He stared at the lubricant, trying to remember what it was for.
“Nox.” The blush in Luca’s cheeks turned his brown eyes black. “Please, Nox.” His pleasure, his want, wove into the primal needs of the Anubis. The darkness inside Nox fell back enough for him to remember who he was.
A man who loved Luca Suarez.
Nox smeared the lubricant up the length of his cock. The contact bit down with electric teeth, drawing the Anubis’s attention away from the feedback of sensations flowing from Luca back to how it could gorge on pleasure.
Luca was too slow in removing his jeans and Nox pushed him against the counter and yanked them to Luca’s ankles. Naturally tanned skin, a dusting of hair across the back of his thighs. The round globes of his ass. Nox’s mouth watered.
He stood.
Don’t hurt him. Let me do this.Nox could only hope the Anubis would listen.
The world didn’t blur, and Nox’s thoughts calmed enough for him to coat Luca’s opening inside and out. Nox wanted to take his time and savor Luca’s body. Worship him so he’d know how much Nox loved him. Be with him as a man and not a monster.
To touch him in ways the Anubis had no patience for.
To touch Luca in ways he deserved.
The denial never stopped Nox from trying to indulge in those minute details, making sex an act of love rather than a rush of hungry selfishness.
He rubbed the head of his cock over Luca’s hole. The tight opening relaxed, and Nox pushed. Luca moaned and the ring of muscle gave enough to take the head, then inch after inch. Stretching Luca until his skin pinked. He panted, his breaths becoming small cries as Nox sank to the hilt.
“Feels good.” Nox withdrew a few inches, then pushed deep again. “Feels so good.” He usually experienced the sensations through the Anubis, so he was grateful when it gave him a few seconds of normality.
Then, like always, his humanness faded, engulfed by the creature inside him, devoured by its strength. The invasion struck with violence because it was about more than the Anubis’s experience. It was about making it clear to those strangers Luca was the Anubis’ Alpha and it was his beta.
Nox’s cognitive mind shredded, leaving behind raw instinct. He roared against Luca’s back and shoved his hips forward. Luca’s arms buckled, and Nox caught him before he could hit the wall.
The clap of their bodies filled the small room. Nox tightened his hold, keeping Luca in place as he thrust hard enough that every impact knocked a cry from Luca’s lips.
Cum scented the air, and droplets sprayed over the counter. Luca keened and Nox continued to move, forcing himself over the edge. Lightning shot up his nerves, raking his spine. The sensation as painful as it was pleasant.
But the need to soak Luca in his scent kept Nox going.
Sweat ran in rivulets down the valleys of his muscles and Luca turned limp in his arms, but his voice grew louder. Nox didn’t know if it was just Luca’s need or their connection feeding Luca Nox’s desperation.
For a while, there was only the rush of euphoria, an almost endless loop where Nox lost himself to the Anubis. In those moments, nothing mattered in the world but Nox’s Alpha. Being his protector, offering him shelter, absolutely smothering him in pleasure.
Like that, Nox had no regrets about the things he’d done or how he used Luca’s body.
Then the fog would lift, and he’d find himself complicated by higher thought and burdened with all his wrongs in life.
The only reason he didn’t break was because of the one person who made it all worth it.
Nox rocked against Luca’s back, riding out the last wave of euphoria. Exhaustion left him panting against Luca’s shoulder, yet he couldn’t bring himself to pull out. If it had been possible to stay buried in Luca’s body for the rest of his existence, he would have.
He kissed the side of Luca’s neck and didn’t resist the urge to rub his cheek against Luca’s temple. An odd behavior that had grown more common. Nox couldn’t recall if he’d ever done the same to Koda. If he had, it must have been too infrequent to remember.
Lots of physical details about being with Koda had faded over the weeks, replaced by moments of contact Nox had with Luca and cataloged by the Anubis.
At least the Anubis didn’t keep the experience to itself, even if it couldn’t understand the emotions that came with them.
Luca made a sound and tried to lift his head.
“Shhh—” Nox petted Luca’s chest. “I’ve got you.” He would never let Luca go. Never.
Because even if Nox wanted to, the Anubis would never allow it.