A Lover's Worth (Spawn of Darkness Book 3)

by S. A. Parker

  I try not to cry out—Mummy told me my father had white wings. She told me he was a bad man.

  “Just … fucking … do it, Edom.” Her voice is spiked with desperation.

  I thought she was done with life. I thought she was giving up. Now, replaying this memory, I understand the true value of her actions.

  She was protecting me.

  He reaches down, thick fingers curling around the hilt protruding from a sheath slung at his hip, and pulls a long, silver blade from its confines.

  I gulp back the lump that has risen in my throat. The agony of my wounds, the searing pain of my burns, it all fades away … replaced by a deep ache in my heart.

  I know what comes next.

  Something shifts behind me. I barely notice when I’m lifted into the air, my limbs suddenly losing their rigidity. I’m tugged into the warmth of a body, snuggled close. Aero’s hand wraps around the back of my head, tilting my face into his neck. He presses his other hand over the side of my face, covering my eyes, his chin coming down to rest amongst my tangle of hair.

  Though I don’t see it, I feel the moment my father slices through my mother’s jugular with that silver blade—Aero’s body jolting as his arms tighten around me.

  I didn’t cry when it actually happened. I was too afraid.

  I cry now. Great, heaving waves which ravage my body, shattering me into shards too complex to piece back together again.

  Aero makes soothing noises, running his hand through my hair.

  I’m too far gone.

  I always have been.

  White wings are wasted on me, so is the power they undoubtedly come with now that I’ve matured—because deep down I’m still this small, broken child who had my wings sawn off by my mother, then watched my father kill her in cold blood.

  “Enough,” Aero whispers into my hair … then he’s yelling. “Enough, God-fucking-damnit!”

  My knees buckle, though I’m vaguely aware of Sol holding me up and Aero’s hands dropping away. Sol releases me and I land in a heap on the sand, the sickening thud of fists colliding with flesh almost loud enough to drown out my screams.

  I can’t stop.

  My hair is smoothed from my face. “It’s okay, Dell. It’s okay …” Kal’s voice is plagued with uncertainty.

  “Take it away!” I beg.

  The agony continues, devouring me from the inside out as darkness pulses within me. Blood dribbles from my nose.

  My beast cracks an eye open. I can sense her prowling to the surface. I don’t have the energy to hold her back.

  “Please! Kal! Please …” My shrill yelling tears at my throat. I taste blood, red spittle flying from my mouth, landing on my hands which I barely recognise as my own anymore.

  No more scars.

  I have no more fucking scars.

  I scream again, raw and guttural.

  “I’m going to take the pain away, baby. I’m going to take it all away …”

  I become silent, like … fucking instantly, blinking up at Kal whose face is twisted with concern.

  “Golly, I was so sad!” I smile, pushing tangled hair from my face, and sit up, all perky and shit.

  Kal’s looking at me like I’m a broken vagina, a cute little crease over his brow. I reach forward and finger it. “I like this, so adorable.” Wow, my voice is really merry, even if it is a little raw from all that unnecessary screaming.

  Aero is pinning Sol to the ground. They’re covered in blood and hissing at each other, like all the anger in the world belongs to them, and them alone. I wonder why Sol isn’t compelling Aero? Strange.

  “Make love, not war!” I chime, though they totally ignore me. I shrug. “I always thought Sol and Drake would be the ones to kill each other, never imagined it would be the two sadists to have it out. Guess it makes sense now that I stop to think about it ...”

  Kal tugs the makeshift sheet dress over my boob, which had broken free for a peep at her spunky Sun Gods. Cheeky wench. The sheet’s no longer pristine white, and I try to frown. It’s so hard to get blood out of white sheets …

  “Where’s Drake? I owe him a gold vagina star.” I giggle at that and Kal arches a perfectly manicured brow.

  I can’t wait to slap that happy vagina star all over Drake’s body.

  “Actually …” I smile at Kal. “You didn’t hold me down either! Gold vagina star for you too! Where do you want it? Anywhere?”

  I don’t realise I’m shuffling forward until Kal pins me in place by my shoulders, cursing under his breath and shaking his pretty head. “You fuckers sort yourselves out, I’m taking her to Night. Don’t bother coming over until you’re done killing each other.”

  I squeal in excitement. “Night? Can’t wait! Can I have the room with the pretty candlesticks again? Although, I’d like to share a room with you ...” I pout. “Actually, you probably have your harem to attend to. That’s okay, I understand. I can watch, you won’t even know I’m there!”

  “Fucking hell.” He groans, grabs my hand, and flashes me to the Night Kingdom, landing me in a large, ornate bedroom before sauntering off to the balcony where he does his pretty glowing thing. It saps away at the last of dusk and makes me want to dance the maypole with him.

  “You’re so pretty when you glow!” I gush, twirling a curl around my finger and contemplating the Kal canvas I want to lick all over. The glow fades from his skin, but he’s still looking fucking delectable as he turns and strolls towards me. “Night really suits you!”

  He rubs at his temple, that little crease between his eyes still prevalent, stopping almost close enough for me to rub my nipples all over him. I arch my back, managing to skim them across his chest, and smile.

  He frowns, taking a step backwards, though I don’t miss the bulge growing in his tight, leather pants. I press my hand to my face and stifle a giggle.

  “How are you feeling?” There’s genuine concern in his voice, no idea why though.

  “Like a million tokens! I’m just so happy, the world is a great place!”

  “Mhm.” He crunches his eyes shut, squeezing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, and takes a few heavy breaths, looking very fucking dramatic if you ask me.

  “You should smile … you look so beautiful when you smile. It highlights that little chin dimple.” I reach forward and try to mould his face, but it just won’t seem to co-operate. “Hmm … seems that dimple doesn’t want to come out to play today. Do you want me to show you how it’s done?”

  He doesn’t answer, so I give him my biggest smile ever. “Shee?” I say through exposed teeth, pointing at my pearly whites. “Ish weally eashy!”

  He shakes his head, rubbing his hands over his face and scrubbing at his frown.

  Was worth a shot.

  I shrug, stepping past him and walking to the balcony. It’s got a railing and would be a great place to sleep. Although I have wings now … hmm. Not that I could ever use them before. I doubt I’d have much luck now, even if I were falling to my death after rolling off a balcony mid nap.

  I look over my shoulder at said wings—they’re really fucking beautiful; bathed in the light emanating from his excessive lair that’s all shiny black stone, mottled with silver threads and softened with black velvet accents.

  “Hey, Kal! How pretty are my wings?” I’m pointing at them with a great big smile plastered on my face, just in case he’s not sure what I’m talking about.

  He clears his throat and walks towards me with a small smile that looks forced. I’m not angry about it though, because there’s no room for anger with all this happiness swirling around inside me.

  He leans against the door frame, folding his arms over his chest, making his biceps pop deliciously. “They are … the most beautiful wings I’ve ever seen.”

  Well, fuck me. My vagina drooled at the same time my wings did a little happy dance, fluffing themselves up and now looking even better.

  I see the moment his smile turns genuine as he observes my little wing
dance. I also see the moment that gaze turns hungry. I take three steps towards him before he puts out a hand, signalling for me to halt, his smile disintegrating.

  “Don’t, Little Dove. I need to calm my thoughts.” He closes his eyes and breathes deeply.

  I’m not sure why he would want to repress all the happiness my vagina has to offer, and my wings are super pumped for the idea, too. They’re literally fanning themselves out so far that it’s difficult for me to turn around on this balcony, which now seems really fucking small.

  From my peripheral, I see the city below lighting up with Fae orbs and large, illuminated spires as the night begins to swallow us whole. I pout, trying to work out how I’m going to turn around so I can take a long look at that pretty view behind me, while I mull over the fact that he just called me ‘Little Dove.’ Such a sweet coincidence. My mum used to call me the same. That makes me so unbelievably happy.

  “My wings are broken …”

  Kal opens an eye at that, then he actually fucking groans, looking like he’s starved of something. Probably my pretty wings. I wish he’d preen them for me, they’re practically screaming for the attention, stretched to full wingspan and all.

  “Can you pull them in?”

  I like the way his voice sounds, like he’s on the verge of pumping me full of his cock juice.

  I shake my head. “Nope, they like you too much. I think they want to see yours. Yeah, that’s a good idea. They can rub up against each other.” I nod enthusiastically at my great plan. All I need now is a willing Night God and we’re good to go!

  He puts his face in his hands and breathes deeply. “Sun give me strength ...”

  I suddenly feel really fucking sleepy, and even my wings are drooping when I tilt back into Kal’s arms and fall fast-the-fuck-asleep.

  Chapter Three

  I wake in a massive, black, screw-twenty-people-at-once bed, alone, laying on my belly so I don’t crush my gorgeous wings. They do a little dance for me, appreciating my gratitude, and I smile widely, arching my back.

  My wings fan themselves wide, stretching all the tiny muscles and sending shivers of ecstasy along my spine. “Damn, that feels good.” They stretch again, at a different angle before settling into a neat, tight little parcel of pretty.

  I note I’m no longer wearing my blood-stained sheet. Instead, I’m wearing a cute, black dress with a low back for my wings to sit over. Kal for the fashion win!

  The object of my thoughts strides in from the balcony, with a chin full of prickly shadow and heavy eyes ringed with the hint of red. Poor man, he doesn’t look like he slept at all, though I can’t find it in myself to feel sad about it. I throw him my biggest smile ever because someone needs a dose of all my happy.

  He rubs his face and yawns. Actually, I don’t think he’s even noticed I’m awake …

  “Long night?”

  Jumping, he looks at me like he’s surprised I’m in his God quarters, then sighs with another one of those cute little frowns. “The longest. Did you sleep well?”

  He sits on the bed next to me, which is about ten feet away because the bed’s so fucking large. “So good! Best sleep ever. And I’ve woken up feeling so happy I could burst. How great is that?”

  He averts his gaze. “Really great.”

  I try to catch his eye, unsuccessfully. “What’s wrong?”

  He shakes his head. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  I frown, but it’s forced and totally feigned, because I’m thrilled as fuck. “Do you feel guilty about making me happy? Because you shouldn’t. I feel amazing! Never better.”

  He studies me for a good few seconds, broad shoulders hanging heavily, before he finally answers. “I love seeing you smile, Dell. I just wish it was genuine.”

  “It is genuine! Look how happy I am!” I point at my smiling face. “You need to lighten up, eternity is a long time to be sad.”

  He lets out a deep huff of emotion. “I agree, it is.”

  I feel like he meant more by that comment than what I’m actually absorbing. Anyways.

  “Where are the others?”

  He shrugs, laying back against a big, fluffy pillow. “Alive, they’ve all checked in a few times. Sol, a lot more than that.”

  Wow! I feel like that should make me mad, but instead I’m just so damn happy about it! I love my Sun Gods, every single one of them. “Great, I can’t wait to see them all later.” My wings do a little puff dance before settling themselves back in again. I motion towards them. “I think they’re excited, too. Maybe you can all pet them at once? They could do with a good stroke from my four Sun Gods, they’re practically screaming for attention.”

  He grumbles low in his chest, closing his eyes and shaking his head. “No, Kal. No …”

  “No, what?”

  He shakes his head again, but I can see the bulge growing in his pants. I lift a brow. So does my vagina.

  Ooooh yes.

  My wings push themselves wide, running a few white feathers over his luscious lips. His chest rumbles and his eyes snap open, glancing first at my wings then sidelong at me, the midnight blue swiftly fading to black. “Dell …”

  My wing tugs back then rubs herself over him again. “Yes, Kal?”

  We lay there watching each other, ten feet apart though it feels like we’re so much closer than that right now.

  He draws a deep breath. “I can’t control myself with you and I don’t want it to seem as though I’m taking advantage of your fragile state—I don't want you to see me that way when I remove the happy web.”

  I hear him, I really do. I know what he’s saying, but I just don’t care. “Kal—you helped me. You showed me kindness when I needed it the most, and now I’m so happy! I just want to show you how much that means to me ...”

  He groans, twisting to face me. “That sounds really, really tempting, and I know I’m going to regret this choice … but I can’t. I want you to be emotionally sober when I have you for the first time, Little Dove.” He strokes my wing and I shutter the urge to moan, because she fucking loves his Night God fingers running through her feathers.

  And he said ‘first time.’ That means he intends to have me more than once. My vagina does a little twirl then drops it like it’s hot, because she’s fucking ecstatic to hear the news.

  “I want to show you that you mean much more to me than an impulsive fuck. I want to put you on a pedestal and worship you. I want to make your body feel so good that you never think about the fucking East again.”

  I lift an eyebrow, but he just shrugs.

  “We talk. Not going to apologise for that. Just know that after I’m done with you, after I’ve shown you everything I have to offer, the thought of selling fruit or anything else mundane is going to be so fucking outrageous.”

  “It’s good for a woman to have a backup plan, though.”

  He shrugs. “Yes, but we’re not letting you out of our sight. We’ve got you now, and I, for one, am not letting go.”

  Wow, my heart just exploded. Usually I’d duck my head at conversations like this, but that just made me really damn happy. I shed a joyful tear and beam the biggest smile ever at him.

  He runs his fingers over a particularly tender feather, and I groan like an animal as my eyes roll into the back of my head. “That feels amazing!”

  There’s a bright flash and I feel the bed shift, then the press of his knees along the sides of my body. He leans down and whispers in my ear in his velvet ‘fuck me’ voice. “Just your wings, Little Dove. I think I know what they need.”

  Yeah, no shit. They need his God hands all over them. “Don’t be afraid to slip yourself inside—my vagina needs a little attention too. Just saying. She won’t object, neither will I.”

  He chuckles and shakes his head. He probably thinks I was joking.

  “Not this time, Little Dove. Just your wings … they’re so fucking beautiful.”

  They rustle their feathers, giving him a good glimpse of just how beautiful they are.


  He runs his finger along the upper edge of my left wing, sending me headlong into a quivering spasm. Holy fucking Night God, that’s the sweet spot! “Do it again … please!”

  He does, really … fucking … slowly.

  I groan, tilting my hips, hoping he’ll absentmindedly slip the head of his penis into my raging well of warmth. My vagina’s cheering me on, she’s so pumped we’re finally on the same team.

  “You like that, don’t you?”

  I grab a couple of fists full of coverlet. “Don’t … stop … ever …”

  “Oh baby, I’ve only just begun.”

  Yes. Fuck yes.

  He runs his other hand along the upper edge of my right wing at the same time, and my body curls in on itself from all the Night God pleasure he’s dishing me.

  He does the same again, but with more pressure applied, and I almost spontaneously combust.

  “Fucking hell. Your scent … your body wants me so fucking badly.”

  I nod, tilting my hips further, showing him exactly where my body wants his cock.

  He laughs, the sound deep and throaty, making me want to smear my vagina all over him, though he gently pushes my hips back down to the bed. “Nice try. You’re not ready for my dick.”

  “I fucking am!” I plead.

  He works those magic hands over my wings again, paying attention to the area where they spawn from my back, kneading his thumb into a particularly sensitive part.

  I combust, wings going taut as my entire body spasms in pleasure, screaming loud enough to wake the whole neighbourhood with my rowdy orgasm that goes on forever. I swear to Gods; at one point I’m worried I’m going to spend the rest of my life in orgasmic splendour. It wouldn’t be so bad, but it also wouldn’t be very productive.

  Finally, the orgasm fades to a gentle warmth and my wings seem to wilt, my body relaxing. Kal curls around me and tenderly kisses the side of my face …

  Hang on a minute … “Where are my wings?”