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Love

Ambrosius

“ G wen—”

“Please?”

Ambrosius sighed, leaning against his cane.

They were standing outside an office room, where Gwen had indicated three humans were being kept captive.

Ambrosius could sense their souls—frightened, traumatized, but unsoiled by his influence.

“They’re humans—”

“Yes, and they’re innocent in this case. Please, Ambrosius. I killed for you—multiple times. I was stabbed, punched, and even lost an arm tonight. Look, I’m asking you to spare human life. For me, ” Gwen pleaded, curling Piki closer to her chest.

The demon hated that she had a point, but Ambrosius hated that he was already giving into her demands even more .

“ Fine, ” he hissed.

Gwen’s expression turned to joy.

She pressed close, sweetly pressing a kiss to his cheek.

The sensation pleased him, a fact he was reluctant to acknowledge.

“Thank you,” she said.

Ushering the humans through the store was taxing on Ambrosius.

If it was up to him, they’d leave them in the small lot behind the building.

However, Gwen was quick to fight him on that.

Instead, they tied them together in a line with the spare rope found in the office.

Gwen led them through the storage space toward the backdoor.

Ambrosius was regulated to clearing a path of bodies, to not upset the already frightened humans.

Once the door opened, Gwen led her troop of humans outside.

They were all still frightened, but there was some relief in a few of them as they felt the chill in the air.

“Now what?” Ambrosius asked against her ear.

Gwen glanced behind her, carefully pulling the humans around the corner of the store and toward the front.

Her small pet followed behind her obediently.

“I don’t know, but we can’t leave them like this,” she whispered.

“Of course we can.”

“No,” Gwen argued.

“We have to cut them free.”

Ambrosius didn’t think they needed to do anything.

His priority was to whisk Gwen back to her apartment and tend to her.

While his power had sustained her through several murders, she had taken quite a bit of damage.

It was now a strain on her, as her body was focused entirely on mending what Gwen had pushed to the limits.

Ambrosius doubted Gwen realized how close she was to falling over with the latent adrenaline still rushing through her veins.

And it wasn’t as if Ambrosius had completely recovered yet, either.

The strain of the night, on top of funneling so much of his reserved energy into keeping Gwen alive, had been one of the most taxing nights of his existence.

Yet, Ambrosius knew Gwen had him.

Her request to spare their lives meant they were to be kept safe.

At least for this particular night.

Afterward, Ambrosius could promise nothing.

Gwen sat the three humans on the curb, reaching for the rope to free one of the woman’s hands.

Ambrosius stalled her, bending onto his knee next to Gwen.

“You’re incredibly fortunate that we found you when we did. Which is why I can’t stress enough that no matter what happens after tonight, you do not breathe a single word that you saw us. Say whatever you like to the authorities, but leave us out of it .”

The trio of humans nodded, and Ambrosius sensed their souls—at least in the moment—were true.

Satisfied, he stood, walking around them to stand closer to one of the large pillars.

It was honestly best that they looked at him as little as possible.

A fact that Gwen appeared to understand as she unbound their wrists and—

“Whoa, what happened here? Gwen, are you okay?”

Ambrosius’ gaze snapped toward an SUV that had pulled into the parking lot.

The window rolled down revealing a handsome face that—

“Dr. Monday!” Gwen exclaimed.

“I … what are you doing here so late?”

“I could ask you the same thing. ”

Gwen was stumbling, overwhelmed with trying to reach some kind of explanation.

Luckily, that was why she had him.

Ambrosius came up to Gwen’s side, eyeing the man with a knowing stare.

“It appears there was quite the horrific scene inside. The kind that may draw questionable attention, given several sets of teeth were taken, if you catch my meaning?”

It was a bit of a gamble, but he knew that scent anywhere.

Curdled milk and fresh teeth.

If he was correct, there was a strong chance his hands were already tied.

And exposure was the last thing either of them wanted.

Take the bait, Ambrosius thought.

The man paused, face betraying nothing.

“Any other survivors?” he asked.

Checkmate.

“Just the three,” Ambrosius replied, gesturing to the still-bound survivors.

“Okay, I’ll handle it.”

“What?” Gwen gaped.

“Dr. Monday—”

“You heard the good doctor, my bittersweet. He has it handled,” Ambrosius said.

Dr. Monday exited his car, and at Gwen’s confused look, he smiled.

Ambrosius wanted to take his head off.

“It’s okay, Gwen. I’m sure your … patron will explain everything later. Just trust me, I’ll make sure these three make it home safely,” he assured.

“Hear that? All taken care of. Let’s go,” Ambrosius insisted, wrapping an arm around Gwen’s waist.

It was possessive—Ambrosius wouldn’t deny it.

In fact, he relished in it as Gwen was wholly his now.

Without the threat of the human cultists looming over them, they were tied in a way that nothing short of death could ever separate them now.

“I … um, okay … thank you?” Gwen offered, even as Ambrosius pulled her away.

“You’re welcome,” Dr. Monday smiled.

Fucking fae!

They walked away as Dr. Monday began to remove the gag and blindfold of one of the survivors.

Piki’s tiny legs somehow managed to keep up with them.

Ambrosius could feel Gwen glancing over her shoulder, feeling a nervous energy inside of her.

“Mrs. Han!” Gwen called, darting from his side.

Ambrosius wanted to curse.

An elderly Korean woman looked in her direction.

She looked frightened and exhausted, and perhaps horrified by Gwen’s appearance.

“Thank you for that day,” Gwen said.

“For telling me about the Maddie doll and the antique store. It changed my life in more ways than you can imagine.”

Mrs. Han stared back at Gwen in confusion.

“I’m sorry, honey, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never told you about any antique store.”

Gwen frowned, but Ambrosius knew better.

He could tell by the way Dr. Monday tensed, could see the way something shimmered beneath the surface of his skin.

Still, Ambrosius would never thank a shape shifting fae for bringing Gwen into his life.

In fact, he refused.

It was four in the morning by the time they made it back to Gwen’s apartment.

His warlock was practically dead weight, pressing against the wall to keep herself upright as Ambrosius shut the door behind them.

Piki immediately took off to explore the apartment.

“Is it time for the ritual sex now?” Gwen sleepily inquired.

Ambrosius laughed.

“No, my bittersweet. That was a joke, and even if it wasn’t, you’re much too exhausted to be having sex right now,” Ambrosius ushered Gwen toward the bathroom.

The spider colony had diminished in numbers.

Most likely, their spiritual existence had burned up during Gwen’s antics.

Though, Ambrosius spotted a few that lingered as his spectral hands ran a bath.

He peeled Gwen from her ruined dress—a pity, given how lovely she had looked in it.

Ambrosius would have to rebuild the gown later.

He eased Gwen into the bath, spectral hands keeping her drowsy head above the water as Ambrosius cleaned the blood and dead flesh away.

Her body had healed remarkably well, though Ambrosius could see the way her soul was struggling under the weight of all she had gone through.

With Gwen thoroughly cleaned of the horrors of the night, Ambrosius carefully pulled her from the bath.

He methodically dried her, making sure every drop of water was erased from her skin before wrapping her in a robe he found at the back of her closet.

It was much softer than any of the sleeping shirts she wore in the past.

Piki had also vanished, most likely from Gwen’s weakening state.

Sustaining her little pet took energy that she simply no longer had.

But if she so wished it, the little beast would be there when she woke up.

“I’m proud of you, my bittersweet,” Ambrosius praised as he laid her onto the bed.

“I couldn’t have asked for a more devoted warlock.”

“Thank you,” Gwen murmured.

“It was easy…”

“Oh, I’m sure ,” Ambrosius smiled.

“M’serious … it was easy … ‘cause I love you…”

Love.

It was a word that Ambrosius still couldn’t actualize. It was as abstract and unnatural to him as demons were to humans. If Ambrosius could compare it to anything, he imagined it was a lot like madness. Something that crept into his being without his notice, and that despite his best efforts, could not be stopped. A cosmic entity as unknown to him as the thing in the ether. A thing that made him wild, irrational, and starving.

All for her.

Ambrosius wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to say the words, as they didn’t make sense to him. It felt heavy in his mouth, like a ball of lead that burned his tongue. He thought about saying it as he brushed Gwen’s hair from her temple, but she needed rest. She’d most likely sleep for days, and he would be long gone by then.

He let go of her hair, shifting to push away when Gwen’s fingers locked around the strap of his harness.

“Don’t go…

” she whispered. “Not until you have to…”

Ambrosius may not have been ready to offer her love—at least not in the way she wanted it—but he could at least offer her this.

The demon settled beside her, pulling Gwen as close to his ribs as he could.

She curled into him, taking his hands to hold close to her chest as she pressed her spine into him.

“Is this all right?” he asked.

“To just … hold you like this?”

Gwen sighed.

“Of course … all I ever wanted was to keep you. I know I can’t, not really, but I’d rather take what time I can with you.”

“You don’t need to keep me,” Ambrosius whispered against her ear.

“You already have me. You’ve always had me, my gorgeous girl. From the moment you walked into my antique shop.”

“Me, too,” she whimpered.

“I’ve never felt anything like this, but I’m yours, Ambrosius. I’m yours—”

Ambrosius turned her face enough to kiss her.

The feeling overwhelmed him, this peculiar tenderness.

It didn’t make sense, but Gwen was right.

Nothing about them was normal, so why would this be any different?

The intensity of the feeling grew with every slow and messy meeting of their mouths.

Despite Gwen’s fatigue, she still ground her ass against his cock.

She still whimpered when he loosened her robe and slipped his hands beneath.

She ripped her mouth from his as he toyed with her breasts, panting and eager.

Ambrosius closed his mouth onto her bare shoulder, biting hard enough for blood to swell to the surface.

It made Gwen arch, crying in pleasure.

“I know I said—”

“It’s fine, it’s fine!” Gwen whispered.

“Please, please, can you—”

“Yes, yes, give me a moment— ”

With Gwen’s assistance, they managed to shove his pants away, allowing Ambrosius to slip his cock between Gwen’s thighs.

She wiggled, gasping as he slid against her wet cunt.

The sensation made Ambrosius hold her tighter as he rolled his hips.

The tease soon became too much for either of them, and Ambrosius ended their suffering.

Gwen moaned loudly as Ambrosius slid inside, gripping his neck as the other hand held onto his wrist. He panted against her neck, eyes nearly rolling back into his head at the delicious grip she had on him.

It took all his effort not to slip into his more demonic form as Gwen impatiently shifted her hips.

“Fuck, Ro,” Gwen whined.

“I can’t—”

“I know, I know,” Ambrosius groaned in return.

“I don’t think I can either.”

The lazy movement quickly grew frantic.

The heat between them soon became damp with their heavy breaths.

Gwen was so much, even as Ambrosius pulled her leg aside to reach between her thighs.

Her cries only grew louder with every push of his hips and the brush of his fingers.

Her foot curled against his calf as her body finally arched.

“Are you—”

“Yes, I’m—oh!”

“Good,” Ambrosius panted, “Me too. Fuck! ”

The intensity of the release left them both shaking, hot and sticky as they clung to each other.

While the encounter had been relatively short in comparison to others, it left them both sensitive and panting.

Gwen cried out at the loss of him as Ambrosius gently rolled her to face him .

He kissed her cheek, then her lips, and kept kissing any part of her he could reach.

When his lips found her breast, he pulled her nipple into his mouth.

His teeth pressed into the tender flesh until blood spilled again.

Gwen gasped, hands clutching his head close, before he eventually pulled away.

Blood and saliva connected by a thin strand to his mouth.

“Goddamn it, Ro,” Gwen cursed, a hand bashfully moving to cover her mouth.

“Too much?”

Gwen shook her head.

“Never.”

Ambrosius grinned, pulling her shy hand to his mouth.

Gwen watched, eyes dilating as he pulled her ring finger into his mouth.

He sucked on the small digit, rolling his tongue against her fingertip before his teeth came down.

Gwen winced, then whined as Ambrosius dragged his tongue back.

Her finger now had small teeth marks around the base, encircling it like a ring.

“I’m not sure if I can say it…” Ambrosius pressed a kiss to her palm.

“But I hope you understand what this means?”

Gwen eyed the marks on her ring finger, her post sex mind slowly putting the pieces together.

He saw the moment she understood, her amber eyes glimmering with all her human emotions.

“I do,” she whispered.

“I do.”

Ambrosius smiled. They kissed.