Chapter 26
NEO
I stand in the doorway, the soft glow of candlelight casting a cozy sheen over the room.
My heart aches in quiet rhythm as I watch Nox finally asleep in my bed.
The tension that usually clings to him like armor has melted away, leaving only the vulnerable curve of his shoulders and the slow, steady rise and fall of his chest.
Hex is curled atop him like a bone guardian full of quiet magic.
His tiny skull rests against Nox’s sternum.
His tail twitches once, then stills, as if sensing my gaze.
I step closer, barefoot on the creaking wood, my fingers trailing along the edge of the blanket.
In my other hand I have a bat-shaped mug for Nox; it’s filled with fresh hot coffee.
Nox’s face is peaceful, but even in sleep, he looks haunted—like someone who walked through fire and smells it still.
His left hand is tucked under the pillow and he looks so very handsome.
I sit on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb them. I reach out and brush a strand of hair from Nox’s forehead, my touch light as a feather. He doesn’t stir, but his breath deepens, as if he knows I’m here.
Hex shifts slightly, bone clicking against bone, and he nestles deeper into Nox’s chest. I smile; even death has chosen to curl up beside him.
The coffee mug is still hot in my hands, its scent curling into the quiet morning, and I lean forward to place the mug on the nightstand.
The ceramic clicks against the wood gently.
I stand up, the mattress sighing beneath me as I move, still stretching the sleep from my limbs as I walk towards the bathroom.
"Morning, nightshade."
His voice is low and rough with sleep, but unmistakably his. It crawls through the silence like a spider over its web.
I freeze mid-step when I hear his voice, my heart skips and I turn around.
Nox’s eyes are now open, light gray and heavy-lidded, watching me with his familiar, unreadable intensity. A faint smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth, and his hand reaches up to scratch Hex’s skull.
"Morning… bat boy," I whisper back, my voice catching on something too big for words.
I walk barefoot across the cool hardwood floor of my room, the fairy lights twinkling softly against the crimson of the bed.
The air carries a faint chill, remnants of the winter night seeping through the window.
I push open the bathroom door, walking towards the shower and twist the faucet.
Hot water starts to flow in a soothing rush, the space filling with steam and the scent of cocoa soap.
I peel off my nightgown, letting it drop on the tiled floor.
My naked form reflects in the glass—my curves softened by the gentle light, my nipple pebbling in the humid air.
I step into the shower, letting the water cascade over my body—tilting my head and letting it sluice over my shoulders.
The door creaks open and Nox enters, his presence announced by the subtle shift in the air.
He moves with predatory grace, shedding his boxers as he approaches, his muscular frame casting a shadow over the shower curtain.
I glance over my shoulder, catching sight of him through the misted mirror, my eyes stopping at his healing wound.
His tattoos are rippling across his broad chest and arms, his cock already thickening at the base, heavy and ready.
A shiver runs through me, not from the water, but from the hunger in his gaze.
He pulls the curtain aside without a word and steps in, his body pressing against my back.
The water soaks his dark hair, rivulets tracing the lines of his ink as he wraps one arm around my waist, pulling me flush against him.
His free hand slides up to cup my breast, thumb circling my nipple.
I arch into him, a soft moan escaping me as his lips find the curve of my neck, kissing the wet skin with light pressure.
His tongue lingers on the bite mark, igniting its sting into a slow burn.
"Couldn't let you shower alone," his voice is low against my ear, his breath is hot amid the steam. His cock nestles between my ass cheeks, sliding slickly as he rocks his hips, his length hardening fully against me.
"No sex… you are hurt!" I tell him and he presses a kiss on my temple.
"I don’t care!"
"You need to be careful. The wound…"
"I want you right now, Neo!"
I reach back, my fingers digging into his thigh, urging him closer while the water pounds around us, amplifying every sensation.
"I need to fuck you… right-fucking-now!" Nox's hand trails down my belly, dipping between my legs to part me.
Moving in circles, feeling my juices mix with the shower's flow, clenching in anticipation.
I gasp and push back against him, grinding my ass on his now rigid shaft.
He growls softly and nips at my shoulder before guiding the head of his cock to my entrance, teasing the opening with shallow nudges.
"You took good care of me last night, nightshade…
" With a single, fluid thrust, he buries himself inside me, stretching my walls around his girth.
I cry out, my hands bracing against the tiled wall as the water cascades over us, turning our joining into a slippery, heated frenzy.
Nox grips my hips, his fingers bruise me in the best way, and begins to fuck me from behind—deep, relentless strokes that slap wet skin against wet skin.
Each plunge drives him to the hilt, sending jolts of pleasure through my core.
I meet his rhythm and push back to take him deeper, the steam wrapping us in a private haze.
His chest is pressed to my back, one hand returning to my breast to pinch and roll my nipple while the other snakes around to rub my swollen nub.
"Your blood," he grunts, his pace quickening, the water splashing because of the force of his thrusts. My legs tremble, my body fluttering around his pounding cock, the pressure building as he angles to hit that spot inside me that makes stars burst behind my eyes. I’m concerned he’ll be in pain after this, but he doesn't stop.
He leans in, capturing my earlobe between his teeth, sucking lightly before whispering, "You saved me.
" My orgasm crashes through me like a hot spray, my walls clamping down on his shaft as I shudder and moan his name.
He follows seconds later, slamming deep one last time, his cock pulsing as he paints my skin with spurts of cum.
He holds me pinned to his chest until we both still, the hot water washing our bodies.
The water flowing is the only sound around us, the steam rising like breath from the earth.
Our bodies found each other in the quiet—skin to skin, heartbeat to heartbeat.
I reach for the bottle of shower gel; the scent of cocoa rises as I squeeze a pool onto my palm.
I turn to face him. My breasts gently touching his chest and I press my palm to his neck, the gel slick between us as I begin to wash him, my fingers tracing the curve of his collarbone, the slope of muscle and the ridges of old scars.
I slide my fingertips down his body. My touch is gentle, reverent, but not afraid.
When I reach the wound… still raw but healing, Nox inhales sharply, not from pain, but from the weight of my care.
"You don’t have to," he kisses the tip of my nose.
"I do and I will."
My hands move again, smoothing the gel across his ribs, careful not to press too hard. The water streams down his cold body, carrying blood, leaving only my touch and the bond between us.
I close my eyes as Nox presses his forehead to mine, our breaths mingling. He reaches out, his fingers grazing my wrist, grounding himself with my presence. In this moment, we aren’t just lovers.