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"I'm home, mi amor," Lucanis called out, opening the door to their suite.
Instead of her usual hearty greeting, he heard a soft sniffle.
"Meruka?"
Burning pitch, torn sails, spent cannon powder. Spite spoke in his mind. ROOK HURTS.
Movement in the corner of the room. There she was, curled up on one end of the chaise, a tiny heap of elf draped in long, curly hair. She lifted her head, looking at him with red-rimmed eyes.
His instincts screamed for him to pull out his knives and rush to her side, ready to attack whatever had harmed her. They were wrong. Lucanis the killer was not needed here. He squeezed his fists as tightly as he could, then released. Forced himself to pad lightly across the room and sit next to her.
She threw herself into his arms, sobbing. He took her into his embrace, holding her tight, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. Felt Spite's wings sprout from his back, a familiar etheric ripple that no longer made the backs of his eyeballs itch.
Soon they were both enveloped in the soft curtain of those wings, glowing lavender feathers blocking out the world. They were an emblem, a promise. Meruka was safe to feel her sorrow. Nothing and nobody could harm her here. Spite didn't need to say the words. He could feel the demon's sentiment in his soul, and he agreed with it.
They sat without speaking until Meruka's shoulders were no longer shaking. Her hands, gripping the front of Lucanis' shirt, began to relax. She looked up at him, her face illuminated in violet, tear-tracks staining her cheeks.
"I saw him," she said. "He was at the docks, overseeing a shipment. I don't want to know what was in it, but it wasn't slaves. I made certain."
"Your father," Lucanis affirmed softly. She nodded.
"I feel so stupid. He shouldn't make me feel this way. Not after all this time."
"You miss him. The man who raised you. There's no shame in that."
"Then why do I feel ashamed?"
Lucanis chuckled softly. "If anybody understands, I do, cariño. How somebody who loves you can also hurt you so badly."
Her dark, expressive brows scrunched together, her lips forming a small, sad smile. "That you do."
"And I… oh, Spite wants to speak." Lucanis willingly gave over his mouth to his passenger. They had an agreement. Spite's petulant voice emerged from somewhere that wasn't his throat.
"I don't understand. Nobody should hurt ROOK! And Illario hurt Lucanis, but you wouldn't let me kill him! And Catarina hurt Lucanis, but we live with her!"
"Oh, Spite," Meruka said, reaching out and running her finger along an etheric feather on his wings, "I'm sorry we mortals are so complicated."
She paused for a moment, still caressing that feather. Lucanis felt a little buzz of excitement from Spite's presence in his mind. Meruka spoke again.
"I don't think I've ever tried touching these before. They're so soft. Like petting a cloud."
"Feels nice," Spite purred. "Touch more?"
"Spite," Lucanis said with a sigh. "We're comforting Meruka right now."
"It's all right," Meruka placed her palm flat against one of the wings, caressing it. Lucanis felt the demon shiver in his mind, the pleasure of the contact threatening to spill over into his own senses. It made him wonder… how did that feel?
Do you want to feel it too? I can share.
"Oh," Lucanis said. Meruka looked at him, the question written across her face. "Spite wants to share how it feels when you touch his wings."
Always changeable and rarely sad for long, his Meruka flashed him a wicked smile.
"I like that idea."
ROOK likes it! The demon crowed in his mind. Spite never tired of pleasing Meruka.
He felt a strange warmth suffuse his being, like someone had just lit a fire in a chilled room. His eyes caught Rook's. She was watching him curiously, sitting still in the circle of his arms.
"I think… go ahead. Try touching them."
She reached out, her finger tracing the edge of a wingtip. Her eyes never left his. A jolt of pleasure rushed through him, pulsing straight through his shoulders and down to his groin. A strangled moan was ripped from his throat.
Meruka grinned. "Oh, my."
"No wonder he got… excited," Lucanis rasped. "That was potent."
"Hmm." Meruka paused, hand suspended mid-air. "May I try touching the bones?"
Spite practically danced inside his mind. Lucanis smiled, bracing himself. "Please, Merucita, explore at your leisure."
Her thin, nimble fingers slid up along one of the eerie bones that scaffolded Spite's wings. Lucanis shivered. The feeling wasn't as strong, but was still erotic. She hummed, looking thoughtful.
"Not what I expected," she said. "They're warm. Hard underneath, but also soft. Rather like, well…"
She looked down, between Lucanis' legs, where his trousers were showing a great deal of strain. Her smile grew positively dangerous and she moved her other hand to his thigh. One hand stroked Spite's wingbone and the other moved up his leg until it was tracing the outline of his hardening cock.
Lucanis' control snapped. With a growl, he scooped her up and stood, carrying her to the bed. She giggled. He must have looked a sight, his beloved draped in his arms, wings fully spread out of his back, desperate to tear off everything they were wearing.
He tossed her on the bed. She bounced, then sat up, beckoning him forward. He paused before he lost his composure entirely.
"Is this all right? You were just so upset."
She smiled, that unfettered, open smile that lit up his very existence, and held her arms out to him.
"This is a thousand times better than crying over that bastard. I want you. Both of you."
"You have us." Lucanis smiled back, feeling a touch of Spite's essence glowing through his eyes. They swooped down onto her, Spite's wings covering them once more.
Their hands worked in a flurry of motion until they were both bare to each other. Lucanis settled at her side, his rampant cock poking into her thigh. Never had he been more tempted to simply slake his desire, to take her then and there. But his iron discipline won out. He simply would not leave his Meruka any less than thoroughly satisfied.
He ran his hands over her shoulders, her collarbone, her breasts. The feel of her was better than silk. His lips found a hardened nipple, suckling. She made that adorable little noise she always did, the one that nearly made him laugh.
And then, a nimble wingtip swooped down and brushed across her other nipple. Meruka exhaled noisily in surprise, going up on her elbows, wide-eyed.
"You're not doing that, are you?" She whispered, as though Spite couldn't hear her perfectly well.
"You know the wings are entirely Spite," Lucanis spoke softly. "Is it… all right? He will stop if you ask."
"No, no, it's all right. I think it felt good. I just didn't expect it."
"Would you like to confirm whether it felt good?"
That wicked smile of hers, again. "Yes."
Spite heard her. Yes, ROOK will like it! I know what she likes!
"WE know, Spite."
Meruka raised a brow, but never spoke, for the wingtip bent down and caressed her breast once more.
"Ooh," she said. Lucanis grinned at her and resumed his own attentions, flicking the opposite nipple with his tongue.
Man and demon worked in tandem, exploring and touching, while Meruka writhed beneath them. Lucanis had never thought that they could please Meruka together, without Spite having to take over his body. It was… fun.
The only problem was that every time Spite's wings made contact with Meruka, it was as though she were touching his cock. Need washed through him. He was harder than he'd ever been before, enough that it was almost painful. And yet, he couldn't bring himself to ask Spite to remove the sensation. He was a terrible, greedy, insatiable man. She had made him that way, and fortunately, she liked the fact.
He settled on rubbing up against her while they touched her, pulling back when he threatened to embarrass himself against her leg. His patience was rewarded with the look of bliss on his lover's face.
"Hacedor." Meruka swore. "It feels like… I can't describe it. Like healing magic except sexy? It's this tingle and it makes every part of me feel more alive."
"I'm glad you like it. We are happy to serve."
She looked at him, her lips twisting into a teasing grin. "I think you might need to be served soon, before you explode."
"I… oh, you were enjoying yourself so much I didn't think you'd notice."
"I always notice," she said, laughter in her voice. "It's hard not to."
He groaned at her pun, narrowing his eyes at her. He knew she was goading him, trying to bring out his darker side. Well. That was something he was able to give her, as well.
"You're getting punished for that, Grajita." He levered himself up and positioned himself between her legs. Despite the challenging look on her face, she spread them for him. He chuckled, prodding at her entrance. She was soaked.
With his practiced assassin's deftness, he hooked her ankles over his shoulders and entered her in one smooth thrust. She cried out, then sank her canine into her lower lip, tempting him.
"Treating me like a seduction contract, are you?" He growled, knowing she loved it. "Then take it!"
He plunged into her, snapping his hips aggressively. She threw her head back and moaned. Spite's wings spread out once more, curling around and brushing against both her nipples. Her moans turned into panting cries.
Lucanis grinned, setting an aggressive pace, reaching around and rubbing her clit sloppily with his thumb. Between the two of them, he and Spite could tease all her most sensitive spots at once.
Meruka lost all control, trembling and babbling, gripping the sheets in desperation. Her cries increased in volume until Lucanis was certain the entire villa could hear her. Where once he'd have been mortified, he felt only pride. Let the household know he was satisfying his beloved like nobody else could.
Man, elf, and demon moved together as one, giving pleasure, taking delight. It almost felt as though they were flying. Luminescent purple feathers scattered through the air, Spite's wings appearing to grow thicker and more lush. More like a gryphon, now, than a wyvern. Determined not to be outdone by his spirit companion, Lucanis drove deeply into his beloved, strumming her little button all the while.
Meruka came with a high-pitched shriek, and at that moment, Spite ran as much wing down her sides as he could. The excess pleasure hit Lucanis like a bolt of lightning magic. He tightened, then exploded with an uncharacteristic curse. They were both trembling and panting. The demon in his mind was vibrating like a garrote pulled too tightly and then strummed. Overwhelmed, Lucanis nearly fell directly atop his little elf, catching himself at the last minute and tumbling down at her side.
They lay in silence, catching their breaths. Spite's wings had disintegrated, returning to wherever he kept them when they weren't in use. His beloved curled up against him, anchoring herself to him. Home. He was her home. Her father had raised her with love, but discarded her when she defied his wishes. Catarina had raised him to survive, but had never taught him to live.
They would give each other the things they'd always lacked. Acceptance. Affection. And Spite… he wasn't sure where Spite fit in yet, but somehow he seemed to complete it all.
Eventually, Meruka opened her mouth. "That was…"
"Intense." Lucanis finished. She laughed.
"You could say that."
"I only wonder… Spite? Why is it that your wings are an erogenous zone? I don't think they were before."
He let go so that Spite could speak through his mouth.
"Because ROOK touched them. ROOK makes me feel… I… I don't understand."
"Maker help us once he does," Meruka commented. Lucanis agreed. With the changes Spite had been showing, he suspected it wouldn't be long.
Do you wish me to stop sharing the feeling? Spite's more eloquent internal voice spoke to him alone.
"Please, Spite, or I might never get any work done again."
Meruka laughed, not needing to hear the other side of the conversation to understand.
"But maybe," she ventured. "We could do this again sometime."
Lucanis pulled her into his arms, drawing her into a gentle kiss. When he pulled away, he spoke softly into her ear.
"Oh, we most certainly will."