11. Gracie
Chapter 11
Gracie
I had the best dream last night and the best orgasm, err orgasms, in my life. It was so wild and amazing that I didn't care if it was Valphan in my dream. I'd been so pent up the past few weeks with no time or energy to use any of my toys to relieve myself because I would knock out the moment my head hit the pillow, and the warmth of Valphan's shadowy embrace held me in bed.
Yeah, my little closet demon probably thought he was slick with slipping his shadows under the sheets with me every night. I stopped trying to get him to quit the habit after it was obvious he wouldn't. Also, I noticed how he'd wait until I was completely asleep or close to falling deep before holding me with his shadows—I caught him a few times when I pretended to sleep to test the theory out.
But none of that mattered right now. I was too blissful and comfortable in my soft blanket cocoon to care about anything related to Valphan and his stubbornness right now.
On cloud nine, I was about ready to fall back asleep until the sounds of scrapping echoing down the hallway caused me to bolt upright in my bed, clutching my sheets tightly against my—
Oh my God, I'm naked, what the fuck!?
Okay, now I was thoroughly confused because I came home from—
A lumpy pile out of the corner of my eyes made me dart my head over to the area outside my closet. "Oh my God." Slapping a hand over my gasping mouth, I stared at the bundle of messed-up blankets with a pillow off to the side of it.
It didn't hit me before, but now, as I stared in horror at the 'bed' Valphan took me on last night, the phantom scent of our activities filled my nostrils. Memories churned around in my mind, playing last night at the forefront of my mind; it was as if I was in a movie theater watching my 'dream' in fucking 3D.
"Don't worry, I'll clean it all up." And as if I wasn't stunned enough this morning, hearing Valphan's voice come somewhere, not the closet, caused me to let out a startled scream as my body jolted to face my door.
"Jumpy little thing, aren't you, pinkie." Valphan laughed softly as he entered the room with a plate of food in one hand and a big glass of orange juice in the other.
Needless to say, seeing my closet demon serve me breakfast in bed when he was supposed to be stuck in the closet after a mind-blowing orgasmic night confused the shit out of me. "Wha? Huh?" Honestly, I thought I was still dreaming or possibly hallucinating.
Unbothered by my reaction, Valphan sat next to me at the edge of the bed. "Isn't this usually where you get all lovey-dovey and thank me? Or are those stories of yours really that inaccurate to life nowadays?" He asked while setting the glass of orange juice down on my nightstand before picking up a piece of bacon and holding it up to my lips. "Eat. You need to replenish after last night, and no, the chocolate and cold meat I fed you and your crackers don't count for much after you slept off all of it."
Completely shell-shocked, all I could do was obey him, munching away at the piece of bacon and all the other pieces of food he fed me like a mindless robot. It was strange to be fed by my closet demon, but it was very sweet and nice. I've never been spoiled like this before; I've only ever read about it in fiction stories or heard about it from people who had marriages made in Heaven.
"Is something the matter, cupcake?" Valphan's concern forced me out of my head to give my full attention to him.
"I…" Zipping my lips, I shook my head to clear it before something stupid came out. "Last night… Did that really all happen?" It still didn't feel real to me, even though the evidence was literally right there. "We didn't… You didn't fuck me after, right?"
I felt a little sore down there, but not to the point where it felt like I wouldn't be able to walk, which I figured would be the case if he did screw me stupid with his demon dick.
Wait! Oh my God, his dick !
Craziness took over me for the next few seconds as I scrambled to Valphan on my hands and knees. Grabbing the waistband of his pants, I pulled it away from his body to look down at his nether regions. "Holy shit, it's real." I gasped with bugging eyes as I shamelessly stared at his flaccid cock in utter shock. Yeah, it didn't look as menacing as last night because it was soft, but it still had some size and bulk to it, and I could see its bumpy texture.
A soft puff of air smacked my face from his pants snapping back to his body after he snatched my hand away. "What happened to asking for permission first?" His voice teased my blushing face from above with a hearty chuckle. "Not that I will ever mind my mate looking at what is hers. I thought you were a little too prude to be grabbing at people like that."
And sweet moment over.
Shoving my embarrassment away, I pulled myself away and hid myself under my covers. "Go away." I stammered out.
"Only because I have to put things into the washer, which, by the way, is so much better than washing things by hand." He mused as I felt the bed ease.
Confused, I peeped my head out to watch him move over to last night's mess and gather up the sheets. "You're going to wash them? Not complaining or anything, but I can do it later."
Waving his tail at me, he merely glanced back at me as he made his way to the door. "Cupcake, I made you make this mess, and it was my idea in the first place, so it's my job to take care of the aftermath." Okay, his happy little grin melted my racing heart. "The only thing I want you to do is rest and worry about meeting your deadlines. Let me worry about all the little nuances around your life."
"W-wait, we need to talk though." About a lot of shit.
"We will." He assured me with a confident smile. "After I throw these into your machine and run you a bath."
"Huh?" I never said or mentioned anything about a bath. Or was that his somewhat subtle way of saying I reek? "Why do I need a bath?" That came out a little more cold and accusatory than I intended, but it was out now.
Laughing softly, he looked at me with intrigued eyes for a second before replying. "Because you have a shit ton of those little bath bombs that need to be used up, and you need to be spoiled." That was a strange answer, and I wondered if that was a coverup for the truth. "You smell just fine. I'm not wanting to clean you because you reek of sex from last night." He quickly held a hand up to stop the words from coming from my open mouth. "And no, I cannot read your mind, yet you just have that stupid look on your face like you're offended."
Now I felt like throwing something at him for being right. "Do you know how to use the laundry machines?"
From what I've found out the past few weeks with him, he knew nothing about the modern world. Granted, he was a fast learner, and contact with his demon friends quickly caught him up a bit. Still, he may have the knowledge, but experience-wise, not so much since he was confined to the closet until now.
Actually, now that I thought about it, how was my house not on fire from him making breakfast? I mean, stoves weren't that hard to figure out, but still, he could have turned on the wrong knob or left something on and let the gas leak. Good news was that I didn't smell any gas.
"Yes, the others taught me how when I contacted them. Don't worry. I won't be breaking any of your stuff." With a flash of a reassuring smile, Valphan wagged his thin tail at me with a sassy flick before he disappeared completely out of my room.
I must admit, as strange as this all was, it was nice. However, I couldn't help but feel anxious thinking about our conversation last night once he came back. Well, the impending conversation about our relationship going forward really got my nerves on edge.
People don't go back to being buddies after a night like that. Yeah, he's claimed and said numerous times that I was his mate, a claim I've shot down and rejected myself because the notion of it was crazy to me. Also, it felt like a cop-out for a relationship. To be together because we were destined.
As much as I wanted someone to love me in life, I didn't want it to be handed on a platter and be complacent with it. I wanted to be wooed, courted the fuck out of, and trip head over heels for my lover. I didn't want to be a match, said, and done.
Yes, I wanted my relationship to be one of those cheesy, lovey, dopey romance stories I edit time in and time out, like the story I was writing myself as my debut as a published author. Call me a hopeless romantic, but I wanted my love story to be teeth-rotting sweet and spicy like the world's hottest pepper, the ones that instantly have your body on fire to the point where you have to strip and cool off however you can.
"Little blessing? What is on your mind?" Valphan's voice snapped me out of my trance once he reentered the room and sat beside me on the bed.
Sighing heavily, I dragged a tired hand through my bedhead. "Too much… I don't know where to start with us and everything." Groaning softly, I let my hand fall down my face as I stared into space.
The sounds of fabric shuffling along with the soft hit of cold air from my covers being lifted cause me to recenter on reality.
Slipping under the covers, Valphan pulled me into his lap by my waist, and then he snuggled me tightly with a content smile and hum. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this ever since I saw you that first day. To be able to hold you in my arms right now feels like a dream come true." Groaning softly, he nuzzles his face into my hair and neck. "The amount of times I've toyed with the idea of dragging you into the closet to trap you in my arms is more than I care to admit."
"Why didn't you?" He could do such, and last night was a good example of him forcing me into the closet.
"Because I'm not a monster." He replied with a soft huff.
Staying silent for a moment, Valphan breathed me in deeply before sitting up straight against my headboard to look down at me with a strong smile and eyes full of determination. "I may want you more than anything in all the realms, but I also want your reciprocation. I will not force a relationship on you, soulmate or not. I want you to come to accept me and everything with time." Leaning down, he pressed his forehead against mine. "So, even if it means spending forever at your heel like your little mutt, then I will gladly wag my little tail and be at your feet every second of every damn day as long as it means getting you to fall more and more for me until you can't resist me anymore."
"What if I never want you after all that time?" Impossible, but I had to pose the slight possibility.
The thought of being with a demon for the rest of my life seemed daunting, but the more time I spent around Valphan, the more of this strange pull I felt toward him. He may be a creepy, annoying little shit with how he constantly watched me while sitting at the closet entrance, but that was growing on me, slowly.
I could have easily set up my office in one of the other rooms and gotten some peace, but when I thought about doing it, the thought of not having his presence around or his adoring eyes to glimpse at when I needed a break gutted me a little. His creeping has become a comfort of sorts, a safety net. Also, he was a good backseat editor, even if that got annoying quickly; he caught a lot of little nuances I tend to miss regarding certain positioning and things with spice scenes.
His little shadowy touches also grew on me; they weren't inappropriate. They were innocent touches ranging from a hand on the shoulder to arms around my waist and hands on my thighs. If I didn't think much about it, it was no different than having a boyfriend hold me and touch me while I worked.
"Not possible, but I'd still follow you and stay by your side until death." Valphan didn't seem too offended or upset at the question. If anything, he sounded sure things were not happening.
Then, the urge to slap him hit me hard when Valphan smirked smugly at me. "And if last night was any indication of things headed in any direction, I say my chances are good." He snickered softly, leaning in and nipping at my neck playfully.
And, of course, that brought up the matter of last night.
Sighing heavily, I shifted around in his lap until I straddled him and faced him fully. "Last night… We… You never answered my question about us having sex." I fumbled my question out while rubbing the back of my neck a little raw.
Chuckling, Valphan wrapped his arms loosely around my waist, settling his hand at the top of my ass cheeks. "Well, considering how you can still move, I'd say I didn't do a good job if we did make love to each other." He joked with a hearty laugh, earning a few slaps on the chest from me and a soft glare.
Arousal tingled along my body in response to his finger stroking the swell of my bottom cheeks. "Cupcake, you told me no sex, so I was merely respecting your wishes." Bumping his forehead against mine, he forced my gaze to his tender smile. "You weren't in your right mind when you begged me to touch you and give you a release, so I didn't want to take advantage of your heightened state to take you fully."
… Okay, that was too fucking sweet. How the hell is a demon more damn respectful than people in this world? I assure you if I were to fall into the same situation with anyone else, there is a 90% chance they would have taken full advantage of me and then some.
Wow, what a world and time to live in where a demon is better than a human.
Taking in a deep breath, I let my eyes fall down his body, letting myself get lost in the contours of his muscles. At least he wasn't too bad looking for a demon. I mean, looking past the oddly ashen grey skin that was almost sickly pale and the horns… And the claws… He was actually pretty handsome. His body was like a perfect sculpture at the museum, not too bulky, not too lean, just perfectly average. Yeah, he was muscular and built, but it was almost more of an athletic build than a buffed-out bodybuilder.
Slowly, I could feel my cheeks tighten with the spread of my lips as the image of him sleeping on his little makeshift bed in my closet painted itself at the forefront of my mind. Looking over, I could see his neatly made floor bed at the closet entrance, which consisted of my spare blankets and pillows and his all-time favorite, a brindle-colored faux fur blanket.
A gentle turn of my head focused my gaze back on my curious demon. "What's got you smiling?" He inquired with a raise of his eyebrow.
"Your bed, like always." I giggled softly, sticking my tongue out at him. "Are you still going to use it now that you're free from your closet prison?"
The thought of not being able to see him curled and bundled up made my smile sad. It was one of those moments I've come to enjoy from him. A peaceful sight to get lost in during my stressful times or late nights working away on manuscripts, and it was a cute sight to wake up to in the middle of the night. The countless images I've taken of him in such moments would live on my phone forever, but it wasn't the same. Looking at a picture of him didn't bring on the full warmth of appreciation, nor did I feel the entire weight of the gravitational pull toward him.
Much to my surprise, his smile turned melancholic as his gaze drifted to the closet. "That will still be my place at the end of the day." His somber tone weighed the air around us. "I am not completely free, just mere moments."
I should be glad that I'd still have my peace from him, that he didn't have free roam over my whole life, but the only thing I could feel was my heart sinking into the deepest pits of my stomach. "What do you mean?" I asked with a deep sigh after I leaned into him and settled myself against his bare chest.
Laying his head atop mine, he strokes my hair with one hand. "I'm on a tight leash to keep it as simple as possible. I am still anchored to the closet, but I have some more slack to work with now. Only thing is, it takes a lot out of me. It's like a game of tug-of-war. I go beyond the closet, but it's like someone is trying to pull me back, and the force is stronger the further and longer I stray." He sounded a little tired as he spoke, but he sounded more than content. "I have to go back eventually to rest and recharge before I can possibly wander out again."
He didn't sound too happy about that, not that I blamed him. As I saw it, he went from solitary confinement to normal jail with allotted recess. It was rather sad the more I thought about it, and I couldn't help but feel sadness bubble up in my chest the more I looked at his broken expression. Even if he tried to smile at me, I could see the shattered look in his grey eyes.
"Are you close to figuring out how to fully free yourself? What's wrong with the gate anyways that caused you to be trapped?" We've never touched the topic throughout this whole time, mainly because there was never really a good time to bring the elephant into the room.
Remaining quiet, Valphan averted his gaze from me to the closet. Slowly, his arms tightened around me, more so in a protective manner than one of longing. "No." He bit out dryly after an awkward silence, turning my concern for him stale.
Deciding to bite the bullet, I looked up at him with determination. "Val—mhmphf!" Only to have it all melt when his lips sealed over mine and stole my words from my tongue.
"Let me enjoy this moment, please. You are a bundle of happiness in my arms, and I want to soak it all up before I have to go back later." I hated how he was deflecting everything, but I couldn't bring myself to fight him the moment his pleading eyes shattered my walls, causing me to give in.
Pocketing the conversation for later, I gave him a reluctant smile and nodded before wrapping my arms around his neck. "Thank you for last night." Was I fond of being edged to Hell? No, not particularly, but I was more than grateful for the mind-blowing orgasms he ravaged my body with.
Although, speaking of orgasms.
"Wait, you never came last night." It didn't occur in my haze last night, but in my clarity now, I could clearly recall the lack of pleasure on his end. He finished me, then put me in bed after cleaning me up as best as possible with whatever washcloths he could grab from the bathroom using his shadows.
He held me all night from the closet with his shadows like every night. Every part of my mushy body was loved by his shadow's tender touch, and I clearly remember the food being shoved into my mouth along with some water. Damn jerk wouldn't let me pass out in peace until I got some substance in me, which I appreciated now after the fact.
Valphan's deep chuckle caused me to look at him with a furrowed face because I expected some dirty push from him for me to return the favor, not the sweetness that came. "All that matters is your pleasure, my little blessing. Taking advantage of you while you were in such a state would have been more than low for me when you made your wishes clear before we started." It should be illegal for Valphan to be this charming. "Besides, I have my own hand to relieve myself." He added with a chuckle.
Whining softly, I pouted up at him as a wave of disappointment washed over me. Shame was quick to follow as I dwelled on the lustful want festering in my brain and spreading down to my hardening nipples and aching nether regions. I had to turn my face away from him to hide it all, not wanting to admit the words rolling around on my tongue to him.
A jolt of pleasure zapped its way down my body from him, curling a finger under my chin and tilting my gaze up to him again. "Cupcake, what's wrong now? Please don’t be upset by the fact I didn't take you. You really wouldn't have been happy with me if I had taken advantage of you." Damn asshole took my reaction all wrong, but damn him for being so sweet and caring about it.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I shook my head softly. "That's not why I'm upset." God, did I really have to do this? I'd never be able to live it down if I had to admit my dirty desire to him. Hell, I don't think he'd let me live it down if I put it out there in the world.
Concern etched into every wrinkle of his scrunched-up face as he gently held my face with both hands. "What is wrong then, my little blessing? Are you hurt somewhere? Had I said something to upset you? How can I make it right?" His frantic eyes fretted my body from head to toe.
Dryly, I chuckled, "No, Fawny, no." Grabbing his face with my hands, I squished his cheeks together as I held him firm on me. "I'm not hurt or anything, and you didn't do or say anything to upset me, promise," I assured him with a smile, wiggling his face softly from side to side. "I just…" God, I could feel the heat rushing to my cheeks at the thought. "It's embarrassing…"
"Little blessing. You can ask me to streak down the street in a clown costume, and I would not find any offense in it." He joked with a chuckle and grin. "Plus, I'm a demon. I've probably already heard what you want to say."
Mumbling under my breath, I stubbornly chewed at the inside of my cheeks for a moment before reluctantly relenting. "I wanted your cock… I wanted to touch you and taste you…" Well, I should have said 'I want' instead of wanted because I still strongly desired him.
Chuckling, Valphan tightened his hold on my face and brought me within inches of his smirking lips.
"Then be a good girl and beg for it."