"You're not stupid," I growled. "I care about your feelings, no matter what they are."
Animus gazed down. His mouth went tight and his brows furrowed slightly like he was deep in thought. Then he let out a small laugh. "That's the problem, Leveret. You care about my feelings too much. More than anybody else ever has."
It felt good to hear that. I held him closer as a possessive streak flared through me.
"But…" Animus paused for a long moment, biting his lip. "You're a mortal, and I'm a spirit. It's a fatal flaw."
"No, it's not. I don't care about that," I said.
"I do," Animus said sharply. "Because if I fall in love with you, I'm eventually going to lose you. And I can't live with that."
As he talked, his voice broke. I felt horrible for pushing him. I didn't want him to cry. I kissed the corners of his eyes, damp with tears. He laughed quietly, then buried his face in my neck. He seemed to like it there.
A few moments passed. When Animus steadied his breathing, he pulled back to look at me again.
"Well," he murmured. "I suppose we should untangle ourselves."
I pouted. "I don't want to. I like cuddling you."
He flashed me a grin. "It's possible for us to cuddle without your cock inside me."
"Oh, right."
After the swelling at the base of my cock had gone down enough to pull out of him, I resumed cuddling Animus. My heart beat happily as I lay close to him, able to touch and smell him as much as I wanted. Animus seemed pleased, too. He let out a contented sigh as I stroked his hair and leaned his head against me.
I never wanted this to end. But Animus wouldn't let himself fall in love with me. There had to be a way to fix this. Now that I'd held Animus, been intimate with him, filled him with my seed—regardless of whether anything came of it or not—he was mine. It was my responsibility to protect him and make him happy.
My knowledge about spirits and magic was limited. All I knew was that magic seemed to make people's lives easier.
"If you had your magic back," I began, "would that help anything?"
Animus turned to face me. His white eyes were so beautiful up close like that, shining like the moon's surface.
"I never thought about it," Animus said. Was that a flicker of hope in his voice?
"You have two other brothers, right? And they aren't as volatile as Terranus. It's still possible for them to return your magic."
Animus raised a hand, staring at it intently. He slowly flexed his black claws. Thin tendrils of smoke rose from the tips.
"Odd," Animus murmured.
"What is?"
He examined the back of his hand, then flipped it over again, like he couldn't puzzle something out. "It seems my small pool of magic has regenerated after using it against Terranus. That was faster than expected."
"That's good, right?" I asked.
"Yes." The vines of smoke manifested along his shoulder blades, transforming into shadowy wings. "It means we can pay my other dear brothers a visit."
Fourteen
Animus
After having sex and cuddling with Leveret, something strange happened.
I feltgood.
No, not good. I felt fucking incredible.