I hadn’t bothered to glance at the runes. More focused on her body as the heat surged through me.

“These markings are not unfamiliar. My memory does not misplace symbols.”

He pulled out a cloth. Wiping at the blood to get a better look. Since he no longer seemed angry. I took a risk and asked him to let me go.

“Hey, love, do you mind letting me go?”

He chuckled, not even bothering to spare me a glance. “Polished words do not dissolve consequence. My dear. Interest is not absolution. And memory is very much intact.”

The shadows that held me slipped underneath my clothes. Instantly ripping them to pieces. Then the shadows wrapped around my neck and jaw. Jerking my head back and forcing my mouth open. Before forcing my hands behind my back.

It was Malric’s favorite position to have me in. To punish me by fucking my throat. If I tried to move even an inch. The shadow wrapped around my neck would instantly tighten. He doesn’t touch me right away, either.

Instead, he leaves me bound until he decides to use me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him release her hand and stand up. He walked over and circled my body. His eyes were trailing over every naked and bound inch. I stared at the ground.

Knowing staring him in the eyes when he was like this would be like I was challenging him.

“Your gaze avoids what already knows you. Insight rarely enjoys being observed. You recognize the consequence. Though this is merely its preface.”

As he said that, I felt another shadow wrap tightly around my cock. Stroking up and down my length. He left me like that, going back to her to study those symbols.

******

The sounds of my sweet little detective’s groans slipped into the background as I studied those symbols again. They were familiar. While at the same time, not. Which was surprising. I’ve always prided myself on knowing these things.

There shouldn’t be any types of runes that I didn’t know. When I touched her earlier to examine them. I had felt the remnants of some kind of heat. That tried to take over me. It was too sated, though, to be able to overpower me.

It explained why she had my detectives cum spilling from her pussy. Of course, even with this knowledge, he would not escape punishment. He is mine. He may fuck no one. Unless I permit him.

The blood covered too much of the runes to get a good look. I picked her up. Carrying her in my arms as I said over my shoulder.

“Contamination obscures inscription. I will remove the interference. And read what was written beneath. Restraint is advised. Escalation is not theoretical.”

He groaned out what was probably a string of curse words. It was hard to tell since my shadows kept his jaw wide open. Ready for when I bury my cock into his throat. I pushed those thoughts away. Focusing on the female in my arms.

I was definitely upset earlier. I mean, who wouldn’t be when their lover came home with a female dripping their cum. When I saw those runes, though. My anger faded. Replaced with the curiosity of seeing something.

Even I didn’t know. So I won’t do anything to her. For now. She didn’t even stir as I set her in the tub. Probably exhausted from the fucking Kael gave her.

I pressed my fingers to her left temple. Trying to see everything that happened. Darkness. Darker than even my own shadows. It wrapped around me.

Trying to drown me in them. It took every ounce of my strength to jerk my hand away.

“Her thoughts descend past familiar strata. I recognize the darkness. Yet this depth is… unindexed.”

I turned the water on. Trying to ignore the feeling I had just felt. Being drowned by her shadows had forcibly disconnected mine. Which meant my detective was free now. I heard his footsteps as he rushed toward me.

Probably thinking something happened to me. He knew I would never let him go unless something happened. He burst into the room. Completely naked cock still rock hard. He stared at me as I ran a cloth along the female’s body.

Washing off all the blood and cum.

“What the hell happened?”

“I reached through familiar darkness. And found myself abruptly alone. Something within her. Does not permit witnesses. My shadows obey me absolutely. Except where her mind begins. There, they were dismissed.”

“Wait, she was able to cut your connection to your shadows, but your-.”

“My role is narrow by design. Interpretation, not indulgence. Speak no further. The absence is temporary. And patience should not be mistaken for mercy. You abandoned your assigned place. Correct it. Immediately.”

He opened his mouth as if to argue. Then decided against it when he saw the look I was giving him. I focused back on the female I was washing. Not bothering to watch him. Knowing he would do what I told him.

The water she was in had turned a dark black from the blood and dirt. I guess a bath won’t do it. I pulled the plug, letting the water drain as I stripped out of my clothes.

“Sleep assumes too much. Wake, if consent does not accompany you.”

She didn’t stir at my words. So I took that as permission. It’s not like I was going to do anything to her. I picked her up. Setting her on her feet as I stood behind her.

Hot water poured down on us as I scrubbed at her body. I reached the first type of runes, which were etched right on her lips. Like some type of ritualistic lipstick. I brushed my thumb against it. Wondering if it could come off.

They were rough. As if someone had recently carved them into her skin. Her lips parted at my action. Like she was inviting whoever touched her, even in her sleep. Her lips were full and kissable.

The dark runes on them making them even more inviting to me.

I snorted. “Temptation persists beyond waking hours. One need not be conscious. To be persuasive. It explains… certain loyalties.”

My gaze traveled downwards. Another set of runes circles her throat. Covering almost every inch. Like some type of collar. That reminds me, actually.

The collar I got for my little detective has finally arrived. As part of his punishment. I am going to wrap it tightly around his neck. Then fuck his throat while he wears it. I hadn’t realized I had gotten hard from my thoughts until she moved in her sleep.

Accidentally brushing her ass against my cock. I pushed those thoughts away, not wanting my... situation to get worse. I washed her breasts next. Blood almost completely covered them. Without the blood, though.

They were actually quite nice. Large handfuls that. Even my large hands couldn’t fully hold. Pretty little pink nipples adorn the tips of them. Runes circle the top of her breasts and her nipples.

The ones near her nipples were so small. I would have missed them if I weren’t looking for them. Her wrists were next. Runes so thick and dark. They looked like a pair of cuffs were wrapped around her wrists.

Even with the ones I cleaned. I couldn’t find the meaning to them. The next group of runes I found was on her hips. They weren’t like the other ones, though. Not only were they fading before my very eyes. They were also in the shape of handprints.

Like someone was gripping her hips. Her hips were good for gripping, too. Actually, with both her breasts and hips. She had a perfect hourglass figure. Her ass didn’t feel all that bad either when it brushed against my cock.

Runes also circled her ankles. I turned her around to wash the blood off her back. A line of runes went up her back along her spine. Once every bit of blood was off her skin. I washed her black hair.

It had traces of red in it that shouldn’t be there. At least that’s what I had thought. None of those red traces came out when I washed them, though. Next, I had to clean inside her. Kael’s cum was still dripping down her thighs.

I had saved that for last. Hoping she would wake up to do it herself. I slid two of my fingers into her pussy. Thrusting them in and out. Watching as more of his cum spilled from her.

I have to admit it wasn’t as displeasing a sight as it should have been. Her pussy was tight and sensitive. So even in her sleep, she clamped down on my fingers, whimpering.

“Sensitivity suggests precedent. Patterns rarely form alone. I will consult the one. Who introduced the variable?”

I kept thrusting my fingers in and out of her. Until his cum no longer spilled out of her pussy. I slipped my fingers out of her. Ignoring her little whimper of protest. Then I shifted her back into her arms and stepped out of the shower. My skin dried almost instantly from the demon fire inside of me.

I carried her out of the bathroom and set her down on our bed. Figuring she could sleep here while I punish my little detective. We can figure out where everyone was going to sleep. When my little detective. Gets the punishment he deserves.

I shut the door behind me as I stepped out of the room. Kael was still on his knees. Trying his best to stay in position without my shadows helping him. I reached out with my mind. Trying to figure out if my connection is back.

It was weak. Weaker than I would have liked if I had to fight someone. I wasn’t fighting someone, though. I was restraining my little detective, who wouldn’t dare to fight against me. I heard him groan as my shadows wrapped around him.

I, of course, ignored him as I picked up one of my books of runes.

“The symbols resist interpretation. Therefore, the subject resists departure. Research requires proximity.”

I heard him groan out something in protest. Probably trying to insist that she can’t. However, with the way his jaw was being held open. It was illegible. The only time he would ever protest was when it had to do with his work.

She must have come from a crime scene. It would explain the blood. A ritualistic one would explain the runes.

“Context is incomplete. I require visual testimony. Of the place that produced her. I want the setting preserved. Captured, not described.”

Another groan of protest left him. I’m not surprised. He usually doesn’t like me messing with his work. Usually, I wouldn’t either. This time, though, he has no choice.

“I am aware my involvement displeases you. Nevertheless. You introduced an unknown variable. Marked by violence and unresolved symbols from an active investigation into a private environment. Until those symbols yield meaning. The variable remains contained.”

I didn’t hear groans of protest anymore. Probably because he knew that once I take an interest in something. I will not change my mind. Well, I did hear groans. But they were groans of pleasure.

As my shadow firmly stroked up and down the length of his cock. I didn’t even bother to pay him a glance, though. Not wanting to pay attention to him until I believed he deserved it. Instead, I flipped through different books on runes. Trying to find a picture or description that matched her runes.

Of course, there might be certain details that only the crime scene can give me. That didn’t stop me from looking, though. I wanted him on the verge of begging. Before I even decide to touch him. Some runes I found were similar. Maybe that’s why.

They had felt familiar, but at the same time not. Still, no matter which book I look through. I couldn’t find the book that exactly matched her runes. I was running out of books to look through to. Which should be impossible.

Runes are a favorite subject of mine. Though I have to admit. The only reason I started collecting this knowledge. Was to break my curse. A curse that forces me to speak only in riddles.

Even though I never broke my curse. After all those centuries. I came to love learning about different runes and what they do. Besides, my little detective and I can communicate just fine. At first, he used a spell to translate my words.

Let’s just say that didn’t end well. It got so bad that I even thought of ending our relationship. Then, about three centuries ago. I came home to find him studying. Something I would usually have to tie him down to do.

Not that I protested much to that. He was studying riddles. Figuring if we planned to stay together. We would need to communicate. He likes to say we never put a label on our relationship.

From that day, though. He has been mine. I couldn’t help but grin to myself at my thoughts. I set the book in my hand down and picked up a box I had hidden amongst my books. Kael had stopped trying to clean them up a century after he met me.

Knowing any room he makes. Will get covered with new books. The only place he refuses to let me place my books. Is his chair and in our bedroom. I opened the box as quietly as I could. Knowing his ears would strain to hear any type of sound from me.

In it was a collar. It was just a simple one. He’s never been one who likes flashy things. Just a simple leather collar with a riddle on it. The investigator has become a constant in my equation. Constants do not wander.

I traced the quote with my finger. Loving that only he will know what exactly it means. I set the box down as I stepped up behind him. Since he was on his knees. I had to crouch down to press my lips to his ear.

“You insisted there was no terminology. No symbol to define the arrangement. So I selected one that requires no explanation. Meaning is difficult to dispute. When it rests at the throat. You desired definition. Now you will honor it.”

I slid the collar around his neck. Before pulling it through the clasp. I didn’t clasp it, though. Instead, I gripped one end and tugged.

“The mark is calibrated to memory, not comfort. Every breath will acknowledge its presence. That is how symbols persist. You will never inhale. Without accounting for what encircles you. Remembrance was the design.”

I tugged at it again. Pulling it even tighter. I wanted it so tight he could barely breathe. A groan left his lips. It wasn’t one of pain, though.

So I kept going. I tugged at it one more time. For a second, I thought he might start choking. Instead, I heard him take a shuddering breath. I clasped the collar there, not wanting to actually choke him.

“If the sign were unwelcome. Your body would argue. It has not.”