“I should’ve expected this, honestly,” Shadrach murmured, his hands stroking Isaac’s body in slow, soothing motions. The sound of his low voice set Isaac at ease. “You’ve already been through a lot, and the humans say your brains are fragile, that you need time to process big events. I should’ve known all of that combined with this kind of surrender would send you into sub-drop.”
Isaac made a curious noise in his throat, unwilling to raise his head yet. He slipped his arms around Shadrach’s waist.
“It happens sometimes after intense play.” His fingers cradled Isaac’s head. “It can make you feel sad. I’ve never really bothered with aftercare, though, so if there’s something in particular you want from me, just let me know.”
“Aftercare?” he croaked. He rebelled against the word on principle, because it sounded too much like coddling.
“Mm-hm. This. Tending to a partner afterward.”
Shadrach had never bothered doing this with anyone else? “Why not?” He tilted his head back so he could peer up at Shadrach’s handsome face.
“Because I didn’t care about them. They were all consenting adults who knew what they were getting into. After it was over, they could fuck off and take care of themselves.”
A little shiver went down Isaac’s spine. “And me?”
Shadrach’s eyes narrowed at him. “I’m starting to think you just like to hear me say it.”
“Maybe I do.”
Shadrach curled an arm around the back of Isaac’s neck and tipped them sideways, almost as though he was dipping Isaac during a dance. He licked a wet stripe up both of Isaac’s lips, causing him to sputter. “You’remine, killer. Mine to hurt, mine to pamper, mine to kiss and fight and fuck and hold. You’re not like anyone else I’ve ever met. None of those others were mine. You are. They didn’t matter. You do. You’re special.”
Heat flickered to life under Isaac’s skin. “Special,” he repeated. He’d never been called that before.
“Yes. I have lived for thousands of years and never felt this way. Whether you choose to believe that is up to you.”
Isaac tightened his arms around Shadrach and leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips. “I’m starting to.”
A low rumble left Shadrach as he straightened them once more, a sound so akin to a purr that it brought a smile to Isaac’s lips. He’d always wanted a pet, but Sloan and Hawley had forbidden it. They’d been afraid he would harm it.
He pointedly turned his attention away from those bitter memories, focusing on the naked body of the demon in his arms.
Shadrach could do things he didn’t know halflings could do. Could all halflings teleport like Shadrach and Talon? Why didn’t the guild know about that?
“I didn’t know halflings could teleport,” Isaac said. “How is that possible?”
Shadrach chuckled. “I’m not a halfling.”
Isaac blinked. “What are you?”
“I’m a leviathan. We’re much worse than halflings.” Shadrach grinned, but the gentle way his fingers trailed up and down Isaac’s spine belied his words.
“What’s a leviathan?” he asked, boneless underShadrach’s clever touch. He never wanted to move from this spot.
“Me.”
Isaac cast him an unamused look. “No, really. We aren’t taught about leviathans. They’re mentioned in some old text about being ancient beasts, I think. I thought you were a halfling. I thought all demons who looked human were called halflings.”
Shadrach chuckled. “Aw, killer, that’s cute.”
Isaac thumped him on the chest. “Come on, I’m serious.”
“Leviathans are just a type of demon, that’s all. We look human but have black eyes. We can teleport and dreamwalk. We’re stronger and heal faster than halflings. I can even move things with my mind, but it takes a lot of effort. Neither Talon nor I do it very often.”
“Move things with your mind?” Isaac repeated. “Show me.”
Shadrach’s gaze wandered as he searched for something. He pointed wordlessly at the bathroom door, and then the door slammed shut. Isaac gaped.
“That’s awesome. Giving me your blood won’t let me do that, will it?”
