“You do not have to keep things from me, Lexi,” he told her gently. “Together, we will share the responsibilities that the stations we were born into have given us. I understand the need to remain strong in front of the people we are responsible for. I do it, as well. Now that we are bonded, we can share the worry, be honest with our emotions, and work together to help ease our burdens.” He squeezed her hand lightly. “I look forward to being able to share those moments with you.”
“It would be nice to be able to relax and not have to be so strong all the time,” Lexi admitted.
“It does not show lack of strength to allow vulnerability to be seen,” he told her quietly. “Sometimes, the strength is in the ability to allow others to see that you are not perfect. I am not perfect, nor do I profess to be.”
“You’re perfect for me,” Lexi told him, pulling his hand to her shoulder and resting her chin on it.
Sebastian chuckled softly. “I hope that you will always feel that way.”
“I hope that I’ll give you cause to be proud of our bonding,” Lexi whispered.
Sebastian looked into the stunningly beautiful violet eyes of his life mate and smiled slowly, his heart breaking a little at the bleak life his lady had endured. Yes, she was a soldier, a warrior. But she was his warrior, and he was hers. They were one now, and would ease each other’s worries, fight beside each other, and love one other.
“My lady,” he began, lightly kissing her forehead. “It is I who am not worthy of you. You are a gift that I will treasure for the rest of my days. I am the leader of my people and had never dared to hope to find my life mate. My life has been filled with fighting just as yours has. I never expected to find the personal joy of a mate.” He gathered her within his arms and pulled her closer to his body. “Not only are you a skilled warrior who can fight by my side, you are a loving and compassionate woman.” He hesitated briefly, closing his eyes and sighing contentedly as he leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers. “You bring me joy, Lexi. I will be forever thankful for that moment when you caused injury to my forehead.”
“What? That’s horrible, Sebastian! Why would you be thankful that my buckle cut you and caused you pain?” Lexi wiped at her face in exasperation. “I was so upset that I had hurt you.”
“I know, my love,” Sebastian said gently, taking firm hold of her hand and bringing it toward his chest to press it tightly against his warmth. “But if you had not caused that injury, you would never have touched me. If you had not touched me, our bond would not have strengthened.” He drew her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of her knuckles lightly. “I am very happy that your touch brought me closer to making you mine.”
Lexi was stunned to see the intensity of emotions within his eyes as he looked at her with open honesty and longing. She reached up to touch his face gently and smiled when the golden color of his eyes flashed brightly. She could feel the magic within him sparking hot. She felt the buzz of it all around her, surrounding her and filling her. It was wonderful. It made her feel safe and powerful at the same time.
“Why didn’t you use your magic to heal your injury?” she asked him, confused.
“My magic cannot heal an injury,” he explained quietly. “It can only aid in the comfort of the person sustaining it.” He saw the concern that she was feeling and was touched by it. “Landon is our healer. His magic is strong. His ability to take away the pain of injuries is a blessing. He can also reduce the amount of time it takes for someone to recover from an injury by speeding up the healing process, but he cannot eliminate the injury on contact the way that your sister Callie can. She has a great gift.”
He remembered how Callie had tried to take away Lexi’s pain in his tent. He did not think that she realized that she had revealed her gift to him, but she had because of her frustration at not being able to heal Lexi.
“She does,” Lexi admitted, surprised by his knowledge but needing to be honest with him about it.
She slipped her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck and pulled his face toward hers. She kissed his lips lightly, sighing into his mouth and humming lightly as he immediately responded. When he covered her mouth with his own and gently coaxed her lips to open to his, she didn’t hesitate for one moment, groaning lightly as he swept his tongue across her lips and felt, rather than saw, the smile that played across his sweet mouth.
“I want to make love to my queen,” he whispered against her lips, kissing them lightly then trailing his mouth down her neck, nipping lightly as he made his way to her shoulder before looking up to smile at her with a sparkle in his eyes.
Lexi was thrilled by his declaration. Okay, so the comment about her being queen gave her a brief moment of panic, but the intent behind his words were enough to make her melt against him as he held her close. As he eased is body above hers, she opened her legs and slipped her hands down his sides to settle on his hips as he gently nestled himself between the cradle of her thighs.
“I have to admit that I’m kind of wanting you, too, my king,” she told him, her eyes twinkling with happiness as she looked up at him.
Reaching between them, she took careful but firm hold of his hard shaft and eased the head toward her center, groaning softly as he slowly slid deep. She felt the tingle of his magic as it burst within her and knew that he was protecting her from any pain or discomfort. Goodness, but she truly loved this man! The shock of her silent realization made her dig her nails into Sebastian’s right bicep.
He stopped all movement and looked down at her with confusion and concern. He pulled out of her carefully. His need to see to her comfort just added to the rightness of her silent admission.
“Lexi?” he asked her gently. “Are you well, my love?”
Lexi nodded, unable to voice exactly what it was that she had realized. She knew how she felt, but she wasn’t sure it was something she would be able tell him. She had never been afraid of being honest in her life, but this revelation was too powerful. She couldn’t admit it. Not yet.
“Don’t move away,” she told him, pulling him back so that he was between her legs once again. “I want you inside me.” She pressed upward, emitting a moan of pleasure as she felt his fingers slip inside of her and begin pushing in and out of her in a slow rhythm.
“I am inside of you,” he told her, his voice gruff with desire.
Lexi moaned and had to stop herself from whimpering. Goodness! She nearly was nearly whimpering!
“Tell me what you want, my love,” he told her, smiling devilishly.
Lexi looked up at him and couldn’t keep the blush from her face. She saw him smile at her embarrassment and was determined to show him that she could be just as bold as he was. Maybe she could even get him to blush. Now wouldn’t that just be outstanding?
Reaching between them, she pressed her hands against his powerful chest and pushed with all her strength, his fingers slipping free from her body as she flipped him onto his back before he could react. Sometimes surprise was the best tactic. She had a few tricks up her sleeve. Her mother and her father had taught all of them the clever tactics of hand-to-hand combat. She was going to use every one of them to protect her sisters and her niece, as well as Sebastian, his men, his people, and herself.
Sebastian’s back hit the ground unexpectedly. His breath rushed from him at the sudden shift in power. He was thankful that his magic had already placed a cushion of softness beneath the burgundy blanket. When Lexi covered his body with hers, he was beyond happy. This little warrior was perfect for him. He smiled up at her, unable to keep the absolute joy from his face.
“Did you want something, Lexi?” he asked her, still smiling.
Lexi said nothing. She looked down at him and lowered her head. He expected her to kiss his lips, but she had other plans. She kissed his chin, down his neck, smiling as he arched his neck to give her easier access to the muscled column that was covered with a night’s growth of dark beard. The roughness of it and the maleness of it made her
groan in appreciation at his sexiness.
His breathing became shallow as her arousal fueled his. He remained still as her mouth traveled to his collarbone then to his chest, placing gentle kisses as she explored him. When she reached his right nipple, his breath caught in his throat as she circled it with her tongue and latched onto the hardened nub, sucking on it lightly and biting down on it gently.
His moan of appreciation gave her all the encouragement that she needed. She licked and kissed her way down his body, her hands following with gentle caresses, eliciting more appreciative moans from him. She loved that he was vocal in his response to her touches. It was good to know that he liked what she did to him.
When she passed his navel and she inhaled the purely male scent of him, she rubbed her nose into the curly dark hair of his groin. She couldn’t contain the soft moan of excitement that escaped her as she finally reached the hardened shaft she longed to touch and taste. Reaching up, she gently took the length of him within her hand and pulled upward, smiling when he whispered her name.
She took the time to look at him, really look at him, and was amazed by what she saw. She couldn’t wrap her hand completely around his girth. The length of him was impressive, as well. It was amazing to her that he had actually fit so perfectly inside of her and with no discomfort. He gave her nothing but pleasure. She ached to have him deep inside of her again.
She kissed along the underside of his shaft, tracing the heavy vein there with the tip of her tongue. He was velvety smooth. He tasted of a combination of sweetness and salt. She wondered if his seed would taste the same. For the first time in her life, she wanted to experience that. Only with Sebastian, though.
His strength, his kindness, and his caring were natural to his nature, and she was thankful to have all of those traits directed at her. He made her feel things she had never felt before. She was fiercely loyal to those she loved. Sebastian was now a part of that inner circle within her heart.
“You’re mine, Sebastian,” she told him quietly, the declaration firm despite the gentleness of her voice.
“Yes.”
His answer was immediate. So was the spark of magic that burst around him in an explosion of white and gold.
“Yes,” she whispered back as she rested her left cheek on his hip and hugged him tenderly.
“Lexi, you are my heart,” he told her quietly, reaching down and caressing her hair tenderly. “You will forever be a part of my soul.”
Lexi turned her head and kissed his hip, wondering how she could ever tell him how much what he said and did meant to her. She took careful hold of his shaft, determined to show him with her touch, just how much she wanted to be with him. She hoped that their physical connection would be melded with their spiritual one so he could understand.
Each time Sebastian made love to her throughout the night, she felt a deeper joining with his spirit. Each time, she felt closer, more powerful, and more loved. Now would be no exception.
She focused on his hard shaft, kissing it tenderly once more. The head of his shaft was soft to her touch, and she smiled with satisfaction as she saw the fluid that was pooling at the tip. She leaned forward and gently licked at the head, slowly pressing her tongue into the slit. She loved the taste of him. She loved the smell of him. She loved him.
He groaned as she licked up the length of him, sucking tiny open-mouthed kisses as she went. He gasped when she took him into her mouth and pressed down, swallowing to take him deep into her throat. He held her head gently and whispered her name, crying out when she moaned. The vibrations were nearly sending him over the edge.
He pulled her from him and dragged her up his body to kiss her passionately, holding her to him, nearly crushing her against his chest. Lexi felt his strength, but knew it was tempered by his gentleness. She wasn’t afraid of his passion. She reveled in it. It meant that she ignited his need. It made her feel both powerful and cherished at the same time.
“I need to be inside of you now,” he told her.
His voice held a measure of intensity that would have frightened her if she had not been feeling the exact same urgency. She straddled his hips, moving just slightly to allow him to slip inside of her. She was so wet and ready for him, there was no discomfort at all. With one quick movement she sat down to take him deep, his moan mingling with hers at the joining. She began to move, her body finding a rhythm that was purely instinctual. She sat up and arched her back as he pressed into her, his shaft going deeper and touching a spot inside her that made her gasp with pleasure.
Sebastian’s hands held her hips as he pumped up into her. He stared up at her with desire so fierce, it stole her breath away. She leaned forward and reached for his face, kissing him gently, and halting their movements.
He remained still as he looked up at her and kissed her almost reverently, reaching around her to place his right arm around her back. With one quick movement, he flipped them both, laying her beneath him and pulling out of her gently. He smiled when she moaned at the sudden loss of him and gasped when he reached down and guided his hardened shaft, still wet with her juices, back into her. As he slid inside the warmth of her channel, she bit into his shoulder.
“Sebastian,” she whispered, kissing his neck as she wrapped her arms around his body and gently stroked his back, reaching down to grasp the strong muscles of his buttocks to push him deeper inside of her. She closed her eyes as pleasure filled her.
Sebastian held himself up on his arms and looked down at her face as he entered her fully, closing his eyes briefly as he felt the tip of his shaft nudge her womb. His deepness within her body made him gloriously happy. He felt the rightness of their joining. He felt the hope of their future—a future filled with love, because of her.
Lexi opened her eyes and looked up at him. Lifting her legs, she locked them around his hips, allowing him to obtain just the right angle to move inside of her with such intensity, she could barely breathe.
Perhaps her mother didn’t even realize what her visions had meant. Lexi knew that the joining with this Guardian Warrior was more than what any of them could have imagined it was going to be. They had all assumed the joining would be as allies. None of them had guessed that it would be as life mates.
“Lexi,” Sebastian whispered, looking down at her with such raw emotion, he hoped she could look into his soul and see the truth of his feelings. “Find your release for me, my love.”
His command was whispered, but there was no doubt that it was indeed a command. Lexi loved it. She loved his strength. She loved his power. Before she could respond, because she really wanted to respond and tell him not to tell her what to do just to show him that she was in charge of her thoughts and actions, Sebastian did something that made all sane thought leave her.
He tipped his hips just slightly and quickened his thrusts, rubbing the spot inside of her that had her gasping and holding onto him with a grip on his arms that was almost desperate. He had touched that spot before when she had been sitting on top of him, but the intensity was far more than before.
She felt the sparkles of white light exploding behind her eyes as her entire body became hyperaware of every move, every touch, and every sound that Sebastian made. She could feel his pleasure. She could feel his need. It was wonderful.
The pleasure coiled within her, building to an intensity that was almost frightening. She didn’t know how she was going to do as Sebastian demanded of her. She only knew that she was on the edge of something that she needed Sebastian to help her achieve. He would know what to do. She was certain of it.
She looked up and saw the intensity of emotion that filled his eyes. His attention was focused on her, sensing her, knowing when she started to die just a little in her need. She knew that only when she found her release would he seek his own.
His strokes became harder as he pumped into her, pulling out until just the head of his shaft remained inside her before surging back into her with a strength that pushed her up higher onto the blanket
. She watched his face as he leaned his head back and moaned deeply with each stroke.
She cried out as the explosion of pleasure burst within her. She felt her body filling with fire as shocks of pure sensory overload rippled through her. She couldn’t catch her breath. She actually forgot how to breathe. She lost any ability to think. If she hadn’t been in the throes of pleasure, she would have laughed at her predicament.
Sparkles of gold and violet surrounded them. She wasn’t certain if she was just imagining them, or if she was actually seeing the pleasure that was manifesting itself in Sebastian’s magic. Total wonder and awe settled deep within her.
Sebastian gasped at the way her channel pulled on him, demanding his release from him with such ferocity, he could do nothing but follow her into the abyss of pleasure. His body spurted his seed with such strength, he thought he would lose consciousness. The pleasure rolled from one crest to another, never ending, and never lessening in strength, drawing deep sounds of pleasure from him—pleasure that he experienced because of his gentle and loving life mate.
Lexi.
The thought whispered in his mind and settled within his heart. He would never grow tired of this special woman.
Chapter 13
As Sebastian lay against his sweet warrior, his ragged breathing matching her own, he finally pulled back to look down at her and smiled. Leaning down to lightly brush his lips across hers, he nuzzled into her neck and bit down lightly, drawing another groan of passion from her.
Before he could ease away from her, he felt her arms encircle his back. Her fingernails scored lines of ownership between his shoulder blades. When she slid her hands down and pressed against his backside to hold him tightly against her pelvis, she successfully trapped him inside her body.
Alexa's Warrior Mate (Guardian Warrior Mates, Prophecy of Salvation Book 1) Page 19