by Hickory Mack
“But—”
“I am sorry for holding back. It wasn’t my intention to appear cold to you. I’m every bit as crazy about you now as I was then,” he said, his voice a low hum. “I was afraid that it wasn’t an appropriate time to touch you. You’re all I thought about while I was with Muethdee. All we wanted was to return to you and make you our own.”
He rested his hand on her chest, his long fingers delicately touching the markings on her throat. His bright blue eyes caught hers, and he pressed his lips together. “I knew that if I started touching you, I wouldn’t be able to stop. With everything else that’s been going on, it might have gotten a little uncomfortable for those around us. I will remember to err on the side of affection in the future.”
He bent down and kissed her more aggressively than he ever had in the past, feasting on her lips before his tongue swept inside of her mouth. Elsie returned it, winding her fingers together at the back of his neck and kissing him back with an urgency that grew with every second.
Wren lifted her up and carried her to the second bed, pausing only to whisper in her ear. “If you want to wait to seal our bond, tell me now, and we’ll stop before things go too far.”
Elsie grabbed the belt on his kimono, pulling him onto the bed with her. “I want the bond. I don’t want to be separated from you ever again, in any of your forms.”
“Good girl,” he praised, pulling off her top. His mouth returned to hers as he crawled his way up her body, trapping her against the bed. His hair fell to either side, shrouding them in a private world all their own.
It was strange and exhilarating all at the same time. She knew Wren. She loved the spirit. The difference in their body was so dramatic she felt like she was being given the chance to get to know her mate all over again.
Her hands roamed all over the place, finding hard, lean muscles hidden under layers of cloth instead of the skin she was searching for. She tugged at the belt around his waist once more, and he broke their kiss long enough to wink at her. With that gesture, the belt loosened so she could take it off. She’d forgotten how convenient it was to be with a creature of pure magic.
She tossed the fabric to the side, and he gave her a wicked grin. “That has so many practical purposes. I’ll show you some of them later.”
Elsie lifted her head, chasing his lips, and he gave her what she wanted, teasing her with delicious kisses that scorched a line of lust straight to her already needy cunt. She pulled at the top layer of his kimono, growling when she found two more layers underneath. He sat up for just a second, peeling the top two layers off, leaving her to deal with the last one.
She pushed it aside and finally got her hands on him. Her palms ran over the smooth skin of his stomach and around his sides to follow the lines on his back. He was so much bigger in this form. She had more to hold on to, and she loved it.
There was no fumbling since Wren already knew what she liked. His fingers closed around one of her nipples, giving it gentle squeezes and light caresses. Wren’s lips left hers, and she whimpered, though it quickly turned to a gasp when he took her earlobe between his teeth. The heat of his breath and the roughness of his mouth flooded her with desire.
Wren continued lower, nibbling on her throat then biting her hard enough to leave a mark, just once. The pain and the pleasure mixed exquisitely, and Elsie moaned. She didn’t care if he left bruises; she’d savor the ache later as a reminder of who’d put it there. It would heal in a few hours anyway.
His kisses trailed down to her breasts as he lavished them with attention, pleasure radiating through every nerve ending in her body. With a single touch, her shorts and panties were gone. His fingers. His devilishly naughty fingers went right where she needed him most, playing with her clit between his knuckles, applying just the right amount of pressure.
Elsie buried her hands in his silky hair, pushing him further down. With a soft chuckle, he obeyed, his kisses lowering to her stomach, then below her belly button. Settling between her knees, he spread her open, and his tongue rolled into a funnel, latching around her clit. She grasped the blanket in her hands, preparing herself, but she wasn’t ready.
He sucked her clit hard in a quick, pulsating rhythm, his fingers not stopping for a second. He grabbed a handful of her thigh with one hand and teased the opening of her pussy with the other. Elsie clapped a hand over her mouth and held her breath to stop from letting out a whine that would definitely be heard by anyone passing by in the hall.
Wren turned his head and pulled one of her labia into his mouth, then dipped his tongue inside of her, devouring her cunt with greedy abandon. She couldn’t think of anything else but the enthusiasm and skill he was using to fuck her with his tongue. He continued playing with the little bundle of nerves, switching back and forth between eating her out and sucking her clit until she could barely breathe.
He propped himself up on his elbow and swirled a finger around her opening before holding it up for her to see. ‘I’d say you’re ready for me,’ he said into her mind. ‘Do you want me?’
‘God yes. Fuck me, Wren.’
‘I’m not going to hold back,’ he warned. ‘I’m losing it over your scent, your taste, those little sounds you’re trying to hide…’
‘Don’t even try to hold back. I need you too.’
Wren wiped his mouth and pushed her knees up, tilting her hips so he’d be able to plunge himself deep. He couldn’t stop the soft moan that escaped as he buried his cock inside of her.
Elsie’s insides throbbed with need, and she stifled a cry. He held still for so long she thought she might fall apart. Watching her face so he could see her expression, he pulled back, then smashed back into her. He set a frantic pace, reveling in the aching desperation reflected in Elsie’s eyes.
He could sense it without her having to say a word. She wanted more. Bending down, he wrapped his lips around her nipple, teasing her with his tongue. Her hand covered her mouth again, but the whimpers and moans kept escaping. He grinned to himself. Let the others hear them. They didn’t have a chance in hell of pleasing her the way he could.
Elsie’s whole body trembled. She clung to him, feverishly keeping pace with the gyrations of his hips. No human could ever match his speed, and as the friction built up, she felt herself winding up tight, ready to explode.
‘Wren,’ she cried. She couldn’t hold on any longer. She wanted to succumb, to fall into the depths of satisfaction awaiting her.
‘Let it happen when it happens,’ he said, and even his mental voice came across as a groan. His permission was all she needed.
Elsie’s back arched, and she let out a muffled squeal as her mind hovered in a space of perfect bliss. Their souls intertwined, overpowering and distracting them both from the sensation of their mating bond forever tying them together. Wren’s magic wrapped around her, claiming her entirely.
‘You—’
‘Reaper, you’re my—’
‘Soulmate.’
‘What a gift you are.’
He collapsed on top of her, covering them both with the inside layer of his kimono. They were both breathing hard, and Elsie couldn’t wrap her mind around what had just happened. Wren would forever be hers, not only in this life, but also the next. It made her heart full with happiness, but it also ached. The same hadn’t happened with Saint or Cross.
“I hate to break this up, but if you two are finished, I’m going to be taking our mate now.”
Elsie covered her eyes in embarrassment, then turned her head to see Mouro leaning against the wall, his eyes a blaze of anger. He’d come back far sooner than she’d expected him to.
“Do you think I’ll hand her over to you so easily?” Wren asked softly, and the wolverine gave a fang-filled grin.
“You don’t get to make that choice for her. Elspeth,” he commanded, his voice lowering to a deep purr. “Come with me.”
Elsie was torn. She wanted to make Mouro happy. In fact, she instinctively craved it. But she wanted to stay w
ith Wren. She wasn’t finished clinging to him and soaking up the amazingness of their newly solidified bond. Then she realized, looking at the desire in Mouro’s eyes, that if she could seal her last bond, she’d be whole. She couldn’t think of anything more satisfying. Wren touched on their bond with a sigh.
“Go on. I’ll stay with the hound until you come back.” He kissed her lips and ran a finger down her waist, the most conservative outfit he’d put her in to date folding itself around her.
He stood and wrapped himself up in the bottom layer of his kimono before holding out a hand to help her up. When Elsie stood, he kissed her one more time and held her tight. “Make yourself believe that the difficult days are over, reaper. Manifest it. In the meantime, go have some fun.”
“Manifestation?” Mouro scoffed. “You really believe that crap works?”
Wren glanced over at him, a knowing smile on his face. “I know it does. You should try it sometime.”
“Yeah, right,” the wolverine placated. “You coming, love?”
Elsie gave Wren another squeez before managing to tear herself away from him, turning to the only mate she hadn’t sealed her bond with. Taking his offered hand, she threaded her fingers with his. “Where are we going?”
“Not far,” he said, leading her into the hallway and over to his own room. “I’ll admit I didn’t have you pegged as an exhibitionist. The witch and the hound were in the same room as you. With how heavy the pheromones were in that air, it’s some kind of miracle you didn’t wake them up.”
“How long were you watching us?” Elsie asked, covering her face so he couldn’t see how hot her cheeks were.
“I came in at the end. It took every bit of willpower in my body not to throw that guy through the wall and take you myself,” he growled. “I think it’s for the best that you don’t want to share. I can’t stand to see anyone else touching you, and it doesn’t matter who they are.”
Elsie lowered her eyes, understanding that perfectly. She hadn’t been able to handle letting the embodied spirits he called dolls touch him, either, and there was no way they were a threat to her.
“We’ll keep it that way, then. It wasn’t planned. I certainly never imagined I’d be sealing my mating bond and finding my soulmate in the same room as my other mates. I just missed Wren so much, and I’ve been so fucking emotional lately. I needed the comfort of his touch,” she explained. “I’m sorry, Mouro. I never wanted you to see that.”
“You weren’t kidding when you said life with you would be complicated,” he sighed. “I don’t mind so much when I think that we’ll be spending the rest of our lives together. You’ll come home with me, won’t you? Let me spoil you with everything I have to offer.” He took her hand and gently kissed it.
“You have no idea how good that sounds,” she said. “My life goals include sleeping in until nine and walking around in my pajamas until noon.”
He brushed his thumb across her cheek and chuckled. “It’s yours. You’ll be the Lady of my house, Elspeth. There’s nothing my people will deny you.”
“You don’t have to convince me. I’d come home with you even if you lived in a hole in the ground,” she said, and he laughed.
“Love, I’m a wolverine. I do live in a hole in the ground. Literally.”
Elsie didn’t miss a beat, tangling her fingers in his hair. “I’m sure it’ll be great. I’ll be comfortable anywhere you are.”
“You’re really something else,” he said, bending down to kiss her. He cupped her cheeks and pulled back to look her in the eye.
“Sir, did you steal me away from my lover to have your way with me?” she questioned, arching an eyebrow at him.
“I’m sorry, did I not make that obvious enough? I wanted to take you for my own from the moment we met,” he boasted, and she snorted.
“That’s not how I remember it. There was definitely talk of not being sure if you even wanted a mate, and if you try telling me you were playing hard to get, I’m going to smack you,” she threatened.
“Wanting you and wanting a mate were not reconciled in my head at that point.” He grinned and kissed her again.
“You’ve driven me so crazy that I’ve used my other mates to get over the sexual frustration,” she confessed. “Thankfully, they didn’t mind.”
“You should have come to me. I would have taken care of you,” he growled.
“We couldn’t seal our bond the day we met! What would the neighbors think?” She took on a scandalized voice, but it was broken by a snicker.
“Fuck the neighbors.”
“Do we have to keep doing this? You took me away in the middle of fucking my soulmate. Do you have any idea how wet I am right now? Fuck me, Mouro.”
His lips crashed into hers as he grabbed her ass, picking her up. Elsie wrapped her legs around his waist. He walked over to his dresser and set her down, grinding his hips against hers, pausing to pull her shorts and panties down. He wasn’t wasting any time.
“Gods yes,” Elsie breathed, pressing her body against his. She’d wanted this. He yanked his pants down, leaving them around his ankles, and groaned when she sank her teeth into his throat.
Pulling her forward, he buried his cock in her cunt. She hadn’t lied; she was already dripping for him. Elsie wrapped her arms around his shoulders and locked her ankles around his ass. She didn’t let him set the pace. She used her legs to pull him in faster and harder, needing him so badly it hurt.
He drove into her, his breath heady and hot in her ear. He grabbed a handful of her ass in each of his palms, sliding her further onto his dick as he fucked her. They smashed into each other frantically, and when Elsie grabbed his hair to bring his mouth to hers, he bit down on her lip hard enough to draw a bead of blood. The sting brought her to new heights, and she held on even tighter.
Mouro’s tongue darted out, licking up the blood before kissing her deeply, soliciting gasps from his lover. Elsie dragged her nails down his back as she desperately tried to get even closer to him. The ache built fast, and neither of them had time to think about anything other than chasing their orgasms.
Their kisses were aggressively greedy, the rolling and grinding of their hips holding an indescribable urgency. Elsie’s insides were wound so tightly she felt like she was going to explode if she didn’t reach her release soon, and he was on the same page.
“Come with me,” Mouro groaned between gasps for breath. He plunged into her one more time, and her pussy clenched around him, massaging his cock with spasms of pleasure. He spilled inside of her as she overflowed with sticky wetness. A whirlwind of magic swirled around them, binding them together with an even more explosive orgasm. Elsie cried out at the same time Mouro did, and they rode it together, clinging to one another.
She broke out in a smile, kissing her newest bonded mate again and again. She’d never in her life felt so whole. All four of her mates were hers and nothing could take them away from her. The bonds were solid and strong, with only one man’s emotions missing from her head. Elsie stroked the short hairs on the back of Mouro’s neck, burying her face in his throat. She could spend the rest of her days like this.
Chapter 49
Days later, Elsie lay on the bed with Saint, stroking his fur. It was exactly where she’d spent most of the past week. True to his word, Mouro had tried fastening Saint’s soul more securely to his mind, but there wasn’t enough of him present for the necromancer to grab hold of. There was nothing more he could do.
Aside from that fucking chip in his head, there was no longer anything physically wrong with Saint. He could wake up at any time; the problem was, he just wouldn’t, and with each passing day she grew more desolate.
“Come back to me,” she whispered, resting her head on his side and wiping at her tears before they could fall.
Wren was constantly coming in and out, checking in on her and Saint and bringing new things to try waking him up. The latest attempt had been burning sage with an incantation to draw him out of his own mind.
Elsie lost hope with every failure.
Cross joined them, rubbing her back and kissing her shoulder, in an effort to console her. “He won’t let you down. We didn’t spend much time together, but his love and adoration for you was undeniable.”
She wanted to snap back that she knew very well that Saint loved her. She knew he wouldn’t do something like this without reason. It was getting harder and harder to listen to her mates try to give her a sense of finality, like they knew this was all going to end soon and everything would be fine. There was no way any one of them could say that for certain.
Instead of snapping, she gave him the closest thing she had to a smile. “I know. He’ll wake up, and we can all start living again.”
“I think he’d probably want you to be living right now.”
“Have you seen Mouro around? I haven’t seen him all day.” She changed the subject, and Cross’ hand stilled on her back.
“He took Frost out hunting this morning, said they’ll be back later today.”
“That explains it,” she muttered. Cross offered her condolences and affection, Wren offered her new attempts to help, and Mouro offered her solace. Not once did he attempt to curb her sadness by giving her false platitudes. His no-nonsense approach to life made him the easiest to be around right now.
“I’m going to take a nap. Will you wake me when it’s time for lunch?” She’d been doing that a lot, napping to pass the time. It was a great way to avoid conversations about what steps they should take next.
“Yeah.” Cross sat up. “I can do that.”
The door opened, and Mouro burst in, a hurried expression on his face. “I need you to come with me, right now.”
“What? Why?” Elsie asked.
“She’s not in the mood to play around with you. She was just about to take a nap,” Cross intervened.
“Get your ass up! This is important,” Mouro answered. “Some of the demons who infiltrated the hunter base brought back some souvenirs that they’ve been keeping outside of town for their protection. They have a team of doctors, and they’re taking the chips out of demons’ heads. It’s our chance to get the chip out of your hound. I was planning to tell you when we got back from hunting, but that wolf of yours pinned one of them to the ground. He kept throwing your image into my head. He wants you there right now.”