Page 63 of Fallen

Alex nodded, tipping their heads down to press their foreheads together. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

“Good, good. Stand up, hold tight, and close your eyes.” He directed Alex’s arms around his middle and his head to his shoulder. Before they disappeared, he snagged the schnapps and brandished it at Wolf. “I’m taking this. I didn’t even know you had this.”

“The humans like it,” he said, gesturing to the crowd. “I’ve got more. Take that one. He didn’t seem to hate it.”

“Thanks, Wolf.”

He moved through the space between realms. It was tiring to do too often, and he’d already done it more than once today, but the weary tug to his limbs was an afterthought to having Alex in his arms again.

It was jarring to go from the loud, smoky club to his quiet and cool apartment. When they appeared in the living room, Alex turned his head to look around but otherwise didn’t move. In fact, he seemed to melt closer, like the last of the tension was finally draining from him now that he was in a safe, familiar environment.

Talon abandoned the schnapps on the kitchen island beside them and hugged Alex tightly. “I’m so glad you’re safe, little bird. I had no idea where you were. You were gone for so long, I didn’t know whether you were alive or…” He couldn’t bring himself to say the alternative, even now, with Alex safely wrapped in his arms.

Alex didn’t seem to be in any hurry to move away, and Talon was content to hold him for as long as he wanted. “I’m sorry. Not dead. Just tired.”

Talon hummed. He could fix that. He swept Alex’s feet out from under him, ignoring his surprised yelp, and carried him upstairs to the loft. “I’m going to order food,” he declared. “Lots of food. We’re going to eat the food naked in bed and then we’re going to sleep for sixteen hours, and when we wake up, everything will feel better, because you’ll be here with me and you know I will do whatever it takes to make you happy. I’ll buy you a new phone. I’ll buy you a newcar. You can havemycar. You can come live here—in fact, Idemandyou come live here, because I don’t like that the paladins know where you currently live. The harder I can make it for them to find you again, the better I’ll feel.”

Alex chuckled against his collar. “Do I get a say in this?”

Talon dropped him on the bed and went to work on his clothing, prying one sneaker off after another and then going for his dirty T-shirt. “Of course, little bird. You haveallthe say. Unless it involves leaving.”

Alex smiled ruefully, letting Talon pull his shirt over his head and toss it away. “Where would I even go?”

Talon hummed, pushing him down on the bed and divesting him of his jeans. “This is one of those times where a human would say ‘oh, it’s okay, Alex, I’ll help you find your feet again. You don’t have to live with me if you don’t want to.’ But I amnothuman.” He prowled closer, hovering over Alex and leering down at him. “They don’t know it, but those paladins did me a favor. They ensured that you would come running straight into my arms. They cut you off from everything butme. And a human might feel bad about that. But to me, it just feels like winning.”

Alex’s answering smile was exasperated and fond. “You’re right, a human would at least try to pretend they didn’t feel smug about my suffering.”

Talon shook his head slowly. “Not your suffering, little bird, never that. Just the knowledge that I’ll be the one who makes it better. Whether you like it or not.”

Alex reeled him in for a kiss, sighing in relief once more when their lips touched. “Order the food. I haven’t eaten today. They grabbed me before breakfast, remember?”

“Right. Humans need food several times a day. So fragile.”

Alex bit his lip—hard—and Talon’s cock jumped at the sudden pain. He let his weight go, flattening Alex with his body.

“Don’t start something you don’t have the energy to finish,” he teased. He took his phone from his back pocket, propping his elbows up on either side of Alex’s head and tapping his way into one of the food delivery apps. “Do you like noodles?”

“Whodoesn’tlike noodles?”

“They’re filling, they’re salty. You smell like you did quite a bit of sweating today, so you need the salt.”

“Hey now.” It was halfhearted at best, drawing a smirk from Talon.

“It doesn’t bother me, but you’re welcome to use my shower if it would make you feel better.” He looked down from his phone to find Alex’s eyes closed. “Or maybe later.”

“Definitely later,” Alex murmured. “‘M gonna sleep until the food gets here, ‘kay?”

He placed the order and set his phone aside. “Alex,” he said softly.

“Hm?” His brows rose, but his eyes didn’t open.

Talon bit the tip of his own tongue hard enough to draw blood and used his thumb to tug Alex’s chin down. He pressed his tongue between Alex’s lips, and his quiet groan went straight to Talon’s cock. But that wasn’t why he was kissing him like this. His blood would help.

He would explain it to Alex—later. It was something he should’ve brought up already, honestly, but other things had taken priority. For now, he rose, pulling the blankets over him and leaving him to rest until the food arrived.

Chapter 22

Alex

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