by C. S. Wilde
“Aren’t we all?”
Mera was silent for a while.
“Tell me we’ll be okay, Partner.”
He sipped his drink slowly, as if deliberating. “I can’t.”
Mera missed Bast; missed talking to him, kissing him, touching him. Missed sniffing the woodsy scent under his jaw. How much she’d missed his voice… It was wrong, so very wrong, but she needed him. She always would, even if he never needed her again.
“That’s not fair,” he grumbled, his tone somber.
“You heard me?”
She felt him nod before he relaxed, and then his breath suddenly caressed the curve of her neck. “Remember when I touched you in Lunor Insul?”
A furious blush rushed to her cheeks. “Yeah. Kind of hard to forget.”
‘Those skilled fingers…’ her siren swooned.
An invisible hand cupped her face, followed by a flash of devious amusement. “That lovely sound you make when you come, it keeps me company late at night.” He sniffed, as if he could smell her hair. “You steal my reasoning, Mera.”
Despair pooled in her belly, coupled with a hunger for his touch; for every inch of him. Her most intimate parts ached at the sound of his smooth voice, and her cheeks burned. Other parts of her burned, too.
“It scares me how much I want you,” she admitted quietly, trying to register every bit of his phantom presence. “I don’t know how to handle it. And truth be told,” she inched forward, not giving a damn that she couldn’t touch him, “the thought of you also keeps me company late at night.”
“Mera.” His tone held a warning, though to what, she couldn’t tell.
“Promise me,” she begged. “Promise me that if we go ahead, things won’t go south. That you’ll always be by my side, no matter what.”
“Kitten…”
Relief washed through her at the mention of her nickname. The letters rolled so easily off his tongue—his perfect, sharp tongue.
“I can’t lose you, Bast.”
Mera could afford losing Julian’s friendship. It sounded horrible and heartless, but the truth had never been pretty.
Losing Bast, though? Not an option.
Silence came from the other side. Complete silence, actually.
His presence had vanished.
“Bast?” she called.
Nothing.
Tears pricked her eyes. “You dickwart!”
Three knocks suddenly came from the front door, startling her.
“Bad timing,” she grumbled, hoping whoever it was would go away and leave her to wallow in her misery.
The knock came again. Cursing under her breath, she stood and stomped to the entrance.
“What?” Mera barked, yanking the door open.
Bast stood on the other side, looking down at her while a storm of need and hurt swirled in his eyes. He seemed tortured.
A gasp lodged in her throat. She wanted to cry, kiss the life out of him, and jump him, all at the same time.
Stepping into her apartment, he kept his intense gaze on her as he closed the door. Shock and awe rooted Mera to the floor, and all she could do was stare at him, completely breathless.
His loose silver hair waved over the left side of his face in a sensual way. His shirt and vest were unbuttoned halfway, showcasing his sinfully strong pecs. Pecs she desperately needed to kiss, lick, bite…
Harsh breaths made his chest rise and fall sharply, showing her the restrain he held. The battle inside him.
There was a raw, almost animalistic air to his imposing presence, and the sight of him sent a thrill down her spine.
‘Hmm, positively captivating…’ Her siren licked her lips.
Bast stared at her for a moment, as if gathering courage. “I can’t promise anything. Maybe we’ll keep being partners, maybe we won’t. It’s a risk we both need to take. Can we start there?”
She nodded and swallowed, knowing she could no longer deny her need for him. “Sounds like a plan.”
“Good. Now, do you love him?” Bast’s voice was strained, as if the question evoked a hidden fury he struggled to control.
Still shocked to find him there, Mera realized nothing but honesty would do.
“A part of me will always love Jules, but it’s nothing compared to how I feel about you,” she offered. Her hunger for Bast consumed her from the inside out. There was no running away from it, not anymore. “The impact you have on me is not normal. Sometimes, when we’re close, I swear my heart shrinks and expands at the same time.”
His chest swelled with her words, words that he seemed to consider. “What do you want, Mera?”
Blinking, she tried to get a hold of her breathing. “What do you mean?”
She knew exactly what he meant, but she couldn’t help but ask.
“It’s a simple question.”
Closing the short distance between them, Bast cradled her left cheek with his warm palm, lifting her face to him.
“What do you want?” he asked lowly, his raspy voice aching with need as he leaned down to kiss her.
His breath fanned her lips as he stopped barely an inch away. His eyes bore into hers, and Mera knew she wasn’t strong enough to deny him. Not again.
Never again.
The tip of her nose nuzzled his. That was the moment. That was when she jumped off the cliff.
“You,” she whispered, helpless. “I want you, Sebastian Dhay.”
“Kitten…” The word brushed against her lips a second before he claimed them with a hunger that defied reason.
Heat spread through her core when their tongues brushed. Mera’s body hummed for him. Her hands gripped his shoulders, not wanting to let go, while Bast trailed kisses down her jaw. The tip of his tongue flicked against her skin, making her skip a breath.
“Mmm… ” She forgot where and who she was. Her breaths came out ragged, but then he pulled away, his intense eyes seeking hers.
Mera tugged him closer, yet the bastard wouldn’t give in. “I need you, Bast.”
“Silly akritana.” The ghost of a devilish smirk grazed his lips, but it was smothered by the scorching lust that unfurled between them. “You had me from the moment we first met.”
Chapter 17
Their mouths danced together, an irrational hunger possessing Mera as she unbuttoned the rest of Bast’s shirt. She’d started slowly at first, wanting to tease him, but she quickly succumbed to the desperate need pooling inside her. Nearly ripping his clothes, she tore them off his torso.
Bast’s earthy laughter brushed her lips, but he didn’t stop kissing her for a second. Expertly, he removed her jacket, then her shirt, until only her black bra remained.
Forcing himself to pull away, his hooded gaze swallowed Mera, his focus going from her breasts to her lips, as if he couldn’t decide where to focus.
He seemed so enthralled…
With a certain pride, she unfastened her bra—her girls were one of her best assets, after all. Tossing the piece of fabric away, Mera revealed herself to him.
A muscle ticked in Bast’s jaw, his nostrils flaring with desire. “Danu in the fucking prairies,” he growled before dragging her closer.
His ragged breathing fanned her mouth, followed by his lips. Instead of deepening their kiss, Bast trailed a blazing path down her neck, collarbone, until he nibbled one of her nipples.
“Ah!” She hissed in pleasure as his tongue twirled around it, her back arching for him.
Bastard clearly knew how to drive a girl mad.
Gently, he pushed Mera back until they reached the sofa, laying her on her back atop the large corner section that fit them both. A wicked grin grazed his mouth as he removed her pants, then his own, until they were butt naked.
Mera’s eager gaze instantly dropped to his hips, and a breath lodged in her throat.
The sheer size of this male…
Bast’s length jerked beneath her hungry gaze, showing how desperate he truly was for her, and Mera smirked. Taunting him, she slowly spread her legs apart, bea
ring herself to the strong, wild male before her.
A certain adoration beamed from his sky-blue irises. “Oh, Kitten. You’ll be the end of me.”
Mera’s grin turned mischievous, and she motioned him closer with one finger, her actions more siren than human. In the end, she was both. Siren and woman, one and the same.
Intense and confident, like a predator about to claim his prey, Bast settled on her, his strong arms holding him up as he stared into her eyes. His arousal intensified the musky scent emanating from him, his magic thrumming against Mera’s own.
“You are magnificent,” he admitted, his tone low and rough.
Silver hair cascaded down, brushing the left side of his face. His clear eyes shone against his soft amber skin, entrancing her. The way his muscles rippled under his skin… Poseidon in the trenches, Mera doubted she was the magnificent one.
Wrapping her arms around his strong shoulders, she kissed him softly. As their tongues explored one another, his hand traced a path from her neck to her breasts, teasing her nipple on its way down, until he circled the sensitive pearl between her thighs.
A moan freed itself from her as he rubbed her aching spot. “Bast…”
Leaning down, he bit her neck softly, his fangs poking at her flesh. “I want you soaking wet.”
Mera grabbed those skilled fingers of his and shoved them into her drenched intimacy. “Ship has sailed, partner.”
A growl from deep within his chest escaped him, a feral sound that reverberated inside her. Sliding his hand away from her wet core, he licked his fingers as if savoring a mouth-watering delicacy.
“You taste so good…”
Her legs wrapped around his waist, her need for him too painful to bear. The torture only increased when the tip of his length brushed her entrance.
“Mera,” he murmured, her name a prayer, before he thrust his hips forward, sliding inside her at once.
She gasped at the full feel of him between her tight walls.
“Sakala mi,” he croaked, glancing at her with worry. “Are you all right?”
He must’ve seen the hint of pain in her face, but after the first thrust, Mera had begun adjusting to his size.
One thing was certain. She would be walking funny come morning.
“I’m fine,” she breathed. “More than fine.”
Holding her gaze, Bast began to slowly thrust back and forth, the pleasure in his eyes burning through her. The friction between them changed from painful to simply exquisite.
Mera’s head fell back with the scorching sensations. She soared with each stroke, tightening her legs fiercely around Bast—if only to get more of him inside her.
Letting out a savage groan, he hid his face at the curve of her neck, his muscles coiling each time he plunged violently, and faster, into her.
Mera’s mind spun while she fought to hold on, her body wriggling with each harsh thrust.
Their lovemaking was intense in a way she couldn’t describe. Like they were inside the sun, burning together as the heat consumed all they had been, were, and one day would become.
Bast licked her bottom lip with the tip of his tongue, his breaths rushed. “You feel so fucking splendid, Mera.”
Something exploded in her then, as if a door inside her had burst wide open. An utter peace washed through her core, flowing between her and Bast, strengthening the link they already shared.
Mera couldn’t explain how or why, but she felt so utterly complete.
Maybe Bast was right. Maybe soulmates were real. And yet, Mera had been so afraid of this moment, that she’d hurt him by trying to escape the inevitability of it all.
Bast was her partner. Her hart.
She had to show him what he meant to her, how desperately she needed him.
To claim him as hers.
A strange ferocity took hold of her, and with one move, Mera rolled atop him, sitting astride his strong frame while keeping him inside her.
A grin tilted Bast’s lips between his grunts of pleasure, surprise clear in his chiseled features. “Skilled, aren’t we?”
“You have no idea,” she moaned, rocking her hips against him, her maddening hunger consuming her very soul.
Bast set both hands on her waist while she moved sensually on top, holding her to him like she might vanish.
Her pace increased, the movements harsher with each thrust as pleasure built inside her. An aching need to take everything Bast had to give her burned her skin.
His nostrils suddenly flared, his jaw clenching harshly. Bast’s right hand went down to her thigh, while his left hand massaged her breast, tugging at her nipple.
“Slow down.” He swallowed. “Halle, it’s too good.”
No, she couldn’t slow down, didn’t want to stop. She wanted everything from him. Amid broken breaths and savage sensations, Mera admired the beauty of the male beneath her.
‘Our Bast.’ Her siren cheered.
Yes, he was hers. Entirely hers.
“Min hart,” she breathed, rising higher and higher within herself, his length slamming against a sweet spot inside her, driving her to the edge.
She was about to burst.
Her cheeks flushed, and a delirious heat pooled between her legs, tingling up to her belly.
It was exquisite!
Bast watched her lovingly from under hooded eyes, a mighty strain on his perfect, chiseled features. His fingers clawed at her flesh, his rough touch making her mind spin. “I’m close, kitten…”
She was closer.
Stars burst all around her as she roared with her release. Mera could barely breathe as she saw white, bellowing his name from deep within her throat. Brutal shivers took over her body, and she felt suddenly, and incredibly, light.
“Fuck, Mera!” Bast hissed loudly, his eyes turning pitch black for a second before he burst inside her, filling her with thick streams that intensified her pleasure.
Panting, she slowly returned to her own body, their link thrumming inside her, connecting them on levels she could not yet understand. Levels that terrified and completed her at the same time.
Smiling down at him, she brushed a few strands of silver hair off his face.
“It seems we excel at something other than solving cases, partner.”
Bast admired her with utter peace, a lazy grin on his lips as his fangs retracted back to normal. “Han, min hart.”
Yes, my heart.
She loved how the Faeish words rolled from his tongue.
“You can’t deny our connection any longer. My golden string leads to you, kitten. It always has.”
The concept had been ridiculous to her before, but after giving herself so completely to him, Mera couldn’t deny there was something between them. Something bigger than life itself, as if Bast had always been a part of her. Mera’s beginning and her end.
“You winnowed through Clifftown’s magical barrier to get here, and you’re fine?” she asked, playfully ignoring his question.
Bast smirked, seeing exactly what she was doing.
“Practice makes perfect, I suppose. The alcohol might have helped.” He chuckled to himself. “Maybe that’s the secret to winnowing: being drunk all the time.” The gleam in his eyes changed and he reached for her face, his thumb caressing her cheek while she remained on top. “Or maybe, nothing in the world could keep me away from you.”
Pulling her down to him, Bast claimed her mouth, his teeth pulling tauntingly at her bottom lip. He then watched her lovingly, while his fingers drew invisible patterns over her back, sending a delirious chill down her spine.
“Bast…” she warned as a familiar heat piled up between her thighs, turning her breaths shallow.
He grinned, fully enjoying her reaction to him, a hint of lust painting his perfect face.
“Strap in, kitten. We’re only getting started.”
Early morning light seeped through Mera’s bedroom blinds, waking her. At some point last night, they’d left the sofa and arrived at her queen-sized b
ed.
Bast and Mera had fallen asleep completely naked. Her beige sheets were crumpled at their feet.
She couldn’t recall the last time she’d slept so well.
A strong, woodsy scent mingled with sweat came from behind. She looked back at the Adonis spooning her, his heavy arm draped around her waist. A soothing heat emanated from his body, seeping into her.
Why need a blanket when she had Bast?
Mera could get used to that. Really, really used to that.
Bast groaned, pulling her closer until her bum brushed against his length. Burying his face in the curve of her neck, he kissed her shoulder. “Morning.”
“Morning, partner.” Desire pooled in Mera’s belly as she gently rubbed her ass against him. “I can’t get enough of you. It’s madness.”
“It’s our bond.” He nibbled softly at her flesh, his erection growing in response to her. “I heard that physically sealing it could be… intense.”
Intense? That was putting it lightly.
“If you’d told me this yesterday, I wouldn’t have believed you. But now…” She couldn’t deny it anymore.
“I never believed in soulmates either, kitten. The moment I saw you, everything changed. I couldn’t understand at first, but the more time we spent together the clearer it became. You are my hart, Mera Maurea. Golden strings.” His hand slid from her hips to the middle of her chest. “Close your eyes. You’ll feel them, too.”
Following his command, she didn’t need long to understand what he’d meant. Their bond felt like a million golden strings connecting them, as if their mind link had upgraded to a pathway coated in sunlight and warmth.
Beautiful. Resilient.
Unending.
Mera couldn’t explain how or why she was destined to be with Bast. All she knew was that she’d been searching for him her whole life… without ever realizing it.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, continuing to rub her bottom against him.
Bast drew in a sharp breath. “You unstoppable akritana.”
Akritana.
Waterbreaker.
She loved the sound of the word coming from his mouth. Then again, she loved a world of things in his mouth.
Mera kept rubbing against his rock-hard length, and in return he took her left breast in his hand, kneading it softly, his fingers playing with her nipple.