by Jaymin Eve
She blinked at me, dazed. "Ruby everything."
Unexpected laughter slipped out. "Hmmm, I’ll be the judge of that."
I could have used my energy to strip her clothes away in an instant, but I wanted to take my time. No matter how desperate I was to sink into her wet heat, Justice was in control here, and I wouldn’t push her too fast.
She helped me remove her shirt, leaving all of her gorgeous dark skin on display. Next was her bra, and as the ruby tips of her nipples drew my attention, I leaned over and took the right one in my mouth, laving at it until the peak was stiff and Justice was moaning. Moving on to the left, she threaded her fingers through my hair, tugging at it to hold me close.
Fine by me, I was happy to stay here all year.
"You're a boob man," she breathed, and I lifted my head to see a knowing grin tilting up her lips. "I guessed you were.”
I returned that grin. “I'm a Justice man, actually," I drawled, because no fucking way could I pick a favorite part on my mate. I craved everything. "Boobs are just a fantastic bonus."
Before she could say another word, I lowered my head and let my tongue trace across her skin, over her nipples again, and then as she started to pant, down her body.
Her taste was fucking intoxicating, and at this stage my cock was so hard it was probably going to bust through my pants.
When I finally had her gloriously naked, sprawled out on a bed of clover like a nature goddess, I took a second to look my fill. She was watching me just as closely. "I need you to be more naked," she said with force. "Like … right now."
This time I went with magic; my clothes stripped away in an instant. Justice's eyes grew wide.
"I've seen a lot of naked men in my life—"
The rumble that sprung from my chest was pure masculine annoyance. As far as I was concerned, my girl was untouched by any other.
She laughed. "Slow down, tiger, no need to lose it. What I was going to say is that none of them even remotely compare to you. I can't fucking believe that I’m blessed enough to have someone like you as a true mate."
Red edged along the side of my vision, but I forced it to recede. She didn't need jealous caveman asshole right now, she needed me to acknowledge and understand her feelings.
I could do that for her.
"You have no equal, Ruby," I said. This was an absolute truth for me. "And I will never take for granted the blessings I’ve been gifted. Not for one moment of my very long life."
Her eyes grew watery, as they did whenever someone expressed any true or strong emotions in regard to her. Justice didn’t expect to be loved or cherished; it always took her by surprise.
Something I planned on changing.
Needing her not to cry because it felt like someone punched me in the chest, I traced my hands along her sides, lightly caressing her skin. My tongue skimmed in the same way until I reached the junction of her thighs. I nudged my way between her legs, even as she playfully pretended to keep me out by tightening her thigh muscles on either side of me.
My laughter sent fans of energy into her and she moaned, her thighs falling open, exposing her wet center. "Well," I drawled, "what do you know? Ruby everywhere after all."
"You already knew that," Justice shot back.
I wrapped my hands around her, fingers flexing against her soft skin. "It's something that should be double checked," I murmured, staring at the perfection before me. "Or triple checked.” I paused, leaning down to lick one long line from the bottom to the top, holding her still as she moved against my mouth. "I’ll probably continue to check." I licked her again and she cried out, both hands landing in my hair, tugging at the strands. "Over and over and over." I sucked her clit into my mouth, swirling my tongue around it, and this time when she wrapped her thighs around me, she was preventing me from pulling away.
She didn’t have to bother; I wasn’t going anywhere.
"Jacob," she said breathlessly, and I knew she was teetering on the edge. I'd felt her lose control before and already recognized the signs in her body.
My fingers entered her, one and then another, as my tongue continued to slide over her clit, moving faster as she bucked against me. When she came, crying out my name, I didn't stop. I wanted every last ounce of pleasure from her.
I wanted everything.
32
Justice Winter
Could you die from an orgasm?
Like, I legit needed google or a friend to ask, because this was not normal. Most of my life, orgasms had been from my hand or a vibrator … fast and simple. Awesome and fun for a moment and then it was over.
It wasn't like that with Jacob. We hadn't even had sex yet, and already I was a twist of pleasure and need. I could feel it from my toes all the way to the top of my head. The orgasm had stars flashing in black and white across my vision.
Jacob groaned against me, and the vibrations from his mouth were enough to almost send me over the edge again. I was so sensitive, so needy, so into Jacob.
Once again, the stuff of romance novels.
“Jacob…" I tugged on his hair, attempting to pull him up to me.
As the strands jerked tight in my fingers, his eyes went super dark. Maybe my mate liked it a little when I did that.
"I need you to make love to me now," I finished, tugging on his hair again.
Unmovable bastard didn’t shift. He leaned down to run his tongue over my clit one more time, and my eyes basically rolled back in my head as I tried not to scream. The next orgasm was already hovering close, and I really wanted him inside when it happened.
"I'm ready," I said, my voice soft. "I know you're worried, but don't be. I've never wanted anything more than I want this with you."
This time when he lifted his head, I had to give myself a second because he was so fucking beautiful. This land he'd brought me to had a low warm peaceful light. That glow surrounded him as he crawled his way up toward me.
I tried to figure out how to keep my breathing even, but my damn heart rate … he’d be able to hear it pounding like a rapid drumbeat.
"If at any point you want me to stop," he said seriously, holding his gloriously naked body off me. "Just say the words. There's no moment that it’s too late."
Jesus. Christ. "Never gonna happen."
Honest fucking truth.
Jacob kissed me, and I tasted myself on his lips. Lifting my lower body, I rubbed against him, needing to feel everything. His cock was so hard as it slid over the wetness already pooling, and as the tip slipped that first inch inside I groaned loudly at how good it felt.
"At any point," he reminded me, and even though his voice sounded strained as he fought for control, I could tell he meant every word.
"Not. Going. To. Happen."
That was the last of the talking, as he slid inside in one single movement, burying himself deep, our bodies finally joined. He allowed me a few seconds to adjust—despite the orgasm, I was still a little tight. Then he started to move. Long, sure strokes, pulling all the way out and then slamming back inside. Not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough that I felt every fucking impressive inch of him.
His eyes were practically burning as they met mine, the shade of green one I'd never seen before. It almost looked like the gold of his dragon was threading through them.
Our lips met, this kiss holding a desperation and need as he moved faster with those long, deep strokes, sliding fully out and then slamming back inside each time.
"Yes," I murmured, a sob choking the words. "This is how I always imagined it. This is perfect."
"You’re perfect," he groaned.
More sobs, but they were happy tears as the energy that swirled in my center started to rise. Jacob was watching me closely, but he knew through our bond that I wasn’t upset. I was overwhelmed, and in love, and happy. His next kiss was gentle, his strokes slowing as he changed his angle to one that slide right along my g-spot.
"Gods," I groaned, dragging the words out.
Jacob’s lip
s brushed across my cheek and down the side of my lips, his tongue tracing away any tears that fell; all the while his mouth burned a path across my skin. When he reached my throat, I arched up into him, the pleasure spiraling out of control, as the scream I'd held back earlier ripped from me.
It had been a slow build, and the end result was an orgasm that felt like an explosion; everything went bright and hazy. I lost control of myself, my body writhing and bucking against Jacob's.
When his mouth found my nipple, I arched, and he took advantage, sliding one of his arms under my back to pull me up and onto him. As easy as that, we’d changed positions—I was now on top.
"Ruby," he groaned as I seated myself deeper than ever, my body moving because I desperately needed to assuage the ache forming again.
He kissed me, his tongue sliding between my lips as his hands gripped my hips, moving me against him. The kiss deepened, until I couldn't breathe and had to pull back.
"You're so beautiful," he said, hooded eyes devouring me.
"I love you," I moaned, needing to tell him.
Jacob stilled under me, his eyes as dark as coal. His reply wasn't in English. It sounded a lot like a song, as he said the same words over and over again.
I didn't know what it meant, but I cried, because the emotion was enough to understand.
A fissuring of energy along my spine sent a trill of panic through me, until that fissure turned into the fire of my soul cementing to Jacob’s.
Ruby.
His voice was in my head, and my tears turned into ugly sobs.
I stopped moving, even though I was desperate for the next orgasm I’d been chasing. Jacob stilled again, and it was in that moment I realized that he'd truly meant he would stop at any point I needed him to.
I will never leave you.
In my head again.
I’d expected that it would feel invasive once I shared my mind with another—I was a private person, but it wasn’t like that at all. I actually felt complete for the first time in my life.
"You feel like home."
Follow this path in your mind.
It was easier than I expected.
You feel like home, Jacob Compass.
He kissed me hard, both of us lost to the moment, and as he pulled away he peppered kisses over every inch of my skin he could reach.
I laughed, and as the intense emotions from our bonding faded slightly, I remembered that I was atop one impressive man, and he was still rock hard inside of me.
Whoa. Stopping like he had was some impressive display of self-control.
Baby, I said to him, using our new mental bond.
His eyes snapped up to mine.
I need you to fuck me. No more tears. I want that orgasm.
He blinked, and then a wicked grin stretched his lips as I once again found myself on my back, this time with my legs up over his shoulders as he slid into me. His strong movements pushed me back along the clover, and as I closed my eyes, I felt Jacob’s emotions mingling with my own.
Holy fuck. His feelings were strong; he’d been holding back for me, and the moment our pleasure spiked together, it was too much. I screamed his name as I came harder than I ever had before, the entire world seeming to tilt off its axis.
Jacob moved faster, groaning my name; his head dropped back and muscles tensed as he joined me. His pleasure slammed into me through our bond, and I cried out again, my hands clawing at his back, and the ground, and anything I could get my nails on.
Just before I blacked out, I realized I had my answer.
You could definitely die from an orgasm.
Sometime later, I found my way back to the land of the living, only to find everything changed. The bond was nothing like I’d expected. It was so much more.
Bonding with the rubies had altered me, freed some of my soul, released some darkness.
Bonding with Jacob completely reformed who I was.
We breathed together, feeling everything without having to say a word.
"Did you worry that we might not be true mates," I finally asked him, when my heart rate slowed.
He was hovering in my mind, but not in an intrusive way. If anything, there was a light block between us—like a curtain—that I’d only have to tap on if I wanted to talk to him.
"Not for a second," he replied. "I had no doubts."
I hadn't either, and for a professional pessimist, that was really saying something.
“The mental connection might take some getting used to, but I like that it’s always there.”
"I'll teach you how to block me if you want," he said. "You can have as much privacy as you need. I'll be happy as long as I can feel you're safe and healthy."
Rolling over to face him, I smiled at how carelessly tousled he was. I’d never really seen him like that.
"Right now, I'm happy to let the mingling of our energy have no barrier between us." I stretched like a contented cat. "It's not at all uncomfortable having you in my mind. I really had no idea it would be like this."
Jacob's happiness danced across my own, but alas, there was no more time for us to live in our bubble of love. We had a world to save.
When we got to our feet, it took a few minutes for me to find my clothing, and by the time we were dressed, I noticed that the light was fading around us.
"It has much longer days,” Jacob told me as we crossed to the doorway. “And there's no discernible source of light, but it does eventually get dark here. It should be morning in Stratford. We need to get back."
With his arm around me, I settled by his side, born to fit against him.
Your thoughts are my favorite thing.
He was my favorite thing. And orgasms. They had moved right up the list.
Warm laughter filled my mind, and I could have drowned in the perfectness of this moment.
A single hope filled every ounce of my being. Please don't let this be taken away from us.
I'd never before felt contentment and happiness like this. I needed to hold on to it.
For at least a little while longer.
33
Jacob Compass
The bond was powerful and ancient, as both serenity and frustration filled me. I’d wanted access to Justice’s thoughts for so long, and now that I had, there were some that made me want to join in with the president and his dragon ally and destroy the world.
"We won’t let anyone take this from us," I promised, forcing myself not to use our mental connection to communicate.
Like a damn kid finally getting the toy he'd always wanted, my obsession with my mate was absolute. I needed to dial it back before I completely overwhelmed her. Justice was raised a human, having no idea about the supernatural for most of her life. Mental bonds were a norm for me, but she would need time to adjust to my constant presence.
When we stepped back through the portal, the early morning light caressed us. It was my favorite time of the day, and I spent as many mornings as I could worshiping the nature gods. "You really did grow up in a lovely place," Justice murmured, awe in her mind and words.
“It’s my favorite place in the world,” I told her. “Couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.”
And now that I had her to share it with, the final piece of the puzzle was complete.
When we reached the house, everyone was waiting for us. Braxton and Jessa, Mischa and Max, Grace and Tyson, Louis and Tee.
“Congratulations,” my family chorused as we walked into view.
“Welcome to the pack,” Jessa added, smiling at Justice. “Well, more officially anyway.”
Justice accepted their hugs with ease, and Louis, who was last, pulled away and smiled. “Yes. Your power is exactly as I hoped.” He looked uncomfortable then, a slight pink tinging his cheeks. “And Jacob was right, I do owe you an apology for my tactless remarks last night. I should have approached you in private; I’m ashamed of my actions.”
She chuckled lightly, and through the bond there was no anger toward him. “I’m
not saying you didn’t deserve an ass kicking, but it worked out for the best.”
He nodded his head, face brightening. “I’m glad to hear that.” He turned then and waved to the others. “Compasses join now so I can ensure we’re properly prepared for this battle.”
I nodded, but since I’d just gotten my mate back in my arms, I didn’t move. Grace was the one who finally pried her from my hands, shaking her head at me. "New mates are my most and least favorite beings ever," she muttered.
Justice snorted out laughter, strong white teeth flashing in her gorgeous face, and I’d never been more pissed at the fucking president for forcing me to stop loving my mate and deal with him.
Braxton’s heavy hand landing on my shoulder was the distraction I needed to focus on our current situation. My brother had clearly not slept last night either, his face awash in worry and stress.
This was one fight too many for him, but he would rally as he always did.
When Tyson and Maximus stepped up as well, the bond was instantaneous. I waited for the burst of energy, and it arrived in a blast, only…
This time there was something different about it, an element that had not been there the last time we joined.
More power…?
"Yes," Louis said softly. "I love being right."
As one, I turned with my brothers, the four of us locking our eyes on the infuriating sorcerer.
He had the audacity to laugh. "And you're super scary too. Double bonus."
"Dibs on killing him," Tyson said, sounding rumblier than he usually did.
All of us changed when we joined. Our bodies grew larger as we took on more characteristics of our dragons.
"Don't kill him until he explains this new power," I suggested to Tyson.
With a disappointed sigh, Tyson nodded. Justice's energy surged within our mate bond, and I was surprised that it was so strong. Turning to her, I noticed Jessa had one hand on my mate, holding her back.