27. Micah

27

Micah

" H ow are you doing, little angel?"

I couldn't see Nox, but I could hear him. From the volume of his voice, I knew he was leaning on the other side of the wall I was slumped against. There'd been nothing he could do to get me put into a different cell, but Damon and Arthur had agreed to put him in the one right beside mine.

The cell was like any you'd find in a medieval dungeon. I think both Heaven and Hell had looked at that period of human history and decided, yep, that'll do. A table was pushed against the wall, littered with blood-covered tools and weapons. There was no point trying to use them—they were spelled to their owners. Seeing as Emilio no longer existed in any plane, they'd likely rot there for the rest of eternity.

Small torches flickered on the three stone walls, casting ominous shadows over the space. The shadows didn't bother me. It was what shone in the light that you needed to be afraid of. Those things that didn't need to hide, because they knew there was no escaping them .

The final wall wasn't a wall at all, but spelled bars that only certain people could remove. Made of the same material as the gates to Heaven, they were utterly unbreakable. Nothing in this cell bothered me particularly, except the two things I had yet to look at. The things that threatened to undo me like nothing else.

I flexed my fingers, trying to steady the tremble. Emilio is dead. He can't hurt you anymore. "I'm okay."

"You know I can tell you're lying, right? We're literally bonded. I know you're not okay."

My hands dropped into my lap as irritation overtook my fear. "Then why are you asking?"

Nox huffed. I pictured his scowl, the image bringing a smile to my face. "Believe it or not, I do have some manners."

"Really?" I closed my eyes, leaning my head back against the wall and wishing it was his shoulder instead. "I can't imagine it. Give me an example."

Nox's amusement rumbled up from his chest, echoing into mine like a hug. "Okay. There was the time I wanted to rim you. I asked first. That was polite."

My laugh didn't echo off the walls. It was almost like the stone absorbed it, desperate for any sounds that weren't born of terror or sorrow. "That's true. You did."

"And you thanked me." Nox chuckled. "You put my manners to fucking shame."

"Stick with me and I'm sure I'll have you minding your Ps and Qs in no time."

"I'm not going anywhere, little angel."

Unless they execute us. I closed my eyes as my mood plummeted. It was like being on a rollercoaster. One second, I was riding high with Nox, the next I was falling into the dark reality of our situation .

As soon as the regents had mentioned Ezekiel and Benji, I'd known this was the only outcome. I wouldn't risk the others. I'd spent my immortal life protecting them, existing to keep them safe.

If I was going to my eternal end, I wasn't taking them with me.

I swallowed hard. What was going on with them all right now? Did they know what had happened? Was Ezekiel managing to keep the ship steady?

The darkness around me thickened.

"Hey." Nox shuffled, like he was trying to get closer to the bars. Closer to me. "I'm right here, Micah. Don't leave me now."

I knew he didn't mean physically. He was trying to keep me there mentally. To keep me afloat despite the relentless current trying to sweep me away.

I couldn't find the words to answer him.

My attention had been grabbed by the heavy metal chains hanging from the ceiling, the ones I'd been so steadfastly ignoring until now. Of everything here, they were the only things that had any power over me. The ancient iron was moving slightly, taunting me almost. I had no idea where the breeze was coming from.

Maybe there was no breeze. Perhaps it was all in my mind. Playing tricks on me to torture me a little further.

At least they hadn't hung me from them today. I shrank back against the wall, as though I might be able to feel Nox through it.

"Micah? Tell me what you need, little angel."

I closed my eyes. "Distraction. Please."

"Well, since you asked so nicely." Nox's words were light, but the current running through him was anything but. "Why don't I tell you what I'd do if I was in there right now with you?"

My lips curved, relief filling me. Yes, this was what I needed. For Nox to take over. To make me forget. "Please do."

Nox groaned. "Fuck, those manners of yours, little angel. They get me hard, and we haven't even started yet."

His lust had my own cock stiffening—a feat I literally never thought would happen in this room. "Are you going to get started? Or is this testing my patience going to be something I'll have to get used to from you in future?"

Nox snorted. "I could lie, but it's likely going to be a permanent feature in our relationship."

I waited. "You didn't say sorry."

I could almost hear Nox's shrug. "Probably because I'm not sorry. But that's okay, you're not sorry either. You love that I wind you up a bit. Everyone else in your life bends and scrapes to you. You like that I challenge you."

I thought about Theo and Nate's fights and how Ez liked to debate every issue with me. "Remind me to introduce you to the rest of the Seraphim properly. Once you get to know them you'll understand why that's so funny."

"I like that," Nox said softly.

"What?"

"When you talk about our future."

I exhaled slowly. "I told you, I haven't given up yet."

"But you're also not holding out much hope."

My silence was the only answer Nox was going to get.

"How did we get off track?" Nox said eventually, a low heat in his words that made my skin warm. "I believe I was supposed to be distracting you."

"You're many things, Nox. One of them is always distracting. "

"I'm going to take that as a compliment. Now, I don't want you to think. You're not to do anything unless I explicitly say so. Understand?"

I groaned, the weight already lifting off me. "Yes."

"Good," Nox said huskily. "I want you to imagine I'm there in front of you right now. I'm kneeling on the floor between your legs. I don't care that it's dirty, and neither do you. All we care about is how fucking hard we are. As far as we're concerned, nothing else exists except for you, me, and this moment."

My chest rose and fell faster. I could picture him so easily. His cocky smirk. The candlelight glinting off his piercings. Eyes that burned brighter than the torches. The tight vee of his abs, pointing down to a place I wished I could taste again.

"I'm running my hands up your thighs," he continued. "Tracing the cords of your muscles. I don't touch your cock. Not yet. Instead I map out the grooves and crevices of your abdomen. I start by tracing up your happy trail, dipping into your navel before continuing."

My eyes drifted shut as my fingers followed the path Nox was guiding me along. I pretended it was his touch I was feeling.

"I cover every inch of your abs. I haven't had a chance to do that yet, so I'm taking my time with you now, making sure I don't miss a single spot."

An ache formed in the bond. I wasn't even sure who it was from, because Nox was right, he hadn't had a chance to explore me. Not really. I'd kept my shirt on during all but our last time together. That hadn't been the moment for the slow exploration Nox was leading me through now.

But it wasn't him touching me. Even now, when nothing could tear us apart, we couldn't be together. Was this how it would always be? Something between us, stopping us from finding happiness?

No, I told myself. We'll find a way out of this.

"Thoughts on me," Nox said.

"They're always on you, Nox. Even when I didn't want them to be."

"As it should be. Stay with me now, let me take care of you."

I forced my mind back to what we were doing, staying in the present rather than fearing for the future.

"My fingers are working their way north now," Nox said. "I'm touching your left nipple. Softly at first, testing how you respond. Are you shivering for me, little angel?"

"Yes," I gasped, the pad of my finger stroking the puckered pink flesh gently.

"Good," Nox purred. "Now I'm applying more pressure. Pinching and kneading the tiny button until its hard beneath my touch."

I bit my lip, doing exactly what he described. My nerve endings were on fire, anticipating what he'd have me do next.

He didn't make me wait long. After giving my other nipple the same treatment, he walked me through playing with both at the same time, tugging on them until my panting breaths were filling the cell.

"Nox," I gasped, writhing against the wall. "Please, baby."

"There's my polite little angel. Take your cock out, Micah. Let me stroke it for you."

Finally. It jumped up and smacked against my stomach, excited to be free.

"We don't have any lube, so I spit in my hand." He paused, like he was checking that I was doing that before continuing. "I slick my palm over your shaft, not holding it, just teasing."

I gave a small groan as I copied his words. This had no right to be as hot as it did.

"I dip lower," he said, a thick rasp in his voice. "Cupping your balls, feeling their weight in my palm. Just when you relax into the sensation, I tug on them, hard enough to make you hiss."

My hiss erupted right on cue. I wasn't even feeling my touch anymore. It was all Nox.

"Your cock is throbbing now, precum making you sticky. I gather it all up in my hand. I'm tempted to lick it, to take every part of you into me, but instead I'm going to use it to make you feel better.

"My fingers are wrapped around your shaft now, Micah. Can you feel me?"

"Yes," I whimpered, my fingers trembling as I waited for his order to move. "I wish it was you."

"It is me," Nox said simply. "You're just the vessel, doing what I've ordered. I'm touching you right now, Micah. That's all you need to focus on. And I've started to move. I'm at the base, slowly squeezing you as I get to the head. It looks hot and needy, so I thumb at the slit before massaging your glans."

My legs kicked out on the floor. How was this one of the hottest experiences I'd ever had, yet I was technically alone?

Because you're not alone. Nox is with you. He'll always be with you now.

Lust was beating a steady rhythm in the bond, ticking up a notch with every instruction from my demon's lips. As he continued with his honeyed commands, I stopped hearing the actual words. Part of me must've understood, because my hand was tugging at my cock slowly, the speed gradually increasing.

But I was too lost in it, too lost in the fantasy, to be paying attention. All I could see was my mate in front of me, his heated gaze incinerating me from the inside out as he coaxed the orgasm from me.

Pleasure danced at the base of my spine before exploding through me. "Nox!"

"That's it, little angel. I'm right there with you."

It wasn't until after I'd stripped my t-shirt off and used it to clean myself up that I realised I hadn't felt Nox come. "Nox? Baby?"

"Yeah?"

I frowned at the wall, like a window might mysteriously appear so I could see his face. "You didn't come. Did you…Was that not good for you?"

"Oh it was so good for me." His laugh was low and wicked. "If you check in the bond, you'll see just how much I'm still enjoying it."

He wasn't lying, the lust there was enough to have my spent dick twitching again.

"Do you wanna continue? I don't want you to be left unsatisfied."

Nox sighed. "I'm never unsatisfied around you, little angel. It's not that I couldn't come. Believe me, holding back was hard . Pun fully intended."

"Then why?"

"Because I'm saving it. I'm not coming again until my cock is buried in either your hole or your mouth. Think of it as more motivation to survive whatever they throw at us tomorrow."

"Well we have to survive then. Can't have you going to your eternal rest with blue balls. "

His distraction worked perfectly…for a little while. We fell into an easy conversation, talking about things from our past. Things we wanted to do in the future.

If we had the chance.

Eventually though, as the small hours encroached on the cell, so did all my worries.

What if these are our final hours?

Nox shuffled suddenly, moving around in the cell. "Hey, come to the bars."

Frowning, I did as he said. "You know we can't see each other, right? That's not how physics works."

"I wish you could see the epic eye-roll I'm doing right now."

"I can imagine it," I said. "I've seen it before and will no doubt see it again."

"Here" Nox made a few small grunts and then his long fingers appeared, just in view. "Can you see this?"

My heart leapt at the simple sight. "I can do one better than see it."

I dropped onto my stomach, army crawling as close to the bars as possible. It took a few attempts to get the angle right, but finally I was able to get my hand close enough. My fingers stroked his palm, making him jump. He pulled his hand backwards until we were able to tangle our fingers together.

"There," he whispered softly. "Even bars can't keep us apart."

Warmth pricked at the back of my eyes. " They can though."

"They can't. We're bonded, Micah. When we go, we go together. And if all we have are these past few weeks? Then I'll go to my death in peace, knowing I've experienced true happiness. "

A tear slid down my face. It wasn't the first I'd shed in this cell, but it was certainly the saddest. "I love you, Nox."

"I love you too, Micah. Nothing's going to change that."

We were quiet for a few minutes, both in awkward positions, but neither of us willing to let the other go for even a second.

"I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight."

"Then don't," Nox said simply. "We can just hold hands and talk."

Tears pricked at my eyes. "These might be our last few hours."

"Then let's not spend them in sadness. Let's spend them in joy. I want to hear about everyone in your life who makes you happy. Every encounter that's made you smile. Each day that you've woken up feeling like life itself is blooming in your chest. Tell me all of it, Micah."

And so I did.

I didn't know how many hours I talked for. With no clock, there was no way to tell how much time had passed. Eventually though, I'd told Nox every story I could think of. Then I insisted it was his turn. It took him a while to get going, but after a few prodding questions about Quill and the others, the memories flowed.

That was how we passed the time. We lay on the floor of our dirty cells, holding hands and exchanging snippets of joy. We only moved to relieve ourselves in the disgusting bucket in the corner.

It was a good thing we didn't need food or drink to survive, because no one arrived to give us any. We wouldn't die without it, but we would grow weaker. As more time passed, the tiny spark of hope we'd been clinging to began to dim.

Our voices grew quieter as our exhaustion grew. We drifted in and out of sleep, never fully resting, but unable to stop our lids drooping.

"They want us weak," I rasped during an hour of silence. It wasn't that we didn't want to talk any longer, but we were trying to conserve our energy. "That's why they're keeping us down here for this long."

Nox was silent. He didn't need to respond—we both knew it was true.

Eventually, the sound of an ancient lock turning echoed along the corridor. Nox and I reluctantly released each other, pulling our hands back into the cell.

Multiple footsteps echoed through the dungeon, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Had they sent an army to retrieve us?

I hid my exhaustion, squaring my shoulders and keeping my head held high. I donned the impassive mask that I liked to wear in these situations.

The higher-ups might be entitled to take my life, but they weren't entitled to my emotions. That was an honour I granted to only one other.

Through the bond, I felt Nox shoving his own fatigue away as he too prepared himself. I tried to focus on it, sending a beat of love in his direction.

A second later, I felt it from his end.

It's okay. Whatever happens, we'll be together.

A single regent stepped into view. My heart sank. I didn't know this angel, which meant the three from the jungle hadn't been sent to get us .

Fuck, I prayed it was because they were busy with other duties, and not because they were being punished.

"Micah. You have been summoned. Please step outside the cell."

The bars vanished like they'd never existed. As I stepped out, I flinched at the number of guards in the corridor. There were dozens of them, shields up and weapons drawn.

What are they expecting Nox and me to do?

Behind me, Nox was also released from his cell. I felt his shock at the sight ripple through the bond.

A second regent stepped forwards, his face grim. In his hands was a pair of manacles. Another angel joined him, an identical pair in his grip.

I turned to the first regent, gesturing at the manacles. "What the fuck is this?"

To his credit, the regent looked uneasy. "We've been ordered to restrain you."

I stared him down. "That's never been a requirement before."

"We're just following orders." His eyes darted to Nox for a split second, revealing exactly what they were truly worried about—the demon in their midst.

That was what they were afraid of? That Nox would do something?

Why wouldn't they be? You've always followed orders until recently. They think he's the bad influence. The dangerous one.

They couldn't have been more wrong. Nox wasn't a bad influence, he was a freeing one. One who'd opened my eyes to the reality of my life. Who'd made me realise what was and wasn't important.

The despondency that had been hanging over me suddenly lifted. In its place there was a calm rage.

And, as they fastened the manacles around the wrists of my mate, the rage deepened. It spread through me like ice, crystallising my focus. My reputation for keeping my cool on the battlefield boiled down to one simple fact: I was protecting those I loved.

There was no one I loved more than Nox.

Heaven might have been worried about Nox, but their focus was in the wrong place.

They needed to be worried about me. My powers, strength, and training outmatched each and every one of them tenfold.

Nox wasn't the dangerous one. I was.

It was a good thing they'd sent an army. They'd need it if they hoped to subdue me. Nox's head tilted to the side as he tried to process the change in my emotions. How I'd gone from meek to determined. From docile to defiant.

It was simple really. The sight of him like this stopped me thinking about myself. It stopped me worrying about everything else.

Nox was my mate. They had him in chains.

The reality of what we were facing had been thrown into sharp focus. We wouldn't go quietly into the dark night.

If they were going to execute us, I'd be taking as many of them with me as possible.

I smiled as I held out my wrists to be manacled.