by Lexi C. Foss
And then his mouth took mine in a kiss unlike any other. It subdued me in a way that left me whirling beneath him. His tongue became my new addiction, my only way to breathe, as he took me underwater and caressed me with his very soul.
“I’m going to hell,” he whispered.
“Only if I can go with you,” I replied, wrapping my arms around his neck as he ripped the gown from my body. His clothes soon joined the torn garments on the floor, allowing me my first glimpse at the beauty that was Cyrus.
All seamless lines of perfection, a swimmer’s body encased in a power I longed to stroke.
I went to my knees with him, both of us naked and admiring and petting and memorizing. His fingers wove into my hair, his lips capturing mine once more, as his opposite hand dipped between my legs. “So fucking wet,” he praised.
I gripped his shaft, marveling at the size and girth, and smiled. “So damn hard.”
He chuckled, his teeth running over my bottom lip before he sucked it deep into his mouth. “I’m sorry, Claire.”
“Why?” I asked.
“I just am,” he murmured, his mouth taking mine again and silencing my reply.
He released my hair to grasp my hips, yanking me forward and returning me to my back. His tongue slid across my cheek, to my ear, and down my neck to my breasts. I wove my fingers through his hair, reveling in the sensations his mouth unleashed on my stiff peaks. He used his teeth, causing me to writhe, while his hand disappeared between my legs again.
Gentle wasn’t in Cyrus’s nature.
And yet, every touch was smooth and thorough, reminding me of waves caressing my skin.
A sense of rightness overwhelmed me, causing my water element to dance to the surface and play with his. Raindrops prickled our skin, vacillating between hot and cold, each one eliciting a new sensation between my legs.
“Cyrus…” Each pelt against my being churned the ache inside me, creating a whirlpool I couldn’t control. It kept building and building, overtaking me and consuming my every breath. “More.”
He kissed his way up my body, each brush of his mouth stirring a moan from my throat, until I swore I would scream.
“I can’t say no to you,” he said against my ear, his arousal aligning with mine. “I’ll give you what you need, Claire.”
“Yes,” I hissed, bowing off the bed as he slid inside me.
So slick.
So wet.
So perfectly us.
I wrapped my arms around him, holding him possessively and swearing to never let him go. His head fell to my neck, his harsh curse fueling my desire. My legs wound around his waist, my body pumping in time with his, as he edged us closer to the waterfall of oblivion.
Threading my fingers in his hair, I forced his mouth back to mine, kissing him as if I required him more than oxygen. And maybe I did. Because I swore we were swimming underwater.
All I could hear were our hearts beating in tandem with one another.
The slide of his body over mine.
And the consuming warmth building between my thighs.
His name fell from my lips, only to be caught by his. One of his hands fell to my hips, urging me to keep up with his quickening pace, while the other cupped my cheek.
Icy blue eyes met mine.
Pain blending with pleasure.
And that look alone sent me cascading over the falls into the blissful waters below. He followed on a bellow, my name a hum within his mind, as something powerful snapped into place.
Contentment settled over me.
Complete, my heart whispered. We’re now complete.
You own me, Claire, I heard him say in my mind. Until the end of time.
I yawned, too exhausted to reply, and kissed him softly instead. His tongue played over mine in lazy strokes, our bodies still joined below. The rightness of it all lulled me into a slumber, a smile permanently etched into my lips.
Peace.
I finally knew peace.
I woke two more times to the same treatment. Cyrus’s body a healing solvent I didn’t know I needed. Each session I felt stronger, invigorated, and pleased.
But I sensed unrest deep within. My other elements dissatisfied by my prolonged slumber.
Soon I would emerge from this watery cocoon.
Someone needed me.
I only wished I knew who.
Rest, I heard someone say. You’ll find me when you’re ready.
Mmm, I loved that voice. Okay.
I’ll be waiting…
Okay, I repeated, snuggling into the hot male at my side. I miss you.
I miss you, too, princess.
“We’ll go back to them soon,” a deep voice murmured, lips close to my ear. “Maybe even tomorrow. Sleep and we’ll evaluate your strength then.”
“Mmm, ’kay.” I nuzzled his skin, adoring the fresh scent and allowing it to overwhelm my senses. “I trust you.”
And I did.
Because he was mine.
And I trusted what was mine.
“We’ll see” was his reply. “Sleep, little queen.”
I yawned, nodding. Who was I to argue with a king?
Cyrus
My father joined me on the balcony of my rooms, his light hair tied back at the nape. Most Water Fae preferred to wear their hair long, enjoying the way it flowed like water over their shoulders. I preferred to keep mine shorter, as was customary of my spirit side. That might have to change in the years to come.
Another concession, I thought. All for a female I never desired to love.
Yet glancing over my shoulder now to see her blonde curls against my navy pillows had me thinking otherwise. Claire was special. Very, very special.
“How is she?” my father asked, following my gaze.
Well fucked, I mused, eyeing her swollen lips and resting form. The silky sheets hid her body from view, but I knew the rest of her was just as well sated as her mouth. “She’s recovering,” I said out loud instead. “Slowly, but steadily.”
He nodded. “Her healing will improve and strengthen even more once she’s near her other elements.”
I agreed. “Yes. I’m thinking of moving her tomorrow.” While she still slept most of the day, her moments of lucidity were powerful. And, well, demanding. Every time she opened her eyes, she reached for me and wouldn’t focus on anything else—like eating—until I fucked her senseless. “I had no idea the mating bond could be so… stimulating.” Not that I was complaining. I rather benefited from Claire’s neediness.
“Your bond is making up for what should have been months of courtship,” he murmured. “I’m not surprised it’s asserting certain requirements on you both.” His expression lacked the amusement in his tone, his gaze taking on a faraway gleam as he rested his elbows on the balcony railing. “I’ll save you the lecture, son. We both know what this means.”
I appreciated him not wasting my time with words. My mind was littered with enough of them already. “I can’t ascend until I’ve found Exos.” Because I couldn’t rule two kingdoms.
He remained quiet for a long moment, the breeze from the seas below ruffling the collar of his suit and blowing the fabric of my loose pants. It felt nice being surrounded by life and energy. Yet my duty to the Spirit Kingdom hung over my head, weighing me down. I couldn’t just turn my back on them. Even after I accepted my rightful place here, I’d advocate for the kingdom I considered my true home.
“I wish you would have come to me,” he finally said. “About Exos, I mean.”
“You know why I didn’t.”
“Yes. But you know I can keep a secret from the Council, Cyrus.” He glanced sideways at me. “I think this week proves it, don’t you?”
I swallowed, bowing my head in agreement. “Yes.” While the news of my mating with Claire had spread on a tidal wave throughout the kingdom, the circumstances that required it were never mentioned. And my father had even gone as far as to tell Elana that we were on a honeymoon of sorts, which was why Claire needed to
miss her internship and some school.
I supposed it wasn’t entirely a lie. We’d spent all week in bed together, after all.
But my father had done what he could to protect us both, and I appreciated his loyalty. Even more so because he didn’t tell anyone about Exos’s disappearance.
“Do you still believe him to be in the death fields?” he inquired.
I shook my head. “No. He’s awake now.” I’d felt him through Claire, a thriving presence pacing in a cage, waiting. It took serious effort not to request she communicate with him, or allow me to penetrate her spirit to find him, but her rest came first. Both to me and to Exos.
And my brother would kill me if I broke that unspoken pact.
Never in my life could I have imagined putting another before my kin, but Claire changed everything.
She’s my mate.
I vowed to protect her, to cherish her, to comfort her in times of sickness, and most importantly, I promised to put her needs above my own.
“When she’s in a better mental state, I’ll ask her to reach out to my brother,” I said, having decided this days ago. “What’s important is that he’s alive. He’ll be able to assume his duties as the Spirit King once we’ve found him, and then I’ll face the consequences of my mating.”
“Consequences,” my father repeated, snorting. “Still so reluctant to accept your true place.”
“The Spirit Fae need me more than the Water Fae.” It was an old argument, but still relevant. “You’re not even two hundred years old. They’re fine beneath your rule.”
“But there will always be contention until the most powerful rises to the top, son. That’s what you fail to understand. You worry about your spirit half while neglecting your fae here, and while many may understand the choice, fae will always respond to power. And you possess the strongest water element of any in the history of our kind.” He glanced again at the beauty in my bed. “With Claire being a close second.”
Those were the right words to say. I liked that he acknowledged her gift. Even ungroomed she surpassed the royals in this palace. “She’s amazing, isn’t she?”
“I had my doubts,” he admitted. “But I can feel her potential now. If you’re not careful, she’ll surpass even you.”
“And wouldn’t that be a wonder for the Fae World to see?” I mused, intrigued by the prospect while also knowing it to be impossible. Oh, Claire possessed superior abilities to most. However, her connection to water didn’t quite rival mine. Even with training, I’d still remain the king of this kingdom.
Oh, but Claire would become queen to several kingdoms. And that was what made her more powerful than even I was.
“When do you leave?” he asked, again staring at the incoming waves crashing into the black sand beach below.
“Tomorrow,” I decided out loud. “Being around Sol, Vox, and Titus should improve her health enough for her to hear Exos clearly.” It would also lessen some of the tension I felt building in the bonds, her other mates longing for their Claire. She still didn’t yet understand that she’d bonded with Sol and Vox in her desperation for survival, her elements reaching out to those she trusted most and latching onto their reserves to bolster her own.
When she awoke, she’d be controlled by her fae half.
I truly hoped the human beneath could accept it.
I knew enough about her former land to understand how hard it would be for her to embrace. But her elements would give her no choice. She needed a mate for each element, and she officially had them.
A circle of nature.
One I never thought to be a part of, but I had no choice now. As a fully bonded partner, I would remain no matter what the recourse.
And my heart would always be faithful to her, even if we’d never exchanged the emotional platitude of words. This was how our kind functioned. And as long as she welcomed it with an open mind, our unit would function seamlessly.
“We’ll talk after you find your brother,” my father said, clapping me on the shoulder. “I’ll handle the politics here in the interim.”
“Thank you.” I looked at him then, needing him to see the full extent of my gratitude. “I mean that. Thank you for everything.”
“You’re my son,” he replied, his lips curling faintly at the edges. “Thank you for trusting me with this.”
I tilted my chin, acknowledging his concession.
Our relationship was tenuous at best. But we were about to get a whole lot closer.
Oh, Claire, I thought, turning back to the bedroom and her stirring form. You have no idea how complicated this is about to become.
Her beautiful blue eyes blinked open, the sleepy quality inside stealing my breath for just a moment.
And then she reached for me, that sultry purr in her throat telling me exactly what she desired.
My father excused himself silently as I lowered myself over my bride and captured her mouth in the kiss I knew she craved.
One more night alone.
Then I’d share her once more.
But for tonight, she was mine.
My Claire.
Vox
A week.
A fucking week and we still hadn’t heard anything.
My fingers went to my chest, the ache still there, reminding me that I hadn’t imagined the horrible night where Titus had gone supernova in front of the Spirit Quad and Sol had very nearly lost control of his power.
The night Claire had taken over.
Her presence a breath inside me, begging me to help her, to let her in. And I—
“Vox!” Professor Helios snapped, making me flinch. His bushy brows furrowed with impatience. My reputation as his best student had taken a hit over the last month. I’d been too damn distracted.
She’s ruining me. In the best way. And the worst.
My half-hearted attempt at today’s exercise resembled exactly how I felt. A weakened air pixie floundered on my desk, sending dust motes drifting around her head as she feebly squeaked up at me in protest. She shuddered, wilted, and then disintegrated into ash.
“I didn’t say you could dismiss your project,” the professor deadpanned, but I recognized the note of concern in the way the air flitted around him.
The other students whispered, their magic sending words flying all over the classroom in wisps I shouldn’t have been able to hear, but everything had changed since that night with Claire. Aside from the obvious—our forced bond. But in addition to that, my powers seemed to be going haywire. Claire had weakened me by absorbing so much of my element, and it left my magic clawing at me with a lack of control I wasn’t used to experiencing.
Is this how Sol feels all the time?
“Vox. What in the motes has gotten—”
A knock at the door interrupted the professor’s reprimand, and I was relieved until I spotted Elana’s bright eyes and friendly smile.
Shit.
“May I speak to Vox for a moment?” she asked.
The stunned professor bowed. “Of course, Chancellor.”
The whispers started up again, and I tried to ignore them, but my magic wouldn’t allow me a moment’s peace. It was as if the elements wanted me to be on full alert until Claire returned and finished what she’d done to me.
“Do you think it’s about the Halfling?”
“Didn’t you hear? She’s the Water Queen.”
“Oh, I know. It’s insane. Cyrus and Exos?”
“Well, Vox mentors her, too. And I swear I sense her on him.”
“Does anyone know what that explosion last week was about?”
“I heard…”
I rolled my shoulders, shrugging off the murmured rumors, and met Elana outside.
She shut the door with a soft click before turning to me and giving me that too-friendly smile again.
“Vox,” she greeted, her gaze sweeping over me and no doubt taking note of the dark circles under my eyes, my loose hair, and the way air seemed to distort around me with my uncustomary lack of
control. She took a step closer, invading my air currents in a way that made me stiffen. “I’ve mitigated most of the rumors about last week’s incident, but you’re going to have to tell me what’s going on. It’s getting worse and, forgive me, but you all look like rocks uprooted after a storm.”
Everyone had seen Titus shooting fire into the sky, the tornados I’d conjured to contain him, and Sol’s quakes that had shaken the entire Academy. There was no way we could hide what had happened—but we couldn’t explain it. Not without consulting Cyrus and Claire first.
“When the Spirit King returns, we’ll give you an update,” I assured her for the millionth time.
Her head tilted. “You’re tired, Vox. Is Claire all right? Is there anything I can do?”
Elana’s eyes were kind, but I sensed her frustration. It rivaled my own. Claire wasn’t here at the Academy, where we could keep her safe. And the only news we’d received were rumors on the whispering winds that she’d…
I couldn’t even repeat the offense in my mind.
Water Queen, my conscious said anyway.
A sharp pain jolted through my skull, and I pressed my thumb to my temple.
Elana moved closer, motioning to rest a hand on my arm, but my air shoved her away. She flinched, a hurt expression crossing over her eyes.
“Sorry,” I breathed and let out a long breath. “I think I should just go back to the Spirit Quad and rest.”
She considered me for a moment as she absently tested my air currents with her own magic, tiny dew droplets riding the breeze and glimmering around us like crystals. The effect seemed unconscious on her part, just an extension of her ever-growing power. Which perplexed me because I didn’t know she had an affinity for water. It was well known that Elana only had access to spirit, unlike the other of her kind, who all maintained two elements.
“If I don’t see improvement in the next few days, I will need to intervene,” she warned. “Whatever it is you all are going through, you do not have to do it alone.”
Wrong. This had nothing to do with her. This was between Claire and her guardians.