Page 26 of Wicked (Dark Delights #5)

Shadrach

Being inside Isaac felt better than Shadrach could’ve imagined.

His human was hot and tight and so, so responsive.

Having Isaac in his arms settled the frustrated beast that had been gnawing at him since he’d run away.

He didn’t want to put a name to the tremulous feeling inside him, didn’t want to admit that whether it strengthened or broke him hinged entirely on the puddle of a man in his arms.

“You’re still new to this. Should I have mercy on you this time, work you up to the big leagues?” he teased. His hands roamed the muscled plane of Isaac’s stomach and chest, feeling his ribs expand and contract with each breath. “You have had a long night. I could be persuaded to go easy on you.”

Isaac shot him a pissy look over his shoulder. “I’m not some delicate little flower. You said you weren’t going to stop. Don’t back down now or I’ll know your word is worthless.” He arched one brow, and Shadrach stared blankly at the audacity.

A slow, dangerous grin overtook his face. “Okay, killer. You want to play, we can play.” He ground in deep, and a punched-out noise left Isaac.

Reeling Isaac back a step, he pushed until the man was bent over, bracing his hands on the wall.

Hooking his fingers over Isaac’s shoulders, he pulled out and fucked back in hard, driving Isaac forward with a slap of his hips.

Over and over, he pounded in hard, taking what he wanted exactly how he wanted.

Strangled cries filled the air, but none of them were pleas to stop.

Isaac’s back was arching, his feet flexing.

He fucking loved it. Shadrach couldn’t remember the last time he’d fucked someone this hard.

He usually couldn’t risk it, because humans were so goddamn fragile.

But this human, his human, was anything but that—especially with Shadrach’s blood in his system.

He watched the mesmerizing flex of Isaac’s back muscles. He was like a perfect sculpture, dappled with freckles. Michelangelo himself would weep at the sight of this human’s beauty.

“Oh God, oh fuck ,” Isaac groaned suddenly, and one hand disappeared between his legs.

Dragging his fingers through Isaac’s long, dripping hair, he tugged his head back and crooned, “Are you gonna come again, killer? Think you’ve got another one in you?”

“Yes yes yes, please, hnf .”

“Not too fast, or you’ll be stuck here again.”

Growling in frustration, Isaac rocked back against him, circling his hips as he chased his own release and tried to hurry Shadrach’s along. Shadrach looked down, watching his cock disappear into Isaac’s hole over and over. Heat burned up his spine fast.

“Fuck,” he hissed, clamping a hand around the back of Isaac’s neck as he rooted in deep, grunting as he came. He didn’t move as his cock painted the inside of Isaac’s channel, his eyes rolling.

With a cry, Isaac pressed back against him, coming for the second time, shuddering and clawing at the wall.

His hole fluttered around Shadrach’s sensitive length.

The moment was so perfect—too perfect. For the first time, he understood the demons’ devotion to their humans, as loath as he was to admit it.

Shadrach laughed, stroking up and down Isaac’s pretty back, massaging the knots he found with his thumbs.

Isaac turned his head, resting his forehead on his arm against the wall. “Why are you—are you laughing at me?”

“No, killer, not at all. I’m just thinking about how much bullshit I’m going to have to put up with now.”

Isaac cast him a scowl, and he realized Isaac was interpreting that as bullshit from him .

He chuckled. “Come here,” he said, reeling Isaac upright and kissing him, sloppy and off-center because he was still inside him and unwilling to separate.

“I’m not talking about you. I’m talking about them.

The others. I’ve been on the outside looking in at their dynamics with their humans, but now… Yeah, I get it.”

Isaac softened, looking confused but no longer irritated. “Why?”

Shadrach blew out a breath. “That’s probably a longer conversation than we should have while pruning in the shower.”

With great reluctance, he let his softening cock slip from Isaac’s abused hole. He also made Isaac endure a quick inspection, and he was pleased to see no blood, just some rapidly fading redness—and rapidly emerging redness on Isaac’s face as he stood .

“Aw, killer, are you shy?” he asked as he shut off the water.

Isaac glared. “No.”

Shadrach knew better, reeling him in for a kiss and slipping his hand down, curling his middle finger against Isaac’s slick entrance.

“This is mine now, killer,” he teased. “I’ve got to make sure I take care of it.”

“Oh my God, get off me.” Isaac gave him a halfhearted elbow, and Shadrach let himself be pushed.

They toweled off, and only then did they both realize Isaac had no other clothes with him. His bloody ones were out of the question.

“Eat or sleep?” Shadrach asked. “If sleep, I humbly request you do that naked.” He grinned lecherously.

Isaac rolled his eyes. “I should’ve known you’d be insatiable.”

“Oh, you don’t know the half of it. So?”

Isaac sighed, considering as he dried off his hair. He didn’t seem to notice—or care about—his own nudity, giving Shadrach plenty of time to admire his athletic physique and the way his soft cock hung invitingly between his legs.

“Stop staring at me,” Isaac murmured.

“Hell no. Sorry, you might as well get used to it.” At his miffed look, he asked, “Does it really bother you?”

Isaac tilted his head thoughtfully. “I don’t know,” he admitted.

“I’m just not used to it. Nobody’s ever paid me much attention before.

That kind of attention, at least.” Dropping the towel, he faced Shadrach without modesty, his shoulders straight and proud.

“Sleep,” he declared. “It’s been a long…

however many days it’s been.” He combed his hands th rough his damp hair.

“Should I dry this? I don’t want to ruin your?—”

“Shut up and come on.” Shadrach grabbed his hand and hauled him out of the bathroom. “Pick a side and get in.”

“You don’t have a side you prefer?” Isaac asked, going to the side nearest the bathroom and climbing under the blankets.

“No.” Shadrach turned the lights out—and the bedside lamp immediately clicked on. He turned, surprised to see Isaac withdrawing his hand from it and sitting back with a shrug.

“I thought we were having a conversation. It’s only fair if we can both see each other for that.”

“Fair enough.” Shadrach slid into the bed beside Isaac, marveling at how domestic it felt to have someone in his bed for something other than sex. “What do you want to know?”

Isaac settled back on the pillow. “Everything. What did you mean by ‘I get it?’ You get what?”

Shadrach braced himself. It was time for the big discussion. “The truth is, you’re mine.”

Isaac frowned. “You said that once before. You meant that literally? I thought that was just a kinky thing you said during sex.”

Shadrach snorted. “Well, yes, but I meant it literally, too. You remember me telling you this in your dream, right?”

“Yeah.” Isaac winced. “I kept telling myself it was all lies, though. A trick of some kind.”

Shadrach sighed. “Not at all. My life would be a lot easier if that were the case. All of the demons at the Rink, they felt drawn to their humans. Driven to be near them and protect them. As it turns out… you’re mine.

My human. The one I feel drawn to. Up until now, I’d been on the outside looking in at th e other demons and their strange relationships with their humans.

It was frustrating at times. The demons I’d known for centuries no longer behaved in ways that made sense to me.

How could they be so devoted to these humans they’d just met?

Their choices, their behaviors, all of it changed after they met their humans. ”

“And you?” Isaac asked, frowning up at him. “You’re saying you… feel this way now, too? About me?”

Shadrach’s face softened. “Yes, killer. If any other paladin had been in that room, their blood would have painted the floor before the end of the day. I took one look at you, and I was changed. I didn’t even realize it at first. The fight with Talon…

made us all realize the truth. Ira said we’d come to blows over my human, and we did.

I’d somehow convinced myself, even though the prophet told me it would happen, that it would be different for me.

I’d be able to fight it or disregard it.

” He blew out a gusty breath. “He’s going to say ‘I told you so’ at some point, and I’m gonna have to listen to it. They all will, probably.”

Isaac’s head tilted curiously. “Have Ira’s visions ever been wrong?”

“No. I’ve asked him that. And Wolf. Every vision he’s ever had has come to pass.

The future is not as malleable as I thought.

” It was somewhat concerning to think that every decision he’d made over the course of almost a thousand years had all been leading him to this moment, but, he thought as he looked at Isaac, maybe this wasn’t such a terrible outcome.

“But you still somehow thought you’d be able to fight whatever this is?”

Shadrach glowered halfheartedly. “You should know a thing or two about being stubborn. ”

Isaac huffed out a weak laugh, curling an arm behind his head. “What does it mean, exactly, to be yours? What does it entail?”

“Ugh.” He turned away. Telling Isaac the whole truth would mean giving up all the power he wielded in this relationship. He wasn’t ready for the imbalance to swing out of his favor.

“Shadrach.” Isaac sat up, his brow furrowed seriously.

“Fine, fine,” he groused. “Based on what I’ve seen of the others, they claim their humans are theirs, but it’s really the other way around.”

“Other way around?” Isaac repeated.