“Understood.” Aric laced his fingers through Malekith’s, holding on tight. “I don’t need to respond. I only need to know that you’re there.”
A soft, pleased sound rumbled in Malekith’s chest, and he drew Aric up to meet his lips. Their kiss was a slow, sweet exploration, the taste of it a balm to Aric’s fears. Malekith’s mouth was soft and warm, and he kissed Aric like he was something precious, something to be savored. Aric’s heart swelled at the thought, and he clung to Malekith, losing himself in the demon’s embrace.
Malekith’s hands were gentle as they roamed over Aric’s body, the touch of them leaving a trail of fire in their wake. Aric shivered, his skin prickling with a mix of nerves and anticipation. He had never felt so exposed, so raw and vulnerable. But with Malekith, it was a different kind of vulnerability, a sense of being cared for, cherished even in his most fragile moments. He trusted Malekith with every fiber of his being, and he knew that the demon would never hurt him, never take more than Aric was willing to give.
And yet, the intensity of his feelings for Malekith still frightened him. It was a kind of longing that went bone-deep, a sense of completion that he had never known he was missing. He wanted to lose himself in Malekith, in his darkness and his light, to be consumed by the fire of the demon’s passion. But he was afraid of what he might find in that darkness, of what he might lose of himself in the process.
But Malekith had promised to stand by his side, and Aric believed in that promise with all his heart. He was willing to take the risk, to step into the unknown, if it meant he could be with Malekith, even for a little while.
Aric stood before Malekith, his heart pounding in his chest. He had never been so open, so exposed, but there was no one in all the realms he would trust to be so vulnerable with. The demon’s eyes burned with desire as he looked at Aric, and a shiver of anticipation ran through him.
“I want you to know, Malekith,” Aric said, his voice steady and sure, “that I trust you. I want you to take care of me, to be rough with me if that’s what you need.”
Malekith’s eyes darkened with pleasure, and he smiled, a slow, wicked smile that made Aric’s blood race. “I will take proper care of you, my love,” he purred, his voice low and seductive. “You have my word.”
With swift, efficient movements, Malekith stripped Aric naked, leaving him vulnerable and exposed. Aric shivered, both from the cool air and the heat in Malekith’s gaze. The demon took Aric’s tunic and bound his wrists together with it, securing them tightly behind his back.
Aric’s breath came fast as Malekith bent him over a bench, his bare skin pressed against the smooth wood. He could feel the cool air on his exposed backside, and he shivered again, anticipation coursing through him.
Malekith’s hand landed on Aric’s ass with a resounding smack, the sound echoing through the room. Aric gasped, the sting spreading through him like wildfire. But it was a good pain, a pain that made him feel alive and desired.
With every strike, Malekith’s claws dragged across Aric’s skin, sweeter than any poison, any blade. Aric moaned, the pain mixing with pleasure in a heady cocktail that left him reeling. Heat built frantically inside him, the pressure mounting with every smack.
“Do you like that?” Malekith growled in Aric’s ear, his voice thick with desire. “You like it when I mark you, when I make you mine?”
“Yes,” Aric gasped, his voice ragged with need. “Please don’t stop.”
Malekith chuckled darkly, the sound sending shivers down Aric’s spine. “I won’t stop,” he promised. “Not until you’re begging for release.”
Aric’s world narrowed down to the burning sensation in his backside and the pressure building within him. The pain was clarifying, almost euphoric, and he felt as if he were floating outside of himself. With each smack, he grew more desperate, more needy, until he found himself begging Malekith for release.
“Please. Fuck me. I need you inside me.”
Malekith chuckled darkly, clearly pleased by Aric’s desperation. His fingers trailed down Aric’s crack, teasing at his asshole before finally pushing inside. Aric cried out, his body clenching around Malekith’s fingers as they breached his entrance.
With one fist tangled in Aric’s hair and the other steadying his hip, Malekith positioned himself at Aric’s entrance and began to push inside. Aric gasped, his body stretching to accommodate Malekith’s girth. The sensation was overwhelming, both painful and pleasurable at the same time. He felt like he was being split open, consumed by Malekith’s fire.
As Malekith began to move, thrusting in and out of Aric with increasing speed, the pain gave way to pleasure. Aric moaned, his hips rocking back to meet each of Malekith’s thrusts. The demon’s claws dug into his skin, leaving marks that would serve as a reminder of this moment for days to come.
“Like this, my sunlight? When I fuck you hard, leave no room in your thoughts for anything else?”
“Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”
Malekith laughed, the sound harsh and exhilarating. He grasped Aric’s bound wrists with one hand, pulling them tight as he continued to pound into him relentlessly. Aric cried out, overwhelmed by the sensations coursing through him. He was trapped between the pain of Malekith’s claws and the pleasure of his thrusts, caught in a whirlwind of sensation that threatened to consume him entirely.
And yet, he didn’t want it to end. He ached to stay in this moment forever, suspended between pain and pleasure, lost in the fire of Malekith’s passion. As his orgasm approached, pressure building within him, threatening to break free and consume him in a wave of ecstasy.
With a final cry, Aric came undone, his release spilling onto the floor beneath him as Malekith continued to thrust into him mercilessly. The demon’s own climax was close behind, and he roared with pleasure as he emptied himself inside Aric, marking him as truly his own.
Malekith’s lips trailed along the bloody scars he had raked across Aric’s back, his kisses alternating between tenderness and hunger. With a gentleness that belied his earlier ferocity, he carefully untied Aric’s wrists and lifted him into his arms, cradling him as if he were made of glass.
As he carried Aric to the bed, Malekith continued to shower him with kisses and soft murmurs, his voice a soothing balm to the fiery passion that had just consumed them both. Aric felt his body relaxing, the tension draining away as he surrendered to the comforting embrace of his lover.
The demon laid Aric down on the soft sheets, his gaze lingering on the marks he had left on Aric’s skin. There was a hint of pride in his eyes, but also a deep sense of satisfaction, as if he had claimed something precious and irreplaceable.
Aric reached out to touch Malekith’s face, his fingers tracing the sharp lines of his cheekbones and jaw. “I love you,” he breathed.
Malekith’s eyes darkened, and he leaned in to capture Aric’s lips in a searing kiss. “And I love you,” he murmured against Aric’s mouth. “More than life itself.”
As the first light of dawn began to creep through the cracks in the curtains, Malekith reluctantly rewove the restrictive sigils that would dampen his magical connection once more. The loss of that connection was painful for Aric, like a part of him was being ripped away, but he understood the necessity. They were still in danger, and they needed to remain hidden until they reached the Wrathforge.
“I’m sorry,” Malekith murmured as he finished applying the last sigil. “I wish things could be different.”
Aric nodded, unable to find his voice. The weight of the sigils felt heavier than ever, a constant reminder of the sacrifices they had to make in order to survive.
Malekith cupped Aric’s face in his hands, trailing along Aric’s jaw with a tenderness that belied his fearsome appearance. “We will break these bindings for good,” he promised. “I swear it.”
Aric managed a weak smile, drawing strength from Malekith’s words. “I know we will.”
Thirteen
The Wrathforge’s pit arena loomed like a jagged mountain on the horizon, but the ground shivered from its pulsing red wards long before they reached the gates. Demons surged toward the arena from every direction in the capital, forming a chaotic river that flowed into the open maw of the structure. Aric strained to catch a glimpse of the arena floor, but it was lost in the sea of bodies roiling around them.
“Stay close,” Malekith said, his breath hot against Aric’s ear. “This is only the beginning.”
A low growl of warning built in Aric’s throat, but he forced it down. He’d faced down demon assassins, power-mad mages, and a host of other terrors in his time, but the crowd still made his skin prickle with unease. He felt the eyes of a thousand strangers on them, and while most of the demons seemed too preoccupied with the spectacle ahead to pay them any mind, Aric knew that could change in an instant.
