Chapter 31 Dex
DEX
Dex clung to Luc as he flew through the strange gateway realm. They sailed over the vast field until the mist swallowed them completely.
Dex’s skin prickled. Air seemed to press in around him and a bright light stole his vision. When it cleared, they were flying over the ocean. On Earth.
Dex couldn’t explain how he knew they were in the Human Realm, other than it felt fundamentally different than being in the gateway. Almost like someone had turned gravity back on, but not Earth’s gravity, something deeper. A gravity within his soul?
Luc flew on, leading the group over the expanse of blue until Shearwater Landing came into view on the horizon.
A large containership sailed into the port, with other boats milling around the outer harbor. Dex had never seen his home from this angle, city sparkling under the setting sun. The sight soothed him as much as Luc’s embrace.
“We’re going to Rowan’s,” Valac announced, carrying the vampire in question.
“All right,” Luc agreed. “We’re headed to Dante’s. Thank you for your help.”
“There’s no need to thank me, Lucifer. I’m grateful I could assist. It seems we’re on the same side. Who’d have thought?”
“Not me,” Luc said with a hint of surprise. “See you around.”
Valac nodded and veered off, his demon friends following with the other vampires and a woman Dex hadn’t seen before.
Ren picked up speed toward the city, calling, “I’m off,” over her shoulder.
“We’ll be going too,” Pamala said, gesturing to Lillian and Maxwell. “I’m sure we’ll see some of you at Ellie’s birthday party if you accompany your mates.”
“You will.” Dante’s expression turned sheepish. “I’m sorry, Pamala. I—”
“Don’t worry about it. Thank the realms I listened to Dex.” She flew away before Dante could say anything else, her companions following.
Onyx brushed the tip of his wing along Dex’s arm. “We’re all thankful she listened to you.”
Luc gripped Dex tighter, gathering speed. “More than thankful. How did you know?”
Dex’s chest erupted with latent butterflies. “I’m not entirely sure. The sense that I should have gone with you overwhelmed me until it started to physically hurt, and I couldn’t think beyond getting to you. You shouldn’t have had to go without me.”
Luc growled low. “Yes, I should have. It’s good you weren’t there any sooner. Catalina almost died. It took all of us to save her.”
Dex’s stomach lurched. “It’s almost as if it was meant to happen this way.”
Luc hummed thoughtfully. “It seems so.”
They’d reached the cliffs, and Luc swooped past the trees to land on Dante’s deck. As if they’d been waiting on the threshold, Ollie, Harper, and Nico burst from inside.
“You’re okay! Oh my god, Dex. Dante!” Ollie rushed forward, his eyes red and puffy.
“He saved us.” Dante scooped Ollie into his arms and buried his face in Ollie’s curls.
Ash and Harper were wrapped around each other, and Onyx seemed to have collapsed into Nico.
“What happened? Did they let witches in? Where’s everyone else?” Ollie asked, wiggling in Dante’s hold as he looked around.
Luc clung to Dex, showing no signs of wanting to put him down. “Everyone is safe, and yes, the Realm of the Damned is being abolished. Dex will see his parents when he’s ready, and you can enter the Eternal Realm, too, Ollie. As can you, Harper.”
Harper disengaged Ash’s passionate kiss with a smack of lips. “Me?”
Dex laughed.
Luc snorted. “Yes. Ash can fill you in. I think we all need some time with our mates.”
A purr emanated from Luc’s chest, and Dex wanted to rub against him like a cat. He wasn’t even drunk this time.
“Wait!” Onyx spun away from Nico, but couldn’t seem to let him go. “Luc, wait.”
“What is it?” Luc stepped closer to Onyx.
“I love you.” Onyx’s eyes shone. “You’re forgiven for everything you ever did to me. Okay?”
“Okay, little brother. And don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried. You’re my family. Not those Eternals who turned their backs on us. I promise I’ll never hurt you again.”
Onyx hiccupped, like he was choking back tears, and Nico kissed the top of his head.
“Come see us soon?” Dante spoke as if he wasn’t sure he should, taking a half-step toward Luc and Dex.
Luc sounded just as hesitant. “I will. If you’re inviting me.”
“I am.”
“Me too,” Ash added.
“Thank you,” Luc whispered, agonized yet hopeful.
“You’re welcome. Now, go be with your mate.” Ash grinned, his eyes flashing, and Harper giggled.
Luc launched into the air, and Dex swallowed a gasp of surprise.
“Have fun mating,” Ollie yelled after them. “And you better text me, Dex.”
“I will,” he shouted back before burying his face in Luc’s neck. “They all know we’re about to have sex, don’t they?”
Luc snorted. “As if they aren’t about to do the same. Believe me, no one will be thinking about us in about five minutes.”
“True.” Dex’s core tightened, and it all hit him. They could mate now. He could bond with Luc and be his forever.
Luc flew them over the city, seeming in less of a hurry than he’d been in getting to Dante’s. “We can do more than have sex,” he said softly. “But we don’t have to mate until you’re ready. We don’t have to do it tonight.”
Dex’s chest tightened. “Do you want to?”
“More than anything in my life. But I can wait.”
Why wait? This was the reason Luc had faced the Eternal Realm.
Okay, it had been bigger than that, but they’d accomplished everything they’d set out to do.
The world would change for the better. Dex could have Luc and never lose him.
He could spend eternity with Ollie. He could be a part of the demons’ family.
And he didn’t have to sacrifice his parents for any of it.
“I don’t want to wait.”
A long, low whine filled the air. “Fuck, Dex. Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Luc’s wingbeats quickened, and he tore across the city. “I’m going to devour you, little mate. I’m claiming your soul. Your very essence. You’ll be mine, and there’s no undoing it. Mine, Dex. Forever.”
Dex moaned, his eyelids falling shut.
Luc landed at his loft and whisked Dex inside and up the stairs. “Do you have your pebble?”
“It’s in my pocket.”
Luc set Dex on his feet beside the bed. “Place it on the side table.”
Dex fished the faintly glowing gray stone from his pocket and set it beside the lamp. When he turned around, Luc was naked, his eyes a brighter red than Dex had ever seen.
A shiver wound through Dex’s body, and his cock stiffened.
“On the bed,” Luc ordered.
Dex kicked off his shoes and scrambled up.
“Tell me your safe words,” Luc demanded.
“Red for stop, green for all good, yellow for slow down.”
“Good boy.” Luc’s wings pumped, sending smoke-scented air wafting around Dex.
“After we’re bonded, we’ll be linked telepathically.
We won’t share thoughts, but we will sense each other’s feelings.
I hear it can be controlled to an extent, but there will be times when hiding from each other will be impossible.
We can discuss this further and wait until you’re comfortable. ”
“No. I want to mate now. Ollie already told me about the bond’s emotional connection. I want to feel you and show you all of me. I need to be yours, Luc.”
Luc tipped his head back and growled, the sound long and low, almost agonized. Then he pounced on the bed, and Dex yelped in surprise.
In a flash, Luc was on him, his hands seemingly everywhere at once. It took Dex long seconds to process that Luc was ripping his clothes to shreds.
He was naked and panting less than a minute later. “Luc, please.”
Luc hovered over Dex, who was splayed on his back like an offering. “Mm. Greedy little mate.” He wrapped his hand around Dex’s hard cock. There was a tingling sensation, and wetness bloomed between Luc’s palm and Dex’s sensitive skin.
“Yes.” Dex arched into Luc’s lube-slick touch, but Luc took his hand away.
“Touch yourself for me. I want to see what I missed on the phone the other night.”
Dex hastily grabbed his slick cock and stroked. “Like this?”
Luc sat back, purring loudly as he watched. “Just like that. Jerk it until you’re about to come, then stop.”
Dex whimpered. Fuck. Luc hadn’t given him permission to come. He hadn’t come in so many days, it might as well have been forever. “I’m not gonna last long.”
“Try for me. You can do it.”
Dex fucked his fist, the slide of the magical lube combined with Luc’s hungry gaze—like he was on the brink of devouring him—was too much to take. Dex’s balls drew up, and he groaned.
He stopped, dropping his cock like it had burned him. He leaked precum, but he didn’t tip over the edge.
Sweat gathered along his brow. He’d done it. But oh, god, if he moved, he might come and ruin everything.
“Good boy.” Luc’s red gaze burned as he took in Dex’s naked body. “So good for me. I love seeing you squirm, trying so hard to please me.”
“Did I please you?” Dex panted.
“Yes. I’m so proud of your restraint, especially after I haven’t let you come all week. And after such a hard day.” Luc wrapped his hand around Dex’s cock, his grip too tight to handle.
“Luc, stop. Wait. I can’t take any more.”
Luc didn’t stop. “I know, my dear. I want to see you come. You have my permission.”
He squeezed Dex, jerking him slowly, and Dex came all over himself.
“Such a good, dirty little mate. My perfect fucktoy. I’m going to make you mine, and you can come as many times as you want while I do it.”
“I can?” Dex nearly choked on the words, the sound strangled.
“As many times as you want. This is going to be like nothing you’ve ever done. Like nothing I’ve ever done.” Luc flipped Dex over and lifted his hips into the air.
Dex spread his legs and pushed onto all fours. “Mate me.”
Luc growled, fingers digging into Dex’s hips. “First, I’m going to breed you.”
Dex’s vision blurred, and an aftershock of pleasure rocketed through him. “Yes. I need you.”