The intensity only climbed, rising again, faster this time, sharper, until I could feel myself slipping once more. My body was trembling under the strain of it, unable to hold back what was coming.
“Come for me,”he growled, his voice rough and commanding, that left no room for hesitation.
And I did.
It tore through me, stronger than before, leaving me breathless and shaking. Barely able to hold myself upright, even with him anchoring me there. At the same time, I felt it in him, the way his body tensed and the way something deep within him gave way. His release followed close behind mine as the tension that had driven him to this point finally broke.
The aftermath came slowly. Not all at once, but in pieces. My body sagged against him, every muscle heavy, every breath uneven as I tried to steady myself. Although it felt impossible when everything still pulsed with the echo of what had just happened.
His wings shifted around us, no longer enclosing, but softer and almost protective. His shadows stroked my body as they still held me to him, no longer restraining me.
“Shh…”he murmured, his voice lower now, quieter, though still jagged around the edges as if his demon still clung to him. His hands moved through my hair, smoothing it back gently, a stark contrast to what had come before, grounding me in a way I hadn’t realized I needed.
As though I might break.
The difference in it made something in my chest tighten. I barely registered the shift as he adjusted his hold on me, lifting me more securely, my body yielding to it without resistance, too exhausted to do anything else.
My head fell forward against his chest, my breath finally beginning to slow as the steady rhythm of him anchored me.
I didn’t know where he was taking me, and I didn’t think to ask. Knowing that as long as I remained with him, I didn’t care where I was.
“Let me take care of you,” he murmured softly, the words settling over me in a way that felt far deeper than simple reassurance.
“Always… My Siren.”
And that was the last thing I heard before the weight of it all finally pulled me under, the darkness claiming me as I slipped into it without resistance.
When I finally became aware of the room again, it wasn’t the space itself that grounded me.
It was him.
The steady rise and fall of his chest beneath my cheek. The warmth of his skin against mine, and the quiet, almost unnatural stillness that had settled around us, lingered in the aftermath.
It felt at odds with what had come before, something that had been anything but controlled, but holy Goddess, had it felt good! My entire body felt like pudding.
For a long moment, I didn’t move or speak, because I wasn’t entirely sure I trusted myself to do either. I felt as if we still had so much to talk about, mainly about what came next. Yet I was in no hurry to break the spell that it felt we had woven around each other. A bubble of happiness I was afraid would pop again at any minute.
His hand moved slowly against my back, a gentle caress rather than his usual possessive touch. Although the strength of his touch hadn’t lessened in the slightest, his presence still wrapped around me completely. It made it impossible to forget where I was, who I was with, and what this now meant.
“You’re very quiet, sweetheart,” he said, the term of endearment seemingly coming naturally to him, making my belly flutter. I let out a small breath, my gaze shifting, though I didn’t pull away, not yet.
As for where we were, somehow, I had ended up in the bed, wrapped in his arms and completely naked. Also, my skin carried the faint, unmistakable scent of having been washed, making me wonder if he had carried me to the shower first.
“I don’t know what to say,” I admitted, the honesty of it surprising even me. Because for once I wasn’t trying to argue or push back against something I didn’t understand. I was simply there, feeling it all and marveling at how right it all felt.
“You don’t have to say anything,” he replied softly, a tender smile touching his lips.
“And what happens now?” I eventually asked, curious about how all of this was even going to work. His hand shifted slightlyat my back, holding me closer as if worried I would try to slip away from him.
“Now,you stop running,”he stated. The words settled into me more easily than I expected.
“So how will this work between us… technically, you just became my boss.” At this, he chuckled, dropping his head so that he could groan in my neck, nipping me there before rumbling,
“Mmm, I like the sound of that.”I couldn’t help but giggle at that.
“Oh, I just bet you do,” I replied with a roll of my eyes and an exasperated tone that was anything but convincing.
“So, as for how this is supposed to work?” I asked, getting us back on track, or at least trying to. Something that I soon found almost impossible to do, especially when Wye rolled on top of me at the same time, sliding me beneath him.
