Page 25

BEAU

G abe and I are alone for who knows how long. I know Poe and Van came for us, but the shadows did something to them. Terror rips through me, but the more I can use echolocation to get a feeling of where I am, the better odds Gabe and I have of getting out of this without him losing feathers and me being drained dry.

“Hang in there, Beau.” Gabe assures me, but I can scent his blood in the air. I don’t know where he’s hurt, but he’s not in any condition to soothe me.

I screech again and again, learning every inch of this room before I say anything.

“How badly are you hurt?” I whisper.

“I’m fine.” But Gabe’s voice is too gravelly with pain.

“You’re bleeding and not healing.” I screech again, trying to see more in the dark.

There’s a whisper of movement from Gabe. “They got some kind of collar on me. I think it’s blocking my magic. I can’t call in my wings or grow or heal. Anything.”

I finger the cold metal around my throat. “I have a collar too, but I can still echo locate. Can you run?”

“I think so.” Gabe swallows and groans when he takes a step, but he doesn’t change his answer.

“When I tell you to run, don’t let go of my hand.”

“Okay. If we get out of this, I owe you the softest blanket ever.”

I snort. “Appreciated, but you don’t owe me anything.”

Thunder rumbles around us, and I squeak. My knees tremble, but I push the fear away. It’s fake, just like Poe’s storms. I can deal with this.

“There’s a door just to our left. I don’t know if it’s locked or not, but I want to try it.”

We take tiny steps inch by inch to accommodate Gabe’s injury. He’s breathing heavy.

“Just a little further,” I say, throwing his arm over my shoulder. “We can do this.” I screech and reach out, my fingertips grazing the doorknob. I fumble with it, trying to open the damn thing, but it doesn’t move. “Fuck.” Not that I thought it’d open.

“Beau? I—” Gabe slips from my grasp and drops to the floor.

“No!”

Gabe still breathes, but he must have lost more blood than I thought. I pat him down until I find the injury on his leg. I don’t know much about injuries, but I think legs are one of the worse places for them. I press my hands to hopefully help stop the bleeding. “Don’t die. Please don’t die. I need to come to your knitting club. Learn how to knit. Meet new people. I need you to stay alive. People like you. I like you. Please.” Tears well in my eyes. I can’t lose Gabe. We don’t know each other well, but I can’t lose someone else. Not like this, not because of me. Not again.

Lights flip on, blinding me. I squeeze my eyes closed.

“Fuck!” someone shouts. “The nephilim can’t bleed out. He’s the one we need the most.”

I cling to Gabe, but someone kicks me off him and drags him away. “Wait! Please! Don’t hurt him,” I beg as they shut the door behind them. I don’t want to open my eyes, it’s too bright. There’s shuffling around the room.

“If you cooperate, we’ll let you live and we’ll just drain you a little bit.”

“Gee thanks. Sounds great,” I deadpan.

“Don’t get cheeky with me, you pathetic animal. Scared of storms. You’re a shifter. What reason do you have to be afraid of anything? Well, anything except for me.” Something sharp drags across my cheek and I pull away.

“Leave me alone. You don’t know who you’re up against.”

“Those punny crossroads demons? Pft.” The sharp edge digs into my skin and a tongue licks my cheek. “You taste so good. So much power in that tiny little bat body.”

Bile rises in my throat. “Let me go.”

“Nope. You’re mine now, little one.”

“Don’t you dare call me that.” I spit and hope it hits my mark.

“Why you little?—”

A boom blows the door open. I screech more to get my bearings than out of fear. The person scratching into my face scares me more than the explosion.

“That’s right. Cry for me. It makes the blood so much sweeter.” Another lick of my cheek before he turns to face the intruders.

“You better let him go or you’ll find yourself in tiny little pieces like the other guy,” Poe’s voice is the sweetest.

I peek one eye open to see him standing in flames with his hands up, aimed for me and my captor.

“Now, what’s it gonna be?” Poe laughs manically, throwing his head back. “Because I give zero fucks if you live or not. Beg me for mercy and I might let you live. But you’ve hurt my little sweetie and for that, you pay.” He growls and prowls towards us.

There’s a wild look in his eyes, something I’ve never seen before and I have to wonder if it’s his chaos cupid being fed by the chaos of the situation.

I try to pull myself from my captor’s arms, but he tugs me in front of him. “You wouldn’t hurt your little sweet, would you?” He presses his knife to my side. “Come any closer and I’ll open him up and drink in his blood. You don’t wanna see how powerful I am, filled with the essence of bat.” He sniffs along my throat and I thrash.

“Let me go!” I kick back, hoping a kick to the gonads would make him release me, but all that does is make him grunt. He pokes me in the ribs with the knife.

“Don’t do that again or you’ll regret it.”

I roll my eyes because that’s such a henchman thing to say if movies are any indicator. “What do you plan to do?” I say, stalling, hoping Poe can get into a position to take this guy out.

I twist and turn, wishing the stupid collar wasn’t around my neck.

“Ah,” Poe says. “Be right back.” He poofs out.

“What the fuck?” My captor relaxes enough where I can move.

I spin on him, punching him in the face before I run. My heart pounds as fast as my feet carry me to my destination.

I get to the blown open door before he kicks a foot out from under me and I trip. I grab the door frame, doing my best to keep from getting dragged back in. I just know if I’m dragged back in, I won’t get out.

Poe stands in front of me with a flaming sword. “Perfect.” He leans in and kisses my bloody cheek.

My captor screams behind me when Poe charges for him. The sword sucks in shadows until the room is as bright as the sun. I look away when Poe slices my captor in half. I don’t need to see it to know it happened. The sound is enough evidence for me.

My knees buckle before I make it very far, but before I can drop to the ground, I’m in Poe’s arms.

“Fuck. Baby.” He presses his bloodied forehead to mine. “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

I nod. “Is—Is Gabe?”

“He’s perfectly healed now. Van got the collar off and I’m sure they’re fucking in their apartment right now. We captured the ones that did this and Leo is interrogating them now.” Poe kisses my forehead. “Fuck, I thought I lost you.” Tears rim his eyes, his hands shake. “I’m not good enough to keep you safe. You need a colony.”

I cup his face. “I want to be here, with you. I’d love to visit a colony, but no one and nothing is taking me away from you.” I press my lips to his, ignoring the tangy taste of blood. “I love you, Poe. You came for me. And you’ve helped me so much. I can’t see life without you.”

“I don’t want life without you in it,” Poe squeezes me close.

“Take me home, Poe. Take me home and make me yours,” I whisper.

We’re in his big shower in an instant with steaming, hot water blasting all around us. Pink water swirls down the drain as mine and Poe’s lips press together as we strip our bloodied close from our bodies.

“I should have kept a better eye on you,” Poe says.

“Don’t blame yourself. Please , don’t.”

His hands are in my hair, scrubbing and massaging, relaxing me. We’ve gone on more than five dates, neither of us paying attention, just enjoying each other’s company, two lonely souls finally finding peace.

“I need to make sure you’re in one piece.” His fingers dab at my cut cheek. “He cut you. I wasn’t fast enough.”

“I’m okay.” I pull his hand from my face and kiss his finger. “ We’re okay.” Maybe a little traumatized. I’ve never been kidnapped before and hope never to have a repeat. That does something to a person. I don’t think storms will ever hold the same fear as they had. “Touch me. Claim me.” I nuzzle in his chest.

We’re still wet when he teleports us to his bedroom. Creamsicle murrrppphhhs and scurries from the room, no doubt knowing she doesn’t want to witness what we’re about to do.

Poe lays me so gently on the bed, his eyes tracking mine every second. He drops to his knees, spreading my legs to kneel between them. The hungry look he gives me fills my cock. I reach for one of his horns and he presses a kiss to my palm.

My back arches when he kneads my thighs. He’s so close to my dick, yet so far away. I want to tell him to do naughty things to me, but we both need the exploration. I need him to take his time and I know it, but my dick is impatient, spurting a bead of pre-cum. I fist myself and swipe the bead with my finger, offering it to my demon.

Poe’s eyes glow, and he sucks my finger, savoring the offering. Fuck, what is his mouth going to feel like on my cock?

“I haven’t touched anyone in so long before you. I want to explore every inch of your naked skin.” He kisses my thigh. My stomach, chest. I pull him down to kiss his lips again.

“I love the taste of me on your tongue,” I say, bolder than I usually am.

“I want to taste more of you,” he says against my lips.

“You have me. Take your fill.”

Poe moans and kisses back down my body. His big hands cup my ass as he scoots me to the edge of the bed. His eyes flick to me before he flattens his tongue and licks a strip from balls to crown, making me writhe. I fist the sheets.

“Poe,” I breathe out.

He slowly takes my length in his mouth, eyes fluttering shut the closer he gets to my skin. It’s as if I’m the most delectable treat he’s ever tasted. One hand leaves my ass to massage my sac. He circles my hole with his free hand. I spread my legs wider, wanting him closer. His tongue swirls around my cock.

“So close. You’re going to make me come.” I grab his horns and hold on for dear life, letting every sensation burn through me. “Poe, fuck. I’m gonna?—”

He stops and flips me on my stomach, making me yelp. My hard cock presses against the mattress and he spreads my ass cheeks. I clutch at the sheet and melt as soon as his tongue licks at my hole.

“Do you want this?” His thumb swipes across my hole and I nod.

I’m not afraid anymore, not of intimacy, not of sex, not of storms. Right now, I want to feel him inside me.

Poe kisses one ass cheek, then the other before pulling my back to his chest. “If you want to fuck me, I’m good with that, too. I’m verse and don’t exactly care what position I’m in.”

I shake my head, twisting in his arms to face him. “Not today. I need you to fuck me.”

He brushes his thumb over my bottom lip. “I’d rather make love to you.”

My body burns at the admission. “Yes, that. Make love to me.” I rub my head to his chest until he lifts my chin to kiss me.

My toes curl and I swear my brain short circuits. I’m lost to the feel of his tongue against mine. His lips against mine. We crawl into the bed together. It’s like we’ve choreographed a dance all our own. He reaches for the lube in his nightstand as he strokes my cock.

“We have to start slow,” he says.

I nod, knowing how big he is.

“My tail, is a good starter to open you up.”

I moan at the snap of the lube bottle and he fingers my hole until he decides I’m ready. My body sizzles with his every touch. I need more.

“Please,” I say, reaching for him again.

Poe straddles me, dropping to his elbows and presses his lips to mine as his tail eases into my hole.

My eyes squeeze tight. I spread my legs wider for him, taking every inch he gives me. “So good.” He hits a spot inside that lights up stars behind my eyes. “Do that again.” He does and kisses my jaw, the way I like.

“Baby, you’re so pretty like this, laid out, ready to take my cock.” He nibbles my nibbles and I have no idea what to do with my hands. I hold him to me, wanting him as close as possible.

I buck up, dragging my cock against his, needing more. His tail picks up speed and I swear it slowly grows wider.

“Poe,” I whine his name and he chuckles.

“Are you ready, baby?”

I nod, words not coming.

“Okay.” His tail pulls from me and I’m empty. I want him back. Poe pushes my thighs up. I wrap my hands around them, just like in one of the videos Sparkle sent me.

I stifle a laugh because Poe would probably be upset about the videos.

“Ready?” Poe slides his hand along my cock and I buck.

“So ready.”

We both hold our breath as he presses into my hole.

“Sweetness, you gotta breathe for me.”

I nod and do as he says, relaxing as much as possible. “So big.”

“We don’t have?—”

“Don’t you dare stop!” I grip his forearms. “Make love to me, please. I need you Poe.” More than I can ever say.

He ghosts another kiss to my lips.

Slowly, his cock fills me, and he stops. “Doing okay?”

“So big. So good.” I buck and he pegs my prostate, making a stream of pre-cum leak from my cock.

“You’re so fucking sexy like this. So debauched. My pretty little, Beau.” He thrusts his hips a few times, making us both moan. I meet every move with one of my own. My ass is going to ache later, but I don’t care.

I grab a horn and tug him to the right as I hook my leg around his to hopefully flip him to his back. I may have watched a few too many videos lately and wanted to try the move. He must understand my desire because he holds me to him as he turns and I’m on top.

My hands go to his chest and I bounce on his cock like the videos. I like having the control like this. I jerk my cock while Poe’s hands hold my hips, hold me to him so I don’t fall off. I don’t know what I’m doing, but it doesn’t matter. Poe’s guiding me and my body knows how to sing this song.

“You’re so fucking tight. I’m not gonna last much longer, sweetness.”

I’m not ready for what Sparkle says is a cream pie. We both moan when I pull off Poe, but he’s both jerking our cocks together.

“Fuck!” My head goes back and I come, shooting across his chest, lubing our cocks with my cum.

“Holy fuck!” Poe shakes as he comes, spurt after spurt shooting from his cock.

I lean down to lick our mixed spend before dropping to his side.

“Fuck,” Poe says as he pulls me in for another kiss. “Just fuck. I never want to let you go.” When he squeezes his eyes shut, tears leak out. “I’m sorry you got hurt.”

I kiss his chest, hoping to soothe my demon. “I’m okay.” And everything is going to be okay.