Page 121 of Down from the Tower

His eyes are red when I see them again, a primal look on his face as he releases my nose and I suck in air. “You might be my personal death, Princess.”

The shadows don’t stop fucking me as he pulls back, and I half help him roll me on my stomach. I brace my hands into the dirt, prepared for the pain as much as the pleasure, and his shadows spread me wide as he preps.

His hands grab my hips, pulling me up and back as the shadows continue, putting me on my hands and knees. Another shadow shoves beneath my chin, tilting my face up towards the sky.

Zarev hums, and I feel his wet cock pressing at my tightest hole. I gasp, eyes widening as he lines himself up. The shadow at my ass stops moving, and I feel more ghostly touches on my skin, rubbing against my clit. But Zarev’s real hands press against my butt before stretching my cheeks open. “Don’t worry, little Life. You’ll love this, too.”

I gasp at the sudden intrusion, the flicker of pain reminding me why the one time I was asked to try anal, I turned the offer down. There’s a slight burn, but the shadows playing with the rest of me help to distract. He keeps his palms in place as he slides in, not exactly gentle but not tearing into me either.

I’m panting, my nails scraping up clumps of the earth as he works his way in. I’m pretty sure he will split me before he bottoms out, or maybe that’s just the pain talking.

“Shh, you’re doing so good, Princess,” he grunts, one hand moving to smooth over my hair. I throw my head back, the touch both comforting and stimulating, and he switches to twisting his fingers into the locks and pulling.

I moan, rocking back into him and taking the last inch that leaves me gasping. “Harder.”

He chuckles, tearing my head back so the sky greets me. My back arches at the touch, and my ass shakes against him as he thrusts deep, making my body thrive with need. I don’t know what to do with myself while I can’t see him, my moans echoing in the space around us and getting lost in the trees.

His other hand releases my cheek, smacking my ass hard enough I buck back into him. The pain is quickly replaced by pleasure as I ride the high that only Zarev can take me too.

With his free hand, he does something I can’t see. I fall forward on my forearms as he rams harder into me, making my body rock with every thrust. It’s too powerful, the anger and pain from the last several days building between us to an explosive level.

Then something wraps around my throat. Not the shadows, but my hair like rope. He pulls hard, and I gasp around the homemade necklace he’s fashioned for me, one that’s cutting off my air in the best way.

“Come around my shadows, little Life,” he growls, tightening his hold on the hair that wraps at my throat. His other hand returns to my hip, speeding up his thrusts, and I press my cheek down into the ground and cry out around him.

The shadows in my pussy pulse, widening, making my eyes roll. There’s no comparison between Zarev’s magic and anyone else, not when he also comes with a cock that makes my body ache in the best ways. I claw at the dirt, moaning as he fucks deep into both of my holes, my breathing ragged as he takes me hard.

“Come,” he growls, and he pushes deep inside my ass. The knot he told me about before latches us together, widening the stretch, and I cry out as waves of pleasure slam over me.

The shadowy touches linger, continuing to work my body like a toy, easing the ache of him buried deep inside me as he rides out his own orgasm. I groan when his shadows leave my clit, rocking back into him before they gently slide from my drenched core too.

I’m breathing so hard, I know everyone in the woods around us knows what we were up to. If anyone is out there looking, we will be easy to find.

But truly, who could scare us after seeing the Mad Queen and Midas all in the same day?

He squeezes my ass as he releases the hold on my hair, and the silky locks spill forward around me. I slump as he slowly pulls his cock free, making me whimper at the feel. When his cock pops free, he holds my hips and guides me over to lie on the ground. Something soft is beneath me, and fingering the material I realize it’s his missing cloak.

Above us the stars shine on, and other than our panting breaths the world is blissfully quiet.

After a moment Zarev slides in behind me, pulling me back and tight into his chest. I snuggle in, rubbing my cheek against the arm that slips beneath my head, and he drags the extra material of the cloak over to cover me. My eyes are already closed as his other arms wrap around my middle.

“Sleep now, my sweet princess. Tomorrow, your world is brand new.”

32 Zarev

After giving Raymundo the shortest update of my life, we make quick work the next day getting to The Missing Shoe. He’s already stressing about all the dead surging to Tressa, and the only good thing about the dead King purging the kingdom is there are no living left to struggle in the dead-infested land. We’ll have to deal with the madness Midas unleashed, but I won’t give up Rapunzel’s safety to deal with the souls already waiting. She is my top priority, reaping be damned.

I have enough magic this morning to shadow hop the rest of the way to The Missing Shoe and not completely exhaust my reserves. We don’t stop for berries and chance running into any troops or flowerborne this time, and although rushed, the journey is much more peaceful this time around.

Last night I took too many risks fucking her the way I did, but I have no regrets. I needed to feel her after nearly losing her, and watching her wield my scythe like it’s made for her is one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen a woman do.

I needed her as much as she needed me. With her golden hair tangled around her and the way those blue eyes sparkle with a ring of gold, she’s like no one I’ve ever met before. Nor anyone I will find again. She’s headstrong and a little careless with herself at times, but her passion and commitment is unrivaled. Being dispatched to kill the threat in Tressa is the greatest thing that’s happened to me since I came back to Mystica half alive.

My heart might not beat the same way as the living, but it pulses for only her.

The tavern, thankfully, isn’t in shambles when we arrive. I feel the relief in her shoulders when we reach the front, her fingers smoothing out her hair as people crowd around to greet us. According to Genny, most of the guards who stormed through when we were last here had no interest in the guests when there was no Golden Princess to apprehend on King Arthur’s behalf.

The reality of her new life sets in when I hand her a pint of ale, skipping over Thomas’ suggestion to try a new blend as we take a corner table in the tavern. I go for one of the staples she likes, sliding it across the table for her, and take my place at her side.

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