Avaritia Bonus Epilogue

©  COLETTE RHODES 2024

Smutty smut smut. Scene takes place at the end of Avaritia (book 4 in the Shades of Sin series)

VERITY

“How distressed would you be if I told everyone to get the fuck off our property right now?” Theon asked casually, surveying the impressively large crowd that made up our wedding feast. “I grow tired of all of this company, and all these spectators here to gawp at my wife.” 

I snorted into my wine goblet, shooting him a not-quite chastising look over the rim of the cup. My scent was probably giving me away anyway. 

“You invited them! They’re not here to gawp at me.”

“Well, that’s what they’re doing.”

“And leaving now wouldn’t help in our endeavors to make friends,” I added. 

Theon shot me a look that clearly said “your endeavors” without him speaking a word. The circle of those he cared about had expanded, but not by that much. That was okay, though. I’d been looking for people to share my abundance of love with my entire life, and now I had plenty of them. 

“Everything okay, you two?” Damen called loudly from the other end of the long table, flashing us a shit-eating grin. 

“You’re going to regret all of your obnoxiousness when you find a mate of your own,” Allerick cut in loftily, watching Damen. I suspected it was the absolute certainty in Allerick’s voice—the when you find them, not if—that briefly stunned Damen into silence. 

“Am I right in assuming that the bride and groom wish for some privacy?” Allerick continued, glancing at Theon, an amused smile playing around his mouth. Ophelia coughed into her fist. 

“Yes,” Theon said bluntly. 

I briefly contemplated objecting—it didn’t seem Duchess-y to kick all of our guests out for some nookie—but the slick had been flowing since we said our vows and every Shade in this room had probably caught a whiff by now. 

Imagine how awful it would be to live here if I wasn’t entirely shameless. Thank god for small mercies. 

Allerick stood, and the room fell silent instantly, waiting for him to speak. I glanced at Theon out of the corner of my eye to see if there’d be some hint of jealousy at the power his brother commanded over the room, even in Theon’s own home. 

But if my husband—squee! Cute, was calling him that forever now—was feeling anything other than content-slash-horny, he didn’t let it show. 

“The celebration will continue at the palace,” Allerick announced. “There will be wine. Everyone out.” 

With a cheer and a chorus of stomping feet on the stone floor, the crowd stood, benches scraping against the floor as they all headed for the doors, as though this was a perfectly normal request. Then again, I’d never been to a Shade wedding. Maybe it was.

Ophelia pulled me into a long hug while Theon argued with his mother and sister behind me, insisting that they leave too.

“I’m so happy for you,” Ophelia whispered, giving my shoulders a gentle squeeze. “I’ll see you when you two emerge for air in a few weeks.” 

I laughed, releasing her as Theon tugged impatiently on the back of my blush-colored tulle wedding dress. I didn’t even have a chance to reply, already being led out of the recently dusted-off dining hall by my eager husband. 

“That was rude,” I chided with no heat. “We might get in trouble later. You know the Councilors already hate us.” 

Theon snorted. “Good. Bunch of stuffy pricks,” he added under his breath, ushering me up the stairs. 

I was pretty sure we’d extended invitations to them as a formality, and there had probably been Councilors in the crowd, but neither of us had attempted to seek them out. 

Working with Allerick and befriending Damen was all the courtly interaction that Theon really required, though he was more than happy for me to have more interaction than that—so long as he could brood comfortably from a distance and speak to no one. 

I squeaked in surprise as Theon swept me off my feet, carrying me bridal style and taking the stairs two at a time. 

“What’s the rush?” I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck and resting my head against his shoulder. I wasn’t going to complain about the lift—I had chosen my pink satin stilettos with style in mind, rather than comfort. 

“The rush is that you would not let me see you all morning,” Theon grumbled, taking the second set of stairs up toward our bedroom. “And then you finally emerged and you look like this, and smell like this, and then expect me to behave with some manner of civility in front of half the realm.” 

“How unreasonable of me.” 

“I see we’re in accord on this.” 

I snorted, squirming as shadow tentacles brushed against my legs in their quest up my skirt. “Why do you think I smell like this? You looked magnificent standing at the end of the aisle, waiting for me.” 

Despite them being out of fashion, Theon had his shadow tentacles on full display, and they’d caressed me in a mostly chaste way throughout the entire ceremony. He was also wearing the coronet of the Duke of Lindow—a fine silver crown-like contraption that encircled his head, looping elegantly over his horns. I ran a finger over the delicate metal, admiring the way it shone in the orb light.

“I shall make you one to match it,” Theon declared, frowning to himself. “I should have thought of that before the wedding.” 

“You were busy making me all the other jewelry I’m wearing,” I teased. “I don’t need more.” 

Theon scoffed. “You will be the most finely adorned citizen of this realm. I will see to it personally.” 

I contemplated arguing, but I didn’t really want to. I liked shiny things. Theon liked making me shiny things. Everyone wins. 

He kicked shut the bedroom door behind him, placing me on the edge of the bed with surprising gentleness, considering how feral his expression was. 

“How strongly do you value this dress?” 

“How strongly do you value your life?” I shot back, narrowing my eyes. 

He huffed out an impatient laugh as I climbed to my feet, undoing the clasp and zip hidden along the side of the dress. It was a Tallulah original, and she’d wisely pointed out that buttons and Shade claws would be a problematic combination at the end of the night. 

“Close your eyes,” I instructed, pausing before I could peel the fitted bodice down. 

“I don’t want to.” 

“Do it anyway.” 

Theon closed his eyes—only somewhat petulantly—and I quickly divested myself of the dress, setting it down lengthways over the chest at the end of the bed and coming to stand in front of him. My heels clicked on the floor with each step, and Theon fidgeted restlessly the closer I got to him. 

“Open.” 

I felt the full force of that glowing pink stare as his gaze tracked down my face, and a growl rumbled out of his chest as he took in the barely there lace bustier, matching thong, suspenders, and thigh-high stockings.

“What is this?” he rasped, lightly tugging at my shoulders, encouraging me to turn around. 

I gave him my back obligingly, batting my eyelashes innocently over my shoulder. “Wedding present.” 

His answering purr coated my thighs in another layer of slick. The lace thong had been a fairly impractical choice in hindsight. 

“I need your cunt, wife,” he growled, fingers flexing at his sides. “But I don’t wish to ruin this delightful garment.”

I winked at him, carefully pulling the thong down over the suspenders and letting it fall to the floor before kicking it away. Obviously, I’d worn the panties as the top layer. I’d been training for this moment my entire life. 

“Don’t hold out on me this time,” I warned, walking backward until my legs hit the bed, enticing my husband to hunt down his prey. “I’m fully healed and very much in the mood to play rough.” 

Theon made a slightly strangled noise, dropping the shadows that preserved his modesty, revealing his cock already standing at full attention. 

“What else does my wife want tonight?” he growled, stalking after me. I boosted myself up onto the bed, dropping back on my elbows and letting my legs fall open. 

“I want to feel those shadows everywhere,” I replied easily. “Everywhere. And then I want you to fuck me until I can’t see straight, and then I’d like a nap on your knot, please. Then, after I wake up, we can play a fun game of chase down to the kitchens for a second round of fucking and a slice of wedding cake. Provided all the staff have left for the night too,” I added hastily, not wanting to traumatize them. 

Theon’s mouth curved into an achingly beautiful half smile. “Well, when you ask so nicely…” 

His shadows were already restless, dancing around him like thick, pleasure-giving ribbons, demanding my attention. 

I opened my mouth, sticking out my tongue expectantly. Theon made a soft noise, somewhere between a growl of approval and an affectionate laugh as shadows poured down my throat, swirling and solidifying until I was gagging just enough to get the slick flowing. 

We’d discussed this particular fantasy before, but never actually tried it, and I was keen to make it happen. Mainly because I was actively trying to get pregnant, and I suspected Theon would be a coddling gentleman when I was expecting instead of railing my brains out in every room of the house. 

Both sounded pretty great, honestly. 

“I want to take my time with you,” Theon growled, tentacles creeping up my inner thighs. More shadow limbs wrapped around my wrists and ankles, solidifying and pinning me in place. “But I’ve been desperate to get my cock back where it belongs since the moment you agreed to become my wife.” 

I made a muffled noise of agreement around my shadow gag, writhing restlessly as his tentacles stroked my thighs. For all his supposed impatience, Theon seemed to be feeling the urgency a lot less than I was.

“I can wait a little longer,” he said, seemingly to himself, while I regretted ever explaining the concept of ‘edging’ to him. “Shriek if you’ve changed your mind, I suppose,” Theon added pleasantly, pushing my legs up to give himself better access. 

I did not shriek at the first teasing touch of his tentacle at my back entrance, already coated in my flowing slick. Instead, I sighed and dropped my head back, the pins of my elaborate wedding updo digging into my skull a little. 

He started with a thin strand of shadows, just enough to make me squirm, before feeding more power to that tentacle so it grew in girth and density.

“Good? Your cunt certainly seems pleased,” Theon said dryly. “You’re ruining the sheets, Verity.”

My face was burning hot as I choked on one tentacle, the other slowly fucking my ass. I loved when he got all high and mighty like this. It reminded me why I’d fallen in love with him in the first place. 

I struggled a little against the shadow binds, wanting to plant my feet on the mattress, to find that perfect rhythm and get myself over the edge, but I was glad Theon didn’t give me any wriggle room because more than that, I wanted this. I wanted my mate—my husband—to play my body like an instrument, to dole out my pleasure like it was his right, to make the wait all that much sweeter for the reward. 

The tentacle down my throat throbbed, and I let out a muffled moan, feeling the drool running from the corners of my mouth and down my jaw. 

“What a pretty little mess you are,” Theon said fondly, picking up his pace. I’d never come from ass play alone, and I didn’t think I would now, but it felt fucking phenomenal, regardless. 

I whined desperately, begging him without words to fill my pussy, too. Theon tutted at my impatience, claws scraping lightly over my breasts before he captured a nipple between his fingers. 

“You really are so impatient,” he sighed, though he wasn’t fooling me. The strained edge to his voice gave him away—Theon was just as fucking desperate for me as I was for him. 

I arched my back as a thick limb filled my pussy—he didn’t bother to ease me in for that one—and a surprise orgasm rudely snuck up on me, dragging my soul out of my body for a few glorious moments.

“My greedy wife,” Theon murmured affectionately, his eyes glowing a little brighter from the power boost I was giving him. 

I gurgled out an incoherent response—my mouth still very much occupied—eyes rolling back into my head as Theon experimented until he happened upon the exact right rhythm to short-circuit my brain. This particular fantasy was definitely going in the repeat column. Ideally, on a daily basis. 

Right as I hovered on the edge of a second orgasm, Theon withdrew all the tentacles but the one buried in my ass, and I almost sobbed at the loss. Before I could complain that he wasn’t doing his husbandly duty, I was flipped onto my front, clawed hands at my hips yanking me back onto his thick cock. 

“Fuck!” I gasped, somewhat regretting the corseted top now as it dug into my ribs.

Theon squeezed my hips in approval as I dropped my head to the mattress, grabbing mindlessly at the sheets now my wrists weren’t bound. I was absolutely just along for the ride as he bounced me on his cock, the tentacle in my ass growing thicker in time with his knot. 

“This is going to be over regrettably fast,” Theon growled, claws pricking my skin through the lace corset. “Though you only have yourself to blame for that for wearing this indecent scrap of fabric.” 

“I regret nothing,” I panted before pressing my face into the mattress and whining my way through another orgasm. 

With a loud groan, and something that may have been “I’ll just have to fuck you again later,” Theon found his own release, gently pressing me flat onto the bed to lodge his knot in place. 

The partial weight of his body on my back was warm and comforting as I took a moment to catch my breath and wait for my vision to go back into focus. All of that soft contentedness went out the window as Theon carefully rolled us onto our sides, still connected. The friction of his knot set off another chain reaction, and he grunted as I clenched around him, milking his knot. 

“Was that my wedding present?” I asked. I’d been shooting for coy and sexy, but the words came out a little slurred. 

“No. Your wedding present is the spa room I’m building you downstairs—”

“Say what now?”

“—this was my wedding present. Or rather, you are my present,” he added thoughtfully. “A gift I do not deserve each day for the rest of my life.” 

I tipped my head back for a kiss, his soft words enough to distract me from asking about the spa room for at least a little longer. 

“I love you,” I whispered, smiling up at him. 

“And I love you,” he replied instantly, tentacles rising up from nothing and sliding their way across my skin. “Now take your requested nap on my knot. I am nowhere near done with you yet, wife.”