Page 83 of Demon's Heart

“You’re adorable.” Ollie glanced at the sky. “I appreciate you trying to help me with my fear of heights, but if you don’t do any unnecessary swooping, I think it’ll be okay. I’m not quite as scared as I let you believe.”

Dante pulled off his shirt and released his wings, gray feathers shimmering in the streetlight. “Why didn’t you want me flying you before if you aren’t scared of heights?”

“After everything that happened, I needed to do things myself and not rely on you. Not do something just because you told me to. Not let everything change if I didn’t want it to.” Ollie’s gut twisted. “I was being stubborn, and seeing everything through the lens of having my boundaries broken.”

Understanding crossed Dante’s face. “You were taking back control.”

It sounded silly now. But at the time, it had felt hugely important. “Getting myself home was all I could do that day. And I am a little scared of heights, so it wasn’t a total lie.”

Dante opened his arms. “Then I won’t fly higher than I need to.”

Ollie stepped into his mate’s embrace. “This time, I will wrap around you like a koala.”

Dante hummed and picked him up, holding on tight. Ollie wound his arms and legs around Dante, burying his fingers in Dante’s hair.

Dante squeezed Ollie’s ass, and he yelped, dissolving into giggles.

“I can distract you along the way,” Dante murmured in his ear.

Ollie sobered. “That sounds like a recipe for dropping me.”

“I’d never.” Dante shimmied his hips, jostling Ollie’s legs as he readjusted.

Something tickled Ollie’s lower back.

“What’s that?”

“My tail.” Dante smiled slyly as his tail crept under Ollie’s shirt, sliding over his stomach.

Ollie leaned in and bit lightly at Dante’s earlobe. “Okay, you have a deal. Distract me.”

A low rumble reverberated from Dante’s chest, the vibrations thrumming through Ollie. Dante’s tail snaked upward and flicked one of Ollie’s nipples. Ollie gasped, a jolt of pleasure lighting him up, and Dante launched into the air.

Ollie snapped his eyes shut. “Hey, that was sneaky. You didn’t warn—oh.” He shivered as Dante’s tail flicked back and forth, arms holding Ollie so tight he’d never know they were off the ground.

Okay. The wind rushing past was a giveaway. But he wouldn’t look. He wanted to enjoy this.

Ollie pressed his lips to Dante’s neck, breathing in his peppermint scent as it mixed with the night air, the two melding like Dante belonged out here in the dark sky.

He sucked on Dante’s neck, scraping his teeth over the spot. Fuck, he wanted to mark Dante. He tasted so good. So fresh. If Ollie had fangs, he’d latch on.

Dante squeezed his rear. “You’re getting hard.”

“Mm,” Ollie hummed. His cock strained against his jeans and Dante’s stomach. “We better be home soon. I’ve got ideas.”

Dante’s wingbeats sped up and they swooped. Ollie’s stomach dropped, and he yelped as he clung on.

“We’re here,” Dante murmured. “One last drop.”

They landed, and Ollie’s eyes flew open. He inspected Dante’s neck. “Aww. There’s no hickey.”

Dante laughed, carrying Ollie toward the open sliding doors. “You sound disappointed.”

“I am. It’s your demon healing, isn’t it?”

“Afraid so. You’d be the same if I tried to mark you now that we’re bonded.”

Ollie squirmed against Dante as they entered the house. He didn’t really mind. He wasn’t that into wearing or giving marks. “What about biting?”