(Amaia)

Euphoria has me surrounded when I hover in the air for a few minutes. My tiny wings wave, keeping me airborne and Rigel guides me.

It’s an unexplainable feeling, it fills me with satisfaction. But my wings tire out quickly and I drop down, letting Rigel catch me in his assuring arms and hugs me to himself.

His scent is soothing and he always carries this lulling effect.

"You did well." He carries me to his bed. "Time to rest, you must be tired." I snuggle against his hard chest, it’s comforting for me.

My hand rests on his slowly beating heart. Compared to mine, his heartbeat is always controlled, steady and calm.

Rigel lays me down, covering me with his blanket before slipping inside it. The warmth of the blanket and coolness of his body are a perfect blend for me. Closing my eyes, I rest my lips against his heart while Rigel’s hands caress my tired wings. They slowly flutter with his touch.

"Sundust!" Rigel’s soft voice calls me, making me open my eyes and watch him. His shadows hover over us like an additional layer of the blanket. Reaching with my fingers, I touch them, letting them glide over my skin like liquefied black mist. The slide all the way to my wings, sheathing them. Like being enveloped by a misty coldness, I feel them through my wings. It’s an intrusive feeling, which sends a shiver through me but in a good way. I love how they wish to become one with my wings.

"My magic likes your wings."

"And I like your magic."

Rigel slowly smiles, a dark and beautiful expression that is yet sad. I know he is going to say something which will either hurt me or himself.

"You need to remain strong for the fact that Alnilam might opt for rejection. A mutual rejection that is."

Disappointment and hurt wash over me, but Rigel has a point. I can’t remain fixated on Alnilam when the other four deserve my love and attention, especially Rigel.

"He is gone for now. I will deal with that when he gets here." His rejection will come with consequences, my wings will never reach their full potential and growth without him. I need to completely bond with all my mates for them to make them functional.

Rigel seems to sense that point.

His hands find my face, caressing it.

"Are you disappointed that we don’t have sex?" A hurt seems to have imbued his voice.

I touch his handsome face, letting my palms cradle him. "I can never be disappointed with you and I will never force you into something you don’t wish to do."

Rigel deeply sighs at my answer. "It’s not like I don’t want to..." His forehead rests against mine, agitation so palpable in his words.

He can’t, whoever his tormentor is doesn’t let him become physical with me, restraining him, cursing him to stay away from his mate. The pain he must go through is worse than mine.

Why? Why does someone wish to hurt him?

"Together, we will figure this out. Having sex is not the end of the world." I like him the way he is, even if we won’t get intimate like that. Rigel is part of me and I’m part of him.

"Why are you so damn perfect?" He possessively asks, his lips gliding over mine with a soul-consuming gentleness.

My wings, imbued with his shadows, flutter behind me once again, lifting our entwined bodies off the bed.

Surprise flashes in our eyes seeing how his magic is working in tandem with my wings, giving them strength and push.

He protectively holds me while I cling to him for dear life, I don’t know how long I can keep us airborne.

"What’s going on?" My slightly scared eyes waver downwards towards the bed, which seems so far away, although it’s only a few feet away. We are almost touching the ceiling of his room.

Seeing my expressions, Rigel lets out a sonorous laugh.

"Trust in yourself and me and enjoy this new experience." He grabs my hips and wraps my legs around his corded waist.

The night robe he has been wearing has slid down from his shoulders, revealing his skin.

We fit so perfectly together as I hold onto his slim neck and our lips connect once again.

Rigel kisses me hungrily, his hands and skin are cold but his caresses are warm like the sunlight. His marble chest crushes mine as Rigel bends me backwards—his hands crawl into my open hair while his tongue seeps into my mouth like a starved serpent.

My shadowy wings flap excitedly while his hardness rubs against the softness between my legs. A moan builds up in my throat only to be swallowed by Rigel.

His tongue slides against mine, dominating my mouth. He kisses me deep and thorough, taking his time, making me swoon, making me wet and needy.

And then he snatches his face away and I observe his eyes, where the fire of passion burns like two embers.

His shadows crawl to my neck while Rigel unpeels himself from me, hovering using his shadows, which now forms inky wings behind, making him appear like the dark possessive angel.

My throat constricts, chest hardens under his obsessive gaze. His misty darkness caresses my skin, seeping through my clothes, peeling them away from skin, revealing it to him.

A redness crawls all over my exposed skin while my clothes drop down on the bed. Rigel’s shadows roll around my waist and thighs, pulling my legs open and keeping them in position.

"Haww!" A needy moan escapes me, seeing his ravenous lips and greedy eyes.

"We may not be able to have intimacy in the traditional sense but I will be damned if I won’t fulfill my duty as your mate. My mouth and tongue will fill you up and make you cum until you have left nothing to feed me."

With that, he bends down while we suspend midair and begins to feast like a starved man.