18. Nyx
Nyx
My claws click lightly against the icy floor as I move through the darkened tunnels in the direction of Cin’s bedroom. The hair at my nape stands upright, my skin prickles with anticipation—and I haven’t even laid eyes on her yet.
Willow…
I’ve been replaying the memories of our joining over and over in my head. I cannot escape them, and I don’t want to. I’m a bit ashamed to admit I spent the night laid in my bed with my fist wrapped around my cock, lost in the memory of how her sweet arousal tasted on my tongue.
She is utterly addicting. She’s under my skin. I don’t ever want her out.
Which is a problem, because right now, she doesn’t even want to look at me.
I let out a deep sigh, my chest clenching when I remember the confusion and hurt that flashed in her eyes. She feels we betrayed her, that we didn’t adequately prepare her for the possibility of a mate bond forming between her and Rhune.
It’s just that… it shouldn’t be possible. She’s a human, and there are zero signs she possesses demon ancestry. It doesn’t make any sense. Yet it happened.
Though, the most troubling part is that Willow doubts the sincerity of her feelings for Rhune and I.
More than that, she’s probably worried that our devotion to her isn’t as real as it appears.
Little does she know, we would worship her with or without a mate bond.
There is no universe in which we would not find the gorgeous little human and make her ours.
There is no reality in which our souls do not search for the other.
She will understand one day. It will take time and convincing, but one day, she will know the full weight of our devotion.
And obsession.
Excited by the notion of getting to see Willow, I hasten my pace, eager to see her after our night apart.
She spent the night in Cin’s bedroom—most likely to avoid Rhune and me, and I can’t exactly blame her.
The two of us spent turns checking on her throughout the night, and I believe Rhune ended up falling asleep just outside the door.
He wants to be close to her, but still give her the space she needs.
It’s cute and a little bit pathetic, but I understand his actions completely.
Just as I thought, I find Rhune curled in a ball on the floor outside of Cin’s bedroom, looking every bit as pitiful as he feels. I should know. The idiot has been letting all his negative emotions travel freely through the bond we all share, and it’s put all four of us in a bad mood.
I take a deep breath to steady my emotions, then crouch down to Rhune’s level. I reach an arm out, poking his cheek with the tip of my claw. “Hello, sunshine.”
A pitiful whine exits his throat like a song—neverending and utterly depressing. If his horns could droop, I have no doubt they would be at this moment.
“What’s the matter, Rhune? You don’t look so well.”
“Willow,” he cries, burying his head in his hands.
“I went in to see her earlier, but she sent me away. She hates me. I’ve ruined everything.
” He rocks back and forth, his eyes flaring bright pink as he tries to hold his transformation at bay.
“I need… I have to be with her, Nyx. I think I’m dying. ”
“You’re not dying, you dizzy creature. You just need to come.”
He whines. “It feels like I’m dying.”
I roll my eyes. “And they say I’m the dramatic one.”
Rhune curls into a tighter ball, his dark-pink wing folding over to cover his face. “Leave me to rot. I don’t want to go on living if she hates me.”
“She doesn’t hate you. She’s just angry—and rightfully so. You snatched her from her home and trapped her here with no option to leave. She’s confused, and hurt, and she feels we deceived her. But… I think eventually, she might forgive you.”
Rhune peers over the top of his wing, his eyes swimming with hope. “Really?”
I shrug, then push to my feet. “Only one way to find out.”
Doing my best to hide the excitement on my face, I shove the covering aside and step into Cin’s room. My eyes land on Willow sitting upright in the middle of Cin’s bed, and my chest tightens with a mixture of jealousy and desire.
As soon as Willow notices me, her eyes narrow in a mighty glare, and my heart thrums with excitement. I love that fiery expression.
“Hi, Willow. You look particularly beautiful this day.” When she doesn’t respond, I try another angle. “I heard you gave Rhune a nice talking-to.”
Now, she whips her head up, fire blazing in her pretty green eyes. “I’ll give you one too, if you don’t leave. I’m not in the mood right now, Nyx.”
I move closer, unaffected by her anger. “Such a shame. Here I was saying we should take a trip to the ocean and get some fresh air. But I guess you’re not interested.” I shrug, beginning to walk away.
“Wait!”
I turn with a grin, only for something to be lobbed at my head. The chunk of ice bounces off my forehead and falls to the stone floor with a soft clatter, but I’m too shocked to respond right away.
She did not…
When I raise my eyes, I’m met with the sight of Willow’s sneer. “If you’re trying to bribe me to make me forgive you and Rhune, you’re going to have to try a whole lot harder than a trip to the ‘beach.’”
My chest lights with glee. “So you’re saying you will accept bribery?”
The corner of her mouth twitches with a hint of a smile. “You’re lucky you’re hot,” she whispers under her breath. She thinks I can’t hear it, but with my heightened senses, I’m able to listen to every word. I just won’t let her know that right this minute.
Willow sighs, drawing her gaze up to meet mine. “I’m still mad at you—and especially Rhune. I just want to be alone to get my feelings in order. Please. I promise when I’m ready, I’ll let you know.”
“You know, your word is binding in The Far Place.” I offer her a gentle smile. “I will patiently await the day when you’re ready.” Touching two fingers to my heart, I bow my head. “I’ll return later with some food for you.”
She drops her gaze to her lap. “Thank you, Nyx…”
I nod, forcing my feet to take me toward the exit. It physically hurts to walk away from her, and it makes me even more sympathetic toward what Rhune is going through right now. Poor thing probably does feel like he’s dying to be apart from her.
When I exit, Rhune gazes up at me with hope shining in his pretty pink eyes. With a deep sigh, I shake my head, and Rhune lets out a piercing whine.
“I told you she hates me.” His chin hits his chest, his shoulders drooping inwards as his grief shudders down the bond we share. “It’s hopeless.”
With a sigh, I reach out and flick his forehead.
“Ow!” Rhune clutches the afflicted area, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “Why… why would you do that?”
I flick his nose for good measure.
“Stop doing that!”
“Not until you get yourself together,” I say. “We can’t just sit around and mope. We have to be proactive.”
Rhune tilts his head, a question shining in his tear-filled eyes.
“It means we have to do something to win her back. Grand gestures, and such.”
Rhune’s expression brightens. “Do you have an idea for this grand gesture?”
“I have to think…” I reach up to scratch at my chin, my mind running a thousand miles a minute. “It needs to be something personal. Something that she would truly care about and appreciate.”
“What about the necklace?” Rhune asks.
“Necklace?”
Rhune nods. “Willow told me she lost a necklace the day I took her from her world. She seemed very sad about it.”
“A necklace you say…” If she was sad about it, then it must have meant something to her. I doubt getting it back would make her forgive us entirely, but it’s a step in the right direction. “Do you think you could find the same spot you took her from, Rhune?”
He nods. “Of course. It’s one of my favorite hunting grounds. I go there often.”
“Good. There’s not a moment to waste,” I say. “Go and get it. I’ll keep a lookout for her and make sure she’s safe.”
As Rhune rushes off down the tunnel, I can’t help but notice that he’s looking a lot slimmer than he had when he first brought Willow to our home. Weaker.
It occurs to me that Rhune hasn’t eaten in a considerable amount of time. It had been weeks since he ate when he went to the human realm to hunt, and he’s been so consumed with Willow, he hasn’t had time to feed himself. If his body is too weak when he travels to the human realm, then…
I shake my head, casting those worries aside. If Rhune was too weak to make the treacherous journey, then he would surely have mentioned it. I’m just worrying for no reason.
At least, that’s what I hope…