Chapter Seven
“You shouldn’t have come here.”
Raziel ran a hand through his long blond hair, pacing the bedroom they’d been given to talk privately in. “I already have too much to worry about without having to keep an eye on you.”
The words cut deeply. Cody had been scared to death Bashar would capture Raziel, but apparently, he wasn’t even a flicker in the angel’s mind. “Fuck. You.”
Raziel stopped pacing to stare wide-eyed at him.
“If you wanted me to stay out of this, you should have never stalked me in the first place.”
Cody shoved at his mate’s chest, ignoring how good the man’s body felt under his palms and how bad the rejection caused an ache inside of him. “You should have never shown up at my house and stuck your goddamn knee between my legs!”
With a snarl, Raziel gripped his wrists before he could push again, yanking him closer. “If I recall, you didn’t stop me. In fact, you got off on it.”
Mortified and crushed, Cody yanked a hand free and slapped Raziel across the face. Standing there, breathing heavy, he felt like a damn fool for falling for a guy who was too broken to ever care about him the way he cared in return.
“Why?”
Cody’s voice cracked, choking on the words. “Why did you reveal yourself to me if you never wanted me as your mate in the first place?”
Raziel refused to answer him, let alone look at him. After Cody had been shown his mate’s life, he should have kicked Zymore out and locked his door. A man who had suffered that much abuse couldn’t possibly know how to love. Raziel’s head was far too messed up, and yet, Cody had fallen for the asshole.
God, I’m such a damn idiot. I saw the signs of his pain, how he acts so jaded. but, I stupidly allowed myself to catch feelings.
“Because I’m a wretched bastard.”
Raziel’s cold words pierced through Cody like a knife, leaving him struggling for air.
The pain was unlike anything he’d ever experienced, unbearable, as if his entire existence was being crushed by those callous words. Hot, wet tears fell freely, revealing the true depth of his feelings. “I hate you,”
he choked out, his voice breaking.
For a brief moment, he saw a flash of anguish in Raziel’s eyes before it disappeared behind a cold facade. “Go home. Forget you ever met me.”
His jaw clenched. “Find someone who can give you the love I’ll never be capable of giving.”
Cody stood there in shock, mouth slightly open, unable to move or speak as the seconds ticked by, each one bringing him closer to complete devastation.
Then something snapped inside of him. He snatched a bookend from the top of the dresser and hurled it at Raziel’s head, missing by a few inches. His mate didn’t flinch or duck out of the way. Cody took a step back, slowly shaking his head. “He destroyed everything you were, leaving nothing but emptiness behind. How could I let myself fall for you?”
Raziel’s nostrils flared, his words layered in frost. “I see Zymore tapped into your mind and showed you my humiliation.”
“No. He showed me your strength.”
He wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand.
“My strength?”
The flawless skin of Raziel’s torso faded, replaced by horrifying scars. “Tell me, Cody. How is simply surviving considered strength, hmm?”
His voice turned savage. “I would really love to fucking know, because I’m nothing more than a monster now, reduced to using a mask to hide what that bastard did to me.”
But Cody didn’t see him as a monster. He still saw his beautiful angel. His proof of strength was his scars, as well as his very survival.
“That’s what I thought,”
Raziel sneered. “Brave words for someone who has never felt a cruel hand touch his body.”
Cody took a step closer, his hands trembling at his sides. “And you know what? You made me feel like I mattered, Raziel. For the first time in my life, someone saw me . Not the vet tech, not the redhead everyone shrugs off. Me .”
His voice wavered but didn’t break. “You don’t get to take that away just because you think you’re too broken. That’s not your call.”
The self-loathing in Raziel’s eyes faltered for a split second as they locked gazes.
“You think your scars make you a monster?”
He shook his head, the words rushing out like a dam breaking. “They don’t. They make you someone worth fighting for. And if you can’t see that, then, yeah, maybe you are a damn fool.”
“I’ll only bring you pain.”
Raziel’s voice wasn’t as biting as it had been a moment ago.
“You’ve only brought me happiness so far,”
Cody countered, feeling like he was finally breaking through the wall his mate had erected around himself. “Except…”
Raziel looked as if he knew there was a catch, as if he’d been right to try and run him off. “Except when you turn into a bacon thief.”
There was complete silence except for the ticking clock. “You’re not safe around me, Cody.”
“My heart isn’t safe without you, Raziel.”
He was laying himself open, hoping his mate did the same. Because if he didn’t, there was no hope for them.
Raziel swallowed roughly, glancing away. “Why? Why are you willing to suffer just to be with me?”
“Because I see you too. You matter to me, Raziel. You’re more than just an angel. You’re my angel.”
Taking a chance, Cody walked to him, cupping his mate’s face, the soft bristle of his beard tickling his hand. “And I’ll fight with every breath I have to keep you.”
The mixture of hope and fear in Raziel’s eyes was heartbreaking.
“Give me your trust that I won’t hurt you, and I’ll give you mine that you won’t ever try to shut me out again.”
Cody was still working up to love, but he knew it would come, if only Raziel would let him in.
“You really are insane.”
He crushed Cody to him, his searing kiss hard and needy.
But so was Cody. He wanted his mate so badly it was bordering on madness. Despite Raziel’s determination to hide under layers of self-loathing, Cody saw him for who he was.
Someone desperate to be loved, to matter to just one person, mirroring how Cody felt too.
Raziel pulled him off his feet by gripping his ass then carried him to the bed. In a flash, their clothes were gone, leaving nothing behind but the heat of their bodies.
His mate slid one arm under Cody, the other hand resting at his hip, kissing him like the guy was pouring everything into it, leaving him breathless.
Wings shot out, one tip knocking the picture on the wall askew. Then Cody felt something sharp at his lips. He pulled back enough to see fangs.
Raziel hesitated, as if waiting for him to become frightened. Not a damn chance. Cody yanked him back down but was careful of the sharp points.
Nothing, not even fangs, would prevent him from making love to his mate.
He groaned as Raziel worked his way around his jaw, soft lips gliding over skin while Cody reached between them to feel his mate’s cock for the first time, the weight in his hand nearly undoing him.
Raziel hissed, thrusting forward. He braced his hands on either side of Cody’s head and lifted his groin, giving him room to do as he pleased.
And there was only one thing Cody wanted right now. He shimmied down the bed, stopping when he faced the beast between Raziel’s legs. He traced his fingers over his mate’s hardness, inhaling his musk, which sent his senses reeling.
When he glanced up, Raziel was staring down at him. They simply gazed at each other, heat burning like wildfire in Raziel’s eyes. They’d also begun to swirl again, giving him an otherworldly appearance.
That look only drove Cody wilder, made him ache to be filled, to belong to Raziel. Breaking eye contact, he sucked the head of Raziel’s cock into his mouth and lashed it with his tongue, pulling out his mate’s pre-cum like honey from a jar.
The noises that poured from Raziel’s throat sounded more like an animal, deep and wild and growly. Pleasure hit Cody on every level, spurring him on to take the erection deeper into his mouth.
Hovering above, Raziel thrust his hips in slow bursts, hissing and moaning, his breaths heavy. “Your mouth feels so good,”
he grunted, fucking Cody’s mouth a little faster, driving the hardness of his cock to the back of his throat.
There was nothing more breathtaking than an angel losing himself to passion, his wings fluttering as if they could feel the pleasure too, while Raziel’s shaft owned Cody’s throat with every forward thrust.
As fast and deep as Raziel went, the pace was matched. He tugged at the heavy sac with one hand, giving that extra bit to bring his angel off.
Raziel cried out, his cock throbbing in Cody’s mouth, his seed spilling down his throat. He greedily drank it, licking the prick clean before it was pulled away from him.
“My turn,”
Raziel snarled softly. He pulled Cody up the bed until they were gazing at each other, their harsh breaths mingling, their mutual desire clinging to the air between their mouths.
On instinct, he curled his legs around his mate’s waist, their kiss just as savage as they felt, if not more.
The anticipation rippled between them until it turned into rushing water, rolling over them in a million droplets of desire, urging them closer together.
A demanding knee separated Cody’s legs.
“Lube!”
He thankfully had the wherewithal to remember.
As his mate leaned down until his lips brushed Cody’s ear, Raziel said in the deepest, most sinful voice, “I’m about to blow your mind, kitten.”
He had no idea what that meant, having lost the ability to focus. The sultry voice drugged him.
Kneeling, he hitched Cody’s legs over his bulging arms, looking like every gay man’s fantasy. Swirling eyes burst with color. A cocky smile hovered, and an air of confidence was displayed as Raziel scooted a little closer.
Cody hoped that, in blowing his mind, Raziel didn’t try to enter him dry.
“Relax, babe.”
He winked. “Do you trust me?”
“Not around bacon.”
Cody curled his fingers into the bedding, bracing himself for pain.
“You were cooking my most favorite thing in the world, hon.”
The head of his dick slid over Cody’s ring of muscle. “You’ll have to arm yourself with your spatula every time you make it.”
He fucked his way into Cody’s ass, yet there wasn’t any pain or friction. Even more incredible, the ring of muscle relaxed, as if his mate had stretched him already.
“How did you do that?”
Raziel rocked his head back, his lips parting on a long, pleasurable moan. His body welcomed the angel like he was coming home. They fit perfectly, two halves of a whole.
Cody felt himself blush at the unintentional pun.
“I just knew your pretty blush would cover your entire sexy body.”
Raziel’s grin widened, his features softening.
Cody opened his mouth to protest, but the words tangled in his throat as Raziel’s cock moved deeper, filling him completely. The stretch was intense, sending a surge of heat through his body, grounding him in the moment.
“You don’t see yourself the way I do,”
Raziel murmured, his voice thick with sincerity.
The soft snort was involuntary. “I still don’t believe you think I’m gorgeous,”
he murmured, trying to keep his voice steady.
Raziel leaned down, their lips brushing lightly. “You have no idea how stunning you are, how much you undo me.”
The kiss deepened, slow and tantalizing, as if every unspoken word was being poured into it. He curled his fingers into Raziel’s shoulders, clinging to him like a lifeline. The world outside the room disappeared, leaving only the warmth of Raziel’s body and the overwhelming intimacy between them.
Pulling back just a bit, he met Cody’s gaze, his swirling eyes dark and unreadable. “Believe me yet?”
Cody licked his lips, his voice low and teasing. “Getting there. I might need more convincing.”
Raziel’s mouth curved into something dangerous, his hips rolling slowly, pulling a gasp from Cody. “Then I guess I better bring my A-game.”
Each stroke sent waves of pleasure through Cody’s body, building a pressure that was both exhilarating and overwhelming. A soft moan escaped, his head tipping back against the pillow as Raziel trailed his lips along his jaw.
Cody arched beneath him as his mate’s cock drove inside of him, the friction sending sparks skittering along nerve endings. The connection felt electric, raw, and unbreakable. Lost in the moment, he dug his nails into his mate’s back before realizing what he’d done, and then he quickly withdrew his hands.
“Put them back on me, kitten. I love that I make you lose control.”
The angel’s eyes, and voice, turned darker. “The pain you inflict doesn’t hurt.”
Cody didn’t want to ruin the moment by protesting, by arguing that Raziel had been through enough. But the angel knew what he wanted, what he could tolerate. However, instead of digging his nails back in, Cody slid his hands down Raziel’s back, tracing the curves of his wings where they met his shoulders. The silky feathers quivered under his touch, drawing a low groan from his mate.
“Raziel…”
he breathed, his voice barely audible over the sound of their bodies moving together. He kept moving his hands until he noticed the tension under his fingertips.
Looking up, Raziel’s eyes were closed, his features pinched.
Cody started to worry. “What’s wrong?”
He slowed, watching the man closely, his concern growing.
His mate widened his mouth, his fangs glistening, a sound escaping Raziel, something between a growl and a groan.
“Don’t worry, Cody. I-I can fight it.”
His voice was low, gravelly, his wings flexing and catching the air, their movements sharp and restless.
What is he talking about? Fight what?
“It’s just so much harder to fight than the last time.”
Confused, Cody pressed his hands into Raziel’s chest, forcing him to slow until he stopped. Heat radiated from the angel’s skin, and Cody’s palms tingled from the contact. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Raziel opened his eyes. The swirling in them was stronger now, like fire churning in their depths. They drew Cody in and made his breath hitch, even as his instincts screamed at him to tread carefully.
“I want to sink my fangs into you so fucking badly, but if I do, our souls will bind.”
The words sank in like stones dropped into deep water. Was Raziel rejecting him again? Was sex all the guy was interested in? If not, why was he fighting this so hard? Cody couldn’t help feeling doubt since his mate had been all over the place, giving mixed signals and confusing Cody most of the time.
“We can stop.”
He pushed at Raziel’s chest again. “I won’t make you claim me.”
The angel turned those mesmerizing eyes on him. He saw his mate’s walls were starting to crack, just enough to give him a glimpse of the turmoil inside.
“You think I don’t want to claim you?”
he asked incredulously, his wings fluttering furiously, causing a flapping sound. Nearby papers glided to the floor.
“What do you expect me to think?”
Raziel visibly deflated. “It’s not because I don’t want you, kitten. I don’t want you to suffer because of me.”
The honesty in his voice softened the edges of Cody’s frustration. It was there, woven into every word, unmistakable.
“Are we really going to do this again?”
He smacked his mate’s chest. The sound echoed in the small room, a sharp contrast to the emotions choking the air.
“Are you attempting to kick my ass?”
Raziel arched a brow.
“Maybe it’ll knock some sense into that brain of yours,”
Cody huffed.
“Through my chest?”
He popped his mate again. “You don’t have to make my attempts sound so pathetic.”
The slight quirk of Raziel’s lips hinted at amusement, but Cody wasn’t in the mood to let him off the hook.
“Ow!”
Raziel clutched his chest, peeking at Cody through one eye.
“You are so not funny.”
His mate gave a single hard thrust, causing Cody to moan. Raziel rolled his hips, stretching him wide.
“Please, don’t stop.”
But Cody’s pleas were more than begging for Raziel to keep going. He was begging the angel not to stop fighting for them.
Raziel’s features softened. His thrusts picked up, his cock going deep. The rhythm they built wasn’t just physical. It was a silent conversation, a desperate push-and-pull that spoke of trust and vulnerability. In a matter of seconds, he had unraveled Cody again.
This time Raziel didn’t fight the urge. He sank his fangs into soft flesh, dragging on his neck as he drank.
The lights in the room burst, raining down sparks, and the bed shook. Raziel pulled his fangs free, shouting out his release. Cody was right behind him, his body seizing as the most intense orgasm he’d ever felt rocked his body.
“Raziel,”
he panted as he heard car alarms and a streetlamp pop, causing the outside to grow a little darker. “What’s going on?”
His breaths came hard and fast, his skin flushed and buzzing with an energy that didn’t feel entirely his own.
Raziel arched his back, his chest glowing a bright blue, like molten light spilling from deep within him. Faint shadows danced over Cody’s skin, and for a moment, he was mesmerized by the ethereal display, unable to look away.
Until the door crashed open, Killian and Quinton looking wide-eyed at them.
Screeching, Cody grabbed the covers to hide what he and Raziel were doing, but the men who charged in were tossed out of the room by an unseen hand, the door slamming shut.
“What in the hell was that?”
Cody demanded, shaken by the experience.
Glancing at him, Raziel smiled, sharp and unapologetic, a wicked edge of triumph curving his lips. “Damn it feels good to be fully restored. I haven’t been at full power for a few millennia. I forgot how good the rush feels.”
He chuckled with pure joy.
Any other time, Cody would have been thrilled to hear the amazing sound. “You better explain this to me in one cohesive and complete sentence.”
“Bashar ripped half my powers away a long time ago.”
The skin under Cody’s eye twitched. “A few millennia , right?”
Holy shit, and he didn’t feel guilty for using the word. When he’d been shown Raziel’s memories, Cody had grasped the events unfolding, but the vast stretch of time between them had eluded him completely.
“Our mating just restored them.”
Raziel leaned down and kissed him, slow and soft, brushing his knuckles tenderly down Cody’s cheek. “It’s not going to be easy being mated to me.”
“I’ll just have to stock up on bacon.”
Cody pressed his cheek into Raziel’s fingers. “And spatulas.”
His mate chuckled softly, a wondrous sound, like hearing wind chimes on a gentle summer breeze. “I’m still not sure how the bear shifters feel about me, but I want you to meet my son.”
The shock of finding out the huge men were bear shifters took a back seat to Raziel wanting Cody to meet his child. Butterflies erupted in his stomach. It was one thing to want to meet him, another to actually do it.
“What if he doesn’t like me?”
Why was he freaking out about it? Was Cody really worried about what a toddler thought of him?
Yes. Yes, he was. Call him irrational, but if the kid didn’t like him, that could strain his relationship with his mate.
His worry was briefly forgotten when Raziel eased out of him, leaving Cody to immediately miss their connection.
“He’s three,”
he said as if Cody’s worry was ridiculous.
Maybe it was, but everything was happening too damn fast, and he just wanted a moment to take a breath. Not that he regretted letting Raziel claim him, but there was a lot more going on around him.
“Stop looking like you’re going to have a panic attack over meeting a toddler.”
As soon as Cody was pulled from the bed, they were magically dressed and the bed was made. The crooked picture looked like it had never been touched. The lightbulbs began to glow in the room once more. And… why did Cody feel as if he’d just showered?
He touched his hair to find it slightly damp. “You’ve got some skills, buddy.”
“I aim to please.”
Raziel winked.
Cody smacked his arm, loving this playful side to his mate. “I was talking about your housekeeping skills.”
“Go ahead and crush my ego.”
Raziel glanced toward the door, hesitation in his green eyes. The swirling was gone. “That’ll hurt less than what the bears are going to do to me for flinging them from the room.”
He curled his arms around Cody in an intimate embrace. “Then again, no one sees my dick buried inside of you but me.”
Why did he have to remind Cody what the men had seen when they’d rushed in? Now he didn’t want to leave the room, but he was left with no choice when Raziel grabbed his hand to lead him away.