Chapter 4
Kate
I'm lying in the tub with Zera behind me, my hair is soaking wet. Zera is trying to work shampoo through my thick curls, and I am basking in the way his claws gently scratch my scalp.
“Zera? What happened between you and the other witch that summoned you?” I ask tentatively.
He is quiet for a long time. He begins to rinse my hair, gently lifting small sections. I’m starting to feel like he is going to ignore my question when he speaks, the dejection evident with every word.
“She was a dark witch from long ago. She summoned me to bind me to her so that I would do her bidding. I managed to escape back to my realm, but what she did…” He pauses now.
I turn in the tub to look at him, and seeing his face so broken makes me wild with rage.
He shakes his head, looking off into the distance with tortured memories.
“I could not go on with the things she made me do. I became aether. Just floating.”
“For how long?” I whisper, already knowing the answer.
“It is hard to know, but it was centuries of being alone. At some point, I think I wanted to come back, but I was so weak.” He pauses to look at me. “Fear is a hard thing to overcome.”
I know he is talking to me now, about this sheltered existence I’ve trapped myself in, but I’m not ready to broach that subject. So instead I say, “Did you ever come back into reality? In your realm?”
“No.” There is an intensity in his stare; our eyes locked. The gravity of what he is saying is confusing me. “You pulled me out when you summoned me last night. That is why I was confused and asked about the year.”
“Zerachiel,” I whisper.
He gives me a reassuring smile, as though he knows what being summoned by me must mean to him after being nothing but smoke and vapor for so long. “It is alright, Kate. Now turn around, your hair is a tangled mess.”
I obey, grateful for the time to think through my feelings.
I show Zera how to section my hair and comb the conditioner through, fearing he may give up.
I hate washing my own hair because it takes so long, but he is nothing but cheerful as he works through each section, humming as he goes.
I decide to sink into the hot water and, for once, let myself enjoy it instead of overthinking everything like I normally do.
???
THE NEXT MORNING, as I wake alone in my bed, there is a yearning that I have to contend with.
I orgasmed with a demon, my first with any partner, and he washed my hair.
These thoughts roll over in my brain like the ocean grating a rock smooth against the sand.
Where do I go from here? The selfish part of me wants to take advantage, but the other half knows that’s a bad idea.
I am not like the awful witch who forced Zera to do things so despicable that he forced himself into an existence of loneliness for centuries.
But he likes you! Yes, there is no doubt that he enjoys doing things for me, but there is a line. The question is, what is the line, and will I know if I cross it?
A soft knocking at my door breaks my train of thought, and anxiety shoots into me as more panicked thoughts flood my brain space. I’m still not sure that he can’t read minds.
“Kate? Are you awake?”
Panicked, I toss the covers back over me. During the bath last night, I fell asleep, and Zera tucked me in naked. It seems that he also slept in the living room. Such a gentleman.
“Come in!” I call, sitting up on my elbow, clutching the covers for dear life.
Zera steps into the room, and I am taken away by him, larger than life in the doorway.
If he were human, he would be a bodybuilder, so defined are his muscles that I have to actively force myself not to stare.
I try to feign disinterest and gaze into his face in what I hope is a soft and definitely not horny way.
The fact that he walks around naked so casually is not helping.
He looks sheepish as he stands there. “Today is Sunday, no?”
“Uh, yeah. Yes, today is Sunday.”
“So, the store is not open, correct?”
I nod. While the store might not be open, I usually spend Sundays reconciling receipts and balancing our accounts, order books, and somehow keep myself busy with the store even on my day off. Instead, I say, “Correct, the store is not open on Sundays.”
He beams with happiness. “Then we should go out. I made food.”
“Wait, what? Go out where? In case you haven’t noticed, you’re a very tall, midnight blue demo- I mean grigori, and if people see you, they will freak out. Like, hunt you down with pitchforks, freak out.”
“I will be invisible. And we will go here.” He is pointing at a page in a book that I am just now realizing he had in his hand.
“Let me see.” I sit up to reach for the book, swinging my legs out from under the covers, which are now barely covering my torso. Zera’s eyes lock onto my bare skin as he steps nearer to hand me the book. I see them travel up to my bare shoulders. His gaze is blazing.
I clear my throat and see that he has handed me a park guide for Clearwater Springs, something I forgot I even had in my apartment.
The area he is pointing to is a secluded park just a mile or two behind the bookstore.
With a sigh, I see that he is nearly vibrating with excitement, and as much as I want to say no and explain that I have store things to do, a small voice remembers that he has been barely water vapor with no physical form for centuries and probably is feeling a bit cooped up.
I close the book shut with a snap and look at him matter-of-factly. “You mentioned food.”
His smile could compete with the sun. My body betrays me as a smile forms as well. I guess we’re going to the park. Does this count as a date?
???
I WALK, SEEMINGLY alone, along the trail with a loaded backpack of picnic food.
I long stopped asking where or how Zera was getting all this food because it was clear that it wasn't going to stop him, and I also didn’t really want to go to the grocery store.
Not that I couldn’t buy the food, I definitely had money, but it was more the fact that I was shopping alone, and the townspeople could be nosy.
I knew Zera was beside me in our walk, but I told him he needed to stay silent and invisible until we got further in and away from the trailhead.
Every now and again, I would see the air shimmer or see a branch snap underneath his feet, but for the most part, if we ended up running into anyone, they would have no clue he was there.
To my own surprise, I feel lighter and more relaxed walking in the forest. The further we go, the more birds and animals we see, scampering amongst the fallen pine needles, flitting between branches, and singing their beautiful songs.
Today is a beautiful day to be outside, the sun bright and warm against our faces.
Finally, we reach the forked trail. “Zera, wait,” I whisper. I sense his presence pause near me, his breath close to my neck. Willing myself to concentrate, I pull up a picture of the map from the book I snapped with my phone.
“Looks like we go left, my Kate.” He whispers into my ear, tickling me with his words.
“Mm-hmm.” I murmur.
As we turn left and go deeper into the forest, I feel his hand just brush against my hair, and my mind brings up flashes of last night as Zera washed mine, showing such patience and kindness.
Far more than any human man had ever shown me.
The very thought of asking any man in the town if he would help me with my unruly curls or massage my shoulders after a long day at the store was laughable.
And yet, Zera knew what I needed and insisted I take time for myself.
My brain decides now would be a good time to remind me of how deep Zera’s tongue could go, and my face instantly grows hot at the memory. I stumble a bit on a branch in our path, reaching out instinctively to catch myself, and instead of air, my hand grasps the firm, invisible arm of Zera.
“You are blushing.” He whispers to me, our hands still grasping one another.
I shake my head, looking around to see if there is anyone near enough to hear him, but it no longer matters. We are deep in the forest now, the trail barely visible beneath our feet.
“I am not, I’m just warm from walking so much, that’s all,” I say defensively.
I feel the backpack being lifted from my shoulders just as the air is shimmering and folding in front of me. Even after seeing him appear in the bookstore, I don’t think I will ever get used to this power of his, and now I realize how close he was actually standing to me.
My body is vibrating and I can’t think. Images of him flash in my mind, my imagination running wild now. I want more of him, and that scares me. The forest seems darker here, and before I know what is happening, his lips are crushed to mine, and all the doubts I had crowding my brain melt away.
He backs me into a massive tree, hoisting me up so that my legs are hooked around his waist, our lips lined up perfectly.
Once again, his long tongue is exploring my mouth, our breath coming in fast, short bursts.
Pulling away, I frantically unzip my jacket, shoving it away from me, wanting my skin touching his.
The air is frigid, but the heat between us is no match.
Last night, in the darkness of my room, I could barely see him, but now in the light, I look down and am just as shocked as I was the first night when he crouched on my bed.
His cock must have been fashioned by gods; its thickness is wrapped by delicate silvery runes.
The crown is flared, almost bulbous. Tentatively, I reach between us, and just as my cold hand grasps him, I flick my eyes to his and see them close.
He swallows as I begin to explore the length of him.
“Zera, look at me.”
Deep black eyes meet mine. I press my forehead to him before pulling him in for another kiss as I continue to caress and cup him, delighting in his moans.
It occurs to me that I want him to lose control, to cry my name out for the whole forest to hear.
I feel reckless and slightly unhinged, my need now greater than any rational thought.
The idea that he wants me and that I might be driving him wild is like a drug.
I strip off my shirt and my bra, and my nipples instantly pucker in the icy air.
Without hesitation, he dips his head down, taking my breast in his mouth, fluttering his tongue.
My hips move of their own volition, crushing my hand that is grasping his cock against the seam of my jeans.
He growls against me, rolling my nipple between the fork of his tongue, causing me to cry out.
He pulls away from me, entirely setting me down on the ground, and starts undoing my pants.
Soon, my shoes are kicked to the side, and we stand there, naked in the daylight, the soft sounds of the forest like a distant reality now.
We both act first, crashing into each other, the bark of the tree scraping exquisitely at my back.
Rough kisses skitter against my skin, while I nip at his.
We claw at each other, frantic for our skin to be touching.
My arms hook around his shoulders just as he hauls me up once more, pressing my back into the tree.
I have no time to think or worry about him fitting inside me.
I am already so wet with need that I don’t want a sweet embrace.
He seems to hesitate for a millisecond, but I have no time for that.
I guide his throbbing cock into me and let gravity do its thing as I seat myself fully.
His head falls onto my shoulder with a groan.
My body trembles, our skin hot and sticky, and we stay there connected for a beat.
The way his cock is stretching me is intoxicating.
The pain is there, but underneath it is the connection I crave.
He moves within me first, using slow thrusts, his head thrown back, the light bouncing off his strong shoulders, the lines of his pectorals glistening in the sun.
I’ll never tire of just looking at him, but seeing him like this, taking me in such a primal way against a tree, is what I needed.
His tail is flicking back and forth like mad.
I pull myself up and match his speed, urging him inside me faster and faster.
My legs open themselves wider, needing him inside me deeper, noises like I have never made come pouring from me, first whimpering and then groaning, my nails digging into his back.
I need more friction, and just as the thought pops into my head, I feel something soft sweep over my sensitive clit, and I cry out.
Looking down, I see the end of his tail has joined in, massaging my swollen clit, it dips into my slick cunt, coating my sensitive nub.
Zera slaps a hand against the tree for balance, while his other arm scoops under my generous ass as he hammers into me.
His wings are wide, pressing into the forest floor.
We are locked in a tight embrace as we fuck against the tree, the now familiar build-up of pressure is there inside me, just lurking inside my walls.
The crown of his cock impales that sensitive spot inside, and I can hear in his breath that he probably isn’t going to last much longer either.
My arms pull him in closer, my lips pressed into his strong neck, one arm behind me, pushing against the tree for more leverage.
My hips buck in time with his thrusts, and just as I feel the tingling running along my veins, I look out into the forest and see a face staring at me from the depths.
Travis!