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His head jerked back, “You know?”

“I do. Marv told me.” A snicker burst past my lips as his confused expression turned to bemused irritation.

“And when in the bleedin’ Hell did that demon bastard chat you up?”

Understanding gentled my smirk as I realized we never had a chance to really discuss the body snatching event since Monstera was already at my apartment after class that day. “A few days ago, right after we fooled around in the classroom. You checked out for a while.”

“Ah, I see.” His grey eyebrow rose, head tilting. “You're not upset?”

I prodded him in the scaly shin with my toes. “Not in the slightest.”

“Clear something up for me then. When we agreed on our arrangement, you were very adamant that this was nothing more than just fucking.”

“I don’t believe I worded it that way, but yes, essentially that’s what I said,” I grumbled. “Am I not allowed to change my mind?” Bane’s familiar grin brightened his features.

Clearing my throat, I continued. “That all being said, I have a theory on why your wings are now colorful.”

He winked, then squeezed me to his chest. “Let’s hear it then. I do love listening to that brainy mind of yours work.”

“I think you unlocked some part deep in your psyche when you finally admitted to yourself that this time your demons weren’t playing tricks on you and that whatever is binding us,” I touched a hand to my sternum, “is real. That's when the magic changed, or rather added, color to your wings. Do they feel any different to you?” I asked, trying to remain aloof and failing miserably.

“No,” he replied and rolled on top of me, eyeing me with mock suspicion, then pressed kisses all over my face, neck, and upper chest. “Hmph. You’re calmer than I expected.”

I shrugged. “You’re the one who introduced me to the supernatural world, and I handled that with just as much grace. Why would learning of mate bonds or magic altering your wings be any different? Furthermore, you told me before magic has a will of its own. Logically, it all fits together quite nicely.”

My lips curved into a smile as he captured them with his own, slipping his tongue into my mouth and twirling it in an erotic dance. Nonetheless, there were more questions that needed answering. I grabbed his horns and pulled him back. “I do have another question though.”

“Oh?” he asked huskily, accent deepening, “And what might that be?”

“These,” I replied, cupping the side of his face with the tattoos. “What’s their purpose? They seem more significant than the others.” Bane froze beneath my hand, and for a moment, I feared he would dismiss my question.

Fortunately, my fears evaporated as he explained everything in a rush. “Their purpose is to keep my mind in one piece. Well, from fracturing further. The Heechus performed a ritual.” He held a long, clawed finger over my lips. “Before you ask, I couldn’t even begin to explain said ritual as my mental state was one giant knotted clusterfuck, so I don’t remember much. But essentially, the Heechus magically tattooed these runes on me with a mixture of healing magic and sort of an exorcism.” He chuckled. “They banished a great deal of demons who seeped into my body and brain when I was weakest. Huff said when they found me, I was a shell. There I was, full stone form on display, rocking back and forth with my wings wrapped so tightly around me like I was trying to physically hold myself together, muttering to himself in coherently. The Heechus only caught snippets of what I mumbled, but they still decided they had to do something to help me.”

I gasped. “And no one saw you sitting on the steps? Besides the Heechus I mean. You were on a goddamn college campus.”

“No,” he laughed shortly, “by some stroke of luck, or gift of fate, it was over the winter break, so the campus was near barren of humans.”

I snuggled into his side, realizing this was difficult for him to talk about. Naturally, I had about a dozen more questions, at minimum, but it wasn't the time to voice them. My lungs inflated as I breathed in and out slowly. “I'm so glad they found you.”

“Me too, Honeybee. Me too.”

“Will you tell me what they say?”

Bane choked on a booming laugh, causing me to almost jump out of my skin. “You haven't translated them already? I'd wagered that would be one of the first things you’d do after Huff slipped you that key to sorting out my notes.”

Heat warmed my cheeks. “I could've taken the time to translate them, but it felt like a breach of your privacy.” I rubbed my face into the surprisingly soft stone fur on his neck. My mind still struggled to comprehend how that was possible, all the same, it was too. I was just glad I wasn’t sanding my skin off every time I nuzzled or moved against him.

He swallowed. “It says, Bind the demons that lie within. Reveal the truths made hidden herein. Protect the mind from further decay.”

“That's really beautiful,” I whispered, stroking a hand idly over a wing.

“Do you see now why I call them my family?”

I huffed in amusement. “I understood before now, asshole. Everything you just told me cemented the fact that they were meant to be your family all along, not the clan that didn’t appreciate you. The circumstances of how you came into being were completely out of your control. Yet, they missed abused you for it?” A scowl formed on my face. “Doesn't make any fucking sense.”

My palm collided with his pecs, shoving against unmovable chest, and Bane obediently flipped onto his back despite how uncomfortable it had to be to lie on his wings. The mate bond twitched as anger rose within me.

“In fact,” I elucidated, straddling his hips, “I'm glad they banished you.” Bane flinched and his smile dimmed. My lips met his smooth forehead as I pressed a kiss upon him. “If they didn't, who would you have become? How else would they have mistreated you? You wouldn’t have met Huff and the other Heechus.”