Page 32 of Secrets in the Shadow

“Raziel…” he breathed, his voice barely audible over the sound of their bodies moving together. He kept moving his hands until he noticed the tension under his fingertips.

Looking up, Raziel’s eyes were closed, his features pinched.

Cody started to worry. “What’s wrong?” He slowed, watching the man closely, his concern growing.

His mate widened his mouth, his fangs glistening, a sound escaping Raziel, something between a growl and a groan.

“Don’t worry, Cody. I-I can fight it.” His voice was low, gravelly, his wings flexing and catching the air, their movements sharp and restless.

What is he talking about? Fight what?

“It’s just so much harder to fight than the last time.”

Confused, Cody pressed his hands into Raziel’s chest, forcing him to slow until he stopped. Heat radiated from the angel’s skin, and Cody’s palms tingled from the contact. “Tell me what’s going on.”

Raziel opened his eyes. The swirling in them was stronger now, like fire churning in their depths. They drew Cody in and made his breath hitch, even as his instincts screamed at him to tread carefully.

“I want to sink my fangs into you so fucking badly, but if I do, our souls will bind.”

The words sank in like stones dropped into deep water. Was Raziel rejecting him again? Was sex all the guy was interested in? If not, why was he fighting this so hard? Cody couldn’t help feeling doubt since his mate had been all over the place, giving mixed signals and confusing Cody most of the time.

“We can stop.” He pushed at Raziel’s chest again. “I won’t make you claim me.”

The angel turned those mesmerizing eyes on him. He saw his mate’s walls were starting to crack, just enough to give him a glimpse of the turmoil inside.

“You think I don’t want to claim you?” he asked incredulously, his wings fluttering furiously, causing a flapping sound. Nearby papers glided to the floor.

“What do you expect me to think?”

Raziel visibly deflated. “It’s not because I don’t want you, kitten. I don’t want you to suffer because of me.”

The honesty in his voice softened the edges of Cody’s frustration. It was there, woven into every word, unmistakable.

“Are we really going to do this again?” He smacked his mate’s chest. The sound echoed in the small room, a sharp contrast to the emotions choking the air.

“Are you attempting to kick my ass?” Raziel arched a brow.

“Maybe it’ll knock some sense into that brain of yours,” Cody huffed.

“Through my chest?”

He popped his mate again. “You don’t have to make my attempts sound so pathetic.” The slight quirk of Raziel’s lips hinted at amusement, but Cody wasn’t in the mood to let him off the hook.

“Ow!” Raziel clutched his chest, peeking at Cody through one eye.

“You are so not funny.”

His mate gave a single hard thrust, causing Cody to moan. Raziel rolled his hips, stretching him wide.

“Please, don’t stop.” But Cody’s pleas were more than begging for Raziel to keep going. He was begging the angel not to stop fighting for them.

Raziel’s features softened. His thrusts picked up, his cock going deep. The rhythm they built wasn’t just physical. It was a silent conversation, a desperate push-and-pull that spoke of trust and vulnerability. In a matter of seconds, he had unraveled Cody again.

This time Raziel didn’t fight the urge. He sank his fangs into soft flesh, dragging on his neck as he drank.

The lights in the room burst, raining down sparks, and the bed shook. Raziel pulled his fangs free, shouting out his release. Cody was right behind him, his body seizing as the most intense orgasm he’d ever felt rocked his body.

“Raziel,” he panted as he heard car alarms and a streetlamp pop, causing the outside to grow a little darker. “What’s going on?” His breaths came hard and fast, his skin flushed and buzzing with an energy that didn’t feel entirely his own.

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