The silence after Anaqielle’s words fell unbearably hot and heavy.
Laliya stood frozen beside the bathing pool while droplets of water slid slowly down her damp skin and soaked through the thin white fabric clinging to her body.
Her chest rose and fell unevenly, every breath shallow now, every heartbeat loud enough that she swore Anaqielle could hear it and perhaps she could.
Because the fallen angel looked at her like she already knew every sinful thought unraveling inside her mind.
Those golden eyes drifted slowly over her face.
Lingering over every inch as though studying an interesting subject that she enjoyed.
Laliya crossed her arms instinctively over herself.
Shielding her body from her wondering eyes.
Anaqielle smiled.
“That’s becoming a habit of yours. Isn’t it.”
The holy maiden looked away.
“You should leave. You’ve overstayed your welcome.”
“But you don’t actually want me to. Do you?”
“I do.”
“Mm,” Anaqielle looked like she was debating the request but in truth, it hadn’t even crossed her mind to leave yet.
She had a job to do and she was going to do it to the best of her abilities.
Laliya should blame heaven for picking her for the task, not her.
Anaqielle began walking slowly around the edge of the bathing pool.
Her steps were unhurried and appeared predatory.
The soft click of her boots against marble echoed through the steam-filled chamber while crimson fabric slipped dangerously off one shoulder.
Laliya made the mistake of looking.
It was then that Laliya noticed boots had appeared on the fallen’s legs.
She was in awe.
She would trade an arm and a leg for such a power, it made things easy.
Anaqielle just has to think of an outfit and she instantly chages while she takes a full hour to get ready every morning.
A crack formed in her Lumen, another sin settled deeply within her.
Not only did she envy Anaqielle but she learnt to covet the power Anaqielle had and immediately she regretted it.
Radiance preserve her!
The exposed skin on Anaqielle’s body looked soft, warm and biteable.
The thought slammed into her so suddenly that she physically recoiled from herself.
Anaqielle noticed.
“Oh?” Her voice lowered with amusement.
“That one surprised you. How naughty.”
Laliya’s face burned harder.
“Stop doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Looking at me like you know what I’m thinking.”
The fallen angel stopped walking and then smiled slowly.
“But I do know what you are thinking. I can hear your prayers and your sins, dear.”
Laliya’s pulse stumbled violently.
Anaqielle stepped closer again.
“You think very loudly.”
“I absolutely do not,” Laliya denied.
She took another step.
Bridging the gap between them with every move.
The air between them tightened.
Laliya tried retreating backward only to feel cool marble against the backs of her legs.
She was trapped.
Anaqielle noticed that too.
The smile on her face turned softer because cruelty would have been easier to resist than tenderness.
The fallen angel reached toward her slowly and Laliya’s breath caught.
Fingers brushed lightly against a damp strand of hair stuck to her neck before tucking it carefully behind her ear.
The simple touch nearly destroyed her composure completely.
“There,” Anaqielle exhaled.
“Better.”
Laliya’s knees felt weak.
‘This is bad.
No!
This is catastrophic!’ she internally screamed.
The chamber itself seemed hotter now, steam thickening around them while sacred crystals beneath the bathing pool cast soft silver light across exposed skin.
Laliya could smell moon lilies, warm water and Anaqielle.
Something dark and sweet beneath the smoke and it made her dizzy.
Anaqielle’s hand lingered near her face just long enough to make the holy maiden tremble before finally withdrawing.
“You know what fascinates me most about you?” the fallen angel asked.
Laliya swallowed.
She couldn’t afford to know but couldn’t resist the urge to ask, “What?”
“You want so badly to be good, holy one,” she said, ‘…But I have been tasked to destroy you.’
The words slid through her water dripping down.
Anaqielle’s gaze darkened slightly.
“But every time I touch you…” Her voice lowered further.
“Your body forgets your prayers.”
Laliya inhaled sharply.
Heat spread violently through her chest.
“That isn’t true.”
“Laliya.”
The way Anaqielle said her name should have been illegal.
Slow and almost intimate enough to feel like a caress itself.
The fallen angel stepped even closer until barely inches remained between them.
“You shake every time I get near you and you know it.”
Laliya hated that she was right.
She could feel it happening even now.
Her breathing uneven, her heartbeat frantic and her skin unbearably sensitive from the lingering currents in the water.
Anaqielle tilted her head slightly, watching every reaction with dangerous fascination.
“You’ve spent your entire life pretending desire is ugly because that is what you’ve been taught by those old ladies,” she whispered.
“But your body responds to it beautifully, holy one.”
Laliya closed her eyes briefly.
She felt she needed distance, prayer or something…
anything because the thoughts in her mind were becoming harder to control with every passing second.
The image of Anaqielle’s bare shoulder, her thighs beneath that sinful skirt, the curve of her waist and the way her lips moved around every teasing word, formed in her mind. You are reading on novelping(.)com, the official source.
‘Radiance preserve me!’ she prayed.
Laliya turned abruptly, trying to escape toward the robe stand nearby.
She made it exactly two steps then stopped when a shadow curled across the floor beneath her feet.
Black feathers drifted through the steam and suddenly Anaqielle stood directly in front of her again.
Laliya froze.
The fallen angel looked entirely too pleased with herself.
“You’re cheating.”
“Obviously, I am. That’s what sinners do, holy one,” Anaqielle teased.
“You can try it too. See how sweet it is to play without rules.”
“Anaqielle…”
“You keep trying to run away from me. Why is that?”
“Because you keep saying things like that!”
Anaqielle leaned closer.
“Or maybe it’s because you are starting to believe what I say. Maybe thats why you keep trying to run away from me.”
The holy maiden opened her mouth, however, nothing came out because somewhere beneath the panic, guilt and the fear, she knew Anaqielle was right.
The realization sent visible satisfaction across her face.
“Oh, careful Laliya, you’re to let heaven down,” she murmured softly.
“I don’t think they’ll appreciate your wavering faith,” she said like she had Laliya’s best interest at heart.
Laliya’s breathing became unsteady once more.
The chamber suddenly felt far too small to host both of them.
It was too warm and full of Anaqielle and her corruption.
She felt uneasy.
Anaqielle reached behind Laliya casually and picked up one of the sanctum robes folded nearby.
Then, without warning, she stepped behind her.
Laliya immediately stiffened.
Warmth pressed near her back.
Anaqielle’s voice drifted beside her ear.
“You’re overheating.”
Laliya nearly melted into the marble floor.
The fallen angel slowly draped the robe over her shoulders from behind, fingers brushing lightly against damp skin in the process.
Another shiver ran through Laliya instantly.
“So sensitive,” Anaqielle whispered.
Laliya gripped the robe tightly around herself.
She should have felt relieved protected even.
Instead, she felt painfully aware of Anaqielle standing directly behind her while steam curled between them.
The fallen angel lowered her head slightly near her shoulder.
“Tell me something honestly,”
Laliya’s pulse pounded.
“Wh…what?” her voice trembled.
“When you pray tonight…” she paused, warm breath brushed her ear.
“…will you be asking the Light to save you from me?”
Laliya’s breath caught completely.
Anaqielle smiled against the silence.
“Or will you be asking for the strength not to fall weak to my charm?”