.

My skin crawls as I feel the end of his tail caress my thigh.

“Yes.”

I squirm against him, sitting up as a clean towel moves from the other side of the bathroom by my use of our magic. I grab the it from the air, tugging it around me rapidly after shaking him off. My frantic movements stir a wave of water by my knees to life. It almost sends him sailing over the edge of the tub. However, instead, his entire snake form ends up slipping under the surface because he’s still too heavy.

Nick’s snake head rises out of the water. It would be comical if I wasn’t mortified. “I won’t bite you again or come in the room without asking,” he says through a light hiss.

I start to make my way out of the bathtub. I pause hearing water rushing loudly behind me, the faucet’s been turned on. Heat spreads across my face as my heart thuds heavily.

I look over my shoulder, glancing at the sandwich on the floor before looking down at him. He’s shifted back and has decided to lounge in the tub rather than bother to pretend to be remotely ashamed of himself.

“You aren’t sorry though, are you?” I start to ask. My voice turns quiet as I imagine him naked underneath the bubbles. Does he have any sense of decency anymore? I try to keep my voice steady and continue, “For this, the children, the killings, the hate still inside you...” I elaborate slowly.

He frowns, but there’s not an ounce of remorse on his face. “No.”

Why is he being like this? He can’t be truly content with his choices. His gaze softens on my heaving chest first before he meets my reluctant stare. Purple circles form shadows beneath his dark blue eyes. His smile is sad, not smug like I thought it would be.

“You already knew that for a long time,” he adds. I turn away quickly before I can see anything lower as he stands up. “You said at one point I can’t escape the devil. I’m tired of fighting now. My work will have a lasting effect, but all I really want is right here.”

I move my stare from his naked broad chest to the bubbling water between us. I hug my towel, my only shield of comfort, closer around myself when I feel an invisible source try to pry it off.

My mouth turns sour. “No,” I whisper firmly.

A strange sparkle shines in his eyes. His gaze veers to the right like a child caught red-handed.

“What’s the matter with you?”

His face turns blushed as he rubs over his jawline. “I just want to hold you again. You didn’t mind while you were asleep. It felt nice, didn’t it?” he asks in a husky voice.

Is he seriously aroused right now? Unsure, I quickly step out of the tub feeling the cold tile of the bathroom floor meet my feet. I hurry over to the closed door thinking Will may have been right about him all along. I’m just a means to an end. When did I get any say when he bit me earlier today or when he...came in there with me?!

I should have known my dream was real.

Something about it makes me feel dirty and I don’t like it.

My hand lands on my neck when his bite mark pulses. It comes off with blood soaked on it. I tremble as tears blur my vision as I grab the doorknob of the door, but it remains immobile like me when I feel his wet hand touch my back.

“I’m grateful for the good you’ve done for me, but beyond that, there are things I can’t-”

“Do you think we are a sin?”

I don’t want to sound hysterical, but the idea has been haunting me. “Our children certainly are -- the devil made them!” I cry out in fear while turning to face him.

“Your pain is my fault.”

My voice turns to a hushed whisper as I search his eyes for the humanity hiding behind them. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe you were capable of being decent. I know you can be. I’ve seen it.”

A sinking feeling buries me beneath his dark stare. It makes me feel small as I crane my neck to look up at him. His pupils dilate as the corner of his lip quirks up.

The cold bathroom door meets my back as he presses up against me. I recoil at first, fairly certain he’s soaked my towel and can now feel everything beneath.

I should just step away, but as soon as the thought comes, it gets forgotten as he wraps his warm arms around me. His honeyed tongue slips over my own working our saliva into one shared liquid with leisure. I should be disgusted, I think if it were anyone else -- I would be. It’s sloppy and frantic like he thinks I’ll pull away at any second.

Of course, I don’t have to kiss him back, but I do. Otherwise, it would just be awkward because, admittedly, I enjoy it more than I should. When I think about the mouth kissing me having eaten my friends and who knows how many others I start to feel a little shame knowing the few seconds I planned to let this last have turned into minutes.

Evil little butterflies flutter around in my stomach waiting to be taken to hell with me. It’s worse because he’s not just kissing me. I should be revolted, but in the moment, every horrible thing he’s done becomes forgotten as I melt against his feverish kisses. Selfish little me thinks it feels nice to be touched and wanted.

For once, I don’t feel miserable or afraid. I guess I’m really just an evil witch at heart for wanting someone like him to touch me.

However, when I feel his other arm travel behind me and playfully tug at my towel my hunger for his attention flies south. I swat his hand away, but he laughs against my mouth and tries to use his other hand to creep beneath my towel instead. I don’t think he’s ever really kept his hands to himself.

“Th-that’s enough,” I spew out.

He steps back crossing his arms. “So all will be forgiven, hmmm? Goddess...” The movement makes me look down. I squeak in surprise remembering he just stepped out of the tub. I back away watching him return to his snake form.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that. I forgot...” he trails off. He slithers across the tiled bathroom floor. “I need to regain my composure,” he finishes in a strange tone.

Sometimes, it really is hard to tell if he’s being sincere or not. I know he’s a good liar, but what real reason would he have to pretend to care for me? Right now, everyone close to me feels so distant. I don’t want him to be too.

“Come here,” I offer gently while bending down for him to crawl up my arm.

It feels funny, but I don’t know why. Maybe its because I’m finally starting to treat him like my familiar; making him shift against his will and then trying to get him to let me hold him. A sick feeling forms in the pit of my stomach as I stand back up and hug my arms when he doesn’t move from his position.

“I should get going. I need to take Stella home...”

As if changing his mind completely, he slithers over to me and I bend down letting him twist around my arm until his head settles on my shoulder.

“Our nest is made now. No one will be able to come in here.” I can hear the smile in his voice.

“W-what?” I choke out.

His chuckle used to make my skin crawl, but now it makes those evil butterflies flutter in my stomach return.

“Unless you wish to have another demon child, you should leave me in here. A nest triggers things within my kind, and since I do not have a competitor like Heinrich to fight for you over in here, my desire to take you is stronger.”

Competitor? What he says makes me feel like I’m on some twisted remake of Animal Planet. My mouth opens and closes, but no words come as new heat radiates around the bathroom. “I’ll be out soon. There’s something on the nightstand for you.”

I watch him uncoil from my arm. “Okay,” I murmur unsure of what it could be.

***

Noctus

Her hair falls through my fingertips as she snores softly tucked beneath my chin. Tomorrow, we’ll be officially married by human terms once I hand in our signed marriage agreement to the courthouse. I don’t think I can wait any longer. Her new black ring I gave her circles around her ring finger.

We won’t be able to stay here for long, but I’ve already found a better place for us and the children.

I open my eyes, glaring against the alarm clock as my goddess awakens to its ringing beeps and buzzes. Normally, I do wake up at this hour, but I’m not going into work anymore...yet.

“Go back to sleep,” I mumble.

I reach over her to turn it off and smile when I feel her snuggle slightly closer to me as she settles back down beside me.