11. Chapter 10

Aziel marches over to me in his beast form, towering over me like a skyscraper. I tilt my head all the way back to be able to look at the hunger on his face.

Directed toward me.

I'm so lucky.

He shifts into his human form and it's always amazing to see the bones adjust, his fur recedes, and his sunkissed skin takes the place of slate grey. He is filthy. His hair is crusted with blood, sweat, and dirt. Even the silver strip that's framing his face is discolored.

The scars riddle his body from years of fighting for his life. I walk my fingers up his chest to my mating mark, the small twin pinpricks on his neck. A deep growl resonates in his chest and tickles my fingers.

His cock thickens, filling until it's heavy and hard.

"Your touch awakens every single one of my nerve endings." His voice is soft but it echoes as if we are on top of a mountain, screaming at the top of his lungs.

The bathroom's acoustics are amazing.

Steam fogs the mirror before swirling around us, heating our bare skin. I take Aziel's hand, leading him toward the shower. There's no curtain. It's just a stall without a tub with a wide showerhead in the middle of the ceiling.

The water hits us at the same time and both of us groan, standing under the hot waterfall. We do nothing else but enjoy the warmth. We don't move. I feel the exhaustion in the bond coming from Aziel, the kind that has me wondering how the hell he is still standing. He hangs his head, catching himself on the wall with his hand, and allows the water to cascade from head to toe.

His muscles ripple as he stretches his neck left to right. I can't help but look my fill. Aziel's body is a work of art. His shoulders are wide with a strong back. Every defined rope of strength is more pronounced as the water catches the shadows. I suck my bottom lip into my mouth, following the river flowing down his spine.

His ass is round, bubbly, and firm. I want to sink my fangs into each cheek.

"See something you like?"

I rip my gaze away and his chin is tucked on his shoulder, his searing gold eyes peeking at me through the curtain of water.

"I see something I love," I reply, taking a rag and the bar of soap from the shelf. "Stay just like that. Let me bathe you."

"I'd never say no to your hands on me." His hair hangs on either side of his face, blocking my view of his square jaw.

Brown and red-tinted water circles down the drain as I rub the rag and bar of soap together. When there's enough suds, I fold the cloth over the chunky white bar and start scrubbing his back.

The scent of pine is a refreshing smell after scenting the stench of death. From shoulder to shoulder, I wash the grime from his body. Even on his back, there are small scars but there is one to the right of his spine that is raised and bigger than the rest.

"What happened here?" I ask him, wishing the soap could wash away the bad memories he carries.

"I had a human fight me back. He was a hunter, so he carried silver blades. He fought well but it wasn't enough. I killed him."

"Do you remember everyone you killed when you were cursed?"

He sighs, leaving us in silence for a few seconds. The hiss of the water splashing against us is white noise, a filler for the truth he is about to spill.

"I remember every single face," he admits. "Every single scream. I remember it all. I remember trying to fight the curse. Every day I'd tell my wolf to listen to me, to stop, that Brenden isn't our Alpha, that he can't control us. My efforts didn't matter." He rubs a hand down his face, spitting out water that slid into his mouth.

I stay quiet, not knowing what to say. I continue cleaning him, squatting down to clean his legs. The cloth slides over the large curve of his ass and I know it isn't the time to get aroused but the way it does a slight jiggle from my touch has my fangs lengthening.

"Turn around," I order him, trying my best to be good while he pours his heart out to me.

He does as he is asked, and if I thought his backside was impressive, it is nothing compared to his front. Aziel leans his shoulders against the wall, his eyes tracking me when I step closer.

Naturally, I glance down to see his cock.

Forcing myself to look away, I start washing his chest, but it does nothing to help sate the growing desire inside me. Now, I can't stop staring at how his pecs curve with muscle definition.

My tongue becomes dry as I lower the cloth down his abs. No one should be this defined or in shape. He is a work of art, a masterpiece, sculpted and created to be appreciated.

"I can't take back what I've done. All I can do is move forward and hope I can survive the healing process."

Unable to stop myself, I kiss the middle of his chest. "You won't be alone." I can't risk taking a peek at his facial expression. I'll lean in for a kiss and this shower will go from needing to get clean to staying filthy.

His hands fall to my hips, and he tugs me closer as I wash every inch of him.

"Lift."

He raises his arms for me to get the nook of his armpits. Tracing the indent of the V leading to his cock, I kneel, focusing on his thighs, calves, and feet.

"It isn't going to wash itself, Louie." He gives his cock a good stroke. "The quicker you wash me, the sooner I can bathe you, and the faster I can have you flat on your back."

I unwrap the soap from the rag and let it fall to the shower floor, using what's left on the cloth to clean him. Gripping the base of his extra-large shaft, I take my time getting every spot of skin. His cock jerks in my grip with every twist and tug I give him.

He grunts, the scent of his lust is too much. I'm not sure how much longer I can control myself.

Reaching between his legs, he spreads his stance wider to allow me in. I fondle his sack before slipping up his dick again, massaging the head. The water washes all the suds away, revealing a clean cock waiting to get extra attention.

We don't have time to play. I still have to shower too.

"What is it, Louie?" His thumb brushes over my cheek.

"I'm starved," I whisper, my tongue rubbing against my left fang.

My mouth waters from the thought of feeding and I use it to my advantage. I spit on the head before swallowing as much as I can whole. I choke, taking too much at first.

"Fuck. Fuck, Louie. I'm not going to last. I'm too worked up. You have to stop."

Oh, I didn't plan on this lasting at all.

I fondle his balls in one palm, circling the base where his knot will be with the other.

"Elouise," he moans, his head dropping against the wall.

My hunger wins. I bite down, my fangs slicing into his girth.

"Louie!" he roars to the point my ears ring again, filling my mouth with his come. It tingles, nearly numbing my mouth to accommodate his size and the amount of seed he pours into me.

Between his blood and come mixing down my throat, my own orgasm invigorates me. I hum, taking more long drags of his blood as he continues to tense with every stream shooting into my mouth.

When I'm done, I groan, uncaring how the concoction of him drips down my chin. He forces me to my feet by gripping my biceps and surprises me by licking my face clean.

"I can't wait for you to do that again."

I chuckle, giving him a messy kiss. "Come on, let's get cleaned up, and get you some food."

"You aren't hungry?" He washes his own hair with the two-in-one shampoo I got him.

It's all the Purga-Mart had.

I suds the rag to wash my body, but Aziel knocks it out of my hand. "What was that for?"

"I want to wash you. I'm only washing my hair because you can't reach and squatting in this space is not going to happen." He rinses his hair once, twice, and only the third time does the water run clean.

The way he stares me down feels like I'm being hunted. "Your turn."

We switch spots so I can have most of the water. I soak my hair, then squeeze it to get some of the grime out. I expect Aziel to wash my body first, but to my surprise, he opens the pouch I have on the shelf and takes out a Blood Cloudberry.

"You could have used one for your own hair. They are ours."

"They are yours," he corrects me. "I only want you to have these. I know how important they are. Turn around, My Light. I can't wait to do something I've been dreaming about doing."

I'm confused. Nevertheless, I do as he says because I trust him.

"Um, how do I use these again? I squish them, right?"

"Yes and then you'll rub your hands together until it becomes foamy."

I hear a soft pop before he curses, "Shit. It's bright red. I don't think this is right. Am I doing it right?"

I spin around, my hands an echo on his. The red juice from the berry is everywhere and Aziel is frozen. His brows crinkle together, and the outer corner of his eyes turn downward.

"I ruined it, didn't I? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to waste anything."

"You didn't," I say quickly so he doesn't dare feel bad. "So far you're doing everything right. Now, bring your hands together." I apply pressure, pushing his palms together. "Rub like you're starting a fire with a stick."

Back and forth our hands work together. There's something very intimate about this, showing him how to wash my hair and it has me falling in love with him even more. Tears burn my eyes, but I hold them back. I'm not sad. I'm happy. I'm so incredibly happy.

"It's working! Look, Louie. It's working!" He is in awe watching the red foam begin to pile high in his hands. "Okay, okay, okay, turn around."

I can't hide my smile as I give him my back. I'm not sure what to expect but the moment his fingers hit my scalp, my eyes close. I'm sent to a place of relaxation and peace. He rubs my scalp for a few minutes before starting on the body of my hair.

"Let's rinse and wash again." Gathering the curls, he tugs my head back, using his hand to run the water over my head. "You have so much hair."

"I know. It's a lot of work."

"I love it. It's gorgeous. Your hair has always been one of my favorite things about you."

"Really? What's the first?" I'm prepared to hear something about my appearance, my lips, anything along those lines.

"Your bravery." He kisses the side of my temple and inhales. "You know what this berry smells like?" The question is a whisper in the spray of the water as his lips dance upon the shell of my ear.

Slightly turning my head to the right, I reply, "What?"

He massages the back of my head, working his way through the curls. "The flowers that grew on the side of the cliff and the air just as it was about to rain." He groans when he takes another deep breath. "It's my favorite scent in the world. Your scent."

Aziel begins round two on my hair, only this time, he sections every piece. He divides my hair down the middle, then across my crown to have four large chunks separated.

He is meticulous. We would have run out of hot water if we weren't so close to Hell. My Beloved takes care of my hair like he takes care of me, with all of him.

"Does that feel good? Am I doing okay? Do you need me to change anything?"

I shake my head, my eyes hooding with exhaustion. "You've relaxed me. I'm sleepy. You're doing amazing. I never want to wash my own hair again," I laugh so he knows it's a joke.

"Like I'd ever let you wash your own hair again," he huffs, moving to another section. "Absolutely not. It's my job to take care of you. Plus, I love this. I feel closer to you."

I know what he means. I feel it too. Our bodies even come closer. It's beyond sex. It's intimacy.

"You know what else I love?"

"Hmm?" I ask in a tired hum, barely lifting my brows in interest.

"Seeing our skin against one another. It's one of my other favorite things. I dreamed of the day to see you next to me again. If I was going blind and someone asked what I wanted to see one last time, it would be you against me, reminding me how beautiful the world was."

A tear drips free, lost in the sea of water traveling to the drain.

"Rinse." He tugs on my curls, signaling me to tilt my head back, and who am I to deny him?

He takes his time, getting every section he has scrubbed clean. My eyes are still closed. I'm soaking in every second of this.

"Now, when you squish the berry, don't rub your hands together to create the foam. The liquid is also a great replacement for hydrating oil."

"I'll need to find this plant so we can have it at home when we get out of here. Then, you can have these berries whenever you want."

"They can only grow where blood is spilled," I remind him. "I don't think they can grow in a garden, but it's very sweet of you to say."

"So I'll spill my own blood so you can have your berries. I'll water the plant every day with a cut on my wrist."

Heat warms my cheeks, and my heart does a somersault. I've never felt more love than I do right now.

"We will have to save a berry for planting, so let's not use all of them so I can give you your favorite hair product, My Light."

I nod fast like a bobblehead. I'm too excited thinking about his plan.

We fall into a comfortable silence. Instead of focusing on words, I'm focusing on his touch, his breaths, every time he kisses my shoulder while he massages my scalp. I never want this shower to end. He's showing me how much he loves me and that's something I never want to escape from.

Aziel continues to rub my scalp, working from the back of my head to the front. I fall into peace. Even the dead would be jealous of how still and safe my soul is.

"Will we rinse this out too?"

I shake my head. "No, the red tint of it eventually goes away and will leave my hair nice and soft."

"Okay, when we are done, I'll brush it."

"Do we have a comb?"

He ponders then growls in frustration. "No, but don't worry about it. I'll make one." Aziel snags a clean rag from the shelf, adds the soap, and starts washing.

He focuses on my back. "I can't bend down to get your legs. There isn't enough room." I hate how upset he sounds about something so unimportant.

"That's okay." I spin around to give him my front. "You can still wash my upper body, right?"

His nostrils flare partnered with a snarl that has my clit pulsing with need. "I would need to be dead not to, My Light." His eyes lock onto mine, dragging the cloth across my collarbone. Dipping between the valley of my breasts, he closes the distance between us.

My back hits the wall, trapped with nowhere to go. I inhale a sharp breath when his claw slides over my nipple, the bubbles hiding the beaded peak.

"It's a good thing you accepted me as your mate, Louie, or I'd tear you to pieces just like the legend says I would. I have an urge to feel your bones on mine, your blood warming my fur, and if you even tried to run from me, you'd become my prey."

He cleans the rest of my chest, slipping the rag down until I'm forced to spread my legs.

"Aziel," I gasp when his thumb circles my clit before slipping the rag between my lips.

"Such a waste of soap when you and I both know I'm just going to dirty this cunt all over again with my come."

My vision becomes red with want.

A dark chuckle annoys me as he continues to kiss my clit with his fingers. "Oh, you like the sound of that, don't you? You're going to have to wait. I want you on the bed, legs spread, and my face buried so deep, you'll be able to feel my tongue in your womb."

"Oh, Aziel. Please." I rock against his hand, wanting more, needing more, and he allows me to take it.

Good. I'd force him to give it to me if he didn't.

"You're close already, aren't you? You came while feeding from my cock, but it wasn't enough, was it? You need more from me. Be a good girl and tell me just what you need."

"Faster. I'm— I'm so close." My mouth parts as a silent moan gets caught in my throat.

"You'll need to fuck my hand harder then, because the only thing I want to do is watch you fall apart."

I grip his wrist, pressing his fingers against me harder while I push down to rock.

"Look at those fangs." He leans down, licking the left cuspid with his tongue and an unexpected whimper pours from me. "Oh, you liked that?" He moves to the other fang, flattening his tongue under the point until I taste blood.

A throaty growl announces just how much of a predator I am. "You taste so fucking good. I want more. Give me more."

"No."

"Yes," I hiss, snapping my fangs at him.

He wraps a hand around my throat to keep me in place, to still me, to control me. "I said no." Aziel has the audacity to smirk.

"That's too bad, isn't it?" In a blur, I have his neck bent, and my fangs embedded in his neck. I moan, gulping down the rich blood of my werewolf. His blood invigorates my body unlike any other. It's more than him being my beloved. It's also because he is a werewolf. I feel more powerful and I'm waiting for the time when someone tries to challenge me.

I have werewolf blood in my veins. There's nothing more powerful than that.

My orgasm tenses every muscle in my body. My hips stutter on his hand as I moan against his neck while his blood fills my mouth.

Aziel growls with his own orgasm, his come warming my skin.

I clean his neck, sucking the skin until every drop is gone.

"You didn't seem to mind that much." I nibble his earlobe.

"You better be glad I love it when you use me." Capturing the back of my head, he pulls me to his lips, planting a rough kiss on me. "Finish up. I'm going to go make your comb."

"Okay," I slur, a little drunk from his kiss.

With a smug smirk, he steps out of the stall, leaving me with a view of his delicious backside. He dries off with one of the white towels, then wraps it around his waist, covering the bubbly, succulent cheeks I want to kiss and bite.

"I think you have a thing for my ass, Louie." He stares at me in the broken mirror.

"I can't help it," I pout, scrubbing my legs with soap. "It's a peach and I love peaches."

He grins at me before giving his teeth a quick brush. He pivots, leaning against the counter, crosses his arms, and now all I can stare at is his cock pressing against the towel. I can see the outline, how thick he is, the crown of his head threatening to break through the cotton, and it would take the weakest gust of wind to blow the towel away.

Part of me wants to blow on it and see if it will just drift away.

"My Light." He snaps his fingers. "My eyes are up here."

"Yes, yes, but your marvelous cock is down there."

He pushes the towel lower on his hips, the ‘V' more pronounced. A small dark bush teases me. "You'll get me soon enough." A sly grin takes over his face before he heads out the door.

I hurry, wanting to spend time with him. To be safe, I wash my body three times until the water runs clear. By the time I turn off the shower, I'm exhausted. I can barely keep my eyes open.

Done drying off, I toss the towel on the floor and walk into the bedroom naked. There is a shirt for me on the bed with a pair of actual underwear. Real panties instead of the makeshift ones I've had to piece together on my own.

I slip on the shirt, then the panties, and it's ridiculous, but I sigh from the comfort.

"That good?" Aziel asks from behind me.

"So good," I sigh. "I forgot what normal felt like."

"When we get out of here, I'll give you all the normal you want."

"Good because I am tired of fighting to survive. I'm ready to sit on my ass all day and do nothing."

"Let's start now. Sit."

Quirking a brow at him, I sit on the bed and don't ask questions. Aziel rolls in a cart filled with food.

"Two things. I gave Iggy his salmon and I also might have broken the table in the living room." He holds up a piece of bone. "I'm not sure what monster they made the table out of, but damn the bones are huge. I tried to make it small and compact to mimic the one you had when we were teens."

"You really made me a comb?"

He nods, walking over to me in that towel. "And I want you to eat your food while I comb your hair."

"But you need to eat," I argue, tilting my head at him when his stomach rumbles.

He crawls onto the bed, settling behind me. "I'll be fine. I want to take care of you first."

I snag a plate from the cart that has a steak on it, grab it as if it's a sandwich, and bite into it. Blood spurts into my mouth as I chew.

A gentle tug begins to pull on my curls while Aziel attempts to comb my hair.

"Is this okay?" he questions, sectioning my hair again.

"It's perfect. I love this so much."

"Good. I do too." He kisses the back of my head and gets back to work, dragging the bone comb he made for me through the knots.

It's hard to keep my emotions in check when I'm overwhelmed with so much love.

When he is done, he places the comb next to me. I lean forward to grab him a plate when he stops me.

"What are you doing? I'm not done. I sectioned your hair for a reason." He pulls me back and to my shock, he begins to braid every section. "I've been dying to braid your hair since we were kids. Let me."

"You— You learned how to braid for me?"

"When will you get it, Louie? There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. You're my mate. You before anything and anyone else. And when we have kids, now I'll know how to do their hair."

If I could give him a child right now, if I could get pregnant at this moment, I would. I would give him all the kids he wants because this proves not only is he an amazing Beloved, but he will be an amazing father.

Purgatory is terrible. I truly thought I'd die here. Aziel being put in my path gives me the haven I've been searching for.

Living has been brutal, but the love has been easy.

"How are you going to tie the braids at the end?"

"Um, so— ow."

He reaches around to show me a long piece of werewolf hair.

"Aziel! You didn't just pluck that from your head."

"It will grow back. Plus, the hair is strong. It will last."

"But it's your hair," I raise my voice. "And you don't need to tie the ends. My hair won't unravel."

"I know, but I want to be everywhere you are. I want to be with you at all times. I want to be on your body. I want more than my bite mark on you. I want to integrate myself into every aspect of you. That means, wrapping the ends of your hair with mine so you know my love is bound to you. I'll find other ways to place my claim too." He kisses the side of my neck. "You just wait and see."

I lick my fingers when I finish the steak and reach for another piece. "Take a bite before I start crying because you love me so fucking much."

"Fine."

I lift the steak over my shoulder. He tugs, pulls, and growls before he rips off a giant piece. Every time he chews, he snarls, and it's adorable.

I take my own bite before offering him more. "More?"

Licking the blood from his lips, he makes eye contact with me before tearing the steak in two.

His hunger for food reminds me of the hunger he has for me.

Never sated and always waiting to fill me.