Amelia's fingers brushed against the back of my neck, her touch sending small electric pulses down my spine. I gripped the armrests tighter, my knuckles turning white. The necklace had been with me my entire life—the only connection to my past, to whoever had left me at St. Mary's. Now this stranger was about to remove it, claiming it suppressed something inside me.
"I'm going to do this slowly," Amelia said, her voice close to my ear. "Try to notice any changes, no matter how small."
I nodded, closing my eyes and bracing myself for... what? An explosion of power? Pain? Transformation into some kind of monster?
The clasp clicked open.
I held my breath.
The chain slid away from my skin as Amelia lifted the necklace.
And then... nothing.
No explosion. No pain. No transformation.
I opened one eye, then the other. "Is that it?"
"Give it a moment," Amelia said, moving around to face me, the necklace dangling from her fingers. "Suppression effects don't always disappear instantly."
I waited, focusing inward. There was a subtle warmth spreading through me, centered mostly behind my eyes and, embarrassingly, in my groin. But that could easily be attributed to having an attractive woman standing so close, watching me with those strange lotus-patterned eyes.
"I don't feel different," I said after a full minute had passed. "Just... warm."
Amelia frowned, her eyebrows drawing together. "That's odd. There should be some noticeable effect." She leaned closer, studying my face. "Your eyes look the same. No physical changes at all?"
I shook my head. "Sorry to disappoint you."
"Not disappointed. Puzzled." She twirled the necklace between her fingers. "This pendant definitely contains powerful suppression magic. I can feel it even now."
I stood up from the chair, stretching. The warmth continued to spread through my body, but it was subtle—like stepping from shade into sunlight. "Maybe I'm just human after all, and the healing thing is some weird genetic quirk."
"No," Amelia said firmly. "Your blood contains demonic energy. I know it."
"Maybe you need better ways besides sniffing it."
She shot me an irritated look. "Very funny. I've been doing this for fifteen years. I know demonic energy when I—"
Our eyes met, and her words cut off abruptly.
The warmth behind my eyes flared into heat. The world shifted, colors intensifying. Amelia's form changed before me—her body now illuminated from within. The points I'd noticed earlier—throat, chest, navel—blazed like miniature suns, pulsing with energy. But I could see more now: smaller points at her wrists, behind her ears, at the small of her back.
I knew, without understanding how, that these were places where her energy concentrated. Places where, if touched, her power would flow more freely.
Places where I could taste her essence.
"Isaiah?" Amelia's voice sounded distant. "Your eyes..."
I stepped toward her, drawn by the glowing points on her body. The heat in my own body centered now, focused. I could hear her heartbeat speeding up, could smell something sweet and intoxicating coming from her skin.
"What are you seeing?" she asked, her voice higher than before.
"You," I said simply. "I see you."
She backed up a step, but not in fear—her pupils had dilated, her breathing quickened. "Your eyes are blue. Electric blue."
I didn't care about my eyes. All I cared about was getting closer to those points of light on her body. I took another step forward.
"Is this what Noel felt?" she murmured, more to herself than to me. Then, louder: "Isaiah, I need to put the necklace back on you."
"Why?" I asked, moving closer still. We were less than a foot apart now. "This feels right."
"Because you're not in control," she said, but her body betrayed her words. Her heart raced. A flush spread across her cheeks. Her scent grew stronger, sweeter.
"I'm in perfect control," I said, reaching out to touch her face. "I just see things clearly now."
My fingers traced the line of her jaw. Where our skin connected, I felt energy—her energy—flowing into me. Not draining her, but sharing with me. It tasted like cinnamon and electricity.
Amelia's breath caught. Her eyes widened, the lotus pattern spinning faster. "This isn't—we need to—"
I leaned in, drawn to the brightest point at her throat. My lips brushed against her skin, and the taste intensified—sweeter, richer, more complex. Her energy flowed into me more rapidly, and I heard her make a small sound—half protest, half pleasure.
"Isaiah," she gasped, her hands coming up to push against my chest, but instead gripping my shirt. "The necklace—"
I kissed her throat, right on the glowing point. Amelia's knees buckled slightly, and her head tilted back, exposing more of her neck.
"Ahnnn~"
My hands slid around her waist, steadying her, pulling her closer. One hand found the small of her back, another glowing point, and when I pressed my palm against it, Amelia made a sound that was definitely not protest.
"T-this is bad," she said, though her body pressed against mine.
My lips moved up her neck, following the trail of energy to the point behind her ear. Each kiss drew more of her essence into me, and each taste made me want more. The heat in my body had become a fire, burning away confusion and doubt, leaving only clarity and hunger.
Amelia's hands moved to my hair, her fingers tangling in it. For a moment, she pulled me closer, her body responding to mine. Then, with visible effort, she pushed me back slightly.
"Enough," she said, her voice shaky but firm. "This isn't consent. You're—your nature is influencing me."
I blinked, some of the hunger receding at her words. "What?"
She took advantage of my hesitation, quickly looping the necklace over my head. The moment the pendant touched my chest, the world shifted again. The glowing points on Amelia's body dimmed, then vanished. The heat behind my eyes cooled, and the fire in my veins subsided to embers.
Reality reasserted itself.
Oh god, what have I done?