In the Shadow of Azkaban

Volume II: LXXII*

Mykonos, Greece
May 1896

"I'm just going to take her on a little stroll!" Kassia yelled in the living area.

I made my way closer to where her voice resonated from to find her sprawled across the large, oriental rug with Lailah on her lap. She had been playing peek-a-boo until her head turned in my direction.

"You look...well."

Kassia was not someone who could hold onto her opinion, but she did try to for me.

I had an inkling that I looked exhausted due to the fact my body felt weak. It was reckless, but I overworked my ancient magic while on our last assignment. For days, Kassia and Ominis kept lingering beside me when I was at a standstill in bed.

The constant aching that riddled through me seemed unavoidable. Aesop had sent a plethora of potions attempting to put me at ease. Nothing worked quite like real rest, though.

The hoarseness of my voice overtook me when I admitted, "It's alright, Kass. I know I need to sleep. But I can only seem to make the time when Lailah naps."

Kassia's eyes squinted at me as if I were uttering nonsense, and she offered, "Why don't I take her today?"

Ominis appeared out of thin air and spoke before I could object. "That would be wonderful, Kass."

My eyes shifted from Lailah to Ominis, and I reluctantly agreed. Kassia would provide a safe environment; however, for some reason, I appeared consistently overprotective to the point of annoying others when I had been home with her.

Ominis grazed his hand against my back and led me toward the bedroom.

"Here." He said curtly as he pushed the covers back.

"I'll wake you when they return. For now, just rest as much as you can. And don't get out of bed, please. You'll have to return to your next assignment soon." I rolled my eyes at his instructions and relaxed into a slumber.

...

My body flinched awake before Ominis arrived back into the room. The landscape in front of me distracted me enough, so that I wouldn't overexert myself until he returned.

The sun drew forward toward the sea as if it were close to setting, and the waves crashed against the shoreline. Everything here, including the view, was unbelievable.

My solace had been interrupted by a clicking sound, and I turned my head in the direction of the noise. Ominis' glowing wand crept into the room. It was stagnant for a moment before he fully opened the door.

He frowned, "You're awake?" His wand dropped to his side when he strolled to the bed.

Ominis flicked his fingers at me, gesturing for me to scoot over to the other side. His wand trailed about him once to remove his clothing. The darkness surrounding his eyes worsened when he laid beside me.

His arm traveled around my waist, and he pulled me nearer to him. A loud sigh escaped his lips, "I don't sleep well when you're not here." He pressed his face into my hair and breathed slowly, as if he were snoring.

I rested my eyes and listened to the even sounds of his drowsiness.

...

The stillness of the night settled when I awoke again. I scowled at the idea that it hadn't been morning yet. I listened for Lailah's cries or the shuffling sound of Kassia sleepwalking, but there was nothing.

My body was curled up, and Ominis had tucked himself in the space behind me. His leg and arm encompassed me; there was no way I could move out of this position.

I took his hand in mine and kissed his fingers. Perhaps he would wake up from my touch.

But he only stirred from the movement.

I slinked myself over to face him and began brushing his hair back. Even when I had been in immense pain, I ached for him. The exchange of whispers was constant. Each time, though, he declined. Ominis had been adamant about my healing, and he swore nothing could compromise it.

I smiled to myself. Well, I'm considered healed now.

I shifted my hips forward and touched his cheek lightly with my fingertips. I brushed them rhythmically against the protruding bone extending down his face and waited.

I brought my face as close as I could to his ear and treaded lightly. My tone deepened to sound more seductive when I called, "Omi."

He jerked away at the feeling. I knew I startled him awake, but it was what I wanted.

"What's wrong? Are you in pain?" His brows furrowed together, and his hands reached for my face. They followed my cheeks as they rose upward.

"Not yet." I smirked and folded my bottom lip against my teeth.

Ominis gave an exasperated sigh and pressed his face into the pillow to stifle his laugh. I tugged at his stomach and pulled him flat on his back. My legs were nimble when I sat up and straddled him.

"I presume you're feeling better now?" A smile played across his face, and I leaned into him. My breath mixed with his scent, "I'm definitely feeling something."

I lightly pressed my lips against his. I pulled away quickly to tease him, and his head lifted off the pillow to pursue me. Both of us had already been bare, so all I had to do was shift my hips just enough to—

My lips formed a hard line when I suppressed my moans. I rocked back and forth against him. The heat between us satisfied me, and I was hyper aware of how wet I had gotten.

Ominis must've noticed as well because his hands wrapped around my upper back when he drug me toward him. He groaned as the movement pushed him deeper into me, "Fuck..."

I clasped my hands against his mouth. "Keep it down!" I seethed.

I adored the proximity, but his cock pleasured me more when I leaned back. I shifted further away and took his arms and slammed them into the mattress while he kept thrusting into me. My breath hitched with each moment. I had his wrists pinned while I slowed down. I was close, and he could feel it.

He hadn't even tried to hide his excitement as he drove into me at a more rapid pace. I swallowed down more screams against my wishes.

The intensity wore off when I clenched around him, and he shuddered before completely relaxing beneath me. I bent forward and kissed him passionately while the fluid pooled onto his thighs.

His arms drew around me as his lips traveled across my face and down my neck. One of his hands twitched to reach for his wand and he aimed it directly in front of him. A shimmering noise ensued, but I didn't want to move just yet.

"Toi." Ominis' loving tone seeped around me. He grabbed at my body even tighter when he cradled me in his arms. His fingers swept between us at the magic he conjured. "I long for you."

I dipped my toes down to the floor and strolled over to the bath. I would've done anything for him to see me. I sunk myself into the water, and before dunking myself altogether, I whispered, "I love you, Ominis."