Dark Passions at Death's Door

55 - Bringing You Back

*  *  *

Nïx would have given anything to stop Time and leave them frozen in these moments.

Yet the universe had laws in place for all things. Life, and death. Creation and destruction. The clock could be slowed, but here in Limina Mortis, slowing it would only grant them a few more hours.

She'd asked for it anyway. Byron had obliged.

Nїx had spent hours sitting, relaxing, acquiring as much knowledge from her reaper's library as she could possibly manage.

She'd also went over her knowledge carefully for a means to overcome the fate. From what she had learned, there was a possibility.

During that time, the two of them had also been preparing the realm for an incursion. Byron had shown her where over a dozen of the realm's portals were, including those that led to the original realm of the unicorns, as well as the resting halls of vampires... and the one leading to where her mother had gone.

When she'd asked permission to go through, his face had turned solemn.

"I can only allow you to the gate, beautiful," he spoke solemnly, a grieved smile on his face. Then he gestured to the gateway.

"Passing through would be tantamount to you leaving for good."

She'd spent a few minutes staring at the path between two trees. Beyond, a shimmering gateway revealed a gorgeous tableau of colors. Green vales, gently rolling hills that almost mirrored Limina Mortis itself, but the fresh scent of summer wafted to her nose. She'd smiled, half-sad, half-happy.

At the very least, she knew now where her mother had travelled to.

"It's beautiful," she'd remarked.

"Like you."

Nїx had looked at him. Her reaper was staring at her, drinking up the sight of her. Then he sighed and jerked his chin to the path, "It's the thing about Death's Door that's one of the hardest duties. Knowing that beyond these paths, lies many more." His throat worked a couple times, "But to go, means never returning."

She had swallowed back on tears, "I miss her."

Byron had nodded. "We all miss those dearest to us."

Her eyes roved over her reaper. In all the time that he had spent learning about the Lore, she wondered... "Did you ever think about crossing over yourself?"

He'd nodded. "More than once."

A couple days later, she lit on an idea to reward her reaper for waiting and protecting her. A memory to last the eternity she planned to spend with him.

While Byron was out on patrol in several nearby realms, she'd gone into their bedroom and leaned close to Chest.

"Chest," she cooed. "Can you do me a favor?"

The box clamped its lid. She sniggered softly to herself, then told it what she needed.

*   *   *   *   *

Nїx had been coy with him of late, leaving him to wonder what game she was playing at. True, they were together, but she acted as though she had another secret. Or secrets.

And after three thousand years of existing, he was certain he would be spending plentiful amounts of time learning all the little ins and outs of her travels. The thought of who she had encountered, who she'd interacted with, it was a mindboggling prospect.

Idly, he'd wondered about the possibility of running into former lovers. Then again, the odds of meeting them, while they were there, didn't exactly make him feel jealousy.

At least not in the way others might feel it.

He was grieved that he hadn't been there for her throughout all that time. And Byron wasn't in a position to argue that she should have waited for him.

Still, if any of them tried gloating or impugning her... well, that would cause problems. The idea made him want to cause physical harm to any of the more snide ones. Then he'd had to check himself.

Do not cause an intergalactic war, Dekker. Troy was lost for that singular reason.

The night prior to her birthday, they spent an hour or so talking, and he noticed that she was quieter than usual. For his boisterous Valkyrie, silence boded ill. He excused himself and went to grab another bottle of reaper's brew for them to share.

Byron had finally come to understand her greatest desire was to change their fate. He'd learned another detail about his mate; she didn't care about what changing that fate would entail for her mind if she did.

The thought of her warping herself just to ensure he survived was enough to drive him to near-insanity himself.

He would never allow her to do that. Instead, he walked over to the cupboard to retrieve two glasses for them. He would need to convince her. Really convince her.

Her voice interrupted his musings.

"Reaper."

He turned around to look at her. Her robe was pooled at her feet. The bottle slipped out of his hand.

Phenїx snagged it with her magicks before it cracked on the floor. She pulled it over to her, settling it on the couch. Then she crooked a flawless finger at him.

"Come here, Byron."

Guh.

He walked carefully around the island and towards her, staring over her outfit. White lace, from top to bottom. The silk robe she'd been wearing was just gone, leaving nothing but her. Her in a gorgeous lace bra with a floral design, thong, garters, and white hose.

She was done up like a bride awaiting her husband.

Byron was staring at a goddess in waiting. He had to shake his head physically to make his brain work properly. Then he worked out the lump in his throat with a hard rub of two fingers.

"You... you're..." he stuttered.

"You said any male worth his salt would love having his queen ride him on top, lover?" Nïx whispered.

When he gave a short nod, she leaned over, patting on silks she had laid out over the bearskin rug. "Lie down, my reaper."

After he had, she knelt and crawled over to him, her gaze sifting over him.

He wet his lips slowly, "What's the occasion?"

She smiled and ran a hand over his cheek. "Us."

Well, that he couldn't argue with. No. Wait. He had to convince her of something. He shook his head, "Angel..."

She gripped onto his chin a moment. "Remember. Embrace every day with joy, love, and compassion."

He wet his tongue, realized it was pointless to argue, and secretly he enjoyed seeing that look in her eyes. The silver had already begun to eclipse her blue. She was excited about what she had in mind.

He grunted acceptance.

"Now, promise to do as I say, my king?"

Byron nodded. His heart was hammering hard against his ribcage. Her smile had turned tender. Then her lips brushed his cheek, her voice dipping like silk against his brain, "You cannot touch me until I tell you to."

His mind nearly froze. "What!?"

Phenїx stared at him. Her tone brooked no arguments. "You heard me, Byron."

His eyes raked over her. "Ohhh, no."

This raven-haired goddess was giving him the most sinful smile he could ever witness. At odds with the purity of the color she was wearing.

"Oh, absolutely yes, my reaper." She drifted to his ear. "Or else I'll have to chain you up."

The way she said that, he could tell she was halfway excited about the idea. She put her lips against his ear and sent his mind into the ether with a low moan.

"Promise not to move, darling?" she asked.

"What if I can't?"

"Mmmm..." She giggled and wagged her brows at him. "Hands to yourself."

He bit down hard on his lips. "You want me to-"

She pressed one elegant finger to his mouth. "Shush."

Then she was laying him back out on the silks. "Mercy, queen..." he groaned out softly.

"In good time. Just not yet, my king."

When she put her lips to his ear this time, her voice was equal measures soothing and sultry, telling him promises of the future. Every intimate fantasy he could desire, she promised and swore to fulfill. She let him know how she craved having him filling her in every way imaginable.

How she would desire him to plunge deep inside her, while her womb swelled with the life they created together.

Angel soft hands were stripping his clothes off while her wicked knowledge and imagination stripped layers off his mind. By the time she'd gotten him out of everything, he was already groaning loudly with the pleasure.

"Valkyrie, let me..."

"No."

He growled. "Tease!"

"Endure, my king." She gave him a long kiss. "I promise you will never regret it."

Then she was working her way down over his neck. He couldn't turn off the sensations. Everywhere her hands, body and lips brushed was shooting pinpricks of pleasure through his mind, jolting him like a live wire.

"Goddess!"

She hummed a negative over his heart, "Uh-uh. Not yet, my wicked reaper."

He fisted the silk. But he couldn't tear it apart. His eyes widened. "Enchanted?"

"Mm-hm. I asked Chest for some reinforced fabric for this. You could strangle an immortal with these, baby."

His Valkyrie's lips were brushing his stomach with light caresses and the words she murmured. She was lighting up his skin with her touch. The fireplace warmed the air. Byron could smell the sweat glistening off them both, mingling together. He was guttering in gasps and moans, desperate to not go insane.

Lightning fast, Phenїx snatched his cock smoothly and firmly squeezed at the base. He groaned a low howl.

She purred into his treasure trail, "I'm sorry, my reaper angel. I can't let my baby cum too fast."

Her other hand was tugging softly on his sac. That soft movement wrested him back to the point they receded. She'd dragged him slowly off the edge.

He put his hands up to his forehead. "My Phenїx, you're trying to kill me!"

She sighed, "And then I'll bring you back to life."

Her lips pulled his cock into her mouth slowly. He ripped hard at the sheets, growling. Not a single thread tore or even frayed. More than could be said of his mind. Her tongue was licking over him the way she'd kissed in his mouth. Long, luxurious strokes over his crown. That gorgeous hair was sliding over his stomach, better than silk.

He was already leaking, and she was humming happily over it. She lapped it up, purring in her throat like a kitten. "Fuck, baby!" he gritted. "Nїx!"

She kept on like that, occasionally stopping just to pull him back off the edge. Minutes crept by. Byron was sweating so much he thought he'd run a marathon. Then she pulled back and whispered in a whiskey voice, "Remember my pocket dimension?"

He nodded dumbly.

At some point, she'd taken off her thong. There was no warning. She mounted him in a single hard thrust down.

He cried a heavy moan.

Her own moan lifted, "That's it, my reaper. That's your home!"

"Home!" His arms tore at the fabric with his jaw grinding back on the word.

Nïx hummed. His pagan goddess was looking over her shoulder at him, lifting her hips, then falling back down, a languorous rhythm. She whispered over to him, "You know."

"I do..." he answered, gritting his teeth.

God, she's worth it. Love her. Please...

"Baby, let me hold you!" he pleaded.

She shook her head softly, stripping her bra off and lifting her hair to brush over him. "Not yet, Byron."

He'd heard about lazy riding. But this...? Byron groaned, hands clenching and rising for her. Her fingers lifted out and pressed his hands back, barely touching the backs of them.

He gritted out, "Angel, please?"

Nїx hummed another negative, rocking around side to side while he got to stare at those shoulders and back that he'd only dreamt about before. His eyes were rolling after she'd continued for another couple minutes. Then she rocked around in wicked circles and lifted up.

"This what you dreamt, wicked reaper?" she panted.

He could only moan an affirmation.

On her next slow stroke down, the floor tremored hard, stirring them both. His hips thrust hard, bucking. "Fuck!"

Nїx cried out, "Ohhh, thank you, Fridha!" she laughed throatily. "Now, we get to the fun part!"

His Phenїx sat back on his pelvis, keeping him sheathed through another tremor. Then she commanded, "Lift your head up, my reaper."

He did. Or at least, he tried. Heavens, she was so tight... Then she twirled that beckoning finger.

"Higher, reaper baby."

Byron came to a tense sit-up, and she cast out something with a flick. "Now lay back."

Something warm and tingling began stroking his back, holding him at that angle. "Your magicks..."

"Mmm-hm."

Phenїx laid back all the way against him, moaning lustily. Her hair was over his shoulder, that dream of a feminine spine and shoulders pressed into his chest. Her perfect ass cradled in his hips and pelvis, soft flesh caressing.

She was rocking deeper, enjoying herself to the fullest, but she was stroking, coaxing more.

"Let me move, baby!" he yelled.

"Uh-uh." She purred. "Hold on, angel."

His Valkyrie's pussy tightened while she twirled it around on him. Then another wyrm tremor hit. Byron's arms wrenched around and stopped just inches from her.

Have to hold her, NOW.
"Goddess!!!"

Phenїx shook her head, leaning over into his ear. "No, my king. Not yet."

She was still rocking, slowly, dragging on him deeper. He was quaking, the heat coming up his shaft, swelling.

His control was shattered. "Fuck! Nїxie, I can't hold it!"

She tilted her head back and stroked his cheek once, her eyes lighting up quicksilver.

"Let it happen, Byron."

Another tremor and he bashed at the floor with a deathscream.

*   *   *   *   *

The next thing she felt was him rolling her over on all fours, pounding inside her. He'd reached his breaking point. Strong hands gripped her ass tight.

Phenїx laughed a shriek with the next hard release, "Yes, yes, Byron!"

She couldn't stop him; didn't want him to. That's what she was craving. She moaned heavily when he began thrusting.

"Ooo, don't you ever hold that back, my king!"

He'd already poured once into her, but he had more. She couldn't stop that friction. Never wanted it to stop. Hearing her mate's hard pants while he tried to work out what she'd spurred inside him. His thrusts' tempo increased, out of control.

"Yesyesyesyesyesbaby, ohohyeeees, OHHHHH, FUCK!" she tightened again with another thundering flash outside.

Then she remembered her magicks. She let it flow into her, snatching one of his hands tightly, pouring it into him. Focus. Hold him on the edge. The magick tingled, then vibrated.

His hands were gripping her ass and hips hard, his jaw clenched. "Angel, what-?!"

"Keep going, Byron!" she ordered.

"Can't! Stop!"

"Don't ever!" She twisted her hips just so to throw back into his thrust.

He was panting, hips rocking back and forth. Her reaper was filling her perfectly. "Your magick," he moaned.

She poured more of it into them both, "My soul, reaper. Yours. Forever!"

He pulled her up in his arms and twisted to kiss her lips, rocking her with his hips. He cupped her breasts in his hands, squeezing, harder. Then softer. His voice lingered in her ear, "Yours, always."

"Yesyesyesyesyes... unh, baby!" she moaned on another release.

Her magicks were sparking off them now, forming diamonds around, stars. She couldn't control them any longer. Shit, how did her Mother handle this sensation?!

He growled a command, "On your belly, Valkyrie."

She laid down on the silks. He widened her legs apart, then splayed out on top, covering her ass. His pelvis aligned with her ass perfectly, and he was thrusting his cock deeply into her womb from behind.

Her eyes rolled when another shudder sent her to the edge, and over. A moan left her lungs, "Byron... I can't... stop!"

"Don't ever, queen," he rumbled in her ear.

Nїx sucked in air, scarcely able to catch her voice before he angled himself over her again. Even if they drive me mad, I'll never forget this...

He was bracing his arms around her. Rocking his hips harder, clapping against her ass and thrusting as deep as he could. She snatched one of his hands and gripped. Luscious minutes dragged on.

Her eyes rolled back, pleasure and pressure building. This was her male. She'd never forget this, not for an eternity of eternities. Her toes and claws balled up. Another climax climbed, higher... "Byroooon...!"

"Phenїx!"

Magick and lust shared and poured, building off the other, throwing them in the throes. Her heart seized a moment. She lost control of her magick. His thrusts were so fierce!

Then the world outside shuddered from the wyrms and her thunder. Perfect soul-shattering storm. She shrieked, "MY GOD!"

"Goddess!" he howled out.

She almost blacked out on Byron's roar and the orgasm, feeling him spilling. Filling her womb with him. God, her male was so fine...

Ten minutes later they were panting, still coming down. She could only remember bliss so hard it was like Creation itself springing forth inside her, and a supernova going off in her mind and soul.

Her reaper's heart was thundering over hers. Cradled over her, his body was a hot, moist blanket. She moaned softly on how good it felt.

Never let this end, please...

Instinctually, she knew now. If she lost him, she'd follow. She would not allow it to happen.

"My Phenїx... next time... fucking warn me before you do that, goddess," Byron gasped on a hard chuckle.

She gave off a body-giggle and her lightning struck nearby, making him sigh with her shivering heat still against him. Her entire body quivered in answer.

"Oh, uh-uh, I'll never warn you, my reaper." She whispered over her shoulder, "That's part of the fun!"

He chuckled. "Then you're gonna pay for that, wicked Valkyrie."

He flipped her over and she gasped to see the smoke in his eyes. She mewed pitifully, innocent face in place. "Byron, please? I was just..."

She bit her lips, seeing his eyes flicker with love. She so wanted to use the word. Then she murmured, "I was just adoring you, handsome!"

He leaned in close and stared into her soul, his grin flaring wicked. "Oh, I know, gorgeous... so I'm going to spend an hour adoring you... with these," he licked his lips.

Her eyes were lit up like silver solar flares. She could see her reflection in his eyes before the flames took over his gaze.

"Oooo, uhmmm... I'm dead?" she giggled.

"Mmm. My shtick, right?" He closed his eyes halfway, and started stroking his lips down her curves. She gave a cry of joy. "Hmm. Good girl..."

*   *   *   *   *