Shadows of Avarice (BxB)

Chapter 36

When Xia woke up the next morning, he still felt exhausted. He opened his eyes to find Osiris sleeping next to him with an arm wrapped around Xia's waist. The sultan looked peaceful next to him. Xia didn't know if he was completely back to normal yet, or if the beast still had its grip on him. When he glanced at Osiris' hand around him, there was no sign that the beast was still there. That was Xia's first time experiencing it.

If they weren't in the middle of making love, then Xia dreaded what would have happened otherwise. As the night went on, Osiris became a little more aggressive. After the first round, the sultan became rough and forceful. Xia didn't mind since he was enjoying the pleasure, but after a while, his body couldn't take it. He lost track of how many times he climaxed before he finally passed out. Xia remembered the last time being the most intense.

He blushed at the memory. His first time was certainly more than he bargained for. Carefully, Xia removed Osiris' arm from around his waist. There was something he needed to do today, so he couldn't afford to stay in bed for long. As much as he would have liked to visit the cave today, he needed to seek out Dariya. He wanted to ask for her help first. She knew the desert and could lead him to his destination safely.

When Xia tried to move and stand up, his body felt sore. He glanced down at his legs, which were covered in claw marks and bruises. The rest of him didn't fare much better. Until now, Xia hadn't noticed how beaten up Osiris had left him. Instinctively, Xia touched his neck where Osiris bit him multiple times during the night. He could feel the dried blood.

He felt lightheaded as he walked over to the full-length mirror. Once there, he was able to see all of the damage to his body. There were bite marks, claw marks, and bruises. There was also some blood on his body where he had been bitten and scratched. This was the worst shape Xia had ever been in. It was no wonder he felt as sore as he did. He could barely stand up on his aching legs as he collapsed to the ground.

The sound of Xia falling to the ground was enough to wake Osiris from his slumber. The sultan yawned and blinked to get his eyes adjusted to the light pouring through from the balcony. When he saw Xia on the ground, Osiris was quick to get out of bed and on his feet. He was by Xia's side in an instant as he knelt beside him. He wore a worried expression as he took in all of Xia's wounds. Even Soraya never received this many wounds when Osiris spent the night with her. He regretted allowing this to happen when he knew Xia didn't have any power to quell the beast.

"Xia, are you okay? I'm so sorry for allowing this to happen." Osiris touched Xia's back, which made the other man flinch from the pain. He quickly removed his hand. "We're not doing this ever again. At least, not when I know the monster is about to take over. I shouldn't have subjected you to that."

He knew better. Osiris knew he should have turned Xia away, but his desires got the best of him. He wanted Xia, but he wanted him to be safe as well. Whatever lust he felt for him could wait until Osiris knew he wouldn't hurt him. Hell, they could have waited until tonight when Osiris knew he wouldn't be overtaken by a monster. He cursed himself for allowing things to get out of hand like this. Xia's wounds were enough to make Osiris regret his choices.

But Xia wasn't upset. He didn't mind how sore he felt or the wounds that covered his body. It could have been a lot worse. If he could handle Osiris when he was a beast, then he could handle him when he was completely himself. However, Xia noticed that while the sharp claws and fangs were gone, the bright purple eyes lingered. There was still a portion of the monster that was holding on.

Xia reached up and caressed Osiris' face. He hated seeing the worried look on the sultan's face. Osiris was concerned about him, and Xia wanted to ease his worries. "I'm okay, Osiris. While I definitely feel like I've been fucked by a monster, it was still the best night of my life."

His words calmed Osiris a little, but they didn't wash away all of his troubles. With a sigh, Osiris tried to jest, "Next time, tie me up and ride me. That way, you can be in control, and I can't harm you."

Xia blushed at the thought. They might have slept together last night, but Xia still felt shy when thinking about it. He lost his virginity to the sultan; something Xia never anticipated to happen. When starting this journey, his only intention was to steal from this man and get rich. He was doing that for his family, but he never thought that he would actually begin to develop feelings for Osiris. He wanted to stay in the palace with him.

Despite how sore he felt, Xia couldn't help hugging Osiris. He felt conflicted. He wanted to stay, but his family was waiting for him. While he did not doubt that Osiris would allow Xia's family to stay here, Xia wasn't sure if it was safe for his family to live in the palace. Especially not when Osiris' curse still ran rampant. He also wasn't sure what his family would think. Alishba might have known a little bit about Xia's and Osiris' relationship, but she didn't know the full extent. As far as his sister was concerned, Xia was still only planning to steal from Osiris. She wasn't aware of Xia's feelings for this man.

Xia wasn't sure if he even understood his feelings. This was the first time he ever cared so deeply for someone other than his family. He loved his family, but what he felt for Osiris was different. The emotion was stronger than anything Xia ever experienced before. The thought of one day having to leave Osiris hurt. He didn't know if he would be able to leave when the time came. Maybe he could convince his family to stay, but Xia would do that after he figured out how to rid Osiris of his curse. Xia wanted to keep his family and Osiris.

He had to ask, "Osiris . . . would it be possible for my family to live in the palace with us . . . ? I-I really want to give my grandmother a peaceful life. You've seen my home, so you know how my family struggles. If I can change things for them, it would mean the world to me."

By now, Osiris already knew the reason why Xia was here. They might not have talked about it much, but the sultan was a smart man who could piece the puzzle together. He overlooked all of the lies Xia told him so far, and accepted Xia for who he was. Xia was done lying to him. If he wanted something, he would ask first before taking it.

Osiris didn't hesitate to answer, "Of course, my love. I would be more than happy to allow your family to live with us. I've already met your brothers, and it'll be an honor to meet your grandmother as well. Hopefully, they'll accept me as their family as well, especially after we marry."

Hearing those words filled Xia with an immense amount of joy. Right now, this was what he wanted. His family might have had their doubts about the sultan, but they would surely love him once they learned the real him. After all, Xia wasn't fond of this man until he got to know him. He wasn't awful like the rumors made him out to be.

Xia would need to talk to his family about living with them at the palace. Knowing his brothers, they would be skeptical at first. They might refuse, but surely Xia could convince them. They would realize that this was the best choice for them, and he hoped they accepted his feelings for Osiris.

But before that, Xia was set on rescuing Osiris from his curse. As much as he wanted to tell him about his plans, he doubted Osiris would accept them easily. He wouldn't want Xia venturing out into the desert, even with a guide. It was dangerous regardless of how prepared they were. When Xia had the chance, he would leave the palace to find Dariya.

"We can discuss the details later. First, let's get you cleaned up. Once we get you to the healing waters, then we can talk about your family," Osiris said, then stood up. He held his hand out to Xia.

Xia accepted the help, and Osiris pulled him to his feet. He smiled at his sultan. For the first time in his life, Xia finally felt as though his life was turning around, and it was all thanks to this man. He felt like he belonged.