Page 26 of Demon’s Desire (Lovers of the Damned #3)

NICO

“Aww shit!” Nico glared at the TV. “You’re not playing fair, Leo.”

“You’re not trying hard enough. Don’t blame me.” Leo’s voice filled Nico’s headphones, followed by laughter from the rest of the players in their band.

A crash penetrated his noise-canceling headphones, and Nico whipped his head around. Onyx was crouched, wild-eyed, outside the window.

Nico’s skin prickled at the look of sheer terror on the demon’s flushed face. “I’ve gotta go, guys.”

A chorus of no, and what, filled Nico’s ears. Onyx yanked the window open and scrambled inside, wings catching on the window frame.

“Sorry. I’ll text later. Something’s come up.” Nico whipped off the headphones and exited out of a game with a click. “Onyx, what’s wrong?”

“Why the fuck didn’t you answer your phone?” he snarled, chest heaving, wide eyes red-rimmed, and sweat lining his brow.

Nico scrambled to take it all in. “I must have left my phone in my room.”

Onyx’s gaze flared with blue fire. “In your room? This apartment is tiny, couldn’t you hear it ringing?”

“I was playing World’s End.” He gestured to the discarded headphones and controller, a hit of defensiveness in his tone.

Onyx blinked. His attention darted around the apartment, and he seemed to deflate.

Nico’s own growing tension pulled his muscles tight. “What’s going on?”

Onyx’s cheeks flushed even darker. “Nothing.”

Oh, come on. Nico crossed his arms. “Nothing? You stormed in here because I missed a call?”

Onyx clenched his fists, and his wings disappeared. He didn’t meet Nico’s eye.

Enough. Nico wasn’t letting Onyx bottle everything up. Something wasn’t right. Onyx’s blatant fear had disappeared, but it was too jarring to forget.

Nico approached and gripped Onyx’s shoulders. “What’s wrong? Why were you worried when I didn’t answer?”

Onyx closed his eyes.

Nico was on the verge of shaking him. “Please talk to me.”

“No.”

“Onyx.” Nico’s voice filled with warning, something deep inside him clenching in desperation.

“No,” Onyx said more forcefully, eyes popping open.

Nico caught his gaze and clung to it like a lifeline. “Yes. Tell me why you’re acting like something terrible happened.”

Onyx pulled away, but Nico tightened his grip. The demon allowed himself to be held, narrowing his eyes and lifting his nose. “Make me.”

So feisty, even when he was scared. Maybe especially when he was scared. If meeting Onyx’s challenge was what he needed to feel safe—to open up—then Nico could play.

“You want me to spank you, is that it? Just ask. There’s no need to cause a scene and snap at me like I’ve done something wrong.”

Onyx spluttered. “I’m not causing a scene. It’s not my fault you ignored my calls. Am I not allowed to be upset?”

“Of course you’re allowed to be upset, but I don’t think missing your calls is the problem. What happened?”

Onyx trembled in Nico’s hold. “Nothing. I thought… Nothing.”

Onyx resisted like it was the only thing keeping him together. What was he scared of?

Nico tightened his grip. He wasn’t backing down. “We both know you’re lying. This isn’t nothing.”

Onyx shook his head, his gaze darting around like a trapped animal.

“Were you worried about me? Did you think there was a reason I didn’t answer?”

“No,” Onyx whispered. “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.”

“Then what do you need? You’re upset about something, and don’t tell me it’s that I missed a phone call.”

“It wasn’t one phone call,” Onyx snarled.

“My mistake. But what did I tell you about barging in here and getting angry at me for no reason?”

Onyx’s chin jutted out. “I’m not allowed to do that.”

“No.” Nico tilted Onyx’s chin up. “So tell me your reason for barging in, or accept your punishment.”

Onyx shivered, his eyes bloodshot like he’d been crying. His voice broke. “I’m a mess. Just make me feel better.”

Nico’s chest expanded, warmth flooding him. Maybe it was a small admission on Onyx’s part, but it was a start. “I can do that. I’ve told you I’ll give you what you need, if you ask.”

Onyx’s eyes flashed. “I did ask.”

“Sounded more like a demand. Want to try again?”

Onyx pursed his lips. “I need you to help me calm down. Can you help me? Please?” He added the last word so quietly it was almost inaudible.

Nico stroked Onyx’s cheek. “Good boy.”

Onyx’s eyes fluttered closed, and some of the tension seemed to flee his rigid stance.

Nico released Onyx and cleared his throat. “Take off your clothes and bend over the couch.”

Onyx’s face flamed, even his forehead turned red, but he quietly complied. Shedding his jeans and underwear, he stepped toward the couch.

“Over the arm.” Nico guided him to the right spot and Onyx bent over, offering up his bare ass.

He was beautiful naked. Nico couldn’t believe he was getting to see this. Onyx arched his back, tattooed skin on full display. He folded his arms on the couch cushion and buried his face in them, then spread his legs.

Nico approached. The dark hair on Onyx’s legs turned lighter on his thighs, and he either waxed or groomed with magic because his ass and balls were bare.

A shiver rocked Onyx’s body, but he stayed quiet, the silence unsettling. Onyx should be goading Nico into hurrying up. He should be complaining, reminding Nico he could get someone else to satisfy him if Nico didn’t get on with it.

Something had changed. Nico had no idea what, but he wouldn’t let Onyx down. If this was how he wanted to be comforted, then they were a perfect match.

“I’m going to spank you for bursting in here and yelling at me. Unless you’re ready to tell me what’s really going on.”

“There’s nothing to say.” Onyx’s voice came out muffled, face wedged into the crook of his arm.

“All right. If that’s how it’s going to be.” Nico brought his palm down on Onyx’s ass with a satisfying crack.

Onyx tensed beneath him, jolting forward. Nico cast the spell to counteract as much of Onyx’s healing as he could and smacked him again.

Onyx tensed further.

“Relax, or this is only going to hurt more.”

Onyx turned his head to the side and glared over his shoulder. “You don’t think I know that?”

Nico smiled and smacked him again, heart thudding as Onyx’s eyelids fluttered. “You want this to hurt? You want me to force you to relax?”

Onyx muttered something incoherent.

Nico smack him three times in a row, his palm tingling, and his cock strained against his jeans. Onyx took each hit without a sound, his body seeming to tense further with each blow.

“You can let go.” Nico smacked Onyx harder. “It’s okay. It’s all right to be scared or upset. It’s okay to come to me. But you can’t show up and lie.”

Each statement was marked with a slap. Onyx’s ass bloomed pink and Nico swore the tattoo of his tail quivered.

“Are you ready to tell me what this is about?”

“No.” Onyx reburied his face in his arms.

“Okay.” Nico gripped an ass cheek in each hand and spread Onyx wide, exposing his pink hole. Onyx’s pucker clenched, and Nico bit his lip.

He wanted inside this perfect ass, but Onyx was so tense he had to be about to snap, and that wasn’t how Nico wanted him. There needed to be no resistance left, no more fight, only Onyx’s true desires laid bare.

Nico let go and spanked Onyx, setting a punishing rhythm. Nico’s palm burned as Onyx’s ass reddened. It didn’t matter. All Nico cared about was seeing Onyx’s muscles go lax, his shoulders unbunch, his knees go weak until he stopped bracing against Nico’s blows, his toes curled in the carpet.

“That’s it,” Nico praised, not letting up, sweat dampening his brow. “Relax. Let it burn. This is what you needed. You have to remember it’s okay to tell me that. You can tell me anything. I’m here for you. You don’t have to lie.”

Onyx whimpered. “Nico, please.”

Nico rubbed Onyx’s lower back. “Please, what? Are you ready to talk to me?”

“No. Keep…keep going. Please. I need to feel you.”

Nico trailed his hand lower, grazing Onyx’s tail tattoo.

“Oh, aah,” Onyx cried out.

“Does that feel good?” Nico brushed the tattoo again, and Onyx’s whole body convulsed.

“Nico.” Onyx’s voice was high-pitched, almost panicked. He struggled to push himself up.

Nico leaned over and pushed Onyx’s head down, bracketing Onyx’s body with his, and tangling his hand in Onyx’s hair. “I didn’t say you could get up. Tell me, does it feel good when I touch your tail?”

“Y-yes.” Onyx’s voice shook, and he choked on a sob. He hadn’t broken into tears like last time, but he sounded on the verge of collapse.

Nico massaged Onyx’s scalp. “Is it okay for me to touch your tail?”

Onyx wiggled beneath him, ass rubbing against Nico’s groin, but he didn’t speak.

“Stop rubbing that needy ass against me. I need an answer. Touching your tail: tell me a color.”

Onyx shivered. “Green.” The word came out breathy, like Onyx was releasing the last bit of air from a balloon, and at last, his tension disappeared, his body going limp beneath Nico.

Fuck. Nico’s pulse pounded. “Good boy. You’re doing so well.”

Onyx leaned into Nico’s touch, rubbing his head against Nico’s hand like a cat. “Is my punishment over?”

“Are you ready to talk?”

Some of Onyx’s tension returned. “Fuck off. You know that’s not what I want.”

Nico smiled. “No, you want me to spank you until you can’t see straight. I bet your demon healing is already soothing your naughty ass.”

Onyx released a strangled sound.

Nico stood, gaze raking over Onyx’s prone form. The tattoo of his wings seemed to glow blue, feathers outlined so intricately they almost looked real.

He was the most wonderful thing Nico had ever seen.

Nico brought his hand down and watched Onyx’s ass bounce. He spanked him until he panted with the effort. Soft pleas fell from Onyx’s lips each time Nico’s hand met his thoroughly pummeled rear.

Onyx lay there and took it, his ass as red as his flushed face, but he didn’t let go. Tension lined his brow. He needed more.

Maybe he wouldn’t ever want to talk about what brought him here, and there was nothing Nico could do.