Claimed by Her Demon Read Free Page A

is completely ridiculous.”
    The deep, gravelly voice made her jump out of her seat with a gasp. Her head whipped from side to side, and she clutched her throat when she saw Ramael perched on the cubicle desk beside hers. His fangs flashed in a perfectly wicked smile.
    “How-what are you doing here?”
    “I wanted to see you.”
    “How did you get in here without being seen? You weren’t seen, right?”
    “I’m a creature of the night. Even if there weren’t other ways to enter this building, if I can’t get past a bored student on desk duty, then I need to find another calling.”
    She couldn’t help chuckling. As her heart returned to a semi-normal rhythm, Melinda sat back down. Ramael stayed where he was, perched slightly above her. She watched his gaze slide down her body, and realized that the black tank top she wore under a partly opened white button down revealed plenty of cleavage. Her face heated, and she shifted, trying to mask herself a bit from his interest.
    “Will anyone see us talking?”
    “We are hidden from sight for the time being.”
    “What if someone sits on me? Can they do that?”
    “I will convince them otherwise if they try.”
    She really didn’t want to know what that would entail. Based on what he’d done to the frat guys, she doubted it would be pleasant to watch.
    “So,” she glanced at the book, “you’re telling me these old paintings are full of shit.”
    “Not really. They make wonderful allegories. Useful for keeping the masses on a moral path. But as far as depictions of the afterlife, yes, they are full of shit.”
    “So what do demons do, if they aren’t torturing immoral souls?”
    “First, we aren’t demons. We’ve been called that by your kind, who seem to be quite keen on categorizing everything as good and evil. We’re frightening to mortals, so we’ve been labeled as evil. I’m sure some of my brothers and sisters revel in this. Others don’t.”
    “What about you?”
    He shrugged one shoulder. “I’m certainly not above displaying awesome power, if there is a need for it. After generations of watching your kind destroy each other, I’m quite content to keep to myself.”
    Melinda couldn’t argue with that kind of logic. She’d always thought people were more frightening than any ghost story. The fact that she’d been kidnapped by men playing a joke was testament to that. “So what is it about me that’s brought you out of hibernation?”
    “Do you really think so little of yourself that you need to ask that question?”
    She blushed again. Her face felt so warm, she was sure it was beet red. “Most boys only talk to me because they think I’ll be an easy lay.”
    “Are you?”
    The heat fled from her face, replaced by cold indignation. “No.”
    “So I have my work cut out for me then.”
    She wanted to gape at his gall, but she kept her jaw firm. “I think this conversation is over.”
    “I have offended you. Flirtatious banter is not my strong suit. I apologize.”
    She didn’t know how to respond to that. But on principle she wasn’t going to give any ground. “You should go. It’s late and I’m tired.”
    She thought she heard him sigh. “As you wish.” The creature rose from his perch.
    “Ramael.”
    He stopped at the sound of her voice.
    “If you’re visiting me while I dream, I’d appreciate if you stop that too.”
    “I have no control over what your subconscious chooses to show you.”
    And with that, he vanished from sight.
    Melinda blinked. Really? He’s going to bail just like that? This time, the sigh was her own. She gathered her things and trudged through the rows of bookshelves, heading for the staircase that led to the main floor. It occurred to her that a similar late-night study session had started this whole thing. But tonight, she was pretty sure she wouldn’t have to worry about being snatched. Not by humans, anyway.
    #
    Adrienne was still awake when Melinda got back to their room. She sat at their