by A L Williams
Their eyes opened, revealing the ivory of their eyes. Before, where there was no emotion, I saw God’s grace.
The very essence of God’s love. I wasn’t a religious person, but for the first time, I wanted to bask in the light.
I moved closer, pushing Gabriel back. They dropped to the bed, gazing up at me with awe, and I straddled them, the fabric of my summer dress riding up to reveal the top of my thighs. “Tell me you want this.”
“Yes. I want you. Only you. I have never wanted anything as much as I do now.” I smiled, my heart swelling at the honesty in their face. Tonight would be about them. Tonight, there would be no play. Just us, entwined in passion.
I pulled my dress off, exposing my body. They reached up to touch. I grabbed their hands. “Not tonight. Tonight is about you. Put your hands behind your head and keep them there,” I ordered. They complied.
I started unbuttoning their shirt, revealing their mahogany skin without scars or imperfections. I placed my hands flat on their chest and slid them up and down, pulling a gasp from them when I grazed their nipples. I could feel the pounding of their heart under the palms of my hands. I continued my slow exploration of their chest, not leaving an inch of flesh untouched.
When I couldn’t resist any longer, I leaned down and captured their nipple between my teeth, biting down. They hissed and then groaned, grabbing my head and holding me in place. I continued my assault on their chest, enveloping myself in the sounds flowing from them. I moved to their other nipple, doing the same. I felt their thighs flex beneath me, and I shuddered at the power in those legs.
I continued to lick and suck until their nipple was at attention as I rubbed myself against their groin, growing wetter by the minute. I felt their cock swell below me and knew they did indeed want this. I was so foolish to think that being ace meant no sex. They had shown me that they were as passionate as any other, if with the right one. I wouldn’t make that mistake again.
With one final nibble of their nipple, I sat up, grinning at their disheveled appearance. Their pupils were dilated, and their lip was between their teeth. I leaned down over them and captured their mouth, gasping into their mouth as my nipples brushed their chest. They thrusted their lips up, rubbing their clothed cock against me. I trembled from the friction of their slacks against my damp womanhood.
I started to grind against them as the kiss grew more desperate. We delved into each other’s mouth, leaving nothing untouched, swallowing each other’s taste. The subtle hint of roses filled my nose, and I pressed my chest further into them. I wanted to bathe in their passion. In their need.
The room filled with the scent of sex as I rode them, groaning into their mouth. I yanked myself from them, unable to deal with the frustration. They needed to be naked, like yesterday. I climbed off them, missing the warmth of their body. “Take off your clothes.” They didn’t waste time, pulling their shirt off and undoing their slacks. Their cock popped out, glistening with precum, and I moaned, rubbing my clit with my fingers, the slide easy with the wetness coating me.
Once they were naked, they laid back down as they were, and I licked my lips at the sight of their arousal. I reached for my end table and pulled out a condom, ripping it open and sliding it on them. I stroked them a few times and then climbed on top of them. I rubbed my clit along their shaft. They groaned, and I smiled.
Without warning I sat, their cock sliding into me with one smooth glide. Their eyes widened, and they arched off the bed, grabbing onto my hips. I clenched, feeling full and panting. It burned, and I loved it. Unlike many women, I loved the slight burn of just sitting on a cock. A reminder that I was filled.
I looked at them, and they met my gaze. Their eyes burned with need as we stared at each other. Everything slowed to a snail pace. I lifted myself and slammed down, sending a jolt of electricity up my spine. I groaned, quaking from the intense pleasure. I did it again and again, settling into a steady rhythm. I rode them hard and fast, watching their eyes burn with heat. They watched me as if I was all that existed. All that mattered. My heart skipped a beat, wanting it to be true.
When I came down on their cock, Gabriel pushed their hips up, grinding into me, and I shouted at the impact. They were so deep.
We moved together for what seemed like forever. The sound of our breaths and the smack of the head board loud in the room. Drops of sweat gathered on my skin, and I picked up the pace, feeling the trembling of their body. They were close. My movements became quick and erratic. I lost myself in the pools that were their eyes, wanting nothing more than to drown in them.
I could feel the pulse of their cock as I dripped around them, making the slide easier. They reached up and caressed my breasts, rubbing my nipples and squeezing them. I rode faster, desperation clawing at me.
Pressure built, and I tipped over the edge, throwing my head back as I shouted, my release rushing through me, sending waves of pleasure through my body. Gabriel’s grip on my nipples tightened, and they tensed.
They groaned as they released into the condom. The sharp pain of their grip on my nipples, and the thrust into me sent me over the edge again, this orgasm stronger than the last.
When it passed, I collapsed on them, burying my face in their neck and inhaling the scent I never wanted to forget.
Their shaking subsided, and they wrapped their arms around me, pressing their face into the side of my head. “Thank you,” they murmured.
I wasn’t sure what they were thanking me for, but I squeezed them closer. “You’re welcome.”
A moment later, I drifted to sleep, pleasantly content and tired from all of the events that passed.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Gabriel
The next night, I stood at the counter at Fresh N Hot stacking cups. We were working late because reopening day was next week. Corbin also needed a distraction from the incident with Lilith. I could not blame him.
Corbin was across the room, taking inventory. The air was filled with the aroma of assorted coffee beans as he turned on the machines, scribbling on the pad of paper in his hands.
I smiled to myself as I worked, remembering what had transpired between Hayley and I the other night. The pure ecstasy in her eyes was addictive, and I found myself wanting to give her that as much as I could.
The conversation beforehand had been difficult to say the least, but the amount of trust she put in me and the vulnerability she offered in exchange for mine was affirming and left me with a sense of safety.
Which was why when she said she trusted me, guilt churned in my stomach. I lied to her. She had a right to know, but I could not risk her getting hurt like she almost did. It was better that she did not know, no matter how bad I felt about it. She could hate me forever if it meant she was safe.
When I placed the last cup down, the bell rang behind me; and I turned, finding James, Andrew and Ben walking through the door. Andrew and Ben sat down at a table. Ben watched Corbin as he worked; and when Corbin looked up his eyes widened and he flushed, turning away quickly.
I wondered what was going on with them when James approached. “Hey. How are you? he asked.
“I have been well.”
“So…” James said. “How are things with you and Hayley?”
he asked, sheepishly.
“She told you?”
“She tells me everything. She called me this morning, gushing about your time together last night.” He scrunched his nose. “I know far too much about your genitals now.”
I smiled. “Well, we are family. It brings us closer?”
James snorted. “Yeah. I don’t need to be that close to know that. You’re my uncle…” He paused. “Can I call you my uncle? You know, since you’re nonbinary. There isn’t really a word for it... is there?” My chest warmed. He truly cared about my gender.
“It is fine. I like it.” I replied.
“So, can I call you Uncle Gabe?” he asked with a grin.
“Sure.”
He cocked his head. “Y
ou seem different.”
“Do I?”
“Yeah, more relaxed.”
I thought about it for a moment. I did feel different. I felt lighter. “I suppose I am. Hayley has been kind.”
James's smile grew. “She has that effect.”
“Yes.”
James opened his mouth to speak until a phone echoed through the coffee shop. Andrew pulled his phone out and put it to his ears. James walked over to him and Andrew frowned. “When?” he asked.
A muffled voice came from the phone. “Alright, be there in twenty.” He hung up the phone and jumped to his feet. “Another child has gone missing.”
Andrew thinned his lips. “We had people on watch at all the group homes, but they saw nothing.”
I walked over. “She is cloaking herself in shadow.” Andrew nodded.
Ben stood. “Why tonight and not the last few weeks?”
I looked away, glancing out the window at the sky. The full moon glowing in the sky.
I turned back. “She takes them on the full moon night.”
They all stared at me with wide eyes. Andrew spoke first. “Damn, I think you might be right.”
Ben shook his head and chuckled. “Well, I feel like an idiot.”
“You’re not an idiot,” Corbin said from across the room. Ben’s green eyes twinkled. Corbin’s face grew red, and he ran to the back.
“So, what do we do now?” James asked.
“I have to go to the Garden,” I said. James pulled out his phone and made a call, walking to the far counter.
“No. I must go alone.”
“That isn’t safe.”
“I—”
Lucifer appeared at my side. “You are not doing this alone, and that is final. We are family,” he said. I smiled and nodded. I wanted to protect them, but he was right. I needed their help. Lilith would try to suck me back in, and I was not one hundred percent sure how I would react. “Where’s Hayley?” James asked.
“At home, resting from yesterday,” I replied.
“Good,” he said. “She’s safe.”
“Safe from what?” Hayley said. We looked towards the door, and she stood there looking at us.
I frowned. “We are going to deal with Lilith.”
She moved closer. “You know where she is? How long?”
“Since yesterday,” I replied.
“And you were going to keep this from me?” she asked. I did not answer, unable to form the words. “You were lying to me?”
James stepped forward. “Not exactly. We just didn’t offer the information.”
She glared at James. “Don’t patronize me! You lied. You know how much I hate lying.” She met my gaze, the hurt and betrayal in her eyes a stab to the gut.
James sighed. “You need to stay here with Corbin.”
“No.”
“Hayley—” James started.
“No.”
I exhaled. “Would you please just listen? We are trying to keep you safe. I—” I need you to be safe.
“I don’t need anyone to keep me safe. Especially not you,” she said. I flinched, feeling the venom in her words on my skin. Regret twisted in my gut.
She backed away, tears shimmering in her eyes. James stepped forward, and she jerked back. She glared at me once more and ran from the shop. Corbin called her name, but she did not stop. He dragged his hand down his face with a groan.
My chest tightened. “I’m sorry,” I muttered, feeling my world crash around me. The guilt was too much. I had lied. I knew it was what I had to do, but it hurt more than I ever thought it would. My chest still ached. The urge to run after her and beg for her forgiveness vibrated through me.
“Are you okay?” James said, dragging me from my thoughts. “She will be fine.”
I clenched my jaw. “Are you sure?”
James rubbed the back of his head. “Actually, no. We’ll just give her some time to cool down and I’ll go talk to her. Right now, we need to make a plan.” I glanced back at the direction she had disappeared.
We gathered around the table and discussed our strategy, my mind wandering back to the girl that had come into my life and somehow forced her way into my heart.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Hayley
I pushed on, into the darkness, my mind far away as I dashed through the night with no destination in sight. Memories I had fought to forget reclaimed my mind, sending me into a pit of darkness.
I dragged my hands across my bare arm, massaging the lotion into my damp skin. I sat my leg on the toilet, pumping more lotion into my hand. I leaned over to apply it as the door swayed open. I jerked and looked back, finding Todd standing there. I noted the sway in his stance. He was drunk.
I moved to cover myself, my body going cold at the dark look in his eyes. I picked up the towel, and he moved closer, grabbing it before I could wrap it around my naked frame. I froze as he shoved me against a wall, his breath putrid from the alcohol. “So soft.” he murmured, running his hand up my arm.
“You’re early,” I stuttered.
He frowned, still rubbing my arm. “She left early. I buy her dinner, and she doesn’t even put out. Fucking bitch. She was sexy, too. I was hard the whole time, and now my balls hurt.” A smile curled his lips, sending a chill down my spine. “You’re a good girl, right? So pretty and obedient. Take care of it for me.”
I pressed my back into the wall, feeling the cold metal bar against my skin. “I don’t—”
He ran his hand along my shoulder and dragged it down my collar. I shook, trying to get the words to come, but they did not. “Be a good girl.”
“No. I don’t want to,” I blurted. Suddenly, a hand slammed into my face, sending a sharp pain along my cheek. I touched the spot, still tingling with pain.
“You will do what I say,” he growled, grabbing my arm and jerking me closer. Nausea twisted in my gut; I took heavy breaths to suppress the bile. “Stop. Or I’ll tell—”
He chuckled, the sound demented and cold. “You’re just a girl. Who would believe you?” He gripped my arm tighter and threw me to the ground, and I looked at his shadow looming over me. He grimaced and undid his pants, pulling out his engorged penis and stroking it. I tried to scoot away, and he grabbed me by leg, kneeling and forcing my legs open.
I squeezed my eyes shut, tears trailing down my face. I continued to run; my vision blurred from the tears I could no longer keep at bay. I tripped and fell to the asphalt, wincing at the sharp pain in my knee.
“What’s wrong, child?” a familiar voice said. I looked up through blurred vision, finding Lilith staring at me with a smile. “You poor thing. Let me take your pain away.”
A cloud of darkness surrounded us, and the night faded away.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Gabriel
Rays of sun danced through Andrew and James’s house, filling the living room with light as I lounged on the couch. The dusty cliffs of the mountains were overlooking the city as storm clouds drifted closer. I could smell the subtle hint of rain drifting through the window as the drapes swayed.
I ran my hand down my face, going through the events of last night over and over. The look of betrayal on her face almost broke me, stabbing me in the heart in a way I did not expect. Although James reassured me that she would be fine, the guilt had not subsided. I never wanted to hurt her. My heart ached. I needed to focus on Lilith, but everything in me wanted to go to Hayley and apologize.
A gust of wind brushed my cheek, and Lucifer and James appeared before me, uncurling their wings. They approached me as Andrew and Ben walked into the living room.
“Are you ready?” Lucifer asked. I looked at him in silence, aware that the others were watching me. It pained me to know they still considered me a wild card, but I could not blame them after what I had done.
“I am ready. It is time to end this, by any means necessary.”
The heaviness in my shoulders lifted as I took in my decision. I was going to put an end to this. She
was my past and the only thing standing in the way of my future.
Hayley.
James smiled, and the others nodded as the tension in the room faded.
Another knock came at the door. “Come in,” I said, my heart beating faster. Corbin walked in, with a deep frown on his face.
James approached him. “What is wrong?”
“I can’t find Hayley.”
I tensed.
“Maybe she’s just pouting somewhere,” James replied.
Corbin shook his head. “She never came home last night. Her bed was still made when I woke up. I called her phone millions of times, and it went straight to voicemail. I even checked the school, and that club she goes to.”
My stomach twisted into tight knots, and I stared down at the table.
The sky rumbled.
Corbin turned to Andrew and Ben, looking into Ben’s eyes. “Can you do anything?” his voice wavered.
Something flashed in Ben’s eyes before he spoke. “It hasn’t been twenty-four hours yet. Until then, there’s nothing we can do.”
James furrowed his brow. “She could be hurt or worse by then.”
Andrew walked over to him, pulling James close and kissing his forehead. “We’ll find her.”
James relaxed into him.
My stomach churned as everyone remained silent, unsure of what to say. It was clear we were all lost. Hayley was missing, and we had no idea where she was.
Lilith’s glare at Hayley, filled with hatred, flashed through my mind. She had wanted to end her. In her mind, Hayley was the thing standing in her way. I swallowed and turned to the others. “Lilith has her.”
James’s eyes widened. “How do you know that?”
“I am not sure, but something tells me she does.”
“That would make sense,” Lucifer said.
