Chapter 14

14

LAZARO

My gaze ranover Deva’s peaceful but exhausted expression, her dark lashes brushing against her cheeks as she laid against my chest. I kept her tucked against me as her shadow magic’s walls fell and my own magic retreated back under my skin, the natural excess having been absorbed by my little thief—along with every ounce of my fucking soul.

My cum as well. I groaned at that thought, standing as I pressed my lips against her forehead. I closed my eyes to gather some level of self-control, glad I’d already fixed our garments so I couldn’t see the remnants of what we’d just done. I was bound to fucking lose it if I saw my cum leaking out of her or thought about the way her insides were now painted with me⁠—

No. I needed to get her out of this cold, cavernous space. I had no idea how she even made it so deeply into the Nyx estate when it was guarded so heavily by wards. After all, these caverns and tunnels were far from empty. Around every bend and corner, I could feel the creatures the family kept here. None of them had tried to bother Deva, though.

None of them had even tried to approach her in curiosity, like they respected the isolation she’d so desperately craved. I couldn’t say the same for myself.

Part of it had been an instinctual response to my panic, the fear that she’d finally hit her limit and was going to leave us…leave me. Even if it was to find Astaroth to exact her revenge—something I wouldn’t have blamed her for in theory, if I were being honest—I couldn’t handle the possibility of losing her. I couldn’t lose her.

The insanity of the situation had me shaking my head. The bastard was her father—I didn’t even know what the hell to make of that.

Cradling her in my arms, unsurprised she’d fallen asleep so easily, I began the trek to the foyer of the basement. I let out a low rumble as I looked down at Deva’s puffy lips and messed up hair. She looked fucking glorious, and I wasn’t sure I wanted anyone else outside of us seeing her like this.

A small part of me worried about how hard I’d taken her, combined with our magic’s interaction—it had been a lot. At the same time, I don’t think she minded one damn bit.

Deva didn’t even realize the trust she’d truly placed in me. She trusted me to know what she needed and when she needed it. I didn’t take that lightly, and that included a part of our dynamic I hadn’t considered before, one I had been in denial of when I first met her—this obsessive urge I had to take care of Deva. I wasn’t a caring or considerate individual. In fact, I was an asshole.

But with Deva it was different, and I found myself worrying about things I never thought I would, from how much she had eaten today to what was on her mind. Hell, from the start I’d been worried about her. Worried that Grim would push her too much, worried we were interrupting the peace she was trying to find…

But of course that was countered by the raw need I had for Deva, which was impossibly intensified now that I’d been inside of her.

When I reached up the stairs, I could tell that everyone had already gone up, with the exception of the two men waiting on a landing halfway up, watching both of us with interest. I was surprised Cage and Grim hadn’t joined them yet, but maybe Alek and Oz hadn’t even gone to find them. The first looked noticeably annoyed with me upon seeing Deva’s state.

“It wasn’t the time⁠—”

“I am not having this discussion with you,” I said, keeping my voice level and firm. “Not now. I just want to get her back to the room.”

“Fucking selfish.” Alek shook his head, but I could tell he wouldn’t push it.

“Is she okay?” Oz asked quietly, his gaze dark and filled with concern. I knew he wasn’t asking about her physical health, and my brow furrowed as I thought about the state I’d found Deva in.

“I don’t think so,” I answered honestly.

When we reached Grim’s suite, I found Cage and him engaged in an in-depth discussion—until they saw our expressions and took in Deva’s unconscious form.

I ignored their questions, knowing the other two would fill them in as I took Deva to the bedroom. I immediately removed her shoes and brushed some dirt from clothes before laying her down on top of the sheets. Covering her in a blanket, I brushed my fingers over her forehead and whispered an incantation that would make sure she stayed in a peaceful meditative state until her body was fully rested.

“Did you just do a sleeping spell?” Cage asked curiously, appearing near the bed.

“She needs it—trust me.”

“Sounds like it. Fuck, I mean I’m glad we know, but to just throw that on her…”

I turned sharply, allowing my anger to seep through now that I wasn’t worried about waking her up. “To throw that on her was absolutely idiotic and exactly what I’m going to handle right now.”

“Do you need someone to come with you?” Cage asked, his eyes flashing with darkness. I considered his offer before shaking my head. This conversation was between my family and me.

Walking past him and through the main room, I said nothing to the others, not wanting to be derailed, and headed towards the guest suite where my parents were staying. When I got there, I knocked sharply in warning before letting myself in.

I could tell immediately that they were discussing the incident, my grandmother drinking tea and staring out the window in thought. I let the door fall shut as I looked over my mother’s concerned expression, my father’s indifferent one, and my grandmother’s…well, I didn’t even know what to call her expression.

Mournful? Regretful? It didn’t quell my anger in the least.

“Why?” I demanded, my magic crackling through the space as I tried to keep some level of control on my temper. “Why the fuck would you just tell her that?”

“Do not talk to your grandmother⁠—”

“It’s fine,” my grandmother said calmly, holding my gaze. “She deserves to know the truth, Lazaro. She deserves to know why someone like Astaroth would value her and start a war over her.”

My jaw clenched. “There were a million fucking ways to tell her that didn’t include dropping that shit on her out of nowhere.”

My mother spoke up then. “She is more than capable of handling herself. In fact, I think she’s one of the most powerful witches I’ve met. It makes sense that she was trained so closely under Astaroth because he recognized that she could be useful. It also makes me question how he just let her go.”

“He didn’t just let her go,” I hissed in frustration. “She ran.”

“I was curious why you picked someone that was already in the process of being claimed by others,” my father suddenly said, “but I can’t deny that you chose a worthy partner. Your magic paired with hers would probably create children that wouldn’t require our family’s unique⁠—”

“Shut. Up,” I said quietly, leveling him with a look that had him paling. “I don’t want to hear another fucking word from you. Especially not about why you think Deva is a good partner for me—your opinion doesn’t matter in this. And I sure as fuck don’t want to hear about you bringing any of your family’s toxic shit around any kids we may have.”

“Lazaro,” my mom said in shock. I didn’t feel bad though. I didn’t fucking feel bad in the least. I already knew my magic was fucked, but I’d decided long ago that it ended with me. This shit that his side of the family did, overloading us with power—it was over.

“You can hardly blame him,” my grandmother said. “It’s not like your husband isn’t aware that his family is unique. Lazaro has a right to be protective over his partner.”

“Just leave Deva alone, every single one of you,” I growled, turning towards the door and walking out.

Pausing momentarily in the hallway, I considered returning to Grim’s room but decided it would be a bad idea with how worked up I was. Instead, I made my way downstairs, trailing towards the lounge that housed a bar for most of the Society. I was completely unsurprised to find Cage’s brothers there, and I offered them a head nod in greeting before grabbing a bottle from behind the counter and pouring myself a glass of whiskey.

I wasn’t a drinker by any means, especially because I didn’t trust my magic most of the time, but right now it felt like this was exactly what I needed. Just the thing to help me block out the ridiculous way my family thought of things, the thing to help me resist the overwhelming urge to go back to the suite and steal Deva away.

I didn’t even know where I wanted to take her, just that I wanted her away from all of this.

Downing the glass, I closed my eyes and tried to come up with ideas on how to handle what the hell we’d just been told. I knew Deva would want to go after Astaroth ten times harder once she woke up…I just didn’t know how to convince her otherwise.

“Lazaro, your family—specifically your father—are sort of known assholes. You still haven’t told us why you’re so particularly upset right now though,” Alonso, one of Cage’s brothers, pointed out, pouring himself and me another glass.

I hadn’t meant to get drunk. Unfortunately, Cage’s brothers had other ideas, and now nearly two hours later, I was completely trashed. I never wanted to leave this damn seat…at least until I was far more sober. Who knew what the hell I would do after nearly a half a bottle.

See Deva. That’s what I would do. Only I didn’t trust what I would say or do. I couldn’t see her like this. She already thought I was a fucking psycho; she didn’t need to hear the drunk ramblings that were crowding my brain.

Maybe she would come and see me once she woke up. I would love to have her on my lap, straddling my frame as I stared into her mercury-shaded gaze. I nearly groaned, the thought of her body pressed against mine in any capacity too much. Now that I knew what it felt like to possess and claim her, I didn’t want anything less.

I wanted to wake up and go to sleep with my cock buried inside of her, our magics intertwined. I was starting to wonder if the intensity with which I needed Deva was unhealthy, but I also couldn’t seem to give a fuck. I’d known from the start the threat Deva posed to my sanity, yet it hadn’t stopped the trajectory I’d been set on from the beginning. Determined to make her mine.

“Lazaro?” Lugosi said, waving a hand in front of my face. Both brothers were staring at me expectantly, as if waiting for an answer…I just couldn’t fully remember what the question was.

“Huh?”

“Why are you here getting drunk?”

Oh. Now I remembered. “It really doesn’t matter,” I said.

“Of course it matters.” Alonso rolled his eyes. “Family always does stupid shit—just depends on whether it’s the type you’ve got to kill them for.”

“If you could kill them, which isn’t possible for any of us,” Lugosi lamented. “Probably would have tried to kill both you and Cage by now.”

“Right.” Alonso chuckled. “You fucking wish.”

“Hey, assholes.” Cage took a seat next to me as I offered him a nod of greeting, glad for the interruption. I had no intention of explaining to either of them my issue with my family or how Deva played a part in it.

“Like I said—” Lugosi offered me a look. “Would have tried it already if I thought it was possible.”

“I need both of you gone. Our girl is coming down here, and I don’t want her around you.” Cage’s voice was amused, but I could tell he was absolutely serious.

Alonso rolled his eyes. “If she’s going to be around for a bit, shouldn’t we get to know her?”

“No.” Cage’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t want to share her attention. Now fuck off.”

Amusing, considering he literally shared her with four other men.

Wait. Was she really coming down here? Fuck, this wasn’t good.

“We’re just trying to be friendly. No one is trying to cause problems or ‘take your girl’,” Lugosi pointed out, standing up despite his explanation.

“The love of my life,” Cage corrected as Alonso shook his head but stood as well. “Clear out. I need to try to figure out just how drunk this bastard is.”

“He’s half a bottle in,” Lugosi said as he and Alonso left to join Cage’s two other brothers at the bar. While I didn’t know his brothers well, I knew that there was tension between them and Cage.

Cage had always felt isolated and different from them, I just didn’t know if it was self-imposed or if they’d made him feel that way.

“Impressive, half a bottle,” Cage said, pouring himself a drink and offering me an appraising look. “I’m going to assume your parents said something about her being powerful?”

“Of course they did.” I scoffed, rubbing a hand over my face.

When the sudden screech of a chair being pulled out across the table sounded, I looked up to find Grim, who nodded back towards the door. “She’s worried about you. I don’t know what you plan on telling her, but she can feel through the bond that you’re upset.”

Shit. I really hoped she didn’t think it was about what had happened between us.

Suddenly, Deva walked through the door, her gaze moving around the space before landing on me. Her brilliance completely overshadowed the fact that Oz and Alek had joined us as well. I put down my glass and stood on unstable legs, relief painting her expression as she crossed the space.

My throat went dry as I looked over what she was wearing. She had showered and changed, her body covered in a black velvet dress that wrapped around her, covering most of her skin with the exception of the leg slit that came up to mid-thigh and showed off leather boots. Boots I would love to have wrapped around my waist as I pushed that dress up and railed into her.

Rounding the table, I didn’t hesitate to meet her as she melted into me, a small breath leaving her lips, an exhale of relief that had a foreign sensation working its way up my throat. I had no idea what she was feeling or thinking, my inebriated state preventing me from reading into our bond, so I simply held her exactly how I wanted. My fingers strung through her damp hair, and my other hand wrapped around her back in a possessive hold.

I could hear the others talking, but it was background noise.

“I was worried when you weren’t with me when I woke up,” she whispered, vulnerability filling her expression. “I thought…I don’t know what I thought.”

I had a feeling she thought I was pulling away.

Sliding a hand up to her jaw and speaking quietly, I tried to explain without going too far into depth. “Nothing to do with us, little thief—just needed a moment after talking to my family…and a moment turned into quite a few drinks with Cage’s brothers.”

Her eyes filled with surprise as she examined my face, smiling. “Are you…are you drunk?”

Chuckling, I put my head down and pressed my forehead to hers. “I’m not not drunk.”

“You’re totally drunk,” she teased, biting down on her bottom lip. “Are you okay? What happened with your family?”

“Are you okay?” I countered, her eyes shaded subtly by haunted pain.

“I’ll be okay.” She rested her forehead on my chest, her eyes closing for a long moment. “I just need to come to terms with everything.”

Nodding, I finally answered her question. “I went to tell my family they were assholes for throwing that on you out of nowhere.”

Her eyes widened. “You didn’t have to⁠—”

“I didn’t have to,” I agreed, “but I did. They were completely out of line, and I knew—I absolutely knew—how they would view it. My father had the fucking nerve to mention that our future children wouldn’t need to be overloaded on power because of the strength of your magic.”

A breath whooshed out of Deva as her eyes darkened. “Shit.”

“Lazaro.” Oz’s hard tone had me looking over to him and the other three, all of them staring at me in anger, though I knew it was directed towards my father. They probably weren’t happy that I was being so damn vocal as well, not wanting me to upset Deva with any more bullshit than she was already dealing with. I was normally blunt, but right now I had even less of a filter than usual.

“I know,” I assured them. “I already told him I didn’t want his family’s toxic shit coming anywhere near any kids we may have.”

Alek nodded, looking back towards his drink, but I could tell Oz was still pissed. Probably enough so that if my father wasn’t a blood relation he would pay him a visit, and I couldn’t blame him. I hated the idea of anyone referencing Deva’s future as if they knew what was going to happen, and I sure as fuck didn’t like another man talking about her having kids, father or not.

“Thank you for saying something.” Deva drew my attention back, her hands sliding up my jaw as I looked back down at her, noticing a slight flush to her cheeks.

“Of course—but what’s the blush for?”

Her lips pressed into a small smile. “I…I just didn’t expect you to feel so intense about any future…kids, I guess? I like it. I just didn’t expect it.”

My gaze examined hers as I spoke as plainly as I could without freaking her out. “I can’t deny, nor would I want to deny, what’s going on here, little thief—no matter where this takes us. And I feel extremely protective over a future you’ve worked so hard to have.”

I could tell immediately I’d said the right thing despite my more than slightly inebriated state. Deva’s frame melted against mine, and she tilted her head up, her lips right within reach if I wanted to kiss her—which I did. Always.

“Little thief…always going to call me that?”

“Considering your ability to steal everything from my attention to my heart, Deva, I would assume so.” My words were factual, but her mercury gaze melted with emotion as I realized what I’d essentially just admitted. Placing a light kiss on her lips, I smoothed my thumb over her jaw and pulled back, breathing in her natural scent.

Suddenly, the sound of others laughing in the room reminded me we were far from alone, and considering the serious conversation we needed to have…

“We should get out of here,” I suggested. Either out of the estate or somewhere more private.”

“It’s going to get busier,” Grim agreed.

“Never a good sign when Lazaro wants to go on a damn adventure though.” Cage chuckled.

“Maybe the gardens?” Deva suggested. “I don’t think we should leave just yet.”

“At least until we figure out how close Astroth’s people are watching us,” Alek said, and Oz nodded in agreement.

Of course I knew they were right, but I was still fighting the urge to get out of this damn place and away from my family, away from all of this and the heavy weight placed on Deva’s shoulders for at least a bit. When it came to Deva’s safety, though, we didn’t have that luxury.

“Gardens, then.” I scooped Deva up into my arms, her surprised laugh nearly tugging a smile onto my lips as I carried her to the internal garden. I could feel the others following behind, but I was purely focused on the interest and curiosity on my little thief’s face as we reached the stone entrance to the oasis in the middle of the gothic stone fortress. While it wasn’t raining, it was overcast, and the wind was chilled just enough that I was glad her dress had long sleeves.

I sat her down on my lap as I positioned myself on the edge of the fountain, the others spreading throughout the space, their conversation going completely past me as I buried my nose against her throat. When her hands ran through my hair, I nearly fucking purred but managed to keep it together.

“This is beautiful,” she said. “I didn’t even know gardens really existed in Carmina—I’ve seen a few around cemeteries, but even those were limited.”

My jaw clenched at the thought of where Deva had been before this, specifically when she was on the street and on the run from Astaroth. I was extremely thankful that Oz had been the one to find her when she’d run away and not myself. If I was this controlling and overbearing now, having met her after a summer of her healing and two years away from the abusive asshole that was apparently her father, I couldn’t even imagine if a younger version of myself had met her.

That would have been so fucking bad. I would have locked her away like a prized jewel.

“Hey.” Deva’s soft voice had my eyes opening as I realized I’d been trapped in my own thoughts.

“Yeah?”

“Did you mean what you said earlier? About what I stole?” Her hands were still in my hair, her attention focused there in an effort to hide her uncertainty.

I could remove that—easily. I could be an overcontrolling bastard, but Deva was mine now, and there was no escaping that. I planned on showing her what that meant every single day for the rest of our lives.

“That you stole my heart?” I clarified, and she confirmed with a small nod.

“Yes. That is exactly what you’ve done—you’ve captured every part of me Deva, and now that you’ve given yourself to me, I won’t be letting you go. You’re mine.”

I probably should have softened the words because I no doubt came across as an absolute psychopath, but a spark of heat filled her gaze as she brushed her lips against mine. “I love you.”

I nearly groaned as I tugged on her bottom lip a bit harder. “I love you, little thief.”