His intent formed the summoning circle underneath his feet, before he took a step out of it, disappearing into the trees. Hewaited, but it didn’t take long after that for his demon to appear, his knight in shining armour.
Or his knight in billowing black robes? Grinning wildly, Saint spun around and began to run.
He didn’t need to look to know Knight was grinning, too, waiting for him to put some distance between them before he’d start his chase.
Exhilaration burned through his blood, and only a little bit of fear. He heard it when Knight finally began to stalk him through the trees; it made his heart pound harder, his feet move faster.
The terrain shifted, as it usually did in these dreams, aiding Saint in his run.
“Run, rabbit, run, rabbit—”
The voice sounded right by his ear, making him almost jump out of his skin. He let out a jubilant laugh, running even faster.
When Knight eventually caught him, arms wrapping around his waist from behind and lifting him into the air, Saint squealed.
Knight didn’t seem to mind that Saint wasn’t really playing the game as they usually did. In fact—
I love you, he was saying through the bond.I love you. I love you. I love you.
Saint spun around, kissing him greedily. The terrain shifted once more until they were back in the clearing, an inviting carpet of grass all around them. Knight laid them down on the soft moss just as their clothes disappeared.
I love you, Saint sent back while kissing him so deeply it was as though he wanted to find a home in Knight’s mouth.
They began to move their hips, moaning into their kisses, bodies rocking sinuously in the grass until they were both stiffening and crying out into each other’s mouths.
The orgasm was enough to wake them up in the real world, in each other’s arms in their brand-new bed. Saint was hard,his erection throbbing and insistent, but it was easy to ignore it in the face of his excitement. He pressed his face into Knight’s chest, giggling. Knight pressed little kisses all over his face, which made him laugh harder.
“What’s got you feeling so bubbly?” Knight said, helplessly grinning, like Saint’s happiness was his own. Saint could feel Knight’s own arousal against his hip.
“Can’t you feel it?” Saint whispered.
Knight frowned. “Feel what?”
“Close your eyes.” Saint’s heart pounded. Pink had snuck over earlier to draw the circle while Saint had been at work and Knight had been out with Malachi and their other demon friends. She’d set a spell on it to trigger to life at Saint’s prompting.
Knight’s eyes flew open. He was breathing hard. “What—”
Saint sat up, kneeling in the middle of the bed. Knight followed. His eyes were so wide, so full of fearful hope. Saint loved him so much it felt like his heart expanded every day, creating room for just a little more.
This isn’t happening, Knight was thinking. It couldn’t possibly be.
And yet, and yet—
“I want to make a deal,” Saint whispered, grabbing both his hands, squeezing them tight.
There was a lump the size of Knight the Dog in his throat.
“I want you to stay with me,” Saint whispered, “until you get tired of me.”
For a moment, Knight struggled to speak. He and Saint still had the contract he’d made a year ago, the bond like a friend in his chest. Despite Saint’s urging for Knight to make other contracts, Knight hadn’t wanted to. If Saint thought he’d get tired and want an out, then he had another think coming.
Knight’s mouth was wet, his heart stuttering like it was malfunctioning.
This isn’t happening.
“So, the rest of your life?” he teased gruffly, not looking away from that dark, penetrating gaze.
There was no fear, this time. Just disbelief ricocheting between them, like they never could have imagined they’d get to this point.
