Stalked by Seduction and Shadows (Eternal Obsession, #1)

by Maggie Sunseri

I saw Little Flame singing a mournful song to the stars, their celestial light shining down upon her as if her radiance didn’t put the cosmos to shame.

I missed him. I missed the fire, the games, the way we mirrored each other’s darkness. I missed his pet names and his praise, his large form towering over mine. I missed his god complex, the maddening way he dragged my body down the deepest pits of ecstasy. I was falling, hard and fast, and just like singing, it felt like soaring.

“Pain triggers a hormonal cocktail in the brain that can be quite pleasurable, all in an effort to soothe us. When wielded correctly, pain can become just as powerful a way to induce euphoria as sensual touch. Besides death, suffering is what we fear most, what most beings try to avoid at all costs. The stronger are the ones that accept that all pain, emotional and physical, are the most natural and inevitable parts of our existence. Those who find a way to make suffering beautiful again are the strongest of all.”

“You deserve so much more than what life has handed you, Scarlett. Don’t accept the half-love that you’ve grown accustomed to. Only accept the full, staggering devotion that you deserve. It’s what we all deserve. To feel wholeheartedly chosen, desired, secure, and nurtured. Anything less is theft.”

“Because I love you!” she said, shaking her head at me. “You are my friend. I don’t give a fuck who your parents are, Scarlett. I care about you because you are my friend. I will repeat myself as long as it takes to penetrate your stubborn skull.”

This didn’t make sense to me. All my life, love was something I reached for. It was a scarcity, an unknown. Sometimes it was there, and other times it wasn’t. Sometimes it felt in my control—like if I behaved a certain way, it would be given. Other times it was unpredictable, doled out in a system of intermittent reinforcement. The love that Snow showed me wasn’t choppy, with tumultuous ebbs and flows. It was steady and reliable, a gentle river that went on and on.

“No, you can’t,” Snow said. “Succubi cannot induce love, Scarlett. Succubi influence and feed off desire. Love is not a desire. Not like lust or hunger or want. They’re all related and connected, but you cannot force anyone to love you.”

“You can’t be influenced by sex demons, Rune. We made sure of that long ago, when you asked me to rid you of desire and I was more than happy to oblige. You are as immune to succubi as you are to bloodlust. All desire you harbor is yours and yours alone.”