Chapter 23 Nico #2
Onyx closed his eyes like he was in pain. “I hate him for tempting me to trust him again—but I can’t ignore it. I can’t lock him out when part of me longs to speak to him. I want to listen even if I feel like a fool for it.”
“Wanting to help your brother doesn’t make you a fool.”
“In the case of the Devil, it does.” Onyx gazed at Nico with a pained expression. “I can’t trust him again. It hurts too much. I don’t want him killed, but I can’t give him any more of me.”
Nico’s heart clenched. “What did he do to you, little butterfly?”
Onyx’s lashes fluttered, his voice breaking. “He left me.”
Nico cupped the back of Onyx’s neck securely, squeezing and stroking his thumb through the hair at Onyx’s nape. “I’m sorry.”
Onyx seemed to find strength in the touch.
Vulnerability shone in his eyes, but he didn’t back down.
“Luc was going to leave me behind in the Eternal Realm, even though I begged him not to go to Earth. I couldn’t stand how much it hurt, so I followed him.
But he didn’t care. None of them cared. They still don’t. ”
Onyx’s naked pain tore Nico to bits. “That’s why you fell?” To not be left behind.
“Yes. I was so fucking stupid. The biggest fool. I didn’t care about mates. I never even requested mine like the others did. I figured I’d want one eventually, but a mate wasn’t everything. I needed my brothers, and they were going to leave me.”
Onyx swallowed, blinking away the moisture gathering in his eyes.
“Luc never acknowledged that I’d fallen for him.
Nothing ever changed. He never cared. All he did was use my love for him to take advantage of me and get what he wanted.
And I hate him. I hate how much I want him to care about me.
I don’t want him dead, but I can’t trust him.
He doesn’t get another chance. He’s wasted them all. ”
Nico pulled Onyx close, his slight body trembling. Onyx’s hurt was so devastatingly simple. So understandable.
What would thousands of years of rejection do to someone? Make them guarded. Push them to test everyone. Show them they could never count on anyone to put them first. Sharpen all their edges into defensive spines.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Nico murmured into Onyx’s silk-soft hair.
Onyx’s breath caught and he gripped Nico’s T-shirt like he couldn’t help clinging.
“I’m not leaving you behind, and you can’t push me away.”
“That scares me. I don’t know why. I want you to stay but it freaks me out that you might. I can’t explain it.”
“You don’t have to explain. All you have to do is tell me how you feel.”
“Is that all?” A laugh ghosted past Onyx’s lips. “Even when it’s not logical? Like how I want to be taken care of. Me, an immortal. Deep down all I want is someone to protect me, but from what? It’s silly. Is that what you want me to tell you?”
“Yes. You can tell me anything. It doesn’t matter if it make sense. Everyone wants to be cared for. Have their heart protected. And I’ve got you, Onyx. I’m here. You can be scared of that and it won’t change a thing.”
Onyx’s cheeks flushed red, then lavender. His horns appeared, blooming with color. “Can you force me to feel it? Make me believe?”
Tenderness flooded Nico. “I sure can. Want to tell me how you’d like me to do that, or do you want me to decide?”
Onyx bit his lip. “Tie me down and force me to stay. Tell me I can’t run. That you won’t…”
“I won’t leave you.”
Onyx whimpered and his sweet scent filled the air.
“Do you have restraints or do I need to get creative?”
Onyx’s breathing shallowed. “I’ve got anything you could possibly imagine.”
“Then strip and get on the bed. On your hands and knees.”
Onyx crossed the room, seeming unsteady on his feet. Nico paused, watching him go, the heaviness in his chest making this moment monumental. Onyx was giving him everything, trusting him when it didn’t come easy.
Nico was so proud of him.
His mate reached the enormous bed, which was at least three times as wide as a king and twice as long, and stripped off his pants and underwear, freeing his tail.
Nico slowly stalked forward. Onyx glanced over his shoulder, fangs extended and eyes burning. Then, Onyx released his wings, blue feathers spreading wide.
Nico could have fallen to his knees. “That’ll never stop taking my breath away. On the bed, little butterfly.”
Onyx shuddered, feathers rustling, and climbed onto the bed. He faced the carved wooden headboard and draped a wing over each side, the bed large enough to support his wingspan. He knelt forward, tail flicking back and forth, and stuck his ass in the air, spine arched and head resting on his hands.
“Everything you need is in the trunk,” he breathed, sounding half gone already.
“Perfect. You’re being such a good boy. Keep it up and be patient while I get ready.”
Onyx moaned in response.
Nico stripped off his clothes, cock already erect. He stooped to open the trunk and found it packed full. “Damn. I thought you didn’t bring lovers here.”
There was a whole array of cuffs, paddles, and toys, including gags and blindfolds, and that was just what Nico could see at a glance.
“I don’t bring lovers here. All that’s… It’s what I use when I play by myself.”
Fuck. Nico’s mind filled with obscene image after obscene image. “You enchant these things to pleasure you?”
“Come on, Nico, we’ve covered magic. Stop acting like a human. I don’t need a partner to get tied up and spanked into oblivion.”
Nico chuckled. “An all-powerful demon, and what do you do? Fuck yourself.”
“What’s magic good for if I can’t do that? Stop making me wait or I’ll take back everything I said and see to myself.”
“No you fucking won’t, brat. Don’t get smart with me.”
Onyx humphed, his ass wiggling, and Nico smiled, warmth blooming in his chest. Damn, it was good to have his prickly demon back.
“Seems like doing what I tell you already has you feeling better.”
There was a beat of silence. Onyx repositioned, bracing on his elbows, and glanced over his shoulder, eyes hooded. “Yes. But please hurry. I need you.”
Nico shivered. He liked his demon desperate. “Not very patient, are you?”
Onyx whined.
Nico crossed his arms. “You can manage. Waiting will make you feel even better. Promise.”
Onyx nodded, giving in and trusting Nico yet again.
Not intending to torture his mate, Nico bent down and quickly sorted through the cuffs, selecting leather ones for Onyx’s wrists and ankles, along with attachable chains, and brought them to the bed.
Onyx watched him with avid attention. “You can anchor those to the posts or the bedframe.”
Nico inspected the bedframe and found the perfect place to attach the chains on either side, leaving Onyx on his knees at the center. The chains turned out to be the perfect length to prevent him from closing his legs.
Climbing onto the bed, Nico attached the leather cuffs to Onyx’s ankles, tightening the buckles, then secured them to the chains, making sure nothing was too tight.
He came to rest behind Onyx. His mate held his body still, his feathers ruffling slightly and that pretty tail twitching back and forth. Nico caressed Onyx’s legs, kissing his calf muscles and inner thighs. Onyx’s tail flicked vigorously, flushing lavender, as he let out soft panting breaths.
Nico ran a hand along Onyx’s arched spine to caress his shoulders, exploring the place where Onyx’s wings sprouted from his back, the feathers almost as pale as his skin.
“My pretty little butterfly.”
Onyx dropped his head forward and moaned, horns hitting the mattress.
If he’d have survived the prolonged anticipation, Nico might have drawn this out. However, they had the rest of time to tease. Being with Onyx felt so right, he couldn’t deny either of them.
Their growing connection begged to be nurtured.
Climbing off the bed, Nico moved around Onyx’s wings to the head. He knelt in front of Onyx and dropped a pair of leather handcuffs.
Onyx inspected the restraints hungrily. “Please, Nico.” He tipped his head back and hit Nico with a brilliant stare.
As if Nico was being pulled into the sun’s orbit, he leaned down and kissed his demon’s pouty lips.
Onyx responded like he was starved. “My mate. Nico. It doesn’t seem real that you’re mine.”
Nico hummed. “But it is. I’m all yours. Forever. You’re stuck with me.”
He pulled back, finding pure happiness lighting Onyx’s lavender flushed face. Nico stroked his cheek and positioned the cuffs around Onyx’s wrists, not that leather or even the chains were any match for a demon, but that wasn’t the point.
Onyx’s eyes fluttered closed as Nico secured his wrists together. He seemed relaxed, almost blissful.
Nico caressed his face and ran gentle fingers up one of his horns. They were more similar to leather than skin, yet looked so delicate, a spiderweb of veins peeking from beneath the surface. A bloom of crimson followed Nico’s touch, fading to lavender.
“I’m enchanted by you, Onyx. I wasn’t lying about wanting to see all of you. I want you so stripped bare that there’s nothing between us. I want you angry and petty and spiteful, and I want you soft and pliant. All of it.”
Onyx spoke so quietly, it was hard to hear. “I want that too. All of you, Nico.”
Nico kissed Onyx, unable to pull away.
“Your lips are my new addiction,” Onyx murmured, seeming dazed.
“Likewise.” Nico forced their mouths apart. He’d planned to retrieve one of the leather paddles from the trunk, but the sight of Onyx, open-mouthed and at his mercy, wasn’t one he could turn away from.
Nico grasped one of Onyx’s horns, stroking it, and guided Onyx from his elbows higher, onto his cuffed hands. Inching forward on his knees, Nico pushed his cock into Onyx’s mouth.
Onyx moaned around him and sucked eagerly.
“Mmm. That’s it. Your mouth belongs around my cock.” Nico thrust his hips. “Suck me so the next time I kiss those pretty lips, they taste like my cum.”
Onyx hollowed his cheeks obediently, and Nico thrust deep.
“You feel like you’re mine yet?” Nico groaned as he hit the back of Onyx’s throat. “You’re trapped. I’ll never let you slip away now. You’re my mate and I’m keeping you right here, where you belong.”
Onyx whined and shuddered, his lashes fluttering.
“Mine, Onyx.” Nico thrust and his body flashed hot. It was as if he could feel Onyx begging for more without words, that living, breathing beast that thrived between them tipping back its head and roaring.
More.
“Shit. Oh fuck.” Nico’s spine stiffened and he came down Onyx’s throat.
Onyx sucked him like his life depended on it. Even as Nico pulled out, Onyx tried to push forward and latch on to his retreating cock, the chains holding him back.
Nico ran a hand through Onyx’s hair. “Greedy little butterfly. Pinned you down so I can keep you forever.”