by Hickory Mack
The badger didn’t give her much time to enjoy her treat. He was taking the threat seriously now. His speed increased, his face contorted into a concentrated frown. Pascal wasn’t worried. He’d met far superior badgers to this one, but somehow, they all seemed to have the same bad attitude. Not that he was one to talk. Wolverines could be some cocky motherfuckers.
Lithia didn’t dodge his attack this time. His dagger cut clean into her chest, but she’d allowed the hit on purpose, using the opening created by taking his weapon out of play. Her spirit wasn’t connected to the body she wore. Lithia couldn’t feel the pain of the badger’s attack, but he sure as hell could feel the pain of hers. This time her claws sank into his face. Her hand squeezed, digging her claws deeper as she broke through his skull. The badger went still, and she released him, his body slumping to the ground.
She turned to the dog, but he was no threat. He rushed back several steps as he soiled himself, then jumped, probably going to report what he’d seen to his Lord. Lithia stared at the empty space he’d occupied, happily licking her fingers clean, while Pascal set his hand on the top of her head, petting her affectionately.
“Good girl,” he praised. He hadn’t needed to go so far. Those two hadn’t been a real threat, and Lithia had barely needed to do anything. But watching the horror on their faces had been worth it. “Do you want to stay with Daddy for a little while? I’ve been traveling all day, and I’m bored out of my fucking mind.”
She nodded her head, smiling, and he petted her again. He liked having his girls for company. Gathering Lithia within his magic, he jumped again. Whatever he was looking for had better be worth it, and woe to anybody who tried to stand between him and his prize.
Chapter 37
For moments stretching into minutes, they held each other, unable to let go. Elsie buried her face in Saint’s neck, taking in his warmth and absorbing the strength he held her with. They didn’t say anything, for at that moment, words were meaningless. Everything they needed to share was conveyed in their embrace.
“I’m sorry,” Saint eventually murmured.
“Don’t be. It isn’t your fault.”
“But—”
“You’re here now. That’s all that matters.” She looked up at his face, and all of her worries faded to the background. Saint was back, and there was nothing she couldn’t handle with him at her side. She reached up and pushed aside one of his curls to better see his eyes. His hair was tied back, but his curls were even more defiant than her unruly hair, springing out to frame his face.
“All I could think of was getting back to you.” His hands slowly slid up her back and over her shoulders to hold her face still as he bent down to kiss her. Elsie’s heart raced, and the whole world disappeared, the entirety of her focus on his touch as he kissed her so reverently it hurt. All of the sadness and pain of their years-long separation was wrapped in a layer of overwhelming joy, and every bit of that emotion was poured into her through his lips.
It was almost too much to bear all at once. She’d been lost without him for so long, and here he was, fitting himself back into her life as though he’d never left. As though she’d never driven him away. Even as a vicious part of Elsie’s mind screamed that she didn’t deserve him, her demon showed her how much he needed her. He was so gentle, treating her like she might fall apart in his hands if he was too rough.
He teased her bottom lip between his, sucking on it before caressing it with a swipe of his tongue. Elsie teased him right back, sipping at his lips until he ever so delicately took her lip between his teeth. His hands hadn’t moved from her face, keeping her still so he could take his time, and she let him take the lead. She wouldn’t push him. It was far too enjoyable to let Saint do as he wanted.
His tongue slipped inside of her mouth, and the blood rushed to Elsie’s head. She’d never felt so nervous with a lover before, but this wasn’t just any girl she’d picked up for a good time. This was Saint, the love of her life. She’d dreamed of this moment every night for years.
Elsie was pliant to his lingering explorations, drinking in the tenderness and attention. When he paused for a second, she chased his lips, not ready to let him go, but she felt a flash of fear in their bond. Saint was shaking. His long lashes brushed her cheeks, and he bit his lip hesitantly.
“Saint?”
“I’m so afraid this isn’t real,” he whispered. “The last time I was this happy—”
A lump formed in Elsie’s throat, and tears filled her eyes. He didn’t have to finish his sentence. She knew what he was going to say. The last time he was this happy, she’d broken his heart and nearly destroyed their bond in the process. Elsie touched his beautiful face and stood on tiptoe to lightly kiss him again.
“It’s real, Saint. I’m here, and I’m not ever giving you up again. I promise I’ll never let you go. I’m so sorry for hurting you,” she cried.
“Mistress? May I touch you?” The bare vulnerability in his voice almost broke her. He had always abided by her most restrictive and most aggressively enforced rule. Back then, Saint was not allowed to touch her, no matter how clear it was to them both that they loved each other.
“Yes, gods, yes, Saint.” Elsie looked him in the eye and took his hand from her face, threading her fingers through his. “I told you I’m yours, remember? That included all of me. You can touch me whenever you want, however you want.”
“You swear?”
“I swear.”
He kissed her again, and though he hadn’t stopped shaking, the soft, savoring kisses from before were gone. Saint invaded her mouth, sending shivers of pleasure down to the very core of her being. His tongue feasted on hers, taking everything she had to give. Her dear, sweet demon. He’d been holding back out of fear that she’d reject him again, and her submissive reaction probably hadn’t helped.
Gripping his hand, she rested her other hand on his hip and kissed him back, returning every roughened sweep of his tongue with one of her own. She nipped at his lip and tasted his desire, daring him to take it further, and he accepted the invitation.
Releasing her hand, he held her waist, pushing under her shirt until his palms touched her skin. They paused for a moment, looking into each other’s eyes. The intensity of that little bit of contact, his hands on her bare skin, was tantamount to the beginning sparks of a raging wildfire.
The kisses grew frantic, and Saint pulled her against him so their bodies were plastered together as his hands stroked her back. Their bond was healing and strengthening with every touch, driving them to a fervor, but the buzzing of a mosquito landing on her skin brought Elsie’s mind back to reality.
“Saint, wait,” she whispered, leveraging her arms between them and pushing away. He looked at her, startled, and her stomach dropped. Grabbing his hand, she tucked herself against his chest but kept her chin angled low so he couldn’t immediately resume kissing her.
“What is it?” he asked, his voice so quiet she almost couldn’t hear him.
“There are drones here, keeping an eye on the gate site. They can’t get a good picture of your face if you don’t look straight up, but Cornick is here. He might be able to recognize you. We have to go somewhere you’ll be safe. We can’t let them see you.” She turned away and tugged on his hand, dragging him along with her. “Don’t worry, I know exactly where we can go.”
She explained where they were going on the way, but it wasn’t until they were jogging through the demon town that she realized Frost and Wren had slipped away. With Saint’s hand in hers, his eyes glittering with desire, she couldn’t quite bring herself to feel guilty. She’d given the spirit plenty of physical attention in the past weeks. Tonight, it was Saint’s turn.
They went up the stairs to the back entrance, so they wouldn’t bother the clientele downstairs. The madame of the pleasure house was amiable to renting out the room, but she didn’t want to see Elsie downstairs unless she was paying for services. Saint’s sensitive nose twitched, but she pulled him down the
hall and unlocked the door to his room, dragging him with her.
It was surprisingly quiet inside. The madame had gone through the extra step of soundproofing all the rooms, which was a blessing in a place filled with demons and shifters who had heightened hearing. The room was sparse but surprisingly clean, considering where it existed. It wasn’t like demons could catch diseases anyway, so there wouldn’t be anything dangerous lurking about.
Elsie managed to lock the door without tearing her eyes from Saint’s as he descended on her. He pulled her into his arms, then walked her backward toward the bed, never missing a moment with her lips. When the back of Elsie’s legs hit the bed, she flopped over, pulling him down with her so his weight pressed her into the blankets. Saint lifted himself and rolled to the side, pinning her hip with a single hand to keep her where she was.
“How shall I please you, Mistress?” he asked between kisses. His hand moved up her waist and under her shirt, his fingertips working tiny circles of heat under her skin. She was wearing one of the flirty button-up tops Wren had bought her, and he slowly opened it, spreading the fabric as he went, revealing her stomach and chest. The way he stared at her flesh like he would die without a taste made Elsie let out a soft sigh of excitement.
“Any way you want,” she told him, but he shook his head.
“That won’t do,” he said, splaying his fingers over her stomach before suddenly taking his hand away to touch her face. “I want to know what you like.”
“I’m too desperate to have you right now. There’s nothing you could do to me that I wouldn’t like. Don’t stop touching me,” she told him. “And more kisses. I want your mouth on me.”
Saint laid a trail of fire from her jaw down her neck, every inch of skin his fingers touched burning with need. He traced the markings of the seal on her throat and chest, slowly working his way down. His lips followed wherever his fingers went, his hot mouth trading between kisses and little twirls of his tongue. Elsie’s heart beat so loudly she was afraid he’d be able to hear it.
The angle he had her at made it difficult to touch him back, but when she tried to roll toward him, he pinned her back in place. Her question resounded through their bond, and he answered by trailing his fingers across her stomach.
“I want to see you,” he said, lowering his head to bite her hip just above the line of her shorts. Elsie’s hips arched into his bite, and he held her there, an arm encircling her ass while his free hand unbuttoned her shorts. Pulling them down, he allowed her to lower herself back to the bed while he tossed them on the floor.
Her legs were long for a woman as short as she was. His palm skimmed over her calves, and he nibbled at the skin behind her knee before sinking his fingers into her thighs. They were thicker than he remembered, and he loved it. Dropping kisses from her knee to her hip, he completely ignored everything still covered by panties, centering his focus on the sensitive skin below her belly button.
Elsie’s stomach fluttered under his touch, the rough skin of his fingers so different than the softness she was used to, giving every caress an added intensity. He shifted over her and straddled her hips, pulling her up so they sat together. Unclipping her bra, he lowered the straps, holding her gaze as he dropped it to the side. Leaning into her, he grabbed her ponytail and gently pulled out the hair tie keeping it in place.
Saint gathered the wealth of blue in his hand, then lay her back down, spreading her hair out across the mattress. Once he was pleased with his work, he rolled back to his side, looking at her from head to toe with nothing but a pair of lacy pink panties covering her. His gaze was so heated she felt a flush spreading across her face. It was hard to stay still.
“You’re beautiful,” he praised, making her gasp when his explorations continued. His mouth grazed past her ear as he breathed in her scent. She knew he could smell how aroused she was. “Beautiful.”
He pressed his lips along her neck and throat, paying close attention to her reactions and peppering nips and nibbles in the spots she liked most. Elsie reached over and tugged on his shirt. It wasn’t fair that he could look all he wanted while still being covered up himself. Saint pulled it over his head and tossed it aside, returning to his mission. He was intent on tasting every inch of her skin.
One of his hands cupped her breast as she reached for him, and she let out a little moan. “Saint, let me touch you,” she begged.
“Yes, Mistress,” he murmured, inching closer. His skin was smooth and tight under her fingers, and there was a thin layer of softness over his lean muscles, making his stomach all the more touchable. He reacted by freezing, absorbing her touch, and Elsie smiled. Her demon wanted instruction; he wanted her to take the lead. This was a game she could definitely enjoy.
She drew his head down to her chest, and he eagerly latched onto her nipple, sucking and licking and nipping. Elsie stroked the fine hairs on the back of his neck, whispering her encouragement. She rolled to her side, and this time he let her. Breaking away from her breast, he claimed her mouth once more as she pressed their bodies together. Elsie clung to him, demanding as much contact as she could get, and he responded by holding her tighter, kissing her like his life depended on it.
Elsie hooked her leg over his hip, and Saint sighed against her lips, his eyes closing when she pressed her hips to his. “I want to please you first,” he said. He knew she’d been with other women, and he didn’t want to screw up her first time with a man.
“Everything you’re doing is pleasing me. I want you so fucking badly,” she assured him, tangling her fingers in his curls. She kissed his throat and started rocking her hips until she felt him grow hard. She’d had a toy, and she’d had fingers and tongues inside of her, but her entire being yearned for Saint’s cock. Elsie hooked a finger in his waistband and tugged. “Take these off.”
He quickly did as he was told, and she smirked when she saw he hadn’t been wearing any boxers. She dropped her panties and bit her lower lip, staring at him. Elsie lay down, pulling him with her so he hovered over her. Saint covered her in more kisses as she reached up, tracing her fingers down his chest and stomach.
She’d never touched a cock before, and the anticipation built the further down his body she traveled. Saint shuddered as she touched the sensitive skin of his abdomen, and his kisses grew more frantic. He sank closer to her, their chests touching, and Elsie arched into him, gasping when his hard length pressed against her belly. Her fingers brushed against his shaft, and her eyes widened with delight.
Saint was velvety soft but hard, all at the same time. He was so smooth. She explored with her fingers, cupping his balls in her palm and finding the bead of wetness at the tip before wrapping her fingers around him. Or trying, anyway. His dick wasn’t any longer than her toy, but it was a lot thicker. Just imagining him inside of her made her clench with need.
“May I taste you?” Saint asked, but she shook her head, looking up at him with pleading eyes.
“Later, okay? I want you, Saint. I want you so badly it hurts. If I have to wait another minute, I’ll die. Seal the bond, make me yours, right now.”
He kissed her again, hot and hard, showing her how badly he wanted her too. “Yes, Mistress.”
Saint pulled back to position himself then returned, pressing his cock against her lips. Elsie bucked against him, craving his heat. In return, he rubbed against her, driving against her clit, and she whimpered against his greedy mouth that couldn’t stop reaching for hers. Faster and harder, he continued stroking against her until she was panting his name.
She whimpered, a single tear escaping and rolling down her cheek, and Saint stopped immediately. “Mistress?”
“More. I want more. Please, Saint,” she begged. He touched her lower lip and looked her in the eye as he shifted his hips, pressing the tip of his cock to her entrance. She was wet and ready for him. “Please.”
Pushing his way inside of her, Elsie gasped, arching into him, shivers racing from her head to her toes. He fit so perfectly, filling
her up. Her pussy squeezed around him, and she whined as he pulled back out, almost leaving her completely before plunging back in.
His dark eyes watched her reaction, and his explorations continued. He rose up on his hands, changing his angle for a few strokes, while she clung to him, writhing and matching his stride. Their bond was strengthening fast, bringing a new level of intimacy with it as their mental and emotional ties grew closer and tighter. She could feel how turned on Saint was, and it drove her that much crazier.
He changed his angle again, pushing his pelvis into hers with every stroke so he rubbed against her clitoris. Elsie cried out, and he smiled, knowing he’d found a spot that pleased her. He moved faster and harder, friction building between them as Elsie caught his new rhythm.
He maintained the pace while biting and kissing her neck, one hand caressing her breast. A triangle of pleasure. Elsie gasped with every breath, holding onto him with everything she had as the tension in her belly grew with every stroke.
“Saint,” she whispered.
“It’s okay,” he said, a huskiness in his voice as his breath accelerated, hot against her throat. “You can let go.”
Saint pumped inside of her, the pressure reaching the exploding point. She gasped with every stroke; he felt so fucking good. Elsie cried out, her body going stiff. For a second, the world around them went dark, and she thought of nothing but the center of her orgasm. Her pussy convulsed around Saint’s cock, and he let go, spilling inside of her.
The bond sealed. In an elastic snap, it smashed into place, bringing them both into a second, stronger wave. She saw stars for several seconds, nearly blacking out entirely. Saint’s hips jerked against hers, and she grabbed his shoulders, pulling him down on top of her. Their minds connected, and she could feel everything he did. He was so open to her, sharing every thought and emotion.
Elsie choked back a sob. Gods, he loved her so fucking much. “Saint,” she cried, petting his hair and holding him tight, saying his name over and over again.