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The sun had long since set. The amusement park had been closed for several hours already, and Sylus, me and the boys only had a few hours before the park employees returned.
My heart was pounding in my chest.
Never in my life would I have thought of breaking into an amusement park, but I guess Onychinus and Zone N°109 had finally got the better of my morals.
I'd wanted to go out with Sylus and the boys, but because of who they were and how they lived, coming during the day would have been a disaster. I wanted to have a good time with them, it was rare to be all together. It had been a long time since I'd seen the boys, and I had to admit that I'd missed those two little devils terribly.
I wanted to please them above all, which is why I'd chosen an amusement park. It was easy to do, but Luke and Kieran were still young boys, and it broke my heart that they couldn't have any fun other than in the night world.
Murder and secrets to be unearthed weren't the only things to keep them entertained. For a few hours, I wanted them to forget who they were, to fall back into childhood.
We walked towards the main entrance. The boys had taken the lead. They chatted in hushed tones, as if they were about to plan something bad.
I still had their gun joke stuck in my throat.
I glanced in the direction of Sylus, who was walking along with his hands in his pockets.
Time had passed so quickly since our meeting. I'd never imagined I'd be able to appreciate the man with the head of Onychinus, yet he never ceased to surprise me.
Behind the cold, ruthless man was one of the most tender, caring people I'd ever met. Every time I looked at him, my affection for him only grew, so much so that I felt as if my heart were going to explode, every second with him filled me with joy.
I took a few steps to the side, as if nothing had happened, until my shoulder bumped against his arm. His eyes immediately moved from the boys to me. His red eyes seemed to glow in the night.
“Are you cold, kitten?”
It was true that it was still quite cool these days. But that wasn't why I'd approached him; I wanted to hold his hand, but the very idea of doing so embarrassed me. I often blamed him for always beating around the bush instead of expressing his emotions clearly, but I had to admit that it was just as complicated on my side.
We were officially dating, so I felt the need to act like a couple. But we'd never held hands.
“To this hand”, I said, showing him my left hand.
He raised an eyebrow, a small smile at the corners of his lips, his eyes sparkling.
“Just this one?”
I nodded, a small laugh escaped his lips before he took my hand in his and led it into his pocket. I smiled, satisfied. He shook his head, closing his eyes before raising his other arm and tapping my forehead with his fingertips. Then his gaze softened, and he caressed my forehead, then my hair.
“You don't have to concoct plans for me to hold your hand.”
“I don't know what you're talking about” I said.
He pinched my cheek before resuming our walk, his thumb caressing the skin of my hand. I was exhilarated.
Once we arrived at the entrance, Mephisto, who was never far away, connected to the security gates and made them open without us having to show tickets. Sylus gently laughed at my expression, which must surely have betrayed the fact that this kind of act still made me uncomfortable.
“Miss goodie-two-shoes just committed a crime, I could burst into tears just thinking how proud I am of you, kitten.”
“You're much more attractive when you keep your mouth shut, Sylus darling.”
Sylus smiled in reply. I shook my head as I passed through the gates.
The twins' joy was palpable, so much so that I soon forgot my remorse. It wasn't the first time Sylus and I had been here, but the almost childlike joy that seemed to grip the twins made me want to see the park from their point of view.
“What do you boys want to do first?”
We approached the park map. In one glance, the two young men pointed to an area dedicated to horror. They turned their masks towards us, and I could almost sense their pleading looks.
“Let's go” I said.
The twins exchanged a high-five before heading for the designated area. Sylus sighed beside me, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“I'm not carrying anyone” he muttered under his breath.
We joined the boys, who were waiting with trepidation in front of the Tower of Terror. Mephisto connected to the building to activate the attraction. The neon lights came on and we entered. An Otto corrupted by Mephisto's artificial intelligence guided us to our seats. Luke and Kieran took the front seats, while Sylus and I sat in the back.
I was about to put on my seatbelt, but Sylus was quicker. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye before imitating his half-amused, half-bored gaze.
“Don't shout too loud, okay? I don't want a headache” he whispered in my ear.
“I'm not going to shout” I countered, almost offended.
He merely lowered his head before shaking it, closing his eyes and pretending to be annoyed.
“If you say so, kitten.”
I was silent for a few minutes after the ride began, but when the elevator was pushed so high that I felt like we were going to go through the ceiling, my scream came out all by itself. The twins screamed and laughed, arms raised as we saw the whole park for a few seconds before falling back down.
Then it happened all over again.
I stepped out of the attraction, my hand pressed to my chest, my throat slightly sore. I glanced at the twins, who were already arguing about the next ride. Then I turned my attention to Sylus, who had his hands in his pockets and was watching me. When our eyes met, he touched his ear with a grimace.
“Get lost.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I was just as terrified as you were, kitten.”
“Ah, ah, very funny!”
I tried to pinch his arm as I straightened up, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him. He put his hands on my head and combed my hair, trying to contain his amusement.
I pouted, but let him do it, softened by the tenderness of his gestures.
“Have you reached an agreement?” Sylus hurled in the direction of Luke and Kieran.
“The haunted house” they cried at the same time.
Sylus's gaze met mine and he barely restrained himself from sniggering at me.
Mephisto followed us and connected to the haunted house, fortunately the monsters were mostly played by robots.
“Don't hit anything, kitten, you might hurt yourself” Sylus whispered, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
I raised an eyebrow.
“What do you take me for, a brute?”
I had to admit that at the first “ghostly” appearance, I had the reflex to clench my fist and raise my arm slightly, but Sylus' Evol immobilized my gesture for a few seconds before releasing me.
He chuckled against my ear.
“You look like a rabid little cat.”
I ignored him, continuing to walk, coming to a halt every time a mannequin came roaring out of nowhere. Sylus kept his arm around my shoulders, looking annoyed by the flashing lights that must be hurting his eyes.
Eventually, we made our way outside. Sylus blinked before closing his eyes. The twins had disappeared, having surely left us to enjoy themselves.
I led Sylus to a bench and sat him down. I leaned over and kissed his eyelids, gently massaging his temples before pressing his face against my chest. He relented, wrapping his arms around me. He rubbed his face against my breasts, which made me smile.
“Making yourself comfortable, I see.”
“Don't I have the right to find consolation in your arms to ease my suffering?”
I stroked his hair.
“Save your need to find solace in my arms for later.”
Strangely enough, at my words, his suffering seemed to vanish. He drew back his head and gave me a piercing look, his red eyes taking on a darker hue. His hands caressed my back with an ardor I knew all too well. A pang of desire pierced my lower abdomen, but I shook my head and laughed. I caressed his cheek before pinching it.
“What are you thinking about?”
My gesture didn't seem to distract him. I felt slightly panicky, as he'd said himself, I knew how persuasive he could be when he wanted something. Me, that is. I'd die of shame if Luke and Kieran caught us in a compromising position.
My gaze searched the surrounding area for a way out. A shooting range with stuffed animals was nearby.
“I want one of those!”
I grabbed his hands behind my back and pulled him to his feet. He stared at me and followed. I stepped over the counter, reached for a gun and handed it to him. I returned to my place beside him.
“Which one do you want, kitten?”
I scanned the prices before pointing to a dragon-shaped stuffed toy.
“It reminds me of you.”
He stared at the plushie in silence for a few seconds before settling into place. He aimed at the target and emptied the clip without even looking ahead, his eyes glaring at me as he displayed his usual arrogant air.
“I think I've won.”
I looked down at my manicure.
“You could at least have made it a little more interesting.”
I looked up. He reached out and grabbed the stuffed dragon before handing it to me, then reloaded the rifle.
“Now it's your turn. Entertain me.”
I put the stuffed toy down and picked up the rifle, observing the surroundings. My gaze fell on Mephisto a few paces away, his two ruby-red eyes glowing in the night. He croaked in my direction, raising his wings to look menacing. This made Sylus smile. I turned my attention back to a stand at the end of the aisle where several balloons were tied up.
“Choose your plushie, Sylus darling.”
I winked at him before stepping back to put even more distance between me and my targets. Sylus watched as I leaned back against the stand, arms folded across his chest.
Like Sylus, I emptied the entire magazine despite the fact that all the balloons had already exploded under the first bullets.
“Impressed? Inspired? Admiring?”
“And all the other words in the dictionary, yes.”
I rubbed my shoulder as he so often did.
“Don't be shy, Sylus, say it - how wonderful I am.”
“You're the most wonderful person I've ever met in my life.”
His sincere words and the softness of his voice immobilized me. I blushed and looked away.
“Um... The stuffed toy you've chosen?”
He lowered his head, smiling, before pointing to a black cat.
“It reminds me of you.”
“Very original” I huffed, before grabbing the cat and handing it to him.
We set off again with our prizes, strolling hand in hand through the different areas before the twins sent Mephisto to fetch them. We found them exhausted on a bench.
“Boss…”
“ ... We've got more energy in our legs.”
Sylus pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyelids tightly, as if when he opened them again, the situation would resolve itself. He ended up handing me his cuddly toy and giving his back to the twins, who hurried to pounce on him.
I took out my phone and happily took some photos. Sylus gave me an annoyed look before heading for the car. I followed, watching them tenderly.
Luke turned his head towards me and nodded. I smiled before gaining momentum and leaping onto Sylus's back, who almost went flying backwards. We all screamed before he caught himself, then burst out laughing as he grumbled into his beard all the way to the car.
He used his Evol to open the doors and throw the boys in the back before giving me the same treatment in the passenger seat.
He cracked his neck and slid behind the wheel. Sylus pretended to be annoyed until he heard the boys' snoring. His features softened immediately. I pretended to be asleep, watching him stealthily until we returned to Zone N°109, our home.
Sylus turned off the engine and moved his arm towards me. His fingers brushed aside the hair that had fallen over my face. I pretended to wake up, turning my head the other way and sighing, before yawning and opening my eyes. Rubbing my eyes was the apotheosis of my performance.
The twins were asleep for real. Sylus used his Evol to carry them to their rooms. I pretended not to see his hand stroking the boys' hair before he left the room.
We went to his room. I hurried to find a place for the stuffed animals. I wanted to place them among Sylus's vinyl collection simply to irritate him, but eventually gave up, distracted by the fact that he had taken off his jacket and was opening his shirt. I hastily placed the stuffed toys on an armchair before imitating him.
“Are we going to have a bath or a shower?” I said, my tone as detached as possible.
Sylus stopped the movement of his fingers and looked up at me.
“We? I think our relationship is moving a little too fast for me, kitten.”
I rolled my eyes and shook my head in amusement. I pulled my sweater over my head and dropped it to the floor. Sylus immediately lost all will to laugh, his gaze devouring my half-naked body.
“Get the tub ready, will you?”
He blinked, then ran a hand through his hair before smiling.
“Your wish is my command, my lady.”
He bowed like the perfect butler before slipping away to the bathroom. I finished undressing. Naked, I joined him and planted myself beside him.
I had to admit that Sylus was a man of admirable patience and restraint. He didn't turn to me, didn't even glance at me. His eyes were fixed on the water filling the bathtub.
I slid behind his back and hugged him, kissing his spine. I rubbed my cheek against his skin, my fingers tracing his abs. He stiffened for a moment, but when he saw that my hands weren't trying to go any further than his navel, he relaxed.
“Did you have a good time?” I asked.
“I always have a good time with you.”
“It's true that I'm very good company.”
He laughed before glancing over his shoulder at me. His expression was excruciatingly sweet. It turned my stomach, and I held him tighter against me.
What animated me wasn't even sexual desire, but simply the fact of being close to him, of becoming one with him, of giving him as much pleasure as his words gave me.
In his eyes, I was wonderful, a perfect work of art... I wasn't as good at expressing my love and devotion as he was, so our physical encounters were the best times to let him know how much I belonged to him, how much I trusted him, how much I wanted him.
I lowered my hands onto his belt as I looked up at him. He perceived the fever in my gaze, the greed that needed to be appeased at all costs. Soon, his expression mirrored mine, this primal need to bind our souls together, to become one. He undressed before carrying me into the bathtub. We plunged into the water as warm as our two molten bodies. Our lips met and began a familiar dance. He barely gave me time to breathe, as if kissing me was even more vital to him than oxygen, that he'd be willing to taste death if it meant tasting my kisses one last time.
I clutched the back of his thighs, trying to direct him deep inside me. Our eyes met as he inserted himself between my thighs, emotion gripping us both. It was the first time we'd embraced since we'd officially become a couple. For some reason, it made me emotional, knowing that I belonged to him and he to me, that he was finally more than a presence in my life who could leave at any moment. We were no longer throwing ourselves headlong into an indefinable relationship that eluded all rules. We were finally clear about what we were to each other.
Sylus blinked, the whites of his eyes taking on a red glow. I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck and pulled him against me. His forehead pressed against mine, our fully dilated pupils searching each other as our bodies met with ardor.
An immense pleasure enveloped me, I felt I belonged in his arms, his sweaty skin against mine, his feverish breath hitting my face, his eager mouth brushing against mine. I caressed his face, captivated by his person and the sensations I felt in his presence, by the feelings that tore at my heart every time I met his gaze.
He imitated me, caressing my face, kissing my chest. He gave me the impression of worshipping me, of finding meaning in my skin, in every movement of his pelvis against mine, in the slightest sigh that escaped me.
A sob escaped me. Alerted, he came back to me.
“Kitten?”
“Don't you dare abandon me or let anything happen to you. I'll curse you to death, Sylus, do you hear me?”
He looked at me with surprise before his features were stretched by pain. I was just as surprised as he was, but the words sounded so true and described my feelings so well that I felt them resonate in my very soul.
He held me so tightly that it hurt, but I welcomed the pain with all my being, because it meant that he was there, unlike my family who were no longer.
“Curse me all you want, as long as it means I'll find you in the next life. Curse me. Damn me to eternal wandering...But don't forget me.”
A laugh escaped me as his last sentence seemed so absurd.
“I could never forget someone like you, Sylus. You're unforgettable.”
A pained smile widened his lips, which I lovingly caressed before pulling him back into my embrace. He held me close and I closed my eyes, soothed.