Chapter 30

CHAPTER THIRTY

AZIEL

I spent part of the time at the healing center learning to reorient myself. I struggled with spatial awareness and bumped into things a lot. Mama Malatesta said I'd get better with time, and after she was certain the poison was out of my system, she released me to my mate. Felix teased me when I rolled my eyes, saying it wasn't as effective with one eye all cloudy. He got punched for that, but he was cackling and, honestly, I didn't hate him joking about it. Teasing was better than pitying looks. He treated me like normal and I appreciated that.

Since my apartment had more space, we decided to stay there for the time being. Less for me to bump into. It wasn't going to be forever. After Manny became Declan's partner at work, he suggested expanding into the empty shop next door so there was room for bigger paranormals. There was space upstairs in that one too, and Declan was already making plans with Brandon and his boss on how to upgrade it. It'd be pricey, but between me, Declan, and Manny, we got covered for a loan big enough to pull off the job.

Declan had been teasing when he said I'd be his bodyguard at work. I didn't know what I was going to do with myself for work, especially with my vision all messed up. Luckily, the paranormal government gave grants out to new families living in the human realm and Melvina said I qualified as a new parent since I officially adopted Dante. I could've just remained his guardian, but I talked to Dante about it and we both agreed it was better to have things be more stable with me as his official parent. I wasn't going to pretend to be his dad or anything, he was still my cousin, but at least he knew I loved him and wanted to be around for the future.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I walked down the hallway again and turned into the kitchen, just barely bumping into the door frame. I growled in frustration. My room was easier because it was on my left side coming down the hall, but turning right was a pain in the ass.

"Don't take your frustration out on the door frame. It's already costing an arm and a leg to update the shop."

Swinging around, I followed Declan's voice. He and Manny were supposed to be meeting the contractors right now. He wasn't supposed to be home yet.

"What are you doing here so early?"

"Lunch break."

I made a face. "It's ten thirty."

A smirk pulled at his lips, and he shrugged. "Okay, so I took an early lunch because I'm horny and I figured I could distract you for a little while."

I huffed out a laugh, running my fingers through my short hair. Mal suggested the shorter cut would draw less attention to the broken horn. It actually worked better than I thought it would and I didn't hate it. Dante cut his hair to match, and it made me smile every time he stood next to me in the bathroom to style his hair in the morning.

"You're lying, aren't you? You knew I'd be climbing the walls without something to do."

He hummed, striding across the room with a heated grin. "Or… I was hoping for an afternoon delight before Dante got back and we had to be quiet again."

Out of everyone, Declan refused to pity me. He was supportive and comforting when I needed it, but he didn't make my injury the focus of our daily life. He could pull my head out of my ass no matter how badly I spiraled, and I sought him out, my nose bumping his before I found his lips.

It went from steamy and soft to demanding and rough in a flash. Declan was still aggressive with sex, and I still loved it. I let him push me onto the couch, groaning when he dropped on top of me and ground his hips against mine.

"Your choice, baby. On your knees or on your back."

That offer still sent shivers up my spine. He didn't always give me a choice, but he always found ways to remind me we were equals. That I could trust him to take care of me.

"This is good. I want to see you." As much as I could, anyway. He didn't comment or tease, focusing more on removing my clothes. I was just as eager as he was, stripping him and running my palms down the sleeves of tattoos on his arms.

His tongue licked down my neck to my chest, and he nipped lightly before looking up at me.

"Gonna let me mark that virgin skin sometime soon?"

He pointed out that I never said no to getting a tattoo. I hadn't decided what I wanted yet, but I intended to follow through. I had a mark from the pain my family caused me. I wanted something better to mark the life I had now.

"Fuck me first. You can tattoo me later."

His wicked grin sent a thrill through me, and he proceeded to give me exactly what I wanted. I arched my back and groaned as he stretched me, sucking on the head of my cock just hard enough to drive me wild. I protested when his fingers pulled free, swallowing the sound down when his lube coated cock replaced them. He pushed in slowly, letting me feel each piercing as it massaged past my rim. I tossed my head back, a deep groan rattling my throat, and I heard Declan chuckle.

"You told me the piercings kept you coming back for more. Is that still true?"

I shook my head, even as he pulled out a little faster and those metal balls set me on fire. He was tormenting me, switching from fast to slow at random, so I couldn't tell what was coming.

"No? What, then?"

I couldn't think clearly with him inside me. I groaned helplessly and when I didn't answer him, he twisted enough to peg my prostate perfectly, but then avoided it until I gave him what he wanted.

"I, oh fuck, I, ah! I come back for you."

He shifted himself, changing the angle and ripping a strangled sound from me when he pegged my prostate again. He kept his thrusts languid and easy, cupping my cheek to get my attention. When I looked at him, I saw the tension in his jaw, the effort to hold back from fucking me hard. But then he smiled at me, love and tender affection shining through his eyes and melting me from the inside out.

"I'll always be there for you, baby. No matter what."

I wasn't as good with the sentimental one-liners as he was, so I responded with a kiss, putting every ounce of love I had for him into it. He kissed me back just as fiercely until I was shifting restlessly beneath him and thrusting my hips up to get some friction on my cock. Declan chuckled against my lips.

"Always trying to take control when we both know how much you love it when I lead."

"So lead, then. Because right now, you're not doing much of anyth–" My snarky comment ended on a strangled noise, my voice going up an octave as he bucked hard against me. He shifted, shoving my knees closer to my chest, and all that tenderness vanished as he fucked me hard. He gave me no mercy, finding that perfect angle and tagging my prostate over and over until I came with a shout, completely untouched. It covered my abs and chest, but he didn't slow down. He bared his teeth, somehow fucking me harder, our skin slapping together loudly.

"Fuckfuckfuckfuck! Declan!"

I made the mistake of telling him a demon's recovery time was significantly faster than humans. He refused to stop at one orgasm after that if he could help it. He wanted to see how many times he could make me come before he followed me over the edge.

The second one was intense, my body contorting as he fisted my erection just as I let go. I almost knocked him off me with my movements and an embarrassing amount of begging spilled from my lips as he flipped me onto my hands and knees and kept going. The change meant his piercings joined in the fun with my prostate and I went blind from the pleasure. My claws dug into the couch, which I would regret later, and my cock dripped and throbbed with the need to come again.

"Ah, fuck…" he grunted, his grip on my hips tensing. When Declan started cursing, it meant he was close and pleasure zipped up my spine from the realization. He grabbed my cock again, matching the pace of his hips, and I lost my ability to breathe. Like a tidal wave, it slammed into me and I exploded harder than the first two releases combined. Declan followed me with a shout, slamming into me as deeply as he could as he rode it out.

We were out of breath, sweaty and covered in cum, at least on my end. Declan brushed kisses up my spine, kissing each wing once before moving on to my neck. I hummed, tingles still running through my blood. When our breathing came easier, Declan pulled out and flopped back onto the couch.

"Well, it's a good thing we listened to Art about getting couch covers," he commented lazily.

I barked out a laugh, forcing myself onto my feet. I wanted to collapse face first onto the couch and pass out for a while, but I didn't really want to lie down in a puddle of cum. Shower first, then nap.

"Pretty sure he didn't have this in mind," I replied as I walked away.

I heard him strip the couch, tossing the cover into the washer on his way to join me in the shower. He wrapped himself around me as we waited for the spray to warm up, kissing my shoulder lightly.

"No, maybe not. But they care about you enough to offer you advice. All your friends care. And I'm sure if you talk to them, they'll help you figure out what to do next."

I was distant with my friends after I got hurt. I didn't mean to be, but I was still relearning how to function and I wasn't used to asking for help. But Declan had a point. They were the family I chose, and I needed to learn to lean on them more.

"It's Thursday. It's supposed to be my turn to host poker night. Is it wrong to bring a kid to that, or should I ask Athena to watch him?"

He snickered, pulling me into the shower with him. "I don't think Dante will let you keep him out of it, even if you wanted to. But I'm down to host if you are. It might make it easier on you."

True. Last week was Hendrix's night to host. Now that he was popular enough to play shows on weekends in fancy ass clubs, his Thursdays were free. But his place had too many things to trip over or run into. I skipped it for that reason alone.

"Call them. They're your family. They've got your back. Just like I do."

I always thought I'd have to keep the world at a distance. It made things less painful when I thought about losing it all. But Declan never stopped reminding me that I didn't have to think that way anymore. It wasn't an easy lesson, but with him and Dante encouraging me, I was learning to trust again. My uncle had set out to ruin my life in a revenge plot against my parents.

He failed.

I was free.