Chapter 204

Chapter 204: Chapter 204

"Where is your room?" Caedos asked as he walked down the hallway.

"...Where is mine?" He asked a moment later, after he was guided in the right direction.

The cottage was small compared to Dulce’s other houses, it was very much like a homestead.

Dulce had begun to lose most of his hope when he was carried into his room, now all that was left was worry. He had truly been confident that Caedos simply needed to spend a bit of time around his kind to change his mind, yet the Demon was still as dogged as the day he left.

"What if you regret it?" Dulce asked as he was seated at the edge of the bed.

Hellhounds mated for life, he didn’t want such an important decision frivolously thrown on him.

Caedos’ clothes hadn’t been spared from the snow, not wanting to bring the cold into the Vampire’s bed, he shrugged off his shirt. "You still haven’t said no."

Dulce fell silent at that, glancing to the side, the fireplace reflected in his silver blue eyes. It mattered little to him the kind of relationship they had, intimate or platonic, it made no difference.

But he did want company, he couldn’t bring himself to say no to company.

Caedos’ hands had been icy cold when he held them, but when the Demon got on the bed and pulled him into his arms, he was searing hot. He fell against Caedos’ bare chest, the heat emanating from him seeped through his thick sweater and warmed his skin.

Caedos leaned against the headboard, his pants warmed from the heat of his body. He gathered the Vampire into his arms, content to hold him for the moment.

Unbidden, the memories of the moments he had come close to death tumbled through his thoughts. To think that he had come close to never being able to do this.

Soon, Dulce started to squirm, even though he had far less sensitivity to changes in temperature, he soon started to feel stuffy in his sweater. "Are you alright?" He pulled back to ask, looking the Demon over with concern. "You’re burning hot."

As he spoke, he could physically feel the Hellhound’s external temperature cool down. "I’m fine. Are you comfortable?"

Dulce touched him experimentally, intrigued by his novel ability to change his body’s temperature at will. "Yes..." He answered, trailing off.

He felt like he needed to say something, but he couldn’t find the words. He wasn’t unwilling to become Caedos’ mate, there were simply far better options than him.

Ever since he found himself in his desert palace, he had lived leisurely, it had been a handful of decades since then and he could almost physically feel the time running out.

He lifted silver blue eyes to Caedos, about to speak. "I..."

The rest of his words were swallowed by a kiss, it felt like a mouthful of steaming, sweet tea. The arms around him tightened, pressing him even closer. The warmth was gentle now, it made him feel a little bit drowsy.

The kiss was slow and gentle, draining the strength from his limbs for all its gentleness. The caverns of their mouths only got more heated, like fire caressing his skin.

Dulce broke away from the kiss first, his skin tinged with warmth, his eyes a little dazed. It wasn’t uncomfortable when Caedos slipped his hands underneath his sweater, bringing the heat directly to his skin.

It was like sitting in the heart of a furnace, they could be outside in the falling snow and he wouldn’t feel even a gust of cold wind.

"We exchange bites to become mates," Caedos’ low voice brought some clarity back.

Dulce looked up at him, the look in Caedos’ eyes hadn’t changed since he first made the offer in his desert palace. It soothed his worries, not to mention, he was a Vampire so it was only symbolic, the Demon was free to leave whenever he wanted to.

"Alright," He agreed, dropping his gaze to his neck. He still vividly remembered the night on the ship he had drunk from the Hellhound.

There was little to worry about with all of the snow outside but it was better if he avoided drinking the Demon’s blood at all.

"Can you tame the heat of your blood?" Dulce asked curiously, slender fingers trailing down the side of the Demon’s neck to the curve of it.

Some of the intensity in Caedos’ hazel eyes seeped to the surface when the Vampire wasn’t looking, his pupils were tinged gold like tiny flames. "I can’t." He admitted honestly.

Well, he could but Dulce made his blood boil, it made no difference to try.

Dulce splayed his fingers over his shoulder, "It’s no matter, it’s a simple bite."

Caedos sat unnaturally still when Dulce lowered his head, there was nothing special in the bite but it was gravely important to him. He barely felt the Vampire’s sharp fangs break skin, staring blankly when Dulce hastily pulled away.

Dulce’s face was flushed red, he had barely tasted Caedos’ blood, but it burned all the same. "Are you in discomfort?" He asked with worry for his heated blood, gently wiping where he had bitten with the sleeve of his sweater.

If the Demon’s blood weren’t so fiery, he would have sealed the bite close with his lips.

Caedos changed their position, flipping them around so that Dulce was underneath him instead, his actions were measured but his pounding heart was deafening.

"It’s my blood, don’t worry so much." He said gently, taking off Dulce’s sweater.

Dulce relaxed at that, bracing himself to be bitten. How ironic, a Vampire being bitten. The second kiss was even hotter, he felt like he was melting into the sheets, clinging instinctively to Caedos’ powerful shoulders.

The kiss was short, searing kisses trailing down his jaw to his neck. He could never get used to the heat, the white snow piled outside the windows couldn’t be more distant.

Dulce’s pale hair was splayed over his pillow, pressed into the sheets by Caedos’ warm weight. The kisses stopped at the curve of his neck, and in the moment, he could hear the Demon’s heartbeat, loud and steady against his.