26. TWENTY-ONE

TWENTY-ONE

Wren

"Shhh,littlebird.We’re in a library,” Damien scolded me.

Sturdy bookshelves lined the walls, marched across the floors in rows, and curled around the cozy study areas.

It was the middle of the day, and students were tapping at the library computers that were set up in the center of the room and studying as the quiet flips of pages and hushed voices of collaboration hit my ears.

I frowned. “Yes, I know that. But why are we going to the basement through the library? Why don’t you just shadow-travel us like usual? You never go the long way.”

We were heading to Norman’s laboratory so Damien could torture the human specimens captured from the attack. Evidently, Norman had found that the humans rigged a tourmalyke crystal within their bionic heart. Damien was the only one willing to torture them without his powers, and Norman knew that.

“Because I want to play with you.”

His shadows began to coil around my legs and waist as we walked down an aisle of books that led to the stairwell to the basement.

The icy feel of his shadow tendrils slipped up my shirt as we approached the small nook.

“Play with me? There are people in the library!” My voice raised an octave as Damien turned me around and pushed my face into the table as his shadows shrouded us in a black veil.

“My shadows will cover us, but I’m not making them soundproof. So you’ll just have to be quiet for me,” he murmured, his chest against my back as he whispered into my ear. His hand planted on the back of my head, keeping my cheek firmly pressed against the wooden table.

“Fates,” I hissed out as pheromones spilled from me.

I heard the zipper of his pants just before he filled me in one strong thrust of his hips. “Fuck, little bird. I’m so glad I’ve taken all of your panties. This is so much easier.”

A strangled gasp tore out of me.

“Shh, little bird. Remember, anyone can hear you.” His tendrils wrapped around my ankles, forcing my legs further apart so he could have better access. His fingers twisted in my hair as he started to buck his hips. “Good girl, take me nice and deep.”

The moans built in my throat, burning as I refused to make any noise except for a low mewl.

He swatted my butt before massaging the sting, and I bit down on my lip until blood welled up. Stroking in and out, he moved his hands and clasped them both on my hips, sending me reeling as he thrust harder.

The wetness hit my ears as he drilled into me, and I knew others could hear it, but caring was the last thing on my mind.

“So wet for me,” he whispered in a husky tone. “And you’re squeezing me so good.”

The buzz of heat rippled and burst through my muscles as I clenched down on him more. A shattering cry tore through my throat as I was unable to hold it back.

Damien drove into me with a fierceness that only he could provide, and he came inside of me with his own roar of pleasure.

“That’s okay, little bird, you tried so hard to stay quiet, but I made you scream anyway. Huh? You’re such a good girl for me.” He slipped out of me, and I felt some drip down my thighs as he picked me up, turned me around, and sat me on the table.

“I’m sorry for—”

Taking my mouth with his, he massaged my tongue against his as he moaned. “I know I told you to be quiet, but that was the hottest unable to be contained moan I’ve ever heard come past your lips.”

“Damien…” My body buzzed with aftershocks as I pushed myself closer. “Where have you taken my panties?”

He grazed a hand up my shirt and gripped my bare breast. “They’re mine now.”

“But why?”

“I love it when there’s nothing stopping me from fucking you.”

“Oh.” My face heated. “But, um, I’m… You’re dripping down my thighs.” I squirmed as I sat on the table.

“Good. I want everybody to know what we just did.”

“They’ll be able to smell it anyway,” I muttered. “Please…”

He pouted, his eyes widening as if trying to convince me, but he sighed. “Fine… only because you let me fuck you in the library.” Damien moved his fingers in a downward motion before his seed slipped out of me and into a nearby trash can in a quick motion.

My mouth fell open. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

He helped me down off the table and uncovered us by dissipating his shadows. Quite a few students glanced our way with red faces before turning away.

“Damien,” I hissed.

“What? You’re mine. Everyone knows that,” he countered with a wink as he shadow-traveled us into Norman’s lab below the library.

“We could have just done that from the start.” I stepped back.

“Could have, but it wouldn’t have been as much fun.” He winked, causing me to blush again.

Norman and Trixie stumbled out of the nearby closet, and Damien tilted his head. “See, little bird. We weren’t the only ones.”

Trixie and Norman both rolled their eyes.

“I’m glad you are here.” Norman adjusted his shirt and cleared his throat before stepping toward a glass container containing one of the human specimens from yesterday’s attack.

“It’s a warded container so our powers are not affected outside of the container. Tabitha and Trixie were able to form a new type of ward that can counteract the effects of the tourmalyke. I actually have a suit you can put on to use your powers in there with it now.”

A protective ward to maintain our powers, even when the tourmalyke was being used, was one of the most useful things I’d heard of in a while.

“Do you think you can put the wards in a bracelet or something?” I asked.

Trixie nodded with a big smile on her face. “Yes, actually. Tabitha is working on that right now. We should have them ready in about a week. We’re trying to make a ton of them for our allies.”

“That’s amazing.” Relief spread through me at not having to worry about our powers being drained by a crystal. Alister getting shot had terrified me, and the thought of being up against strength like the specimens possess without our powers made me horrified.

“No chance that they would also work for the relic’s effects?” Damien ran a hand through his hair and stepped forward, studying the container.

Trixie’s smile faltered. “Not sure, but I definitely wouldn’t test it.”

“Better than nothing,” Norman reminded her as Damien focused in on the specimen but growled. “My telekinesis isn’t working at all. Even with the wards.”

“Well, that’s because the wards spell is cast on the container, keeping the effects of the crystal within it. Whereas the bracelets we are making will be altered to not allow the effects to bother the individual wearing the bracelet.”

“Two sides of the same coin.” Norman waved his hand back and forth. “I was thinking I can open this thing up, send you in it with the suit, and you can see if it talks.” Norman crossed his arms.

Damien blew out a breath. “Essentially, these specimens are the same exact thing as before. The only difference is the tormalyke, right?”

“Well, that’s mostly true—”

“Then it can’t feel pain, so I’m not getting much out of this.”

“But it’s fun, isn’t it?” Norman tilted his head.

Damien’s lips tugged into a cruel smile. “Only if I had a new toy to torture with.”

“I have just the thing.” Norman’s eyes twinkled.

“Well, you two have fun,” Trixie interrupted, looping her arm through mine. “We’re gonna go get lunch.”

“See you later,” Norman said, winking at her.

But Damien blurred forward and grabbed my chin between his fingers and pressed a kiss to my lips. “Stay safe.”

He broke off the kiss, and I smiled. “Have fun.”

Excitement thrummed through the bond. “I will, little bird.”