Sixteen

Lux

"I find it fascinating that humans think so much about magic, write so many stories about it, and still don't believe in it," I commented, taking another bite of the delicious noodles. Tonight's cuisine was Chinese, and I had to salute the humans for their creativity when it came to food. I didn't think I'd found a food I disliked yet. I supposed part of the credit also went to Archer for picking our meals. Eating Chinese on the couch was exactly the balm I'd needed after the harrowing day I'd had.

"I think it's because we don't believe in it that we find it so fascinating. It's an escape from the normal."

"So what do you think would happen if humans found out magic exists?"

Archer winced. "Judging from all the stories based on just that happening? Nothing good. As many good qualities as we have, humans are also extremely reluctant to accept anyone different from us, especially when that other person might be more powerful."

I hummed as I chewed my food, wondering how Fate found just the right humans to pair with supernaturals. One of the criteria must be that they'd be willing to keep the secret, right?

"I suppose it's a good thing most of them don't know, then."

"Yeah." Archer glanced over at me. "If you knew they'd react positively, though, would you want everyone to know?"

"Yes." I'd thought of this before. "If that were true, I don't think there would be a reason for supes to stay secret. And maybe if they worked together, supes and humans could figure out some creative solutions for things like world hunger, pollution, and all the things that are slowly killing Mother Nature."

"As long as politics stays out of it," Archer said wryly, and I hummed. That was a good point.

Then again, all of this was hypothetical, because I didn't think humans would ever react positively to the revelation of magic. Hell, they'd killed so many women under the suspicion of magic back during the 'witch trials,' when those women had been guilty of nothing more than being more knowledgeable than men.

Humans have always been afraid of anything that could take their place as the apex predator of this world, and that wasn't something that was going to change anytime soon.

Gunner took that moment to express his opinion in a long stretch of babbling as he crawled over to the edge of his playmat, clearly demanding we remove the pillows keeping him contained to his play area, and it sent us both chuckling.

We finished our meal and then put Gunner to bed together after I checked his temperature—back to normal, thankfully—one more time.

Once Gunner was asleep, we did our own nightly routines before sliding into bed together. I hadn't gone back to the guest room since the night of our first date, and I loved falling asleep beside Archer. Knowing he was close always put me at ease, and I was usually quick to fall asleep.

Tonight, though, neither of us were ready just yet.

Archer pulled me close, his lips clashing against mine as his arm wrapped around my waist. His lips were insistent as they parted mine, and he slid his tongue into my mouth.

I moaned as I tangled my tongue with his, and slid my palm under his shirt, running it over his silky, hard back. Archer had a gym at his office he went to before work every day, and it showed in the muscles that bunched and relaxed under my touch as he shifted.

Pushing me onto my back, he straddled me, his knees digging into the mattress on either side of me. As he sat up to catch his breath, I gazed up at him, my cock hard as it pressed against his ass.

"Archer." I ran my palms over his thighs as I spoke, wishing there were no clothes between us. "Will you fuck me?"

Archer blinked, and his eyes darkened as they scanned me, as if he was already imagining what I'd look like.

"Nothing would give me more pleasure," he said, then leaned down to kiss me again.

As we kissed, I flicked my free hand, removing our clothes and stashing them somewhere out of the way. Archer groaned against my lips, then ran his palm down my naked chest, flicking one of my nipples as he went.

Hissing into the kiss, I nipped at his bottom lip, then slid my tongue into his mouth, battling his tongue for control. While I was usually happy to let him take control, sometimes I liked to do it instead just to keep things exciting.

Pulling back, Archer gazed down at me, running the tips of his fingers down my abdomen, through the trail of hair, and then wrapping it around my leaking cock.

"We need supplies."

Rolling my eyes—seriously, when was he going to learn to trust my magic?—I snapped my fingers, then met his eyes. "I'm ready."

His brows furrowed, and he slid the fingers of his other hand lower, sucking in a breath when they effortlessly slid into my lubed hole.

"Fuck, that's hot," Archer grunted, then eyed me. "I would like to take my time with you sometimes, though."

I shivered at the look in his eyes, and nodded mutely. Then, just in case he was worried, I said, "We don't need condoms."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I can't get or give human illnesses, so we're safe."

Nodding, Archer lowered himself over me, pressing a soft kiss on my shoulder as he positioned himself. I held my breath as the head of his cock pressed against my hole, then groaned as he slid inside, filling me completely.

I wasn't a stranger to sex, but I understood now what Ryk and his mates had meant about sex being different with your mate.

The best sex I'd ever had paled in comparison to this, and as I gazed up into Archer's dark eyes, as he claimed my mouth in a hard kiss, I knew it was all because of him.

Archer

Lux was the sexiest man I'd ever laid my eyes on. Spread out under me, his blond hair mussed, his blue eyes dark with arousal, he looked like he belonged on a painting.

"Move," he begged, his voice rough as he pushed his hips up, urging me, and I lowered myself, covering his body with mine as I held my weight on my elbows and slowly started thrusting my hips.

Trailing kisses down to the base of his throat, I licked my way to a spot beneath his ear that I'd noticed was extra sensitive. A tremor washed through him when I licked the spot and blew on it, and I hummed softly before kissing it, then licked the salt off the spot before biting down softly.

Lux moaned loudly, his hole squeezing my cock impossibly tight and almost making me come right then and there. I slid almost all the way out of him before slowly grinding back into him, and he growled, his eyes flashing as they met mine.

"Too slow." Suddenly, I found myself flipped on my back with a speed that left me stunned, and Lux sank down onto my cock, his ass pressing against my thighs as he bottomed out.

"Fuck!" was the only thing I could say when I finally found my voice, and he grinned at me, placing his hands on my sternum for support as he started moving.

Lux rode me fast and hard, his hips moving in an enthralling, graceful motion as he rose up and down on my cock, his walls squeezing around me with every other thrust.

I'd had anal sex before— once —but it'd never felt like this, and I had no doubt that it was because it was Lux.

Lux made everything better, and this was no different. Sliding my hands up his sides, I wrapped one around his neck, tugging him toward me.

He came willingly, and I pulled him into a kiss as I started thrusting up into him, matching his rhythm as I slid my tongue into his mouth.

Sweat dripped down my brow, the scent of sex thick in the air, and breathed in deeply as Lux pulled back, somehow always sensing just when I needed to breathe. He trailed his lips down my jaw, peppering kisses all over my skin as his hips kept moving, driving me closer and closer to my climax.

"I'm close," Lux murmured against my skin, his voice breaking off into a moan.

"Me too." Grabbing his asscheeks, I sped up, thrusting into him again and again, angling myself just right so I could hit his prostate. Trapped between our bodies, Lux's cock spilled cum onto our abdomens as he came, a shout of my name leaving his lips as he shuddered over me. His hole squeezed around me, pushing me over the edge as I came inside him, filling him with my cum.

I'd never fucked someone bareback, and I hadn't realized how primal the idea of filling Lux with my cum would feel. It was like I'd claimed him from the inside, made him mine in every possible way.

Judging by the glazed look in Lux's eyes, he didn't really mind.

As I came down from my high, I held him tighter to me, not wanting to let go just yet. I felt myself slip out of his hole, and Lux whimpered pitifully.

"You okay? Does it hurt?"

"No. I just don't like feeling empty," he mumbled into my skin, as if embarrassed by the admission.

My hand was still on his ass, so I slid it inward, pushing two fingers inside his hole. Lux groaned, and his cock twitched against my abdomen, as if gearing up for round two.

"Is that better?"

Lux nodded, still without looking up, and I smiled down at his blond hair, filled with wonder at the amalgamation of shy and fearless that he was.

I pumped my fingers in and out of him slowly as he made soft, mewling sounds against my skin, his cock hardening once more between us. I was nowhere close to being ready again, but watching him fall apart just from my fingers felt good.

Lux came again with a soft cry, his teeth digging into my skin as he came, and I slowly pulled my fingers out, massaging the edge of his hole as he shuddered over me.

"Fuck." His voice was low and throaty, and I squeezed my other arm around him, holding him close.

We lay like that for a few minutes. Then he used his magic to clean us up, and I covered us with the blanket while he unmuted the baby monitor—I'd been so caught up in him I hadn't even noticed when he first muted it. Gunner seemed to be lost in dreamland, so as Lux slid off of me, I pulled him close, turning on my side so I could spoon him.

"We need to go grocery shopping tomorrow," Lux mumbled, his voice heavy with sleep, and I smiled, pressing a kiss on his temple. He could just as easily get what we needed with his magic, but he loved going grocery shopping, and I enjoyed indulging him.

"Sounds good."

"Gunner needs new clothes. I could magic some up, but I thought it would be more fun to play dress-up in a store. More options."

Chuckling softly, I buried my nose in his hair, breathing in his sweet scent.

"A dress-up game sounds fun. I know a few stores we can visit."

"Awesome!" Turning around, Lux nuzzled into me, tucking his head under my chin. "Night, Archer."

"Good night, Lux." Pressing a kiss on top of his head, I closed my eyes and drifted off.