Under the early morning sun, Damain’s black SUV rolled smoothly to a stop beside Sofia’s usual café, a quiet spot nestled close to her workplace.

Sofia turned, meeting Damain’s gaze, then leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against his lips.

"I’ll see you later tonight?" she asked, a hopeful gleam lighting her eyes.

Damian only offered a faint smile in return. "I’ll keep in touch."

Disappointment flickered across her face, quick and restrained, before she masked it with a small, polite smile. She bid him farewell and stepped out of the car, the door closing softly behind her.

The moment she was gone, Damian sank back into his seat and released a long, heavy sigh. Truthfully, he had enjoyed his time with Sofia more than he ever had with Clara, yet something about her growing attachment unsettled him.

It was unfamiliar.

In the past, someone like Sofia, as striking and indulgent as she was, would have been nothing short of a dream he never expected to touch. Now, that dream sat within his reach, ready whenever he desired it, yet he found himself strangely indifferent.

If anything, he preferred to keep her at a distance, something occasional, while reserving his nights for Clara, despite finding less pleasure there.

It made no sense.

But that was how he felt.

Pushing the thought aside, Damian shifted his gaze to the rearview mirror, only to catch Loth staring at him with unusual intensity.

The moment their eyes met, she quickly looked away.

"Where to?" she asked, her voice carrying a strange edge.

Memories of her true form from the previous night surfaced without warning, and a faint purple glow flickered in Damian’s eyes. There had been something about that form, something that stirred a hunger in him he could not explain.

That did not mean he intended to act on it. His words back then had been nothing more than a lapse in control, and even now, he struggled to understand what had overtaken him.

[It’s not your fault. Sex with demons is always more pleasurable. I doubt you would remain interested in mortals once you experience it fully. That is likely why your wives have yet to reveal their true forms. They are waiting until you leave the mortal realm, so they do not ruin your human experience.] Rin explained.

Damian’s eyes widened slightly.

’Is it really that different?’ he asked inwardly.

[Of course. You are dealing with higher beings. The experience far exceeds anything mortal. Demonic union is far more intense than you imagine. It can last for months without interruption.]

Damian blinked, stunned. His gaze lifted again to the mirror, catching Loth watching him once more.

’Months?’ he muttered.

The thought alone sent a tremor through him, vivid and intrusive, his body reacting before his mind could restrain it. A flicker of desire surged within him, his eyes glowing faintly as he leaned back and shut them, forcing his breathing to steady.

This was new.

Since gaining this power, he had never felt anything like it, not even toward his wives.

’Does it have to last that long?’ he asked, still trying to ground himself.

[Above the mortal realm, it is not merely sex. It is called Ritual Mating. A sacred exchange that strengthens both parties as energy flows between them, fostering mutual growth. That is why securing a powerful partner is essential, as the weaker party benefits greatly.]

[Ritual mating is exclusive to two individuals. The bond required takes centuries to form and is limited to a single partner. That is why most gods and demons only have one. However, your case is different. As the sin of lust, you can form permanent connections with up to three partners. You may also form temporary connections, making you compatible even with the partners of other deities. Unlike others, what takes centuries for them requires only days for you to establish permanently, and mere moments for temporary bonds.]

Damian’s body stiffened as Rin continued.

[You can take any god’s partner. That alone will make you one of the least welcomed beings among them.]

Buzz!

The words struck him deeply, his eyes widening in realization. Suddenly, everything made sense. Lin Qui’s limitation to three wives. The way his own wives came as a complete set. They had filled those positions deliberately, ensuring no one else could take their place.

Damian’s gaze narrowed.

He had accepted it without question, but now another thought surfaced.

’What happens if I try to break a permanent connection?’

[You would have to kill the partner to sever it. And if a ritual bond is broken by one of its members, the backlash is severe. It weakens them for a millennium. Beyond that, you would be known as the one who killed his own partner. No one, not even demons, would tolerate that.]

[Cheating is another way bonds are broken. That is why gods descend to the mortal realm to seek temporary partners. But you are the exception. You bypass that flaw. A goddess can be with you without suffering backlash. Even if they understand this, they cannot act against it, because killing their partner carries a greater cost. That is why the sin of lust remains highly sought after among male deities.]

"Wow..." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

That was all Damian could manage.

To think something as simple as desire ran this deep beyond the mortal realm. And somehow, he had already become a figure destined to be resented for actions he had yet to take.

It was a lot to take in.

However, that realization carried something more.

Damain slowly lifted his head again, his gaze meeting Loth’s lingering eyes through the mirror. This time, she did not look away.

Everything Rin had just laid bare before him settled into place, forming a truth that was both simple and unsettling. It meant that, at any moment, he could reach out and claim what stood before him without consequence, without crossing any boundary that applied to others.

He was bound by rules, yet exempt from them.

The only one who could indulge without fear of betrayal.

A quiet smirk tugged at the edge of his lips.

It was a dangerous privilege.

One that eclipsed even the powers he had come to rely on.

’I alone hold the right to leave my hand print on a God’s bitch ass... God damn... I really struck gold with this inheritance,’ Damain mused inwardly, his thoughts laced with a growing sense of satisfaction.

Truly, the inheritance of the sin of lust had not failed him.

Not once.