Page 23 of Releasing Darkness

I cleared my throat. “Uh, most guys tuck their, um, penis down to the side. I’ve even heard some will let it rest down their leg.” My face was hot as I gestured down at the appendage. Varos was definitely capable of letting it run down his leg. As I stared, his cock jumped as it grew, the broad head easing past the waistband with every beat of his heart. There was no hiding that monster.

His gravelly voice broke me from my trance. “Keep staring, princess, and I will have you take care of it for me.”

I turned around, looking for the shirt I had brought for him as I tried to get my hormones under control. Once I picked it up, I shook it out and turned back to face him. Varos was pulling his hands away from his jeans where I could see he’d done as I suggested and tucked his cock inside. I could clearly see the outline of it as it rested across his hip.

“It’s uncomfortable,” he grunted, “but bearable.” I couldn’t help but laugh as I handed the shirt to him. He took it, fingering the cotton material. “It’s soft.”

I nodded. “It is. Cotton is probably the most common material for clothing.” I eyed his wings. “I know from being around your brother for so long that you won’t have any issues with your wings, and your tail is obviously okay in your jeans. Though, I always found it weird how Varek could have his tailsticking out of his pants. It’s so strange how your wings and tail are there but insubstantial.” I shook my head and eyed him up and down. “But you’re going to need glamor in the Earth realm. Humans don’t know about our kind. Well, they don’t know much about supernatural beings, as they call us, at all. Except for witches, I suppose. There’s a whole sordid history involving witch hunts that’s simply awful.”

Varos snarled at the mention of witches. “I believe a witch helped Lucifer capture my brothers and me.”

I nodded as I watched him slide the black cotton T-shirt over his head. He flexed his arms, looking down at himself. The shirt was just a smidgen tight on his chest and arms, making his muscles delightful to look at. “I imagine it was probably a witch who spelled everyone to forget you as well. I wonder if it is the same one or if several were used. It must have been a very powerful spell in order to work on everyone alive at the time.” I shook my head at the thought. “For it to only now start unraveling seems almost impossible.”

Varos ran his hand over his tangled hair. “It likely involved the sacrifice of many. A spell like that wouldn’t be cheap in price.”

I hummed my agreement and bent over to pick up my brush again. I gestured to him. “Do you want me to try to do something with your hair?”

He tugged on the strands with a grimace. It was a tangled mess that I wasn’t sure even my Wet Brush could tame. But it was still beautiful, much longer than even Valen’s. I tilted my head as I studied it, my eyes catching on the still broken horn. I tentatively reached up, waiting for Varos to indicate that he didn’t want to be touched, but he leaned closer, silent permission to continue.

“Your horn hasn’t grown back,” I murmured as I ran a fingertip over the jagged edges.

“The High General tried a few… experiments with my torture. It appears his last one was a success.”

Tears filled my eyes. Thinking about all my mate had endured for so long at the hands of my father made my chest ache. Varos lifted his hand and gently wiped away a tear that escaped.

“Don’t,” he said, his gravelly voice just another reminder that the damage inflicted was at least partially permanent.

I blinked up at him as more tears fell. “I’m so sorry, Varos.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for. You weren’t responsible for any of what happened. You saved me, Sasha. At great risk to your own life, you went into that dungeon and released me from eons of captivity. I only hope that I can be a good mate, that I am not too damaged inside to be what you need.”

I flung my arms around his shoulders and buried my face into his chest as a sob broke free. I couldn’t answer him. I couldn’t tell him that he was already a wonderful mate and that I was more grateful to the Fates than I ever could have imagined for gifting me this male.

We stood there for several long moments, him holding me as I cried for all he’d lost and all he’d endured. Life was unfair, and I’d never hated my father as much as I did at that moment. I finally pulled back and looked into his bottomless black eyes.

“He needs to die slowly and painfully.”

Varos grinned at me, one corner of his mouth tipping up, causing my stomach to flutter at how incredibly handsome he was. “Don’t worry, princess. He will.”

I nodded once, then gestured for him to turn around the way he had done with me so I could finally work on his still damp hair. “Good.”

It took quite a while, and there were only a few stubborn tangles that needed to be cut off with one of my knives, but in the end, I had my mate’s hair smoothed out, the deep black slightlyshorter but still long enough to pass his shoulders. I sighed in feminine appreciation. Just like his brothers, his hair wasn’t glossy, reflecting in the light, but rather like it was made from the shadows themselves.

I stepped back, forcing my hands away, or else I’d be tempted to keep petting him all day, and we needed to start moving. We had a long walk that would take us into the next day before we reached the portal. I hoped that whatever had happened to keep the guards away from the prison would continue its magic, but I had a feeling that we wouldn’t be so lucky. We were bound to run into trouble. Now that Varos was nearly fully healed, though, we had a fighting chance of making it.

I packed away the rest of my things and braided my hair with quick, experienced movements before putting on my boots and sliding my leather jacket on over my sword scabbard before zipping it up. I slid the sword into place as Varos watched, a look of admiration on his face. I checked to make sure all my weapons were secured.

“It’s fucking sexy watching you put on weapons.”

I smiled up at him, giving him a sassy wink. “Wait until you see me in action.” I pulled out my longest dagger, one that had been a gift from Varek after he’d deemed me fully trained and ready for action. “Here. You don’t have anywhere to hold weapons, but you should at least have one on hand at all times.” I glanced down at his bare feet and sighed. “I wish I could have stolen a pair of shoes from one of your brothers.”

Varos took the dagger from me and felt the weight before tossing it in the air and catching it by the hilt. “It has a nice weight.” I watched as he brought his thumb to the blade and lightly ran it over the edge. “Sharply honed,” he hummed in approval.

“It was a gift from your brother for completing my training successfully.”

“You must be very good at your job.” He eyed me from head to toe, not hiding his appreciation for what he saw.

I felt my cheeks heat, and I ducked my head, using the satchel as an excuse to avoid eye contact as I put it on. “I am.” Varos chuckled, the sound bringing me a deep satisfaction, knowing he hadn’t laughed in thousands of years. I stepped up to him, smiling. “Are you ready to go see your brothers?”

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