Chapter 35 Aeri #2
“Go.” He pushes Kai’s head away, pointing toward the door before shooing him, and to my utter surprise, he goes.
His tail uncoils from my leg slowly as he moves away, and I can’t help but watch him go. It feels like it takes forever as his body continues to be pulled from the bath, and again, I’m left wondering how I didn’t know he was there to begin with.
The second his tail passes over the threshold, Talian flicks his wrist, and the door slams closed before whirling around to stare at me. He reaches out, lifting one arm and then the other before spinning me around, and I feel his eyes roam over me, but not in a sexual way.
“Talian?”
I’m not sure what I’m asking, but somehow he seems to.
Reaching out slowly as if not to startle me, his fingers gently wrap around my wrist, coaxing me forward, back toward the bath.
But I’m not sure I can go back in there.
I shake my head, but he just keeps going, and I follow, unable to stop myself.
We reach the bath, and I manage to get my mouth open, but no words come out. It’s just as well because what he does next would have shut me up. Without hesitation, he steps back into the bath, fully clothed.
It’s ridiculous, and I should insist it's not necessary, but I can’t.
Some of the tension leaves me seeing him go first, knowing I won’t be alone, that Talian will be here with me.
When did this happen?
When did this man, who used to give me the ick, become someone I could depend on? Someone I relied on to keep me safe?
I’d liked Oliver, but this isn’t just simply liking him.
“You’re safe, Darling.” His voice is gentle, unlike anything I’ve ever heard before, and I can’t stop the way I react to those words.
It’s as if they alone reassure me, letting me breathe easier.
He seems to notice the effect as well, a smile tugging at his lips that makes him look so boyishly handsome I can’t help but smile back.
Talian is sex on legs. He knows it and has no problem flaunting it. He’s fucking pretty, but he’s so much more than that, and I get the feeling I’m just starting to scratch the surface of it all.
My feet touch the bottom of the bath, and I freeze, looking around.
I don’t know what I’m looking for exactly; the water is dark, the inside being all black stone and lit with only candles.
Not to mention, I’d missed the giant snake last time, so I’m not sure what I expect now, but even still, I can’t help it.
Talian takes a step toward me, making the water ripple, making my breath catch.
“I won’t let anyone or anything hurt you, Aerilyn,” he says, pulling me into his arms, and I let him despite being naked.
Talian doesn’t often say my name, but I find I like the sound of it when it rolls off his tongue, though I can’t deny I’ve become attached to his silly nickname.
With my back to his chest, he reaches out in front of us; places his hand upon the top of the water.
My breath catches as his hand glows, lighting up the bath like he’s a flashlight.
It’s beautiful, but more importantly, it shows me it’s empty.
He points to a still dark area, and I squint in an attempt to try and make out what it is.
A hole!
“Kai’s made a system of holes and tunnels around the castle, around all of Hell really, so that he can access everything in both forms.”
My heart races as my mind tries and fails to keep up. I knew it was Kai, but hearing him confirm it makes me feel strange.
Not afraid exactly, but something I can’t quite put my finger on.
“He’s not venomous, but the smell of blood can trigger an animal attraction.
Him tasting your blood in either form will bring on a craving, but he’s not dangerous.
He wouldn’t be going through all this work to help us keep you from Rome and find a way to break the contract if he planned to eat you. ”
It makes sense, and somewhere deep down, I knew that already, but it helps having him say it and show me.
He doesn’t move, doesn’t rush me, and after a few minutes, I’m able to relax. At least as much as I normally can, knowing Rome’s still out there and I might slip back into the dark at any moment.
Laying my hand on the back of his, I slide my fingers through his. He’s quick to understand, closing his hand around mine and letting the light flicker out once again.
One downside of no longer being in a panic is that I’m very aware of my nakedness, but he doesn’t comment, so I don’t either.
With our hands still intertwined, he pulls me with him toward the bench, guiding me to sit.
“Get cleaned up, and then we can grab some food and watch a movie or something,” he says with a smile, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.
“You have a TV?” I blurt because I’ve been here for days now and haven’t seen any kind of tech. They use candles, and while I don’t have my phone to check it, I haven’t seen any of the guys with theirs either.
His laugh echoes around the bathroom, and I should have known it would be as sexy as he is.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve heard Talian laugh before, but not like this.
Usually, his laughter has a bit of a bite, bordering on sarcastic.
This is pure joy, and even though I know he’s laughing at me, I can’t stop the smile that splits my face, making my cheeks ache.
“Yes, we don’t get cable, but I found a way to get Netflix and a few other apps so we can watch a movie. I’ll grab some popcorn from the kitchen once you’re done.” He pulls himself up onto the ledge, and as excited as I am for that, I can’t possibly focus on it because what the fuck just happened?
I push off the bench, stepping between his legs and looking up at him.
He’s dry.
Well, all except his legs from the knee down, that still dangle in the water.
“Pretty cool, huh?” His breath is warm on my cheek, and I jump back a step and realize just how close I’d drifted toward him.
“Yeah,” I mumble, sinking into the water and running my hand through my hair to wet it, needing something to do.
I mean, it is cool, really freaking cool, but I really need to get myself under control.
I can’t have a crush on all of them; this is silly. Not to mention I’m Lucifer’s mate.
What if I’m not just Lucifer’s, though?
No, I can’t let my imagination run wild like this. I just need to get through my period and maybe find a vibrator to help me mellow the hell out. I mean, they have TV, so maybe.
But then again, this is Lucifer’s castle, so maybe the chances of finding a vibrator aren’t so great.
The reason one might be here makes me irrationally mad, my teeth grinding together as I try to remind myself that I’d only just met him.
“What are you thinking so hard about?” I make a very unladylike squeak before promptly sinking beneath the water.
I can only hold my breath for about twenty seconds before this becomes a problem, and I dramatically come back up huffing and puffing.
“Where’s your soap?” he looks around, and his brows pull in confusion. “Or anything, for that matter?”
Good question.
“Um, I don’t know.” I try to think of a way to explain it without putting all my business out there, but it seems like a lot of work, so I just tell him what happened. “Bast should have been back by now, or at least I thought so. And I have no idea where Ruin went.”
Talian purses his lips before he makes a face and waves something away.
I’m not sure if he’s having a conversation with someone or just being extra.
A second later, he snaps, and my soap appears on the ledge along with a pile of what I hope are clothes for me on the stool near the door, where they’ll stay dry.
The same stool I sat on not long ago for Bast to brush my hair after bringing me here.
The thought makes me sad. Why is he avoiding me all of a sudden? Did I do something wrong?
I grab the shampoo and start going through the motions as my mind spirals out of control.
Does he hate me now?
“Aeri.” Talian’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts, and I look up at him. Judging by the way he’s looking at me, I’m going to assume that wasn’t the first time he called my name.
“Sorry, what?” I ask.
He points to the water between his legs. “Sit.”
I do because, honestly, I don’t have the energy to argue, and I don’t really want to.
His hands take over, scrubbing the suds into my hair, and I melt.
This is the second time a man has washed my hair for me, and I know I’m in Hell, but you can’t convince me this isn’t what heaven feels like.
“Bast not being here has nothing to do with you and everything to do with him trying to keep himself in control.”
I know he’s trying to make me feel better, but somehow I only feel worse.
“Do you know what his sin is?”
“Lust.” I don’t know for sure; he’s never said it outright like that, but it feels right as I say it.
“Yeah, and the demon of lust hasn’t felt real, true lust for another being in a few hundred years.
’’ He pushes lightly on my shoulders, and I sink lower into the water, tilting my head back so he can wash out all the soap.
“Just give him a few to get himself under control; he doesn’t want to scare you.
” I look up at him through my lashes, where he sits towering over me.
“He doesn’t scare me. Bast would never hurt me.”
Talian’s hands continue working through my hair even as his lips purse and he arches a brow.
“Everyone is capable of hurting you, Aeri. Even the people who love you most, even if it’s not their intention.
This is what Bast believes will keep you safe.
It's not forever. I'll be shocked if he can stay away for more than an hour or two. You two have been joined at the hip since I brought you back.”
He’s right, or at least I hope he’s right. I haven’t spent a night in the castle without Bast, and I don’t really want to start now.
“And what about Ruin?”
That makes him laugh. “Ruin is what I like to call a pure soul.”
I raise a brow in confusion, and it only seems to make him laugh harder.
“Well, you were Luce’s first hug, and I’m pretty sure you were a first for Ruin today, too, and now he has no idea what to do with himself.”
Oh. Oh!
That doesn’t even make sense. He’s been alive for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. There's no way Talian is telling me he’s never seen a woman naked before now. But judging by the look he’s giving me, I’d say that’s exactly what he’s trying to tell me.
Can my life get any crazier?
No, that’s a stupid question. The last thing I need is for the universe to take that as a challenge.
What I need is some normalcy, which is exactly what Talian is offering me, and right now I’m just crazy enough to say yes.
“Alright, well, how about we finish up here and go watch a movie? I can’t wait to stuff my face with popcorn and chocolate!”
The rest of my bath is uneventful, and like Ruin, Talian is a gentleman, turning away when I get out and get dressed, but not before he uses his magic to dry me the way he’d done for himself. It was just as amazing the second time, maybe even more so because he did it to me this time.
He pops away long enough to grab drinks and a huge bowl of popcorn once we get to my room, and a TV screen rises out of the little bench at the end of my bed that I’d thought was for sitting.
“That was there the whole time?” I ask, trying to keep my jaw from hitting the floor.
I don’t think I do a good job, though, with the way he laughs.
“Yup.” He pops the “p” before moving toward me with a mischievous glint in his eyes. I don’t have enough time to move before he reaches me, scooping me up in one arm with the popcorn in the other. He manages to maneuver us onto the bed without dropping a single piece.
“Impressive.”
“You ain’t seen nothing yet.” He winks at me, and I can’t stop the blush that colors my cheeks.
Talian is charming when he wants to be, and somewhere along the way, he decided to turn that charm on with me.
He lets me pick the movie, and I click on something that I’ve been hearing about all over but haven’t had the chance to watch. Besides, who better to watch it with?
“A demon boy band?” The way he says it has me breaking down in a fit of giggles.
“Oh yes, because a demon who owns a bar called Purgatory is so much better,” I say, and he snaps his mouth shut.
“She’s got a point.” The sound of Bast’s voice washes over me like a warm blanket, and I turn toward the door fast enough that I hear my neck crack.
“Bast…”
It’s crazy, the way I instantly feel better, happier, and more whole with him here. It wasn’t until this moment that I realized I missed him so much, despite seeing him earlier today, just a few hours ago.
“Hey, sorry about earlier,” he says, not moving from his spot by the door, as he rubs at the back of his neck.
Is he nervous?
“No need to apologize.” His eyes snap up to meet mine, and I can’t help but smile, seeing the beautiful pink eyes again. “You're here now.”
His lips twitch up into a sexy little smirk as he finally moves into the room toward the bed, and while I want to go to him, I don’t. I let him come to me, watching him the whole way, unable to look away.
Talian doesn’t say a word, but he doesn’t move away as Bast slides into the bed on my right side, and I’m so happy he doesn’t. I don’t mind being between them at all.
“Yeah, I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere anymore.”
The rest of the night is relaxing and fun as we snack and watch movies that they both make fun of. Apparently, even with Bast’s love for mortal things, they don’t watch a lot of TV, and when they do, it was when TV was new, which means anything they’ve seen is old.
Life is a mess, crazy and unpredictable, but for tonight at least, it feels like everything is good. The only way it could be better is if a few missing people were here, but I won’t be greedy, for now at least.