No Shadows Fall by L.J. LaBarthe

moments to find his words. “I’m yours, Michael, all an’ only yours.”
    He’d barely finished speaking when Michael’s teeth sank into his neck. Gabriel yelled and dug his nails into Michael’s arms. Tugging and tearing at the fabric of Michael’s shirt, Gabriel finally got it off enough to get his hands on Michael’s skin, and before he could say or do anything else, he heard another whisper of power and then felt himself being penetrated by a slick hardness as Michael buried his cock into Gabriel’s body in one hard thrust.
    Gabriel yelled again, louder this time, digging his nails into Michael’s skin. He wrapped his legs around Michael’s hips as Michael fucked him, gasping in between loud moans of desire. His wings unfurled and twined with Michael’s, keeping the wind off them and sliding together in a tangle of feathers. Michael thrust hard and fast, grunting each time he was balls deep inside Gabriel, reaching a hand up to tangle in Gabriel’s hair and pull—hard.
    As Michael’s teeth sank deeper into his skin, Gabriel let out a sound like a howl, a noise of pure pleasure, inhuman, otherworldly. Michael stroked Gabriel’s cock faster, smearing the precome over the head and slit, and it was only a few more of those hard, almost brutal thrusts into his body before Gabriel came, screaming Michael’s name at the top of his lungs. He clenched down on Michael’s cock, tightening his legs around Michael’s hips, and hung onto his lover with his entire body, the slick slide of his own come thick and sticky between them.
    Michael hissed at the friction on his cock, groaned as Gabriel orgasmed, and a few short, fast thrusts later, he arched, his head thrown back and his lips parted as he came with a shout of his own that was Gabriel’s name.
    Panting, Gabriel flopped onto the heather, his ass itchy from the springy greenery he was lying on and his legs feeling pinched and scratched by twigs and prickles. He didn’t care. In fact, Gabriel couldn’t stop grinning. He gazed at Michael as his lover pulled back from gnawing on Gabriel’s neck and gently pulled out of Gabriel’s body.
    “Apologies,” Michael said, his eyes downcast. “I do not know what came over me.”
    “Oh, no, no, no, don’t you go apologizing.” Gabriel reached out and ran a hand over Michael’s chest. “That was fucking fantastic fucking.”
    “Language,” Michael said. Then he blushed and looked at Gabriel. “You are certain?”
    “Oh fuck yeah.” Gabriel couldn’t stop grinning. “I’m going to ache later, but fuck me, it’ll be the best kind of ache.”
    “I believe I have already fucked you,” Michael said, his voice deadpan even though his blush was deepening. Despite the darkness, to Gabriel, it was clear as day.
    “Mm, and it was amazing, and you should feel totally free to do it again. And again. And maybe, later, again.”
    “Gabriel,” Michael said, shaking his head. “You are insatiable.”
    “Well, yeah, ’cause it’s you!” Gabriel pushed himself up and ruffled Michael’s hair. “Seriously, baby, it was fantastic. That whole possessive aggressive thing? Really fucking hot.”
    “Language. I am glad it pleased you.” Michael smiled a shy little smile. “In truth, I was too angry to realize what I intended at first. Certainly, I wished to reestablish my claim on you and reassure myself that you are mine.”
    “Dear one,” Gabriel said in a soft, fervent tone, “I’m always yours. Through thick and thin, yeah? That whole bond thing, it sort of makes our commitment that much more intense and meaningful.” He grazed his knuckles over Michael’s cheek in a tender caress. “Forever, you and me.”
    Michael’s smile grew. “I confess I like the sound of that very much.”
    “Me too. So, were you really jealous?”
    Michael sighed. “It pains me to admit to such a base emotion, but… yes. I saw you dancing with that attractive young lady, and I fear that it made me angrier than I already