The Bound Witch by Ivy Asher

24

Iyawn and lean back against Rogan as he lazily plays with my hair. He wraps a strong arm around my chest, and I tuck the soft as fuck blanket around me a little tighter, feeling all kinds of warm and cozy, and relishing the fact that I’m all kinds of warm and cozy.

I seriously need to ask Rogan where he gets all this soft crap from.

“Just tell me one more time what happened when you told her you owned her contract?” Elon asks, and he just looks so damn adorable and peaceful as he does, that I have no choice but to give him what he wants.

“She didn’t believe it at first. She tried to throw her weight around, but it wasn’t until Lennox stuck out her foot and told her to ‘look at the marks’ and Bordow looked at his mark, that’s when she started to stammer what and then how, and then she called on her magic, trying to get all threatening, so the other demons locked them up in a cage,” Rogan recounts, and I stare bleary eyed at the fire crackling in the fireplace and try hard not to think about anything.

Elon laughs at the cage part, and for whatever reason, it makes me want to laugh too.

“Fitting that the efforts she went to in order to lock me and Rogan in a cage, is what ultimately led her to dying in one. If that’s not a slice of justice, I don’t know what is,” Elon declares, his laugh now slightly hollow.

My heart tightens as I watch him get lost in thoughts for a moment, and I can only wonder at the demons darkening his door right now. I know none of this is easy for him or for Rogan, but I also know the rest of us will do everything we can to protect them.

I look over at Prek and Tad on the couch, and I can hear Cohen upstairs packing so he can head out. I think his hurry has something to do with Diem and maybe wanting to track down Colby, but I don’t ask him. If any of them need anything from me, they’ll track me down.

“Anyway, after the demon checked my blood and confirmed I had demon magic, they read through the details of the contracts. Did you guys know that the contract between a demon and someone else is actually written in the demon mark itself? Then the shape made by the lines in a contract is based on the demon’s magical signature and the other person’s magical signature. Cool, right?” I tell them, but no one seems to be as into it as I am—I blame the demon magic.

“I think it’s cool,” Rogan whispers in my ear, and I smile widely at him and then settle in against his chest again.

“Man, I wish I could have been there,” Elon sighs, staring wistfully at the high ceiling, like he’s picturing every word that we’re saying.

“I’m pretty sure I shit my panties at least five times before they pulled Rogan down, and I honestly thought that was it for all of us. It was brutal, so don’t let the semi-happy ending fool you,” I reassure him, and he offers me a soft, understanding grin.

“Semi-happy?” Prek asks, looking from Tad to me.

I make a mental note to ask Tad about that. I swear I’ve caught both of them staring all moony-eyed when the other one isn’t looking.

“She’s grumpy because before they would let us leave, the High Demon Cozen insisted that Lennox had to come train with her twice a week until she mastered her demon magic,” Rogan teases, and I scoff like a petulant teenager.

“I hate school, and I’m a super busy person, so it’s just really inconvenient,” I whine, and everyone chuckles at my expense.

“I can’t believe it’s over,” Elon states pensively, and we all kind of float on that thought for a moment.

“There’s still a lot of political moves to be made in the next year as the mancer community recovers. Our smear campaign did its job, which is great, but it’s going to take a lot of time to bounce back and rebuild from the level of corruption that was uncovered. The news says the High Council high-rise was pretty fucked up after that angry mob got done with it. Reports are saying that Sorrel and her two right-hand men are on the run, which will embolden some of their supporters,” Rogan points out.

“Good, let it embolden them. Makes it easier to cut them out like the cancers they are. People have their eyes open now, and they’re not going to tolerate the same crap as before. There will be elections and hopefully a lot of changes in the near future. And of course, we’ll all be there to try to steer things in the right direction,” Elon declares.

“Well, not us, we’re still renounced. Once a renounced witch, always a renounced witch,” Rogan states like he’s reciting a famous slogan.

“You don’t think they’ll lift it?” Tad asks, confused.

“No, we’d have to tell them what really happened, and there’s no chance in hell I’m risking that information. Between that and keeping a lid on how Lennox got demon magic, we’ve got plenty of secrets to protect, which means we stick to the shadows and keep our noses out of things,” Rogan tells him, a tired chuckle punctuating his words.

“Fair point,” Tad concedes, sneaking a quick look over at Prek.

Yep. There’s definitely something going on there.

Another bone-tingling yawn takes over me, and I feel Rogan laugh against my back. I’m enjoying the catch-up session as we all wind down and try to decompress, but I’m so tired I feel like I could sleep for a week. And now that we don’t have a war to fight, I’m really hoping I can.

“What did Riggs say when you called him to tell him the war was off?” Elon asks Rogan.

“He was oddly bummed out,” he admits with a deep laugh. “Several of the packs were ready to go balls to the wall against the High Council. Riggs said leave it to Lennox to steal everyone’s thunder.”

I laugh and shake my head. “You know what they say: no balls, no babies,” I declare, pretending to be all macho and savior-like.

“What? Who says that?” Prek demands, looking at me like I’ve lost it.

“Wait. You want babies?” Elon adds, a cheeky smirk on his face.

I blush and immediately start panicking. “What? No. I didn’t say anything about me wanting babies, it’s a saying,” I defend.

“That is definitely not a saying,” Tad taunts, totally calling me out.

“I mean, if you want us involved in discussing such an important decision, just say so. You don’t have to make up a saying and make things all awkward,” Elon jokes.

I flip everyone the bird and then turn to Rogan. “I didn’t say shit about wanting babies,” I reassure him, and he shrugs, not bothering to hide the amused glint in his eyes.

I get up off the couch and shoot everyone a glare. “I am going to bed, and each and every one of you can fuck right off. Also, I would just like to point out that in the future, when I save all of your asses, you can thank me with soft clothes and blankets and your undying love and devotion.”

“Naturally,” Tad scoffs like that’s already a done deal, and I give him a wink before abandoning them all and fleeing for the comfort of a hot shower and a soft bed.

“I’m going too,” Rogan announces, which is peppered by a series of sniggers.

We make it to the bottom of the stairs, and then Prek yells, “Don’t forget: no balls, no babies!”

Laughter erupts from the living room, and I bury my face in my hands in total mortification.

“And just when I was starting to like that guy,” I grumble, my cheeks on fire. “I swear that’s a saying,” I tell Rogan over my shoulder, and he just laughs and swats my ass as I start up the stairs. “I’m not even close to thinking about kids, okay? I want you to know that, just in case you’re silently screaming inside and freaking out.”

“I’m not,” he tells me evenly, but I don’t miss the mirth twinkling in his eyes.

“Good, because neither am I.”

“Yeah, you just said that,” he points out, and a cheeky smile slinks slowly across his face.

“I don’t even think I want kids. Plus, the whole immortal thing, that doesn’t exactly work as a parent. Plus, we just won a war, and we’re still getting to know each other.”

“I thought you weren’t thinking about it,” Rogan teases.

“I’m not, obviously. I’m absolutely not thinking about it.”

“Noted,” he states, grabbing onto my hips when we get to the top of the stairs and holding on to me as we make our way to the room. “Go start the shower, and I’ll meet you in there. There’s something I have to do real quick,” he tells me, and I nod on a yawn.

I get the water molten and then strip down and step under the spray. I stand there and let the hot water melt away the worst of my fears and worries and all of the stress and concern still clinging to my skin. I wash and condition my hair and then scrub my body until it’s almost raw. I watch as the soap sluffs off me, bubbles and water dripping down my feet and swirling toward the drain.

I trace my now demon-mark-free skin, thinking of the three souls now locked away in a demon vault that I really hope in my heart looks like Gringotts. I mean, there were dragon bones in that trial room, so the chances are...honestly, still pretty low, but still a girl’s gotta dream.

So much has happened and all so incredibly fast. I’m on my third attempt to process it all when Rogan finally joins me. He steps in behind me, and I’m reminded of the insane level of attraction I felt the first time his body was pressed up against mine like this. I turn around so that my nipples can skim the hard planes of his torso as we simply stand together, our bodies caressing the other’s as we just breathe in and out.

I watch him soap up his hair and body, reveling in the intimacy and the fact that I’m totally perving out. If someone would have told me when we first met that we’d eventually get here, I’d have said sign me the fuck up. Even if they had warned me about all the awful, scary, traumatic shit I’d have to go through to be standing here ogling this man, knowing he’s mine, I wouldn’t have hesitated for a second. I also would have never admitted any of this to anyone for any reason, but it doesn’t matter because all the shit happened and now I’m here, eye-fucking the love of my life.

“If you keep looking at me that way, we’re never going to make it out of the shower, and I had big plans for when we got out of the shower,” Rogan purrs at me.

I shamelessly watch as the water flows freely down his hard chest, past his cut abs, dips into his yummy Adonis belt, and then drips off his hardening cock.

“Looking at you like what?” I tease, my eyes languidly sliding up his body, pausing on his lips and then rising to meet his eyes.

“Like a demon who wants my soul,” he tells me, and I immediately scrunch my nose in rejection of that suggestion. “Too soon?” he asks.

“Way too fucking soon,” I agree on a laugh. “You have to stick to that romance novel shit and say something like you’re looking at me like you want to eat me,” I encourage.

He rinses off and shakes his head, a deep chuckle rumbling out of him and settling deep in my belly.

“Well then, come over here so I can eat you.”

You don’t have to ask me twice. Bon appetit.

I jump at him without missing a beat, but I don’t anticipate how slippery the water has made us, and we both almost go down. I’m screaming and then laughing as Rogan almost pulls a muscle trying to keep me from killing us both. Wouldn’t that be a story: Remember that time we both died because I leapt without thinking in the shower?

Never leap without thinking in the shower.

That’s going up there with “never date a man with two first names” and “always trust the bones.”

I cling to Rogan’s neck, terrified and completely amused. “That’s my bad,” I offer him as he grunts and readjusts my body against his. “Let’s just move this to the bedroom like you originally planned,” I tell him, eyeing the wood beam above us and promising myself that one day I’ll hold on to it while I ride Rogan’s face.

“That might be best, you know, for safety reasons,” he ribs as he reaches behind us and turns the water off.

My smile is huge as I slide down Rogan’s body to grab a towel and dry off. He watches me like he can’t get enough of me, and it’s making me feel fucking amazing.

“I gotta say,” I tell him as I hurry to put product in my hair so it doesn’t frizz out, “this whole hero worship thing you’ve got going on is working for me,” I razz, throwing in an eyebrow waggle for good measure.

He barks out a loud long laugh that I feel keenly between my thighs.

“I take it back, that gorgeous laugh is now what’s doing it for me,” I amend, and he stalks toward me in that way that makes me want to get all squealy.

“You fucking do it for me, Lennox,” he declares simply, and I feel the passion in those words all the way down to my toes.

“Let’s get our tether on!” I announce, so ready to get our connection back to where it’s supposed to be.

Rogan laughs hard again, closing the distance between us and pulling me out of the bathroom. “Get our tether on?” he questions, and I cringe.

“Yeah, it sounded cooler in theory,” I admit, following after him and getting wet just at the thought of all the orgasms I know are about to go down.

We clear the bathroom doorway, and Rogan steps aside to reveal a room covered in lit candles. White pillar candles in all shapes and sizes dot every surface except the bed and floor, while the huge windows reflect the flickers of candlelight, and it makes it look like we’re completely surrounded by warm, incandescent light.

“It’s gorgeous,” I gasp, loving the effort and the ambiance it creates.

He reaches for something, and the next thing I know, he’s handing me a warm cup of coffee. My face lights up with even more excitement, and I take a huge sip. It’s exactly how I like it, and I groan with pleasure.

“You are nailing this,” I purr at him, warming my hand on the mug as I gulp half of it down.

Gotta get properly caffeinated for the plans that are forming in my mind right now.

“Are you still going to try and talk me into waiting on the whole tether thing?” he snarks, and I roll my eyes.

“Maybe my tether on wasn’t clear enough, but no. Absolutely no waiting. Let’s do this. Give me that dick!”

Rogan laughs and takes a sip of my coffee before putting the mug down on a side table. “It’s like listening to poetry spill from your luscious lips,” he snarks, and I laugh.

Rogan swallows my joy down with a kiss, and my mirth quickly morphs into moans. He cups my face, stroking my cheeks with his thumbs as he nips and teases and plunders my mouth with such passion and skill that I’m immediately aching and needy all over because of it.

“I love you,” he whispers against my mouth as he starts to kiss across my jaw and down my neck.

“I love you,” I exclaim back as he finds a sweet spot just under my jaw.

Rogan leans down and wraps his lips around my nipple, and I bow into him. My body bends and sways nearer of its own volition, and I can’t get enough of the delicious way his mouth feels as he sucks and flicks his tongue against the sensitive peak.

I run my fingers through his hair, watching him take me into his mouth and loving how much it turns me on. He releases my nipple with a pop and moves to pay the other one equal attention. I roll my hips against him, feeling the tip of his cock press in against me, and I suddenly need to wrap my lips around it and hear him moan my name.

I cup his face and lift it to mine for a deep kiss that leaves us both panting, and then I drop down in front of him and wrap my mouth around the head of his cock. Rogan groans deeply and tries to pull me away, but I am not having it. I slap his interfering hands away, and he laughs and gives in. I wrap my hand around the base of his shaft and work him in and out of my mouth in time with the strokes of my hand.

“Fuck that feels so good,” he encourages. “Yes, just like that. God, that fucking mouth might be the end of me.”

He wraps his hands in my hair, pushing it away from my face so he can watch his dick pumping in and out of my mouth. His moss-green eyes are filled with need, and I take him as deeply as I can, loving the way he tastes and feels down my throat and the way he groans my name as I swallow him down.

“Don’t make me come, fuck,” he warns. “No, I want to come in that pussy,” he announces as he pulls out of my mouth and backs away from me like I’m dangerous.

I sit there on my knees, licking the taste of him off my lips and watching him with eyes so hungry and worked up that he could probably make me come with only a deep laugh and a dirty thought aimed in my direction. I crawl up on the bed and turn to lie on my back. He watches me with just as much need as he tries to calm his dick down. Slowly, purposefully, I spread my legs. I reach down and run a finger down the slit of my wet folds.

“Then come in my pussy, Rogan,” I order, and the next thing I know, his gorgeous face is between my thighs.

I moan but resist the urge to close my eyes and lean back into the sensations he’s coaxing out of me. No. This time, I want to watch him feast. I want to watch him circle my clit with the tip of his tongue and then lap at it like a cat does cream. I want to see him suck me into his mouth, bobbing his head around my clit as he works his lips and tongue against it. His eyes meet mine as he licks up my seam and then drops to shove that long thick tongue in my dripping pussy. I love the way my desire shines around his mouth, and the way he devours me like there’s nothing better than the taste of need on his tongue or the heated groans he elicits when he sucks on my clit and slips two long fingers inside of me.

I whimper as he fingers the perfect spot inside of me, while he works his mouth and tongue against my clit. I force myself to watch and gasp and then beg for more as I get so fucking close, my muscles tightening in preparation. Then he fingers me harder, and I’m lost to the twitches and rolls and shouts of his name as he wrings wave after wave of pleasure from me.

My clit heats as he drips soft kisses, and I wiggle and fight the overload of sensation, but he pins my hips and shows me why I’m now ruined for anyone else but him.

“Yes, Rogan, you feel so fucking good,” I encourage as he warms my blood, making me even more pliant and ready, and this time when his fingers start to play in my pussy, I’m gone again in only two strokes.

I pull his face from between my thighs, begging him to give me what we both want. I kiss him hard and deep, mewling and panting as he lines his cock up perfectly, and in one deep thrust we’re both gasping each other’s names.

“I fucking love you,” I sigh as he settles deeply between my thighs.

He kisses down my neck and pulls out slowly before rolling his hips back in. I groan and run my nails tantalizingly up his back.

“Fuck me, Rogan, god, I need you to fuck me so bad,” I beg as he slowly rocks back out and then in again.

He kisses me hard, pistoning inside of me just as hard and swallowing down my moan of approval.

“Is that what you need, do you need me to fuck you harder?” he taunts, and I’m a mewling, encouraging mess as he starts to do just that.

“Yes, fuck yes,” I exhale, and then my eyes meet his as he gives me exactly what I need.

I’ve never stared into someone’s eyes before as they fucked me, something about it was far too weird and intimate to me, but as Rogan thrusts in and out of me faster and harder until my entire body is singing his name, it’s made all the better because I can see so much while he does. I’m swimming in a moss-green pool of molten heat and need and love and affection. I feel his admiration and respect, his want and desire, and he can see all of mine.

He fucks me hard, working my body like only he can, while we look into one another and connect in every possible way. He lifts me off my back, never losing his rhythm in and out of my pussy, until I’m straddling his lap and we’re both meeting each other thrust for thrust.

“Are you ready?” he asks against my mouth.

I nod, feeling another orgasm start to build. “Do it, please,” I beg, and he smiles and starts thrusting even harder like he’s trying to time both of our orgasms with the tether itself.

“Tedas ruk shaw aus forin ve Lennox Marai Osseous. Ise hiruse ou fooiq tork shin iei.”

Warmth licks through my body, and I can feel Rogan’s magic pulling at mine playfully. I smile as I start to feel parts of him that I’ve missed so much it makes my eyes well with emotion.

“Please, I need you,” he begs as he wipes a stray tear from my cheek, and I look into him as deeply as I can while his body fills mine in every possible way.

“Tedas ruk shaw aus forin ve Rogan…Shit, what is your middle name?” I ask, realizing that I have no idea what it is.

Rogan laughs, and it almost sends me over the edge. “It’s Arlo,” he tells me, and I chuckle. “I think it means ‘between two hills’ or something stupid,” he adds, and I start to laugh harder.

“I mean, accurate,” I point out, gesturing to the fact that my tits are bouncing around him right now.

He laughs even harder, and while the sound of his happiness echoes around the room, I look into his eyes and start again.

“Tedas ruk shaw aus forin ve Rogan Arlo Kendrick. Ise hiruse ou fooiq tork shin iei.”

Power swarms both of us, but unlike the first time we did this while we were fighting each other in every possible way, the tether sinks into both of us like an anchor gently floating to the bottom of the sea. He snaps into place inside of me exactly like he’s supposed to, and I feel like I can breathe for the first time since I came back to life...the second time.

Rogan kisses me fiercely, and I claim his mouth right back. Pleasure slams through me, both mine and his, and it’s all so incredibly overwhelming that we both scream out at the same time as ecstasy wraps around us. We come so hard that all we see is light, all we feel is each other, and all we are is this...just like we were always meant to be.

We fall over, a tangle of limbs, orgasms, magic, and bliss. We pant through everything that just happened, and I don’t think it’s possible for my smile to get any wider. I feel a giddy excitement in Rogan that gives me pause, and I look over at his sappy face and laugh.

“What are you up to, Rogan Kendrick?” I demand. “You’re not fooling me now that I can feel you once again,” I remind him, and his happiness flares so brightly in my chest I can’t breathe. It’s the most profound and beautiful thing to feel, and I immediately well up with tears again.

“Don’t cry, my little Bound Witch, I have a present for you,” he croons, and I laugh through my happy tears and pull him in for a long slow kiss.

“Is it your dick again, because if it is, I’m here for it, but also lets get more coffee first,” I announce, feeling sleep’s siren song already in my limbs.

He chuckles and rolls off the bed to get something from the closet, and I sit up and do my best not to pass the fuck out while I wait for him. He comes back with a black box that’s too big to be a ring but too small to be anything else I can think of. Rogan’s eagerness is catching, and I’m practically bouncing with anticipation as he crawls back into bed and places the box in my waiting palm.

“I got this for you because it was the first time I saw you smile with such pure joy and happiness, and I knew right then and there that I was a goner,” he tells me, and I immediately wonder what the hell is in the box. “Open it,” he encourages.

I untie the ribbon and slide it off the box, and then I carefully separate the top from the bottom, exhilaration coursing through me and mixing with Rogan’s nervous excitement. I stare at what’s inside, completely dumbfounded and stunned. My eyes immediately well up again as I pick up the small jackalope antler from the box and set it in my palm.

Tears drip down my face, the significance of this moment and everything we’ve been through suddenly overwhelming in all the best ways. I kiss Rogan so fiercely it’s as though I tattoo myself all over him and then let him do the same right back. I pepper him with kisses as we fall back on the bed, careful not to hurt my newfound most-prized possession.

“Omg, my ancestors are going to be so damn excited when I induct this little guy into the pouch of bones,” I squeal as we wrap ourselves around each other and just be. I sigh, still shaking my head at the incredible treasure in my palm. “Giving me presents is going to be so impossible from here on out, because nothing could possibly top this,” I tell him. “So well fucking done, but also good luck.”

Rogan laughs and tucks me into his side. He sighs deeply and shoots me a panty melting smile. “I was going to teach you how to make the espresso maker cum next,” he teases, and I moan in approval.

“Probably shouldn’t though,” I advise casually. “What would I need you for then?” He plucks my jackalope antler from my hand and sets it on the side table, and then I’m squealing and laughing as Rogan Kendrick reminds me of all the reasons I love him...and also love screaming his name.

I can’t believe this all started with a purple pouch of bones and a world I never wanted to be a part of. Who knew between the bones, the blood, the deaths, and the love, that I would find everything I was looking for and so much more?

My name is Countess Lennox Marai Osseous, and I don’t even know what the hell I am anymore. What I do know is that I hated magic until I learned how to make some of my own. Then I discovered that love truly is the greatest magic of all. Now I’m tethered to the man of my dreams, surrounded by family and friends who I would die for—and have—and I wouldn’t want it any other way…moon shits and all.