Claimed

by K. H. Kate

  "I already took care of it, in fact, I remember paying my debt with my soul. I no longer owe you a thing." She ignored my words like I said nothing at all.

  "Of course. You must be devastated with other things. I understand, I truly do. You're careless, highly emotional, selfish, and cocky, doesn't think about others unless it didn't help you somehow, you hate your master for this life, your mother was a powerful witch and giving birth to you killed her, your father hated you for that and kicked you out." What in the hell was she talking about?

  Blowing out a sigh, she turned to me. I was now sure that I was close to killing her. It had to be.

  "Surprisingly these are none of your faults. After all...you are who you are. And now that Emie has a chance at life again it's normal for you to think that she won't choose you."

  My fists tightened, my shadows threatening to be out from my veins. "Yes, of course."

  Will Zed kill me if I strangled her now?

  "If I was her, I'd be staying away from you too. You let the prophecy win, just to make sure your soul still stays enact-"

  "Enough!" A voice shouted, startling me. I whipped around to see Emie was leaning on my doorstep fuming in anger. Her brown eyes were narrowed at Allegra who was calmly watching us.

  Oh, damn!

  When did she come? How much did she hear? Why didn't I feel her?

  "I respect you, Allegra but that doesn't mean it gives you the idea to disrespect my beloved. Get out. NOW!" She screamed at Allegra who started to leave but not before mouthing the words to me.

  'You owe me now.'

  That cheeky little...Just unbelievable.

  "I'm sorry on behalf of her. I don't know what made her say those things...I'm really sorry." She sighed. This was totally unfair. I couldn't even be happy that she defended me when I had no right to ask for more.

  I had to find the scraps and be happy with them.

  "Why were you here?" I finally managed to ask her.

  "I-I, uh, I meant...I want to try something."

  "Really?" I asked, almost having a panic attack.

  Silently, she sat with me until I couldn't stop fidgeting. It was hell sitting so close to her and not being able to say something. Her face was only inches from me so I looked at her, asking permission to finally let us be free from this torture. When her lips crushed against mine, I pulled her by her hair, trying to get her closer than she was.

  Maybe this was starting over.

  Maybe this was what she wanted all along.

  As I kissed her back with a thousand apologies on my lips, I could only hope that it wasn't a cruel dream. I wouldn't be able to wake up if it was. Not when I had her again. And when we both stepped away gasping for air, she watched me with her lips slowly curving up into a smile. It was the first time I had seen her really smile at me after that night.

  Yes, we could definitely start over.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  If four years ago anyone would have said that I would be kissing my husband in a bed like there's no tomorrow? I would have gladly thrown a right hook in their way. But right now? The second time I pressed my lips against him, something in me snapped. Dragging him to the bed while securing the door bolt with my mind, I quickly grabbed his cheeks to kiss him again.

  "Little soul, wait!" Instead of pushing him away, I pulled him even tighter.

  "Oh hell, woman. What are you doing to me?" He groaned with an agonizing voice.

  I almost smiled.

  In this entire world, only I had the power to make him breathless.

  "Emie, please tell me I'm not dreaming. Please tell me that you're really here." He grunted as if he was in pain. He truly thought he was dreaming, wasn't he?

  I cupped his face, seeing him vulnerable for the first time. I could still remember how just a few weeks ago, I asked him to be my friend and he left, leaving me to be the one to suffer night after night with memories of us.

  I wanted to forget everything.

  But it didn't give me peace, no, peace was the last thing my mind was holding onto. Without him, it was all chaos.

  A chaos I didn't know how to run from.

  "Do you regret it?" Even if we had that talk...I had a right to know. "Do you regret lying about the prophecy?"

  "Every day of my life." I wanted to sigh in relief but his eyes flashed in anger, letting me know that he wasn't done yet. "What about you? You were the one who drove a dagger in your own heart. You didn't even let me explain. I begged you, I fucking begged...you didn't listen. You never listen."

  "I chose Hell to save myself from your betrayal." The truth was rather morbid but I had to live with it for millennia in my mind. Now it was time he knew that too.

  "I am so sorry, little soul, you have no idea of how sorry I am."

  "I'm here. Alexei. I'm here for you if you are ready for it." He couldn't have looked anymore shocked. Before he could say a word, I claimed his mouth for another brutal kiss, silencing him from overthinking.

  His hands mirrored mine only to stop at the nape of my neck. Touching the soft skin, he let out a bitter smile. "It's gone."

  I paused, wondering what was gone. But the moment I remembered, I couldn't hide the pain of loss from him. "I-I couldn't stop them. I cried for months, you know? It was the last thing I had of Hannah."

  The pendant made of the rune was gone yet by the grin on his face, I just knew what else had caught his attention.

  "And yet this is still here, right where I put it on."

  The Opal ring.

  I looked down, happiness rushing through my veins. "Maybe it was always meant to be there."

  It's funny how Demos saw it every day but he never questioned it or tried to take it away from me. I was thankful for the small miracles.

  "You know it's meant to be." With that promise, Lex's hands were all over me. Tingles filled my whole body, especially where he touched. My legs were wrapped around his hips and I was a stuttering mess when I felt just how much...er excited he was.

  "Hey, look at me." Lex had my full attention even if I was high off of him. "I need to know it's not a one-time thing. I need to know if you really think I'm worth it or are we just doing what our souls want. If it's your soul...I'll leave right now."

  Why would it be a one-time thing?

  The urge to face palm was right there but I settled for a whack on his head. "Listen here, Alexei. It is not a one-time thing, okay? I know we will make mistakes and you'll most probably make me want to kill you in your sleep but I want to give this-you a chance. I want it all, for once, I choose me."

  If I thought his eyes were dark before, his eyes darkened even farther. Slowly he got rid of his shirt and I was fortunate enough to see what he was hiding behind clothes. Oh, shit. I had never done this let alone think...I had to gulp when I noticed him watching me with every intention to claim me tonight.

  Lord have mercy, he was given everything with full arms.

  "Fuck it, I can't wait anymore."

  It was the only warning I got before his hands were fumbling to get rid of my shirt. I struggled to breathe normally when the last button popped open.

  Oh, shit! Do not panic, my mind kept chanting as I stared at him wide-eyed.

  "Little soul?" Lex made a soft sound. "If you want, we can stop-"

  "Don't you dare!"

  Trying not to sound any more desperate, I almost complained when I felt my shirt thrown over somewhere behind me. I was a tidy person and he was just about the messiest-my thoughts stopped at once. Damn it. Why did he have to be so distracting? My hands slid down his chest, feeling the hard edge, desperate to feel every inch of him. I could hear his heartbeat getting faster the lower my fingers went. My hands were almost where he ached most when I was stopped with a rough tug on my chin.

  "Let me please you." The raspy voice belonged to none other than the person I decided to give my heart and soul to. His breath was hot against my cold throat but I could do nothing but gasp. When I thought it could not feel any more amazi
ng, I felt his teeth there to make a mark.

  A weak moan left my lips when he thrust gently with his jeans-covered body. Closing my eyes, I let him do whatever he wanted to do until he stopped at the valley of my bra-clad breast. Opening my eyes, I was flustered to see him carefully watching my every reaction.

  "Emeline, look at me. Don't close your eyes. I-I need to see you."

  Eyes still on me, he took his sweet time to release the bra from the hook. Immediately, my hands came over to hide them. I couldn't even begin to fathom when he growled out. "Don't hide from me, little soul."

  My hands fell from my breasts to hold onto something when a single flick of his tongue against the hard bud of mine, had me crying out.

  "God, you're beautiful, you know that?" He pulled back to grin at my flushed face.

  "I have never heard you take his name." I wondered aloud, remembering the number of times he seemed to avoid saying God's name. His grin dimmed a little but the attention on me didn't falter a single bit.

  "I lost my faith a long time ago." He admitted with a chuckle. "But I'm starting to remember the beauty of it. I just wanted to blame someone, it was easier to blame it on God when all along it was me...my actions were what drove me to the damnation."

  I cupped his face to show him that it was farther from the truth. "You are not dammed, Lex, you were just a little lost."

  "Until you, my little soul." A boyish smile formed on his face before his fingers danced around my hips, arching it to meet his. He slowly moved until his face was near my navel.

  "You want to do the honor or do I get to rip these out?" His husky voice only made me blush. Maybe he got his answer cause it didn't take him a second to rip the skirt along with my panties. The panic I felt earlier came in full force and I closed my eyes again. What if he was disappointed in my body? It was my first time after all and I didn't even know if I could please him right-

  A sudden slap in my rear forced me to look at his eyes. Eyes wide, I watched him taunt me with a finger right where I was burning for a touch.

  "Alexei! Don't play with me now." Hell, he was just watching me move around in agony. I wanted what he was going to give me. Screw the teasing, I almost cried out when his lips latched onto my clit. These...these new feelings were out of the world and I never wanted him to stop. My eyes rolled over to the back of my head when he hummed, going faster by the minute.

  "Lex. Please, please. Don't stop." Seeing me a whimpering mess, his lips tipped up to a smirk. The bastard knew what he was doing to me. Oh shit, I needed to-he let out a hot breath to say the next words.

  "I said open your eyes and watch, little soul. Or I will leave you like this."

  What? Was he fucking serious!?

  I sent a murderous glare in his way. "You wouldn't dare."

  His smirk widened and his eyes were challenging. "Wouldn't I?"

  One minute he was top of mine and in another, I flipped us over to sit proudly right above his...thing. All shame must've run through the window cause I was struggling to open his belt buckle and unfortunately failing.

  "A little help, please." I gritted out at the amused look on his face. But the next moment a painful groan left his lips when I moved along the growing hardness between his thighs. It didn't take him a second to get rid of jeans along with his briefs. That's when my eyes dropped lower and a quivering shriek left my lips.

  "Is this too late to say mission abort?"

  I was staring at the most beautiful sight I had ever seen in my whole life. It was painful enough to wait, as it was her first time just like mine. Yet, I held back, wondering if I had to resort to cold showers again.

  "Yes. If you want to stop, my offer still stands. But I want to please you with my mouth or fingers. We can think about my thing-" A blush formed into her already flushed face. "Later. We have plenty of times."

  She bit her lower lip, giving me a wicked look. Oh, hell, what was she planning? Without giving me a warning, she took two of my fingers and shoved them right into her tight channel making both of us moan.

  "Fuck, Emie! What's wrong with you?" I cursed, seeing the new side of my wife. Dammit. Her eyes were on me, slowly torturing both of us by thrusting them in and out.

  Hell, I couldn't wait anymore.

  "Can I-" She nodded, pulling herself up against my cock. Cursing to hell and back, I finally slid into her, making her cry out.

  "You Ok?" I asked immediately, trying to hold back. A painful grimace was on her face but other than that she was gripping me in a vice grip that blue balls were surely going to follow if I didn't move now.

  "You know what?" I let out a whisper when all I wanted to do was thrust deeper. "This is my first time too."

  "You mean to say-" A gasp left from her lips. "That your old ass didn't get some back in the days?"

  Emie, only Emie would be the one to say things like this. Rolling my eyes, I couldn't stop the chuckle. My little soul was just as crazy as I was. Either she admitted it or not. My voice was lighter for the first time in forever. "Call me old again, little soul and I'm never letting you leave from my bed. Now can I move?"

  "Just give me a second. It hurts like hell." She choked out, clenching me even more. "Now, now. Lex."

  I thrust again, earning a whimper from her lips. Slowly moving back and forth, I watched as each pace tore a scream from her lips.

  "Lex. I-I can't. This is too much."

  Her fingernails were clawing my back but fuck that felt so good. "Y-You feel so good."

  "Lex! I-I am-" Her voice was hoarse, making me thrust even harder. I couldn't hold back even if I wanted to. I wanted to make love to her slowly but if faster she wanted, that was what she would get.

  Tonight, I would mark her truly in every sense.

  "Emie, open your mouth." I knew the request surprised her but she did it without complaining. "We will share our soul in the true meaning. Reaper, ves epite."

  She changed her form rapidly, her true self proudly coming forward to meet mine. "Long time no see, Darkness, ves epite."

  Just like her, my shadows took over almost immediately. I was worried that she would run in the middle of lovemaking to hear the growls of my shadows but all she did was open her lips wider, showing me a grin.

  We both watched mesmerized as the bluish hue, a part of my soul rushed past me to her lips. Wave after wave of pleasure raked over my body when my shadows called on her soul to share. Opening my mouth wider, I caught the hooded look in her eyes as we were finally bonded by our soul.

  This was what should have been from the start. A bond so pure, only shared by the beloveds. Not a threat I always threw at her nor what Keisha did to both of us. I kissed her one last time before groaning out the words.

  "Come for me, little soul." That was all it took for her break with a scream of my name repeatedly on her lips. I followed her, feeling every bit of emotions along with her. She finally collapsed against me and I couldn't stop myself from smiling. Dammit, what was this feeling in my heart? Happiness? Then I had never been this happy.

  "Alexei?" I heard her murmur, tracing my arms.

  "Hmm?"

  "I want more."

  Laughter broke out from my lips much to her annoyance. I turned her into an addict, I couldn't stop the snicker.

  "I will give you more if you agree to something."

  She looked at me skeptically. "What is it?"

  My grin widened, wrapping her small body with my own. "I get to take you out on a date tomorrow."

  Her jaw dropped. "Are you serious?"

  When I nodded, she looked at me with a big smile. "We are so weird. We are doing everything backward. But yes, I'd like to go on a date with you."

  I could feel my shadows feeling happy to the thoughts of giving her more. So, the next we joined together in a tangle of quiet moans and screams, we didn't just felt.

  We soared.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Fourteen.

  Fifteen.

  Sixteen.

  I was
still counting the kisses when a hand brushed my hair back, kissing my forehead. The kiss lingered there for a few more moments before the touch disappeared.

  "You have no idea how much I've missed you." My eyelids fluttered open hearing the confession from the woman in my hold. I was immediately greeted with the sight of Emie's face filled with a small smile.

  "I know, little soul. I know." Arms wrapping around mine, she gave me a knowing look in return. So to show how much I really missed her, I pushed her on her back, my head dipping lower to kiss her lips.

  After last night, I couldn't get enough of her. And, after sharing her soul in a true sense, I wondered if I ever could.

  Before I could get lost in those new feelings, she pulled me into her warm embrace and kissed me long and slow. The need to yell at the whole house that maybe this was what love supposed to be was right there at that moment but I couldn't.

  Not until I paid for everything I did to her.

  "I-I need you again." She muttered under her breath.

  "You sure?" I asked, noticing her dark gaze. But the moment I said the words, that tender gaze turned to a glare.

  "What's with these questions? You make me sound like I'm-" She paused, jerking away from me. "Like I'm jumping your bones!"

  "Aren't you?"

  Ok, ouch. Maybe I shouldn't have said that...

  She was furious. That I was sure of at the grip she had on my cock. I didn't know if it was unintentional or not but she was killing my chance of ever becoming a father.

  "Emie, darling." I gave her a meaningful nod at my crotch. "You're killing me, literally."

  She had the good grace to blush.

  Before she could jump from the bed and run for another week, I grabbed her arm and hauled her toward the bathroom. She let out a threatening scream with the promise of cutting off my balls but despite the protest, I could feel her shaking in anticipation.

  Getting inside the bathroom, I let her stand on her feet. She was staring at me with murder in her eyes but ignoring her, I prepared the bath. I knew she was sore from last night at the way she was walking funnily. When I was sure that the bath was ready, at first I sat and then leaned forward to take her on my lap.