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He thrusts deeper, and my entire body bows into him.

Pleasure flares like wildfire, quick and consuming, licking at my spine. The ridges of his carapace rasp against my thighs, rough and perfect. I tilt my hips, seeking more, chasing the friction. He groans low in his chest and adjusts, one hand braced beside my head while the other grips my hip, guiding me to match his pace.

“Tell me how it feels,” he murmurs, breath hot against my ear. “Tell me what you need.”

“You,” I gasp. “I just—need more. Deeper. Harder.”

He growls softly, the sound vibrating through me. “Then hold on, horns.”

He shifts us in one fluid motion, rolling onto his back and dragging me with him so I straddle his waist. My thighs tremble as I adjust, easing back down onto his cock with a breathless moan. He fills me so completely that it knocks the air from my lungs. I brace my hands on his chest, his muscles flexing beneath my palms as I begin to move.

The friction is perfect. I rock my hips in slow, rolling waves, feeling every inch of him drag along my walls. Sparks ignite behind my eyelids.

His eyes are molten crimson as he watches me ride him. “You look like fucking starlight,” he rasps, voice low and reverent. “Your pussy’s gripping me like it knows I’m yours.”

I moan, dragging my nails down his chest. “You are mine,” I whisper. “And I’m yours. All of me.”

“Then take it,” he groans, thrusting up into me with enough force to draw a cry from my throat.

My back arches. My horns catch the glow of torchlight. He palms my ass, guiding my rhythm faster, deeper, rougher. Thetower sways in shadow and flickering gold. My runes blaze, echoing the surge of pleasure building in my core.

“I love how you take me,” he grits, sweat glistening on his brow. “Like you were made for this—made for me.”

“Malphas,” I choke, the knot in my belly tightening with every grind of our hips. “I’m so close.”

He sits up, dragging me with him, until I’m wrapped around him with my legs clenched at his waist. He holds me like I’m sacred, like I’m fragile and fierce all at once. His cock is still buried inside me, hitting a spot that makes my vision white out.

“Let go,” he murmurs, kissing my jaw, my throat, my shoulder. “Let me feel you come.”

His illusions twine with mine, flickering into mirrored ribbons of power. I cry out as the pleasure finally detonates, wave after crashing wave, my body spasming in his arms. I pulse around his cock, and he snarls against my throat, hips stuttering as he thrusts once, twice—then stills.

His warmth floods into me, thick and deep, and he holds me through it, cradling my shaking body like I’m made of glass.

My heart pounds against his chest. Our breathing syncs, ragged and loud in the stillness of the ruined tower. He strokes my back with trembling fingers, and I feel the afterglow in every limb, every breath. My horns throb with lingering heat, still sparking faint magic.

“I love you,” I whisper, eyes closed.

His hand cups the back of my head, pulling me down into a slow, open-mouthed kiss. “I love you, Valentina. Every scar. Every spell. Every fucking inch.”

I melt into him, boneless and utterly undone. Our legs tangle. His cock, still damp with release, rests against my thigh. I can feel the echo of him inside me, and it leaves me warm and sated in a way I never imagined was possible. Thunder rumbles faintly outside. The world beyond might still burn—but here, in thisruined tower, wrapped in each other’s arms, I feel safe. Alive. Chosen.

We slump in the aftermath, hearts racing, breath tangling. Rain clouds drift overhead, but they don’t mar the warmth coursing through my limbs. My horns ache from the newness, my runes faintly glowing, but I’m giddy with relief. Malphas strokes a claw down my cheek, illusions settling into a gentle shimmer around his horns, no threat or hostility.

“Gods,” he rasps, burying his face in the crook of my neck. “I never thought?—”

“Me neither,” I murmur, voice cracking. “But here we are.”

A hush envelopes us, filled with the soft hush of the breeze in the pines. Our bodies remain entwined on the log. My ribs protest more now that the rush fades, but I welcome the ache, a reminder that we’re alive—and we chose this. He moves as if to help me slide off, but I cling for another moment, pressing my forehead to his. “Just… a little longer,” I say, tears burning in my eyes.

He exhales, illusions shimmering with tenderness. “As long as you want.”

We remain that way, hearts thudding together, breathing in sync. Eventually, practicality forces us to shift—my bruised muscles cramp, and the log’s bark scrapes uncomfortably. We disentangle with a series of soft laughs, me biting back groans. He helps me stand, illusions swirling to steady my limbs. My horns throb in time with my racing pulse, reminding me of my new nature.

He sets me gently on a patch of grass, then settles beside me, wings folding. “You truly are half demon now,” he says, brushing a fingertip along one of my horns. “But still you, Valentina. I see it in your eyes, your determination, your heart.”

A wave of emotion tightens my throat. “Thank you,” I whisper, lifting my hand to cup his cheek. The ephemeral lines ofhis illusions warm my skin. “I never wanted to be a demon, but… I also never wanted to watch you suffer. If this was the price for our freedom, I’ll pay it a thousand times.”

He closes his eyes, leaning into my touch. “I’m sorry it ever had to be a price. I would’ve died rather than see you forced.”