𝔸𝕧𝕒

There's thumping and clamoring from the entryway and I turn to see Zane stumbling in, his arm supporting a limp Kami as he drags her inside. They're both disheveled, breathing hard, and covered in blood—though it's hard to tell whose. Kami is slumped over in Zane's arms and there's a large gash across her shoulder, so it's safe to say some of it is hers.

"Holy shit, Z!" Kieran curses. "What the fuck happened to you guys?"

"The meeting might not have been as harmless as we expected," Kami mumbles, hissing slightly as Zane guides her to the couch.

"Yeah, we can see that," I say. "What happened?"

"Someone got to him before we did," Zane says, setting Kami in her seat before stumbling to the chair beside me. "He was waiting for us. Somehow notified someone that we were there, and before we know it, we're accosted by demons—mostly Incubi and Succubi. Belphegor was apparently working with Leviathan."

"So the guy you went to see is working with the demons who are trying to kill you?"

"Yes and no," he says with a slightly pained grunt. "I mean, I don't think he's in on the larger revenge plan. But he seemed happy to help when it was convenient for him."

"So it's just the one Demon King then. I guess that's good."

"Well," Kami says with a bit of a cough, "that's not entirely true."

"Lucifer," Zane says.

"Lucifer??" I ask.

Lucifer is real?

"He's a Demon King," he says. "Another of Asmodeus' brothers. He's bad, but he's not the bogeyman he's made out to be."

Lucifer exists and he's trying to kill my boyfriend. Sure, why not?

"Wh-" Kami begins to say, but instead lurches forward and violently coughs. A deep red stains her lips and I realize blood is spurting from her throat.

Kieran and Morgan both jump to their feet.

"Oh my god!" I yelp, looking to Zane in a panic. "Wha-, why isn't she healing yet?"

"Fuck," he says. "We need to get you venom right now."

"Well give her venom!"

"Venom from an injured Siren won't work," Zane says. "I keep a bottle in the bathroom cabinet."

Kieran fires out of the room and returns at lightning speed with the venom in hand.

Kami grabs it and screws open the bottle, but stops and furrows her brows.

"Zane, this isn't enough for both of us," she says with a bit of panic.

"I don't need it," he says with a shrug.

"Tell that to your punctured lung."

"What?" I ask, looking him over. He's in a black shirt so I can't see much blood on him, but his arms have smears here and there. He pulls up his shirt and turns around to reveal a major open wound through his back.

I had dismissed the sharp pain in my chest as more of my usual problems, but I should have been able to tell that it was something more.

For once, I was feeling Zane's pain.

"Holy crap, Zane!" I scold, jumping out of my seat.

"Take the venom," he says to Kami. His eyes meet mine and he smirks slightly. "You're in a much worse way than I am."

"We should split it," she protests.

"It won't help anyone if we're both half-healed. I'll be fine."

She looks at him with a slight squint but downs the venom.

Wait. What does that mean? He needs the venom too, doesn't he?

"Okay, I'm so out of here," Morgan interrupts, taking a couple of steps toward the door.

"You can't leave now," Kami says. "We need you nearby in case anyone followed us."

"Well I'm sure as hell not sticking around for this," he says, cringing slightly as he gestures between Zane and me.

"This?" I ask, looking to Zane for clarification. I'm met with glowing green eyes and a look of hunger I wouldn't expect from him at this particular moment.

Um... what's happening?

Before I can speak, Zane scoops me up and pins me against the wall.

"That," Morgan says, closing his eyes tightly and pinching the bridge of his nose in his fingers.

Zane smiles at me and leans in for a kiss, stopping just inches from me.

"Guess we're gonna have to do it the old-fashioned way, baby," he says, his lips brushing mine as he speaks.

I forget for a moment that we're in a room full of people as his green eyes seem to bore into my own.

"Oh," I say.

That's actually the only word that seems to be in my vocabulary at this moment. His gaze has me completely tongue-tied. I can feel my cheeks flush and butterflies rise in my stomach.

He picks me up by my thighs and I wrap my legs around his waist. There's a gust of air around us and suddenly we're in his locked bedroom and I'm being thrown on the bed.

Oh.

"Sexual healing?" I say with a chuckle.

He responds with a deep laugh that makes my whole body shiver.

"If you wouldn't mind, baby," he says with a smile, peeling off his shirt.

How does someone look so good even when they're injured? This is really just unfair.

"Well, I suppose if your life literally depends on it," I tease.

He growls slightly and leaps on top of me, but I roll over him and he lets out a groan.

"Oh, shit!" I say, backing off. "Your back, I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay, baby," he laughs, slightly coughing as he sits up.

"Would it help if you had a nurse to make it better?"

I can't believe that just came out of my mouth, but my sex brain has a mind of its own so I'm just gonna roll with it.

I bite my lip and grind my hips into him. He lets out a deep moan and his eyes flash a brighter green.

"You're my nurse, love?" he says with a playful smirk. "Fittest nurse I've ever had."

He leans in until his lips are on my neck, kissing and sucking greedily. He traces his tongue along the line from my collarbone to my jaw, his teeth nipping slightly when he reaches my earlobe.

He wraps his hands around my hips and tugs me down, sliding my body against him, before flipping himself on top yet again.

"You're being a very naughty patient," I say with a giggle. "I thought I was supposed to be the one taking care of you."

"You can take care of me all you'd like, baby." He winks and with a quick ripping sound I feel my panties being torn off.

His hand travels under my top, stroking his fingers across my skin as I unbutton his pants.

"Is this part of the exam, Miss?"

I lean in until my lips are just touching his ear.

"Only if you're good," I hum.

He growls in response and his wings spread wide, shadowing me beneath them. His pants and underwear fly off in an instant and, in a quick maneuver, he flips me back on top of him. I can't tell if it's all the rapid movement making me dizzy, or just the feeling of his touch, but I'm feeling very lightheaded.

Wait, if it didn't hurt him to lay on his back, does that mean this is working?

I'm distracted from that thought by one look at his sculpted chest.

What was I saying?

I slowly lower myself onto him as he curses and grabs the headboard. I collapse on top of him as the sensation of fullness overwhelms me. He thrusts his hips, slowly at first but picking up speed as he goes.

An inhuman roar leaves his lips, his chest vibrating beneath my fingertips.

"Does this mean I've been good?" he asks with a mischievous smile.

"I- I-," I try to answer, but my brain seems to be completely cut off from the rest of my body.

"Sorry miss, I didn't quite hear you," he replies. His grin has turned full-on cocky at the response he's gotten from me.

"I was going to say I don't know if you've been good enough."

"How can I be better?"

"Hmm..." I say.

I roll my hips in a circular motion and his eyes roll back as he moans my name.

"That's... that... I... you're..." he mumbles.

"Sorry, I didn't quite hear you," I say, rolling my hips again.

"Ch- Cheeky girl."

His eyes are radiant and intensely locked with my own.

"You're about to pu- push me over the," he says, interrupted when I drop myself down onto him and begin bouncing up and down.

A combination of a moan and growl erupts from his chest as he shudders before falling back onto the bed.

"Fuck!" he curses.

I fall onto his chest and sigh.

"Are you alright?" I ask through heavy breaths.

"I'm better than alright, love," he says with a contented sigh.

"Good."

It occurs to me that I'm still a bit worked up but, in this instance, I'm just glad to be able to help Zane.

"Could I ask you a question, Miss?" he says, kissing my neck softly. I feel the corners of his lips curl against my skin. "Do you think it's safe for me to engage in more physical activity?"