Page 34 of Dead Air
“I do love that body,” Niall agreed, dazed and feeling extremely blessed. “I want to learn to love your real body, though.”
“But it’s not really a body. I’m just smoke and shadows. There’s nothing there to really love unless I make myself solid.”
Niall shrugged. “Then don’t be solid. Unless you want to be. Just…be yourself, not the polite demon you pretend to be for me,” he said and Cenn stared for a long moment before laughing and returning to his task.
“I doubt you’d enjoy a day as a demon’s pet.”
He moved the tea bag and put it in another mug because Niall reused them two, three, or even four times—until the herbs and bits of dried fruit had given all they had to give. After, the bags went into the compost bin, sans staples and tags. It was probably because he was a demon and could hear people’s thoughts, but Niall never had to tell Cenn how he liked his tea or how nit-picky he was about waste and composting. Cenn was so mindful and thoughtful that it made Niallwantto spend a day as a demon’s pet.
What were Cenn’s deepest desires and could Niall satisfy them?
“I might…” Niall said as he accepted his mug and watched Cenn over the rim as he sipped. He had read Niall’s thoughts and his eyes held a faint blue glow.
“You don’t understand how possessive and controlling I would be.Thattakes effort to hide because I would keep you only for myself and wallow in your soul until I was drunk on you.”
“Oh?” Niall squeaked. He wasn’t sure what there was to get drunk on but?—
“Your pleasure,” Cenn interrupted as he rushed forward. “I would pamper and pleasure you until you were delirious and I would gorge myself on that.”
“I don’t think I would mind… For a day. We’re stuck in here and there isn’t much else to do,” Niall said but heat was pooling in his core and there was a gnawing ache in his backside. It was the kind of ache that made Niall want to do wild and naughty things. “Would it be possible for me to have a safe word if it does get to be too intense?”
“Yes! Of course!” Cenn answered quickly. “But I would feel if you were distressed. I’d feel it as if it were my own fear and it would sicken me to harm your soul or damage your trust.”
How could Niall resist? “Alright, have your way with me, Cenn.” He flung the arm without the mug wide, giggling excitedly. He wasn’t feeling boring or basic at the moment and the idea of being Cenn’s pet was too intriguing to resist. “Do anything your demon heart desires and I’ll say…‘banana splits’ if I need a moment or it gets to be too much.”
“Alright…” Cenn’s knuckle beat against his lip as he considered, then waved. “Finish your tea and I’ll begin by feeding you breakfast.”
“That doesn’t sound too scary. Sounds nice, actually.”
Cenn’s idea of breakfast wasn’t nice at all and was very intense. He allowed Niall time to sip on his tea as Cenn prepared an omelette with wild morels and ramps. When it was ready, Niall was lifted from the bed and placed on top of the freezer.
“You’re still my lumberdaddy,” Niall reminded Cenn when he approached with the plate.
“I thought you might prefer this while you were eating,” he said sheepishly, earning a weary eye roll from Niall.
“I told you, I’m not afraid of you when you’re like that. You’re still really hot. Scary buthotscary,” he said and Cenn hummed seriously.
“I’m still a big, terrifying demon, though?” he asked, pretending to be concerned.
Niall nodded. “So terrifying! I’d totally wet myself if I didn’t know I was 100% safe with you.”
“You still can, if you’d like to try piss play,” Cenn offered but Niall shook his head.
“I’ll pass.”
“I haven’t noticed any of that in your dreams or fantasies but I didn’t sense an aversion either,” Cenn murmured and Niall’s lips twisted as he tried to imagine how it could play out.
“Icansee the attraction but we’re dancing right up to the edge of some of my hang ups.”
“Say no more,” Cenn said, sweeping the conversation aside. The hot, bearded man vanished, leaving the plate floating for a moment before smoke filled the air in front of Niall. It curled and condensed into a towering, billowy figure with burning blue eyes and horns that disappeared into the ceiling when he straightened his head.
“Whoa!” Niall gulped up at Cenn, momentarily stunned but he heard a familiar voice reminding him that he was safe.
The glimmer of fear was replaced with curiosity and awe. Curls of smoke and shadow had coalesced into a face and body both haunting and captivatingly beautiful. Cenn had said there wasn’t a Hell or a Devil but he looked like a dark angel and any man’s worst nightmare.
“Open.” Cenn held up a bite of omelette and fed it to Niall.
He groaned as he chewed. “Goodness, that’s delicious!”
