Chapter 15 - Harvey

Darkness devoured me. Upon hearing Kiara’s words, my demon took over. For the first time in maybe 10 years, I could see it for what it truly was: a scraggly creature with crooked arms, pasty skin, and thin, frail muscles. Its frame was like twigs all glued together at once. Some parts of it were yellow and lime in color. Other parts of it resembled a rotten peach sitting on the ground in the sun. It stood tall with a massive hump the size of a mountain on its back that spewed various liquids.

It bowed its head, and a few scraggly pieces of hair fell in front of its face. You won”t win this one.

The way its voice crackled and wavered on the air was strange. I could see the vocalizations like brain waves on a screen or on a monitor. I took a step toward it, feeling braver than ever. I”d never faced it down like this. Ever since its initial plunge into my soul, I hadn”t seen it so fully formed like this—every detail was horrifying. Yet, at the same time, I felt triumphant. I could finally see it; I could finally address it as the manipulative liar that it was.

I took another step. “I think you”ll find that you”re the one that”s not going to win this.”

It snarled. She”s not going to save you. She”ll never love you for who you are. You”ll always be a beast to her.

I shook my head and clicked my tongue. “You don”t seem to understand what the word mate means.”

She”s not your mate. She doesn”t think of herself as your mate. You”ll never be wedded in that fashion. It tilted its head back and laughed maniacally.

In its world, it might have been powerful. But in my world, it was nothing but a thorn in my side, a tick on my belly, an invasive weed in my garden. I held up one hand and allowed the love that I had formed for Kiara to flow from my palm. It moved in waves, a soothing purple that rippled elegantly in soft lines. Clouds of periwinkle billowed about the long waves of squiggling lines, heading toward the demon in front of me. This caught its attention and the laughing ceased. Its face drooped as though it were going to melt into the ground.

That will never stop me.

I smiled. “I don”t need to stop you anymore. You”ve already been stopped.”

It growled. You need me to win, to succeed, to get ahead of life. Your pack is nothing without me.

“That”s where you”re wrong. My pack is nothing without me. But without you, I am everything.”

The wild twists of periwinkle and lavender slammed into the demon. I heard a sound then, a strange long sound that reminded me of the hissing that came from a kettle on the stove that was ready to be taken off, sss. I held on to that sound, focused on it, and let it consume me. I raised my left hand and felt Kiara’s affection for me pouring out of my palm. Another sound came to me, then—an elongated stretch of a “bah” with an “L” at the end. I put them together, and both syllables poured from my lips, much like the energy that poured out of my hands.

“Cybal.”

The demon screeched. Its eyes grew wide in such a fearful fashion that I never imagined would be possible. I”d never heard it this distraught. As many tantrums as it had thrown, as many times as it had scratched the insides of my belly, it had never been this scared. How odd it was to witness my demon—the thing that possessed me, wanted to hurt me and the people around me—in this state.

After the waves of colors consumed its very being, it burst into pieces, strips of light shining out from a tattered core. It shriveled into the ground and disappeared, and I was sent back to the surface, where everything was tangible, and where Kiara was screaming for me to come back. I awoke to a cool cloth resting on my forehead. Sweat poured from my brow and soaked into my clothes. My heart was racing and my chest was heaving. As I panted for air, I reached for the first thing that I knew was nearby—her hand. This time, I was confident I would be gentle with her.

Clancy was on my left, kneeling over the bed, worriedly searching my face. His expression burst into one of joy as he looked up.

“He”s awake,” he announced.

Kiara gasped and put the back of her hand to my cheek. “I think his fever has broken, too.”

Clancy laughed in disbelief. He moved back and stood next to the bed, pacing around it. He scrubbed his fingers through his hair and rubbed his hunch. He kept coming back to my side, staring at me, and then walking away. Something about him seemed irked, yet there was another side of him that was overjoyed. I could sense in him that something had broken. He pulled something out from his pocket that looked like a wand. It was an obsidian stone that had been fashioned into a stick. He came back to my side, crawled over the bed, and held the wand over my torso.

Slowly, he pulled his fingers away from the wand and reverently watched it float above my body. For a few minutes, everything was quiet. Kiara was sitting in a chair on the other side of my bed. Her hands were fixed to her knees, her body was stiff, and her eyes were wide. She just kept staring at that stone wand floating over every inch of my body. When it was done, it stopped and Clancy plucked it from the air. He studied it for quite a while, then he blinked, sat back, and let out a laugh. It sounded more like a croak than a chuckle.

“I can”t believe it. The demon is gone,” he gasped.

Kiara shakily reached for my hand and grabbed it so hard I thought she might injure me. “Are you serious?”

I blinked up at her, “I fought him. Its name was Cybal. I think it’s gone.”

My wolf danced happily. It wanted to run free so badly that I jumped from the bed and stripped off my clothes immediately. Clancy sat aside shocked, some jealousy visible on his face, something I”d never noticed before.

He hung his head. “You probably need time to yourselves, don”t you?”

I reached for him and pulled him into an embrace. I held him so tightly, like I would never let him go. Indeed, that was true in a sense.

“Tell the others,” I whispered into his ear. “It”s good news, Clancy. It means the rest of us can be saved, too. I promise.” As much as I wanted to celebrate with him, my heart was longing for the woman beside me.

I needed to go outside. I needed to feel the sweet earth beneath my feet. I needed to nod to the moon, to the sky, admire the stars, and feel the water on my flesh. The relief of it in such a liberated form would indeed double the feeling of releasing, cleansing, and sending the demon away. We had to deliver the news to the rest of the pack. I took Kiara’s hand and led her to the door. We stood on the precipice of something great, something new. Something I knew would change the course of our lives together. I opened the door, letting it hang open for a second on its hinges, listening to the silence of the winter”s night, the stillness in the trees, and the glorious dance of the branches when the breeze picked up. In the distance was the hush of waves, the glorious smell of salt in the air, and then azaleas—that came from her.

She clutched my hand. “I need to change my clothes so we can run.”

I looked at her with a wide smile. “You read my mind.”

“Well, I always assume you want to see me naked.”

I laughed; the feeling felt so glorious inside of me that I started to cry—quiet tears that trickled down my cheeks and slid over my chin. She wiped them away, every single one, and then she kissed my face. Eventually, she let me go so she could stand back and take off her clothes. I felt like I had regained my sight after not being able to see anything for many years. There was so much clarity and beauty in everything I saw. In her, especially. In her curves, her delicious olive skin, and the darling freckles that were sprinkled across her chest, her stomach, and her legs.

Every bit of her was kissed by the moonlight, and her skin was covered in goosebumps that were brought on by the breeze. I guided her down the steps and stood at the edge of the forest with her, feeling the great wonder of nocturnal animals that I knew were hiding out there, waiting for us to chase them. I started turning the moment that she did, and we shifted together in a magnificent display of camaraderie. When she took off, I darted after her, nipping at her heels in a loving manner, running with her side by side—her warm fur was a lovely feeling against mine. Her yips and howls were music to my ears, and I added a few of my own little bits of song that merged with hers to create a glorious symphony. An owl hooted nearby, twigs cracked and broke, and branches seemed to crackle through the night. All of these sounds were welcome to my ears, as if I was hearing them for the very first time in my wolf form.

We must have raced around for hours. There was such glory in running with my mate. For what was probably the first time we”d ever run together as wolves, my muscles screamed with pain, sore and tired, while my soul sang with the feeling of wonderful victory. I felt like I”d won the lottery, like I”d been parted from the world for too long, torn at the limbs and then cast right back into a society that I didn”t quite understand. There was so much out there for me to discover, so many things to catch up on, and so many things to experience. I wanted to do all of them with her.

At the water”s edge, on the beach, I shifted into my human form and collapsed into the sand in a heap of chuckles. She did the same, curling into my side and wrapping her legs around my hips. She tightened her limbs around me in a way that felt wonderful. We must have laid there and laughed for quite a while, our chuckles rising and falling like the waves hitting the shore. Our faces seemed to press against each other at every turn, and yet, parted occasionally just to look up at the sky. After more giggles, a shuddering sigh, and a contented gasp, I realized her body was as hot as mine.

I sat up, staring out at the water, realizing how beautiful it looked. The crease of the horizon blending into the sky, yet still distinct to me and to my supernatural eyes. I noticed ships out at sea, little figures floating along the water”s edge. Moonlight kissed and draped over everything like a milky blanket. I held her close by my side. Being next to her unabashed in my human form with sweat pouring over my chest was the most exhilarating feeling. We had just sprinted from my cabin through the woods to the very pond where she had taken her cleansing bath before our mating ritual. We were standing right on the water’s edge, hands clasped, hearts pounding to a unified rhythm as we caught our breath.

Together. In our wolf forms.

While being possessed had allowed me access to my typical wolf form, Cybal had done everything in its power to forbid it. I felt like I was experiencing my wolf for the first time again, with all the wonder and magnificence that came from that initial experience amplified—and it was all because of her. Not another moment was wasted with her. I tugged her into my arms and bruised her mouth with a kiss that would have scared any ordinary woman. But Kiara’s otherness was what made her extraordinary. Her persistence and her wit, her charming voice, and her musical laugh were enough to free me from the bonds of my possession.

When she witnessed my demonic wolf form and accepted that part of me, she liberated my soul from bondage. I would never be cursed again so long as she kept choosing me and called me her mate. This joy was translated to my lips, which swelled with every kiss. It coursed through my fingers and transferred to her naked skin as I massaged her shoulders and upper arms. She teetered slightly as her knees threatened to give out. The weight of my affection was heavy enough to send her physically reeling, but I caught her. I would always catch her. The shiny mark on her throat ensured that no one would ever dare to challenge our connection—demon or otherwise.

She would be mine. Forever.

My canines lengthened before I could control myself. I nuzzled my mouth into her throat, cradling her in my arms with my right hand on her bottom and left hand on her upper back. She whimpered as I teased a bite. And then another. And then another. When my teeth finally punctured her skin, she arched into me with a long mewl.

That’s right. Give in.

Her wet slit warmed my rigid shaft, stiffening my every muscle as I locked onto her neck. Nothing would stop me from claiming her and no one could ever take her away from me. Our union had been written into the very fabric of the universe. We were meant to be together, which meant I had to do everything to make sure that remained true. Shudders ran through her body as her moans met my ears with unspoken lyrics that signaled her yearning. After ensuring the bite would scar, I pulled my head back, keeping her position in my arms steady as I peered down at her lovely face.

Satisfaction beamed from her blissful grin. Her lower lip twitched, inviting my wet kiss. My canines retreated and my jaw trembled with the familiarity of my wolf having risen to the surface. As I kissed her with a growing desperation for her body, she swept her hands over my shoulders and arms. She shucked her right leg over my left hip, prompting me to catch it instantly like we had coordinated the movement. Everything felt so good with her. Everything was natural and divine. I traced my hand up her thigh, trekking eagerly to her naked hip where I squeezed her flesh. She responded with a grunt and a buck that made my cock throb against her slit. Warmth radiated from her entrance, her arousal slicking my shaft as I worked my hips against her.

I cupped one breast with my other hand, kneading it softly before placing the nipple in my mouth. Her breathing grew more frantic as I moved my hand from her hip and glided it down between her legs, her skin soft and warm to the touch. I positioned my shaft slightly higher against her clit as I slid a finger inside her wetness. Her slit welcomed my finger eagerly, and she moaned and gripped my shoulders harder at the pleasure. Her hips began to buck faster to match the pace of my fingers inside her, and I increased my speed, pulling her closer to me.

“Oh Harvey, it feels so good,” she groaned into my neck.

Her voice drove me wild, and I felt myself overcome with desire to take her and make her mine once again. I swiftly removed my fingers from inside her and shifted slightly to reposition my cock right at her entrance once again. She gasped expectantly, and I pushed in. Her tightness wrapped around me like a glove, sending electricity down my spine as I felt myself getting even harder the further I pushed into her. The pleasure was like nothing I had ever felt before, and I nuzzled my face into her shoulder in an attempt to touch every part of her.

We looked into each other’s eyes momentarily, basking in the intensity of the moment. We belonged together, bound by fate. I let out a low growl as the need for more of her threatened to consume me. She dug her fingers into my back to show me she felt the same way, and I watched as she parted her lips in ecstasy. Her moans grew louder, drowning out the sounds of the nature surrounding us.

“Please, Harvey, I need more,” she begged.

The sound of her voice drove me wilder, and I push deeper into her tightness, wanting to bury myself in her as much as I could. She met each thrust with one of her own and wrapped her legs around me in an attempt to pull me into her more and more. I let out a moan as her pussy grips me tighter. I felt her hot breath on me, becoming shallow and fast. We began to kiss more frantically, desperate to taste and feel more of each other. Desperate to be one.

My thrusts got deeper, harder, as the creature inside me howled. The excitement and thrill of our actions energized my wolf, which in turn exhilarated me and caused me to drive even further inside her, filling her up with my long, hard cock. My hands glided down her back, stopping at her hips. Overcome with the sensual excitement I felt, I roughly grabbed her hips and started to force her down harder on my shaft. She let out a squeal and whimpered as she felt me as deep as possible inside her.

“Don’t stop, Harvey, I’m… I’m going to cum,” she panted.

I could feel her getting close, her pussy was pulsing around me, squeezing my cock and bringing me closer to the edge. Her eyes rolled back into her head and her eyelids fluttered. The passion between us had caused us to lose control, and I desperately wanted to give her everything. I needed us to finish at the same time, to truly become one with each other in every way possible. I needed her.

“Cum for me, Kiara”

Her breathing started to grow more frantic, and I felt her pussy clench even tighter around me as she moved closer to the edge. I desperately needed to empty myself in her and for her to give me her all. Her body was shaking as the passion inside her was mounting. I felt my body begin to shake alongside hers, both of us trembling as the need for release consumed us. Her thighs squeezed me even tighter, and her moaning became more urgent. We both uttered each other’s names in breathless gasps as we gave in to the pleasure.

Her muscles squeezed me as she let out an ecstatic scream, and I let out a low howl in response. I pushed into her as deep as I can, filling her with my cum, feeling our juices merge together. I couldn’t stop thrusting, giving her everything while she continued to beg for more. Her legs were wrapped around me so tightly that she wouldn’t let go as we both exploded into bliss. Our cries of passion echoed throughout the forest as we continued to slam against each other. The waves of pleasure overcame us and felt like they would never end.

Eventually, our breath started to slow down, and we held each other tightly as we let the wild lustful atmosphere fade into one of serenity and calm. I pulled back slightly to look at her face, seeing her cheeks flushed and sweat beading on her brow. She raised a hand to my forehead and gently brushed my hair aside before cupping my cheek in her palm. We stared into each other’s eyes for what felt like an eternity, and in this moment I knew that neither of us would be alone ever again. We would always have each other.

Forever.