Chapter 30

CHAPTER30

We stir up a lot of interest as we follow Aloros through the streets of House Esagila. A vampire and a demon on our own are enough to cause people to stop and look, but walking hand-in-hand? That’s not just a novelty, that’s a historic moment.

We end up with a little group following us, adding more angels and souls to our procession as we go. Ashen doesn’t seem too pleased about it either. He grumbles about their nearness and pulls me closer as he tosses an occasional glare over his shoulder, not that they can really see his face through the smoke that drifts in his wake.

When we finally pass through the gates of House Esagila and arrive at the dais, our crowd of onlookers fans out and watches as demon and angel face one another.

“Thank you for your help,” Ashen says. His words are clear but the pain of this place is heavy in them. His skin is covered with a sheen of sweat. His hair is darkened with it.

“Do not trouble yourself, demon. Just keep your word,” Aloros replies. Ashen gives him a nod and the angel’s eyes shift to mine. He holds out my katana and a small leather pouch. “Your sword, vampire. And elixir. Your demon had me procure this, in the event you decided to stay.”

“Which you should,” Ashen interjects. “As much as it pains me to say this, it would be safer for you here.”

I sigh and slide my glare in his direction. We’ve already discussed this three times since leaving the ziggurat and my sister behind. “No. I’m not staying.”

Ashen says nothing as he rolls his eyes, but I feel his grip tighten on my hand nonetheless. As much as he doesn’t like it, I know he’s relieved to keep me close.

“Thank you,” I say to Aloros. I look at him for a long moment before dropping Ashen’s hand to wrap my arms around the angel in an unexpected hug. To my surprise, he returns the gesture, and it feels warm despite being a little stiff.

“Safe travels, lesser being,” he says as he pulls away. I huff a laugh before turning to step onto the dais with Eryx and Ashen. With a last final look, we are absorbed by light and transported to the Living Realm.

The cavern is cold and dark when we return. There are no more glyphs shedding warm light on the walls. But Eryx illuminates our way with his glowing skin, and we walk silently into the late afternoon sun.

“I’ll fly to Valentina’s and take one of the vehicles back,” Eryx says.

“We will wait in that cabin,” Ashen replies, pointing toward a cottage nestled in the snow-covered trees. It looks in decent shape from the outside, even though there’s a board nailed across the door.

Eryx nods with a smile before taking off into the sky, heading north over the forest. Ashen and I continue up the hill toward the cabin. Though he seems relieved without the burn of the Realm of Light in his veins, Ashen still clutches his ribs and our progress is slow.

It doesn’t take much to break into the old cabin, which seems in good condition despite the musty smell of dust and moth balls. There’s a scuffed blue table in the small kitchen, and an armchair and couch next to a stone fireplace. I place some kindling into the hearth and Ashen lights it with his sword before he settles into the chair with a heavy sigh of pain.

I fiddle with the fire for a while as I steal long glances at the weary demon. He sits with his eyes closed and his head tipped back. His arm is wrapped across his middle. Every breath looks painful but he seems more at ease somehow, as though the pain replaces a weight that was becoming too heavy to bear.

There’s so much I need to say to him and everything I think of feels lame or underwhelming. ‘I’m sorry’ is woefully insufficient. ‘I love you’ feels like the timing is off. ‘Hey, now that I know for sure you’re not an asshole, guess what? I do actually love you but I did before too and I just think now is a good time to tell you’… holy fuck that just sounds so dumb.

“Are you going to come over here, vampire, or are you going to war with yourself all evening?” Ashen says. His eyes are still closed as he speaks but he cracks one open to gauge my reaction. I feel a traitorous blush burn in my cheeks. “I can nearly hear your thoughts.”

I rise to my feet, the ridiculous dress fanning out and engulfing my body. I glide toward him like a giant marshmallow. “Oh yeah? And what do you think you hear?”

Ashen extends his free hand in an invitation to sit on his lap. I straddle one of his legs and he wraps his warm palm around my arm. “Probably something like ‘I was wrong about you, Reaper’, versus ‘I won’t tell him that because I’m a vampire and vampires are never wrong’,” he says, mimicking my voice.

I scoff as I run my hands across Ashen’s chest, following the lines of muscle beneath his shirt. He shivers at the contact and closes his eyes. “What else?”

“Hmm… ‘I adore you, Reaper’, versus ‘You’re an asshole for not telling me about my sister’.”

I pause the motion of my hands and wait until he opens his eyes. “Why didn’t you?” I ask.

Ashen’s gaze flows across my features and I feel the tingle in my skin everywhere it touches. “I wanted you to choose what was best for you, not because of something you thought I held over you. I had no intention of manipulating your actions with someone you loved.”

I look at Ashen for a long moment before leaning down to press a lingering kiss to his cheek. “Thank you,” I whisper. “I saw how you suffered, swimming in the Bay of Souls. You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted you to have someone with you. I couldn’t bear the thought of you being alone,” he says as his hand slowly drifts down my arm and up again.

I rest my face against Ashen’s neck and sigh, feeling his steady pulse against my skin. I know I haven’t said enough of what I should, but somehow just touching one another means more than words ever could.

“Do you love me yet, vampire?” Ashen asks, his tone both playful and serious. I push up to look at him and he winces at the sudden movement, gripping his side as he tries to shift to a more comfortable position.

I ignore his question and grasp the edge of his shirt, starting to pull it up his body. “Let me see.”

“It will be fine.”

“Sure sounds like it, yeah. Stop being a baby and let me see.”

Ashen glares at me and then rolls his eyes, leaning forward so I can take the shirt off. I run my hands across his side and press the tips of my fingers into the flesh that’s already covered in dark bruises. I can feel the shattered points of bone and count five broken ribs.

“Ashen,” I say, drawing out his name as I lay a hand to his face.

“It will be fine in a few days. It will heal in Reaper speed.”

I scoff. “Maybe, but vampire speed is better. I can help.”

He shifts again, unable to alleviate the discomfort. He doesn’t answer, just looks at me with a furrowed brow.

“You’re not the only one with magic in their veins.” I push up my billowing sleeve and draw my wrist to my lips as my fangs descend. I keep my eyes fused to Ashen’s as I bite down. There’s curiosity in the look he gives me, and a little worry for the unknown, and a lot of pain. I hold my arm out for him as a long thread of thick blood curls down my skin. He looks from the twin punctures to my face and back again. “Drink, Ashen.”

The Reaper takes my hand and lifts my arm. In the stillness of this cabin, the air between us seems alive with an electric charge. Ashen’s gaze is soldered to mine as though we’re chained together by this moment of time.

Ashen catches the thick channel of blood on his tongue before it can drip onto my dress. He laps it up my skin and smears it across his lips. My heart hammers my ribs as he draws closer to my wrist.

When he finally seals his lips over the wound and draws in a deep pull of blood, the effect on my body is instantaneous. It ignites my desire like a fuse. And I can sense the relief in him. I can hear the pins of bone slowly start to stitch back together as Ashen closes his eyes and sighs.

“How does it taste?” I whisper. My lungs pump with shallow breaths. Intense need coils low in my belly. I feel my arousal dampen the fabric of Ashen’s pants as I try to stop myself from grinding against his leg.

Ashen takes another long pull of blood and the pleasure of it wraps around my bones. A stuttering breath shudders past my lips.

Ashen opens his eyes and they burn with the brightest flame. “It tastes like heaven, vampire,” he whispers.

For a moment, we are both so still we might have fused into stone. We don’t blink or even breathe. And then in a swift motion he locks an arm around my back and rises from the chair, his lips sealing around the wound once more.

I feel like my bones are melting, like my flesh is dissolving beneath his touch. Ashen sets me on the edge of the table and presses his body between my legs as he pulls more blood from my arm. It fuels the feeling of his effervescence, as though the more he takes connects him to the part of him that lives within me. All his power and history, all that loss and longing. He’s alive in my veins.

Ashen takes another long pull of blood and then lets go, his gaze bouncing between my eyes as if he’s just discovered a world he never knew. We look at one another for a long moment, both of us consumed by pumping, heavy breaths and raging hearts. And then he leans forward and claims my lips with a kiss as deep and unfathomable as the sea. I taste my blood. I’m surrounded by his intoxicating scent. I feel his pulse hammer against my chest.

Ashen’s hands find the drawstring behind my neck and he loosens the tie. The neckline gapes open and he pulls it down my shoulders, past my braless chest, down to my waist. I let out a gentle moan as he runs his fingers across my skin, lingering over my tight nipples. “I think I am starting to see the merits of this hideous dress,” he says.

“Wait ‘till you get a little lower.”

Ashen pauses for a moment before drawing his hand down until he reaches the slick wetness of my opening. He coats his fingers in my arousal before painting circles over my clit. “Vampire,” he says in a low, chastising voice. “No underwear in the Realm of Light? That seems salacious, even for a vampire. I certainly hope you weren’t looking to fuck an angel.”

A devious laugh escapes my lips. It turns to a moan as he pinches my clit. “Would that bother you?”

Ashen growls as his fingers dive into my opening and I clench around him. “Yes, it would. Very much. You are mine, vampire. And I don’t share with anyone, especially anunnaki.”

“Good,” I reply. My voice is airy and breathless as he pumps and curves his fingers and strokes my flesh, sending rippling waves of pleasure through my core. “Because I only want you. Only ever you.”

Ashen pauses his motion and we lock eyes. It’s the most of everything in his expression. The most peace. The most desire. The most longing. It breaks and remakes my heart. I feel as though we’re two shattered pieces stitching together, just like the ancient myths of humans said. And it’s not a simple process. Some stitches are crooked. Some have to be pulled out and stitched again. There is pain and progress and blame and beauty. There are deep shadows and pools of light. And I know now. I know I want it all.

I reach between us and undo Ashen’s belt, not taking my eyes from his as I lower his zipper and release his length. He pushes up the layers of my dress and I guide him to my opening, sighing as he slides inside. I bite into my wrist again where the punctures are already closing. “Drink it,” I plead as he pushes in as deep as he can go. “I want to feel what it’s like.”

Ashen takes my arm as he glides out to the tip of his erection. He seals his lips over the bite and watches my eyes as his tongue sweeps across the twin holes. And then he thrusts back in as he pulls in a mouthful of blood.

I cry out with pleasure, nearly on the brink of tears with the overwhelming ecstasy of it. He moans against my skin as he does it again, and again. I writhe beneath him and he hooks one of my legs over his shoulder, burying himself in me. I whisper his name as he propels us closer to the cliff edge.

“I feel you,” Ashen says when he lets go, running his hand up my thigh and then to my breast as he continues the rhythm of his thrusts. “I taste everything you hide from me. Even if you can’t say it, I know it.”

I don’t utter a word in reply, but I feel all those unsaid emotions knot in my throat. I keep my eyes on his when I nod and push my wrist toward his lips once more. It’s my admission, and he understands. As Ashen drinks and we come together in a brilliant, blinding rush of pleasure, he knows.

Even if my words are still a half step behind, he’s won my heart.