Page 26 of His to Ruin

At my silent command, the writhing shadows binding his wrists and ankles slither away from his skin, retreating back into the abyssal darkness. He is free now, though utterly exhausted; even if he had the strength to move, I suspect he wouldn’t flee from this moment.

A low growl of pleasure rumbles in my throat as I feel his inner muscles still fluttering around my length, which remainshilted deep inside him. Reluctantly, I begin to withdraw. Inch by inch, I drag myself out of his warmth, my cock slick with our combined fluids. His tight passage clenches in protest, and a whimper escapes his lips as I finally slide free of his body. A thick trickle of my seed immediately follows, leaking from his well-used hole and dribbling down. The sight of my cum spilling from him sends a bolt of fierce satisfaction through me—a primal thrill at seeing him marked inside and out as mine.

My gaze drifts lower to where his own release glistens in pearlescent stripes across his toned stomach. Unable to resist, I dip two clawed fingers into the sticky mess on his abdomen, gathering up the cooling semen. He stirs faintly at the subtle touch, a shuddering sigh slipping from his lips.

Slowly, I bring my fingers to my mouth and lick them clean, humming in delight as I taste my little human’s essence. The flavor of his climax is as sweet on my tongue as his cries were to my ears, and I growl approvingly.Delicious.

Christian’s pale lashes are closed, eyes shut in exhaustion, and a stray lock of his damp hair clings to his forehead. I run my fingertips lightly along the faint red marks encircling his wrists where the shadowy restraints held him.

In the corner of this conjured bedroom, something pale draws my attention. At the foot of the bed lies a discarded garment—a white hospital robe. My eyes narrow at the sight of it. A fragment of his subconscious, perhaps—a frayed shred of memory pushing into our dream. The sight of that innocuous white robe sends a spike of irritation through me; it represents a world that once hurt or confined him, a past pain creeping uninvited into our sanctuary.

Not tonight.

A low growl reverberates in my chest as I flick my fingers sharply. In response, the offending robe dissolves into black smoke, banished back to whatever corner of his mind itemerged from. I will not allow the ghosts of his past to intrude here. Not while he lies in my arms, safe and mine.

In this realm of nightmares and dreams, I am the master.

I decide what influences reach him, and I have vowed that nothing will harm my precious human—not even his own memories.

There’s a subtle shift in the air, the first tug of the waking world. Though the void around us remains dark, I sense a pale light gathering beyond the edges of this dream. Dawn approaches. A faint silver glimmer seeps in at the periphery of my vision where solid darkness once reigned, like watercolor paint bleeding on paper. The realization makes me clench my jaw.

Morning.

Already?

A hiss of displeasure slips from between my teeth before I can stop it. How I despise the coming of daylight and the way it steals Christian from my grasp, weakening the bond of the dream. Yet no matter how I snarl or curse, I cannot halt the turning of the earth.

The mortal world calls to him; his time in sleep is drawing to an end, with or without my consent.

Christian murmurs softly, a faint noise of protest as if some part of him realizes I’ll soon be gone. Now lying beside him, his head turns toward me and his fingers twitch, grasping weakly at the air. Even in the depths of exhaustion, he unconsciously seeks me. The corner of my mouth lifts in a rare, fond smile at that. I shift onto my side, gathering him against me for a few final moments. He instinctively nuzzles into my chest, pressing his face against the slick skin just below my collarbone, and I curl a muscular arm around his back.

“Shhh, I’m here,” I breathe, barely louder than a sigh.

In response, he settles. The tiny furrow in his browsmoothing out as I hold him close. His arm comes up sluggishly, draping across my waist in a loose embrace. The gesture is clumsy, half-conscious, but it warms something deep inside me nonetheless.

I cradle him like that, my claws retracted to avoid scratching his delicate skin, and allow myself a moment to simply feel. His heartbeat against my ribs is a steady, comforting drum. His breathing is soft and even, ruffling against my chest with each exhale. I close my eyes and let out a slow breath, trying to name the unfamiliar warmth blooming in my chest.

Whatever it is, I know I cannot deny it: this mortal has become precious to me.

Another ripple shudders through the dream, the telltale sign of the approaching dawn growing stronger. The edges of the room begin to lighten from black to gray, the darkness peeling back like thinning smoke.

My time here is almost up.

I tighten my hold on Christian for an instant, a last surge of possessiveness flaring hot inside me. I earned this night with him. I am loath to surrender it to the day. Mine, my instincts snarl again, unwilling to let go. But I force myself to loosen my grip before it turns painful.

I will not wake him with my frustration.

He sighs softly as I ease him back onto the mattress. His eyes remain closed; he’s still deep in slumber, thoroughly spent and blissfully unaware of the battle raging in my thoughts. Gently, I lean over him and press a tender kiss to his temple. His skin is hot and salty with sweat under my lips.

“Rest now, my Little Nightmare,” I whisper against his damp hairline. “You are safe.”

A small, content smile ghosts over his parted lips as if heheard me on some level. I can’t help but smile in return, a rare softness easing the usual hunger in my features.

Reluctantly, I rise from the bed. The mattress barely shifts as I move; in this dream-space I can be as weightless as a shadow when I wish. He will wake with these reminders imprinted on his body, and though his logical mind may try to dismiss our encounter as “just a dream,” his body will know the truth. A low purr resonates in my chest at the thought.

Let him remember.

Let him feel me even under the sun’s touch.