Chapter 76: A Proper Send-Off***
Caelen left the herb garden, the air still crackling with the promise he had woven into it. The image of Evelyn's blush, the husky eagerness in her voice, was a potent fuel for the power thrumming within him.
It was a different kind of conquest than planning for war or unraveling cosmic mysteries—simpler, more immediate, and deeply satisfying.
He spent the next few hours in the archives, but his focus was fractured. The intricate theories of lightning magic, the dense histories of demonic hierarchies—they all felt like dry tinder compared to the living flame of anticipation burning in his chest.
He traced the lines of a spell that promised to call down a powerful storm, but his mind kept returning to the storm of a different sort he intended to unleash that night.
As twilight began to bleed into the deep indigo of evening, the strange black sky was fully gone, and everything felt even more profound.
Caelen sought out Evelyn. He found her not in the gardens, but in the chambers that had been assigned to her. The room was elegant but spartan, a temporary lodging.
She was standing by the window, looking out at the soon-to-be darkened sky, but she turned as he entered, her red eyes bright in the dim light.
"Did you have a good talk with Silver?" he asked, his voice a low murmur as he closed the door behind him. The click of the latch was a definitive sound, sealing them in their own private world.
"She's... Silver," Evelyn said with a soft, knowing smile. "She told me to 'ensure proper hydration' and gave me another one of her herbs." A small, wrapped bundle sat on a nearby table.
Caelen moved toward her, his steps silent. The space between them vanished until he was standing before her, the heat of his body a palpable force.
He didn't speak, letting the silence and the intensity of his presence say everything. His [Abyssal Charm] was no longer a subtle aura; it was a focused beam, enveloping her, pulling her in.
He raised a hand, his fingers once again tracing the line of her jaw, but this time the touch was possessive, a prelude. "No more talk of tomorrow," he whispered, his breath ghosting across her lips. "No more talk of anyone else."
Evelyn's eyes fluttered closed for a moment, a shiver running through her. "Just tonight," she agreed, her voice barely audible.
That was all the invitation he needed.
Caelen closed the final distance, his mouth capturing hers in a kiss that was anything but gentle. It was a claim. It was the spark to the tinder he had been carefully laying all afternoon. It was not the kiss of a man, but of a force of nature—hungry, demanding, and utterly consuming.
Evelyn melted against him, her hands coming up to clutch at his shoulders, her initial shyness burned away by the inferno he ignited.
Her transformed body responded to his primordial energy, a perfect resonance of power and desire. The golden light in her hair seemed to brighten, and a low, thrumming energy began to radiate from her skin, meeting the dark, crackling allure of his own.
He broke the kiss, his crimson eyes blazing as he looked down at her, her lips swollen, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "This power you have," he murmured, his hands sliding from her jaw down to her hips, pulling her flush against him. "Let me feel all of it."
He guided her backward toward the large bed, his movements deliberate and unhurried, a predator confident in his capture. Every brush of his hands against her skin, every heated glance, was a lesson in the new nature they shared.
It was a fusion of demonic energy and raw, human-shaped passion, a feedback loop of escalating pleasure.
He laid her down upon the silken covers, following her down, his form caging hers. The world outside—the black sky, the looming war, the mystery of the Vessels—ceased to exist. There was only this room, this night, and the two of them.
His mouth found the sensitive skin of her neck, and she arched against him with a gasp, her fingers tangling in his silver hair. The demonic energy within her, once a latent potential, now surged to the surface in response to his, a golden warmth meeting a crimson hunger.
"Let go, Evelyn," he commanded against her skin, his voice a dark, seductive thread woven through the fabric of her being. "Don't hold anything back."
And as his hands began to explore further, as his lips trailed a path of fire down her throat, moving toward the neckline of her simple tunic, Evelyn did just that.
The last of her reservations shattered, lost to the overwhelming tide of sensation and the undeniable command in his touch. A low moan escaped her, the sound filled with a surrender that was also a triumph.
Caelen's hands moved to the fastenings of her clothing, his own control a thin, fraying veil over the primal need she stoked in him. The "proper send-off" had begun, and the line of mere flirtation was now a distant memory, left far behind in the herb-scented garden.
Caelen's fingers deftly undid the laces of Evelyn's tunic, each movement deliberate and charged with anticipation.
The fabric fell away, revealing her transformed body, glowing with an ethereal light that seemed to dance across her skin. Her breasts, full and firm, rose and fell with each ragged breath, the nipples already hardened into tight peaks, begging for his touch.
He leaned down, his breath hot against her ear. "You're exquisite," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through her. "A vision of power and beauty."
Evelyn's hands roamed over his back, her nails digging into his flesh, marking him as her own. She could feel the coiled strength in his muscles, the raw power that thrummed beneath his skin, and it sent shivers of desire coursing through her.
Caelen's lips trailed a path of fire down her neck, his teeth grazing her collarbone, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. He took his time, exploring every inch of her, his hands and mouth working in tandem to drive her wild with need. Evelyn arched against him, her body begging for more, for everything he could give her.
"Caelen," she gasped, her voice breathless and desperate. "Please. I need you."
He looked up at her, his crimson eyes blazing with a hunger that matched her own. "And you shall have me," he promised, his voice a dark, seductive purr. "Every inch of me."
With a swift movement, he shed his own clothes, revealing his primal form. His body was a work of art, chiseled and powerful, with muscles that rippled beneath his skin. But it was his length that drew her gaze, long and thick, pulsing with a life of its own. Evelyn's eyes widened, a mix of awe and trepidation flickering across her face.
"Don't worry," Caelen said, a smug smile playing on his lips. "I'll go slow. At first."
He positioned himself between her legs, his body poised to enter hers. Evelyn's breath hitched as she felt the head of his length press against her, the heat of him searing her flesh. He began to push in, inch by inch, giving her time to adjust to the overwhelming sensation.
Evelyn's eyes rolled back, a low moan escaping her lips as he filled her completely. The feeling was unlike anything she had ever experienced, a perfect blend of pleasure and pain that left her gasping for more. Caelen held still for a moment, allowing her to acclimate, his body trembling with the effort of restraint.
"Evelyn," he whispered, his voice hoarse with desire. "You feel incredible."
She looked up at him, her eyes glazed with pleasure. "So do you," she managed to say, her voice barely a whisper. "You feel... perfect."
With a slow, deliberate thrust, Caelen began to move, his hips rolling against hers in a rhythm that was both primal and hypnotic. Evelyn met his movements, her body arching to take him deeper, her fingers digging into his back, urging him on.
The room filled with the sound of their mingled breaths, the soft, loud moans and gasps that escaped her lips as they chased the peak of pleasure. Caelen's pace increased, his body slamming against hers, their union becoming a frenzy of need and desire.
Evelyn's body tensed, the tension coiling within her, building to a crescendo. She could feel the pleasure building, the sensation of him inside her, the heat of his body, the strength of his presence, and it drove her wild with desire. She increased her pace, her movements becoming more urgent, more desperate, as she chased the peak of pleasure.
"Caelen," she cried out, her voice a desperate plea.
He could feel the tension coiling within him, the fire burning brighter, hotter. He was so close, so close to the edge. With a final, desperate thrust, he sent them both over the precipice, their bodies convulsing in a symphony of pleasure and release.
Evelyn's cry filled the room, her body arching against his, her fingers digging into his skin. Caelen's own release was overwhelming. He could feel every sensation, every pleasure, every need, as if it were his own.
As the waves of pleasure subsided, Evelyn collapsed onto the bed,
Evelyn's eyes were closed, a soft smile playing on her lips. She looked peaceful, content, her body glowing with the aftereffects of their union.
Caelen's hand reached out, his fingers tracing the lines of her face, her neck, her shoulders, her breasts. He marveled at the beauty of her, the strength of her, the fire that burned within her.
"Evelyn," he whispered, his voice filled with awe.
She opened her eyes, her gaze meeting his. There was a warmth in her eyes, a depth of emotion that he had never seen before.
"You're amazing," she said, her voice soft. "Thank you. For not going too hard on me."
He took a deep breath, his hand reaching out to stroke her hair, her cheek, her lips. He could feel the tension in her body, the restlessness that matched his own.
"Evelyn," he whispered, his voice soft. "Are you ready for more?"
Her eyes fluttered open, her gaze meeting his. There was a hunger in her eyes, a need that matched his own. She nodded, her voice a soft whisper. "Yes," she said. "I'm ready."
Caelen's lips curled into a smile, his body beginning to shift once more. He could feel the change within him, the fire burning brighter, hotter, the need for release growing with each passing moment. He positioned himself between her legs, his body poised to enter hers once more.
Evelyn's eyes never left his, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps as she anticipated the moment of union. Caelen could feel the heat of her, the wetness that promised pleasure beyond imagination. With a slow, deliberate thrust, he entered her, his body filling hers completely.
_
["If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to drop a power stone or add it to your library—it really helps me keep writing!.]