“Really?” She looked up at the blue sky and then at his wings.
“It would be a long walk to get to our destination, but we can get there in less than an hour by flight.”
He turned and went down on one knee in front of her, looking over his shoulder at her expectantly.
“Are you sure you can carry me that far?”
He rolled his eyes with a smile. “You’re my mate. I wouldn’t risk your safety if I didn’t know for a fact that it will be no burden to carry you.”
She climbed onto his back. He hooked her knees with his arms as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He asked if she was ready, and she said that she was, nerves skating through her as his wings flapped, and they lifted off the ground. The air rushed around them, and she glanced down then closed her eyes with a shaky breath, leaning her head against his shoulder.
He squeezed her legs with his arms. “You okay, chelle?”
She opened her eyes and looked out at the blue sky. She felt the muscles in his back working as his wings moved. She exhaled slowly and felt her body relax against him. She trusted him more than she’d ever trusted anyone.
Kissing the back of his neck, she said, “I’m great.”
While they flew, he told her about the glens, which were the fae-realms’ version of cities. It surprised her to learn how similar the glens were to her realms’ cities, separated by class, which for fae was attributed to their power. There were blue-collar powers and white-collar powers, ruling class and working class.
“What are warriors?” she asked, watching the homes pass by below them as they soared through the air.
“Upper class, but not elite. The elite are the ruling class. The upper class includes warriors and fae with powers like my friend Riyad who controls plant life, and his brother, Merik, who can control water.”
“They’re brothers but don’t have the same powers?”
“Riyad takes after his mother, and Merik after his father. My mom can control fire, which is a noble power.”
“Noble?”
He paused for a moment and said, “Respected, I guess is the term to use. There are powers that are necessary but not respected, workers that use their hands along with their powers. Such as lockinfae, like the fairy female in your pack. Her ability to manipulate metals is not considered a noble power.”
“I don’t understand why one power is better than another. I think any kind of power is pretty cool.”
“I guess when everyone has powers, it’s natural to segregate according to those powers. Elemental powers – air, earth, fire, water – are noble and respected powers. Other powers are non-noble and those who wield them are considered lower class.”
“So the popular kids in your school were the ones like you who could control the elements?”
“Pretty much.”
“And your mom wants you to mate with a female fairy that can also control an element.”
He snorted in annoyance. “Yes. But that doesn’t matter. In time she’ll accept our mating, especially when she gets to know you and sees how wonderful you are and how right we are for each other.”
She appreciated his vote of confidence, but she wasn’t so sure. His mom sounded like she wouldn’t be accepting of anyone other than a noble fae female as a mate for her son.
“Hey,” Crimson said, squeezing one knee as he began to take them lower in the sky, “don’t get down on yourself, Lindy. You’re beautiful and sweet and kind. And you’re mine, and that’s all that matters to me.”
“It’s all that matters to me, too.”
A mountain range stretched beneath them, and Crimson flew in lazy circles, bringing them lower and lower. She saw caves interspersed along the face of the mountain and was surprised when Crimson landed on a ledge in front of one cavern. He spoke a few words she didn’t know, and the air in front of the entrance to the cave seemed to shimmer then clear. She recognized it as a protection spell like the one he used around his home.
He went to one knee, and she climbed off, turning to look back at the glens they had passed over on their way to the mountains. Crimson dropped his pack to the ground and moved behind her, putting his arms around her. He explained that the mountains were known as Hades Ridge.
Underneath their feet, a small trail was carved into the rock and headed down the mountainside. She didn’t know how far up they were, but she was fairly sure that a fall from this height would ruin her day. Woods and grassy fields spread out in front of them, and the glen that Crimson said was called the Winnower Glen was visible.
He scooped her up in his arms, snagged the bag from the ground, and carried her inside the cavern. Once inside, he straightened and spoke a spell, and the entrance of the cave shimmered again then cleared. He had told her back at his home that no one could get through the protection spell, not even animals or birds. They could leave while the protection spell was up, but although Crimson could enter without removing the spell, she couldn’t. She thought the protection spell seemed like the best security system ever, but Crimson told her it required power to call the spell, and it would be impossible for even the most powerful fae to keep the protection spell up forever.
He kissed her, and when the kiss broke, she was aware of flickering light around them. Looking over her shoulder, she gasped in shock at the cavern. The walls of the cave were smooth stone, and the high ceiling had what appeared to be vents in it. Along the dark walls were torches she knew Crimson had lit. In the center of the room was a pile of colorful, glowing stones that flickered as if flames were captured inside.
She could see what looked like green carpet in front of a giant steaming pool against one wall. Crimson carried her across the stone floor to an enormous canopy bed that appeared to be made out of woven branches. He sat her down on the end of the bed, bent, and placed a kiss on her forehead. Wordlessly, he left her and carried the bag to a corner where he pulled another, larger bag out and began to rummage inside. She leaned back on her elbows and looked up at the woven canopy above her. Delicate pink flowers on a narrow green vine wove through the interlaced branches. They smelled sweet and looked amazing, like little pink stars in a green sky.
Crimson appeared in front of her with two wooden cups. He sat next to her, and they turned to face each other as he handed her one cup. She sniffed at the dark liquid inside the cup and thought it smelled faintly like peach wine she’d had once.
“Centuries ago,” he said as he looked down at the cup, “a warrior fae would see a female that he wanted to mate with, and he would capture her and bring her up to a cavern. He would pleasure her until she agreed to mate with him, and then he would take her home, and they would join in front of their family and friends.” He lifted his eyes and smiled at her. “I know I don’t have to kidnap you, Lindy, because you know that you’re mine and I’m yours, but I want to do everything the way that my ancestors did. One of the things they did with their intended was share a drink of nasale, a wine made of goju berries and citri flowers. It’s said to encourage a long and happy mating.”
He touched their cups together and said, “To us. I’m so glad you’re my mate.”
She said, “I’m so glad you’re mine, too.”
Lifting the cup to her lips, she drank the sweet liquid, relishing the knowledge that she and Crimson would be mated by morning and that nothing would keep them apart.
With their cups drained, Crimson took them and set them on the floor and then cupped her face with his warm hands. He pressed his lips to hers, just once, and pulled away slightly.
“Say you’re mine,” he growled lightly, and she answered, “Always,” before he crashed against her mouth with a throaty growl and wrapped his arms around her. His tongue slid against hers. The taste of the wine and the heady, masculine flavor of him filled her. Her hands gripped his shoulders as he slid his tongue against hers in a dance that so closely mimicked sex she felt as if she was on the verge of coming from that alone. His lips moved sensually, softly, a counterpoint to the
aggressive thrust of his tongue, driving her wild.
He left her mouth, and she gasped for air as he tipped her face up, nipping at her chin and throat. Her fingers slipped down the front of his chest, her thumbs rubbing his nipples before tracing the ridges of his abdomen. Peeling her top off, he cupped her breasts and lifted them, nuzzling his lips against the lace-covered mounds.
With some effort, she abandoned her exploration of his body and undid her bra. He tugged it off, and she stretched out on her back, lifting her arms and beckoning him forward. He stretched out on his side next to her and kissed her as his hand touched her breasts, stroking and teasing her nipples. Her hands fisted in his hair as he left her mouth and plumped her breast, sucking her nipple deeply into his mouth. Her back arched as pleasure shot through her. He sucked and licked her nipples, alternating between them until they were tight, hot peaks and her body was humming with pleasure.
The button of her shorts opened, and the zipper slipped down as Crimson moved down the bed, tugging her shorts and panties down her hips. After discarding her shoes and socks, he stripped her completely then divested himself of his own clothes before kneeling between her legs. He pushed her thighs apart and gazed down at her pussy. She lay before him, stripped bare both physically and emotionally, and felt herself fall in love with him a little bit more. He leaned forward and inhaled over her pussy. A possessive growl trickled from his throat. He gazed up at her, his eyes bleeding from green to red. “Mine.”
It had never felt so right to be claimed. “Yours.”
He licked his lips and seemed to wrestle with his control for a moment. His eyes bled back to green, but his voice retained a harsh edge. “Once I taste you, chelle, I’m not going to stop until you’re wearing my marks on your neck and my come has filled your sweet pussy. I want you forever, and I won’t take anything less.”
She cast the last of her worries away and nodded. “I’m yours forever, Crimson, and I want you to be mine, too.”
“I was yours the moment I picked you up into my arms in your realm, Lindy. Heart, soul, life. Everything I am or ever will be is yours.”
He stared at her for a heartbeat longer and then stroked the flat of his tongue across her clit. Pleasure trembled through her at the simple movement. He licked her again, his tongue twirling around her clit with slow, deliberate movements. Then he cupped her bottom and lifted her lower body off the bed. He tilted his head to the side and speared her pussy with his tongue, growling as he stroked inside her. The growls made his tongue vibrate, and she gasped as he licked her deeply, his tongue stroking and vibrating with his hungry growls. He circled the entrance of her pussy and then flicked his tongue rapidly over her clit. Her legs trembled, and her stomach clenched as she gripped the blanket underneath her.
He sucked her clit into his mouth, his lips closing around the sensitive bud as his tongue swirled around it, and she reached for him, fisting his hair and pulling him hard to her body. Heat filled her, and she cried out his name as she came, grinding her pussy against his mouth as he left her clit and fucked her with his tongue, lapping at her cream like a contented cat.
He growled as he laid her body gently on the mattress. His fingers slipped over her hips, and he seemed to be wrestling with something. She looked down the length of her body and saw his cock twitching. His body was tense, and his muscles were tight and straining.
“Crimson?” she whispered.
“Want to,” his voice was low and laced with need, “face you but need to take you.”
It took only a second for her to figure out the meaning of his growled words. His beast wanted to dominate her, but his fae side wanted to make love to her, face to face. She wiggled out of his hold and rolled onto her stomach. She went to her knees and spread her legs apart. She gathered her hair to one side to bare her neck to him, and it was all the invitation he needed. He covered her body with his, his hard cock thrusting into her as he held her with one arm banded around her waist. His other hand was planted next to hers, his fingers digging into the blanket as he pulled out of her and shoved back in. He held her so tight she couldn’t move, taking her hard and fast.
Her body soared with pleasure that coiled tighter and tighter inside her. She moaned and tried to move, but he snarled and bit down on the place where her neck and shoulder met. Sharp fangs pierced her skin, and she gasped as the pain faded to a warm throb. He gripped her tighter around the waist, angling her hips up farther until she cried out as his cock hit a place deep inside her. She gasped out halting breaths as he pounded into her, rubbing that spot over and over as he growled into her shoulder. Swamped with pleasure, overwhelmed with sensation, she gave herself up to him.
Her orgasm flashed through her like lightning, branding her body and soul. He came, lifting his mouth from her shoulder, his howl splitting the silence of the cavern as his cock spasmed deep inside her. Her pussy locked down on his cock as the pleasure flowed over her like a waterfall, warming her from head to toe.
“Crimson, Crimson,” she moaned his name as he held her tight.
“Lindy,” he groaned and eased his body from hers. The pull of his cock from her sensitive pussy made her shiver, and he settled on his side and pulled her into his arms. His tongue stroked over the mark he’d made on her shoulder.
Possessive feelings stole over her, and she twisted in his arms and flattened him on his back, caging him with her arms. She knew he could easily best her; he was stronger than her and gifted with fae abilities as well as his supernatural shifter genes. That he willingly let her dominate him now erased some of the inadequacy she’d felt since she’d met him. He really was her mate, because only a male who was mated to a female would allow himself to be taken to his back and marked.
Her fangs elongated at the thought of marking him, and his eyes, which were still red, sought hers for a moment before he bared his neck to her. She growled his name and sank her fangs into the side of his neck. Her pack normally marked on the back of the neck over the spine, but she and her wolf both wanted his marks to be visible to everyone at all times. The sweet tang of his blood crested her tongue as his arms wrapped around her and held her close.
“Yes,” he hissed, molding her body to his, one hand moving into her hair and holding her head in place.
Releasing the hold on his neck, she licked the edges of her fangs before they receded into her mouth. She stroked her tongue over the marks.
Their eyes met once more and they both spoke at the same time. “Mine.”
Chapter 14
Lindy snuggled close to him, and his wolf howled in triumph at the slight pain in his neck from where her delicate fangs had pierced him. The marks were healing, scarring over so that they would remain for the rest of his life as proof that he and Lindy were mated. He had loved sinking his fangs into her neck, too, and judging by the way her pussy had spasmed in climax again, he knew that she enjoyed it, too.
He was falling in love with her. All the years of wondering where he fit in, and it turned out he fit perfectly with this wolf shifter from the mortal realm.
After their hearts stopped pounding, he picked her up and carried her over to the hot spring. He put her down on the grass, and she wiggled her toes saying, “I thought it was carpet!”
“Riyad helped me prepare the cave for you. I wanted this to be as comfortable as I could make it.”
“It’s all so beautiful.”
Yes, she was.
He retrieved two towels and a bottle of bathing oil from one of the packs and placed them at the edge of the pool. He stepped down onto the first step. The almost-too-hot water covered his feet. He reached for her hands, and she followed willingly as he moved down each step, pausing for long moments as their bodies adjusted to the temperature of the water. When they had both dunked under the water, he led her to a depression carved into the pool where she could recline against the side.
Using the bathing oil, he massaged the sweet-smelling liquid into her skin, one of the rituals from his ancestors. A
s he lifted one leg out of the water, he planted her foot on his chest and massaged her calf, explaining that fae males used scent in their bonding rituals. He had chosen honeysuckle oil because he knew she liked the aroma of the soap in his home, and he found that it reminded him of her naturally sweet scent. If a female was particularly disagreeable to mating, a male might use flowers that promoted relaxation.
She cocked a brow at him. “Your ancestors used flowers to drug women into mating with them?”
He chuckled and massaged her foot. “That’s one way of looking at it. A male would never take a female against her will. He might kidnap her and keep her in seclusion, but he would have been certain that she was meant for him before he began his seduction.” Returning her foot to the water, he lifted her other foot. “How am I doing so far?”
“I’m thoroughly seduced.” Her eyelids fluttered shut as he worked on her leg, and he grinned. Nothing about casting the truemate spell had gone the way he thought it would, but he couldn’t be happier.
“Do all fae cast the truemate spells?”
“No. Normally, if a fae hasn’t found his mate by the time he or she reaches twenty-five, they’ll cast the truemate spell. It’s considered strange for a male or female not to cast the spell in their twenty-fifth year.”
“So you not doing it was weird?”
He nodded. “Because I had no plans to cast the spell, my mom sent females to me, hoping one of them would end up being my mate. A fae mother can choose her son’s mate if she feels he’s neglecting his duty to mate and bear young.”
“Like an arranged marriage?”
“Something like that. But she didn’t ask me what I wanted, or she would have known that I wanted the female meant to belong to me and my wolf.”
She hummed in her throat. “I think in the old days, wolves traveled a lot more, looking for their truemates. But now, wolves will settle down with someone they love regardless of whether that person is their truemate or not.”
The Wolf's Mate Book 7: Lindy & The Wulfen Page 12