Demon's Dream Read Online Free PDF Page A

anyone. In the thousands of years of his existence, he had closed his heart off to all good emotions. He had been burned one too many times to know better. He had been betrayed too often to expose himself to such pain. Worse, doubts he planted within his own mind played out over and over again, growing exponentially.
    Growling in frustration, he pushed the papers off his desk with a sweep of his arm. Staring at them for a few minutes, he was about to flash them back to his desk in a neat orderly pile when a knock and a slight opening of his door broke his concentration. Snapping his fingers, the reports returned to his workspace just moments before Clarissa peeked her head inside the room and asked if she might enter.
    Standing, Azamel waved her in. He steepled his fingers in front of him, his forefingers rested lightly upon his lips. His eyes followed her as she moved closer to his desk. Had he been paying any attention, he would have felt the strange presence that accompanied her. However, he was too focused on what he needed to do to contemplate anything other than his current situation. “I’m sorry to disturb you. Shara told me you did not wish to be interrupted at all today but you missed dinner. It’s nearing bed time and I was concerned you wouldn’t get any rest tonight.”
    His eyes narrowed as he moved to rest his folded hands across his stomach.
    “I have survived centuries without mothering. I highly doubt I need it now.”
    She stopped, stunned.
    “I’m sorry if I was a bit worried. I guess I should have known better. I just wanted to be sure you were going to be okay.”
    She had thought over the past week that they had moved past this cold reserve but it appeared she was incorrect in her assumptions.
    “There is no reason for you to worry over me like some mother hen. I have lived an eternity and managed just fine thus far. You need not concern yourself with regards to my wellbeing.”
    Clarissa’s eyes narrowed, her nostrils flared and her lip curled in anger.
    “Well excuse me if I wanted to make sure my lover was faring well. I would have thought I was entitled to some concern about you considering the time we spent together over the past month and more so during the past week but I surmise from your response that I am gravely mistaken.”
    She leaned closer to him over the desk, her hands gripping the edge tightly.
    “Why did you even bother to bring me back here? Was I just an amusement for you, a release for your sexual urges?”
    Her eyes widened as the words of Shara rang in her head and realization crashed in around her.
    “It was to keep the Gem of Avarice around. Gods, I was such a fool! You put me through hell with your training exercises. You made me relive over and over again the death of my family.”
    Clarissa pushed herself away from the desk.
    “Why must you play games with me instead of coming at me outright for the stone? At least then I would know how to defend myself.”
    She held up her hand as she saw he was about to speak.
    “Please, don’t bother telling me otherwise. It’s obvious that has been your intention from the start. You wanted to put me off my guard in such a way that I would be unaware of your preoccupation to obtain the artifact for which I am responsible.”
    Mel’s eyes narrowed as she continued to rant. “I warned you from the very beginning it wouldn’t be easy. No one will be able to use the pain of your family’s deaths against you because you’re becoming immune to its effects. As for wanting the stone, I’m tired of having this conversation with you over and over again. I won’t lie and say it doesn’t interest me but I also am fully aware of the potential damage it can cause if utilized by another. I have sworn to help you protect it. I don’t know what more you fucking want me to do. If you don’t believe me then why did you agree to return here with me?”
    “I came because I believed you when you said you loved me. I should have