He took her to a place she didn't know, a forest that was a little sparse, but allowed them to see all around them and he let go of her quickly, allowing her to step back from him and look around, though she didn't move away from him.
"What was that?" he asked curiously.
Looking up at him, she sighed. His brows drew into a frown as he watched her.
"Daemon is angry at me for kissing someone," she said, and a weird spasm crossed his face, a sudden flash of fury that vanished as quickly as it had come.
"Why would he be angry?"
"Because he wants me to be with someone who will be gentle with me and does not think Sebastian will be."
"I thought you said your father was dead…"
"Daemon isn't my father, he's my creator," she said, moving away to pick up a stick.
"Creator?" he asked.
"Daemon created my family line back fifty generations. He seems to think he owns me."
"And you desire Sebastian?" he asked.
"In a way, he appeals to parts of me. He looks a little like you, only with silver hair and gold pupils."
"Is he a Hunter?" he asked warily.
"No, a siren, incubus hybrid."
"That's probably why you desire him," Neah said, though she thought it was more for himself than her. "His magic calling to you."
"Possibly, but my magic calls to him as well. It makes for a volatile situation and Daemon is probably right, I shouldn't consider him as a mate."
"You are actively looking for one?"
"My sister and I had a bet. If she won the fight, I would have to try and find a mate. The others found out and cheated so she would win. She told them knowing they would help her."
"But you aren't interested in finding one?"
"I am, I suppose. I spent so long just trying to keep myself and my sisters alive that I never had time to think about it. I just wanted to know what it was like, to be happy with a lover."
Crouching down, she used the stick to push at a bush that was heavy with berries, her head tilted as she studied the leaves and fruit.
"Have you ever been in love?" she asked, inching slightly closer and picking off one of the fruits, squishing it in her fingers and lifting it to her nose, sniffing it warily. Touching it to her tongue, she looked up at Neah who was staring down at her, his face dark with some unknown emotion.
"I have," he said finally.
"And what happened?" she asked, her eyes trailing over his face as she popped the squished berry into her mouth and chewed it.
"She died," he said simply.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said gently, dropping her eyes.
"It was a while ago now," he explained.
"Can I have your mask for a few minutes?"
He blinked at her but then took it off and handed it down to her.
"What did she die of?" she asked, sitting down with his mask in her lap, her eyes lowered as she picked several more berries and carefully worked on what she was working on, wriggling around when he tried to peek at what she was doing.
"She was murdered… strangled to death," he said quietly.
"Did they catch the one responsible?"
"No, they never found out who did it."
"That must be hard… I hope they suffered for what they did."
"Me too," he said in a weird voice, straining to see.
"Stop peeking," she said, flicking a berry at him that he caught.
"Blackberry?" he asked.
"Yes."
Looking up at him to make sure she got it right, she looked back down at her work and then turned, holding the mask out to him.
"It'll wash right off, it won't stain."
She had used the berry juice to draw on the same marks that covered his skin onto the mask, making it look like it was crying.
He stared at the mask for several long seconds before he took it, her eyes going to her dark purple and red fingers.
"Why did you do that?" he asked slowly.
"Your markings are nice. Now your mask matches."
Looking down at her, she felt a sudden moment of panic that he hated it.
"We can wash it off if you want. I thought it was cute."
He looked back at his mask, then held it out to her. "Put it on," he demanded.
She took it, pulling out the straps and slipping it on over her face.
It was hard to see through the black fabric, and it made her feel like she was in a cave, but she could make him out and she looked up at him.
He stood frozen, looking down at her with a blank face and she wondered what he could possibly be thinking.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you upset. They're pretty."
"Pretty?" he asked, his voice sounding weird again, strained.
"Yes, pretty," she said and blinked as he lifted up the mask, peeking under it at her.
"As pretty as you?" he asked, his mood seeming to have shifted.
"Prettier," she said, relieved he wasn't upset.
"Why are you so interested in finding a lover?" he asked.
"I'm lonely," she whispered, voicing the thing that had been on her mind for so long.
He nodded slowly and reached out for her, drawing her closer and his mouth found hers in a gentle brush. She didn't try to stop him this time, simply enjoyed the feeling of his compassion.
She leant up into the kiss, revelling in the feeling of him. He didn't demand anything from her, he didn't insist that she do things she didn't want to, he simply showed her what she could have, and she wanted it desperately.
His arm went around her back, drawing her closer to him and she felt him pressing her back, lowering her onto the grass. She shivered, uncertain of him, but her loneliness made her desperate for even a simple touch.
His fingers curled in hers and he pinned her hand down to the ground, his mouth heavy on hers and squeezed his fingers, clinging to him as his weight settled down on top of her. It felt good to have him against her, her body craving his touch in ways she couldn't understand.
She knew it was wrong, that are barely knew Neah, and for all she knew, he could be dangerous, but part of her just wanted to spite Daemon, part of her just wanted someone powerful to desire her in a way that wasn't like Jaia or Zeus. Part of her was just so incredibly lonely that are wanted to cling to the first man who wouldn't hurt her to get what he wanted and was interested.
The kiss slowed, deepened, and she shivered as she felt his tongue against her lower lip, her lips parting to allow him access and he groaned softly.
Releasing one hand, he trailed his hand up her arm to her shoulder, along her shoulder and his fingers curled around her throat, squeezing gently as though testing.
In response to his touch, she bit down gently on the tip of his tongue with just enough pressure to twinge and make him shudder.
Breaking the kiss, he looked down at her and she thought she saw a flash of something vicious in his eyes, but it was gone with his next blink and she decided she hadn't seen anything, just a trick of the light or her own insecurities.
"I want to bite you…" he growled, nuzzling her jaw out of the way to expose her throat. Did she want him to? Part of her, the rational part, was saying no but her need was screaming yes.
"Do it," she gasped, knowing it was a bad idea, but she didn't care.
His teeth cut through her like her skin was nothing and she cried out in pain, her fingers in his hand tightening until she was sure it had to hurt him.
He pulled on her and she shivered as a slow heat flooded out from the site to fill her, her body aching for him as the warmth reached her groin.
A sudden lethargy went through her and she felt her eyes going heavy, the man moving back from her and he smiled faintly.
"Not yet, my darling. You aren't ready for me yet," he whispered as she turned her head to him.
His mouth found hers and she could taste her blood on him, taste him under the blood.
"Neah…" she whispered, her fingers still entwined with his as he knelt at her side with his long fingers stroking through her hair.
"You deserve better than to be taken on the ground in the middle of the forest. Next time it'll be somewhere better," he murmured.
She frowned at him, confused and unable to focus, but it felt like his face had gone hard, his fingers tracing down her jaw.
"Next time I'll make sure you'll be at my side and I'll show you what it means to be loved for an eternity," he whispered, sliding the mask up over her hair, careful to untangle and strands from the straps.
"Rest now, my love. I'll be back for you soon," he said gently. "When I've prepared for our future."
That sounded odd, but she was so tired that she didn't care.
Tracing his thumb over her lips, he slipped the pad against her canine and traced the blood down her cheeks, his smile wide as he looked at her.
"Sleep, my darling," he murmured, and she did.