I want to fall to my knees and yell out my agony and frustration and pain. I seriously contemplate doing it but something grabs me from behind, turns me to face them, and with speed so fast it could only be one of those, backs me into a tree.
My speeding heart stutters and thumps pitifully when I see that it's Shadow in all of his glory.
And man. what. glory.
Relief washes through me when I notice his huge, beautiful wings arcing over his shoulders and out all around us, but also confusion because I thought they severed them.
His wounds from the arrows are completely healed now, nothing more than a pink scar, and I know it's because of my blood.
"I-" I try to speak but his head angles down and turns slightly before his lips silence me mid sentence.
His lips devour mine and he licks the crease between my lips. I gasp and he swallows the sound. His tongue invades my mouth and all thought leaves my mind. I certainly don't remember his kisses being so passionate. So wonderful and exotic and forceful.
We plunder each others mouths, putting every ounce of angst and hurt and need that we have felt since we have been apart into it.
He breaks the kiss and we both breathe heavily, staring at each other with so many unspoken words.
But the air crackles with positive energy this time. With hope and excitement. With undeniable chemistry.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Bayla," he breathes. His lips almost touch mine and it causes me to tingle all over. He cups my face in his hands more gently than I thought him capable and his thumb rubs over my lips. "You are right, I'm an idiot."
I frown, confused, about to tell him that I never called him an idiot.
"I know, you didn't say it but I am telling you. I. am. an. idiot. A big one. When you walked through my cell door in the dungeon, I should have ran to you, wrapped you in my arms, and kissed you. I should have kissed you like I meant it, showed you how much I never stopped loving you. I thought of you every waking moment. You kept me alive, Bayla. You're my everything! And I know I don't deserve you, especially after how big of a moron and a jerk I have been to you. But, if you will have me, I will love you like no one has or ever will love anyone else again, from this moment on."
Wow. There is such a ragged plea in his tone, it causes me to tremble all the way down to my core.
I stare into his eyes hoping to reach him to his soul like he can do me when he searches my eyes.
His eyes fill with red liquid and a blood red tear streams down one cheek.
He cries blood, I think to myself, absolutely loving that for some reason. I am so fascinated by him.
"Yes, I will have you, Shadow. I need you, like the air I breathe. There has f been anyone else for me."
He kisses me again, so hard that it bumps my head against the tree. He smiles sheepishly when I grunt.
"Sorry."
I smile. "I will forgive you if you kiss me like that more often."
"Mmm, my pleasure." Literally.
He pulls my face back to his and with a moan he continues his expert assault of my mouth.
He tastes and feels so much better than I ever imagined he would after all of this time. His body presses tightly into mine to try to become as close as possible.
He feels like home to me; I am made for him and he fits against me like a puzzle piece.
Breathing heavily, he pulls back and has a serious expression on his face, with half lidded eyes. His hands move to my shoulders and I am oh so aware of everywhere they touch me.
"Mate with me, Alexia. Be mine and only mine, forever."
Yes, I thought you would never ask! I think, trying not to direct that thought towards him for him to hear.
But I gather my wits and try not to sound overly anxious.
Instead, something else comes out of my mouth though. "Now?"
My heart thumps wildly in my chest and all of my pressure points. His eyes tick to my neck.
"Yes, now. I don't want to wait another minute. I belong with you."
"Wh-what about Jezebel?"
He scoffs. "What about her, baby? I will raise the child as my own, but I will never love her. It's you for me or no one at all."
I run my hands up his tattooed arms over his shoulders then down to his chest. I lightly touch the silver hoops in his nipples. I can't see much of anything in the darkness but I know he can. Plus, this teases my senses on a whole new, delightful level to just feel him.
"I want nothing more than to be yours, Shadow," I inhale shakily and release it just the same. "Make me yours…"
His eyes close briefly and relief is etched on his face. His arms rub mine down to my hands and my hairs stand on end after his caress. When his hands grab mine, he lifts one to his lips and kisses it so very softly.
"Don't be nervous," he whispers. "I will only focus on making it good for you."
Heat rushes up to my neck and face. I swallow thickly at the thought that put in my mind. "I'm not nervous…I'm just anxious and excited."
His hands skim softly up my stomach then around to my back over my back where my wings lie trembling underneath. He pulls the boy's shirt over my head and unclasps my bra with one hand. His expertise with this turns my thoughts unbidden to how he got so good at it, compared to how Gabriel struggled with it so long ago.
I push these thoughts away, desperate not to ruin this for us.
He is still not wearing a shirt but I clumsily try to unbutton his ratty, tattered and torn pants.
When we have our clothes off, we stand facing each other. I feel his silky, warm and muscular skin while he peruses my naked body with his red night vision.
This seems entirely unfair.
When his eyes are finished devouring me, he speaks in a gruff voice filled with desire. "You have the most beautiful body I have ever seen. Perfect for me."
Yeah right. I am far from perfect. My breasts have never been quite full enough and my tummy has always been a little too round right above my pants.
"Thanks," I say instead of arguing.
He leans down and kisses me again, softly this time. His tongue massages mine passionately making me moan and he swallows the sound. Kissing him seems to get better and better each time.
My tongue darts along his lower lip again and I pull back just enough to kiss the little silver studs that he has below his lips.
He inhales raggedly and then groans.
Heat pools in my face and other parts of my body, hearing his voice so ragged with need.
I yank his head back to mine and our lips meet, this time furious with need, like our lives depend on it. I want him so bad that I don't care that we are out here in the dark, cold woods.
His breath is just as fast as mine as he cups my bottom, pulling me tighter against his fully ready body.
My back starts tingling and twitching and in my state I can't decide if I should let my wings out or hold them back.
Shadow can read my body so well that he knows this is happening and picks me up by my bottom with my legs wrapped around him, and moves me away from the tree.
"Release them, Bayla."
I stop fighting to hold them back and in a burst of pure pleasure my white wings unfold freely.
He lays me on the soft moss on the forest floor and uses one of his thighs to move my legs apart.
My body responds instantly everywhere he touches me and I can't believe how different this is than when I was with Gabriel. I melt everywhere he touches me.
My hands travel frantically down his body as he covers mine with his. His wings brush my skin lightly as they enclose us away from the seeing eyes of any forest dwellers.
Groaning, I grab onto his throbbing body and he hisses in a breath through his elongated fangs. Suddenly his cedar and spice smell engulfs my senses and I can't fathom how much I missed the familiar, calming scent of him.
"You're going to have to drink from me, as I drink from you. We also have to have our mind-link open. We have to do all of this…simultaneously," he p
ants as I work him, "in order to complete the mate bond."
"Yes, okay," I say breathily and eagerly.
"Gods, Alexia, you're going to have to stop doing that if you want this to be any good at all."
His fingers find my most private area to see if I am ready, and I sigh in ecstasy, biting my lip to keep from moaning loudly.
I stop my ministrations and grab hold of his shoulder, ready for it, ready for it all. All of him.
He holds himself above me with one arm while he makes a gouge in his other wrist with his fangs.
He sticks it to my mouth, watching me intently and I close my eyes and open my mouth. With one hesitant lick, I taste his lifeblood.
It's like nothing I could have imagined in my entire existence. It's ecstasy laced with heaven. So good. Sweet nectar that from here on out I can not do without. I latch on and swallow it down greedily as if I was born a demon. It soothes my throat and sets my body on fire from the inside out with pleasure and sparks.
I distantly feel the puncture of his fangs in my neck and his silky tongue lapping the blood from my pulsating vein into his mouth.
Ah yes, so this is heaven.
Yes, my love, this is my heaven, he replies inside my mind.
His fingers are still working inside my most sensitive flesh and my body is building towards a crescendo of something extremely wonderful.
I want you to be inside my mind as I make love to you, Alexia. I want you to know how good you make me feel, and I will be in your mind, knowing how I am making you feel. Are you ready for me? Even in my head, his voice has an edge to it as if he is straining to hold back.
His fingers leave me. "Yes, I'm so ready..."
He slowly lowers himself to me and I'm smiling. When he penetrates me slowly, my smile falters and my eyelids flutter.
The feel of him inside of me is the most fulfilling, pleasurable thing I have ever experienced. He rocks against me and I'm inside of his mind, feeling how good it feels to him, which in turn makes it feel even better for me.
My pleasure is building to an almost intolerable feeling as he rocks into me at different angles, learning from my mind and body what feels the best.
We pant against each other and the intensity is heating up to a whole new level. His thrusts become faster and less rhythmic and I become uncharacteristically unrestrained as I buck against him and match his pace.
His wings start beating fiercely but I am hardly able to focus on them. Seconds more and I feel my back leaving the soft moss as his wings lift us off of the ground.
Shadow doesn't seem to be doing it on purpose but I wrap my legs and arms tighter around him to avoid any separation falling away from him would cause.
Mmm baby, you're lifting us.
Hm? He breaks away from my lips and spares a glance around us. Oh sorry.
With a different direction of his wingspan he straightens us to vertical and I join his wings so that we flap in sync.
It's alright, I actually like this better. I smile and his lips end up kissing my teeth. It's kind of sweet and then he smiles too.
His smile falls into a look of pure ecstasy when I slide back onto him and we are up high in the air, wings beating together, joined in every way that we can be. For the first time in my life I feel whole.
And all it took was him, my other half.
Now we are one in every way.
"Gods," he pants and his body trembles all over.
He moans just as hard and as much as I do and suddenly I feel the point of no return approaching and I know he is there too.
He unlatches from my neck, his breath stops and his movements cease and his body becomes as taught as a bowstring. He starts to groan but the sound is lost in the cry I yell as I release his bloody wrist.
I grab his head tightly and clutch it to me as I shudder in delight. My toes curl and I smile, breathing hard and gasping for air.
"I love you," I say at the same time as he mind links the same exact words.
I love you.
He brushes my hair with his hand, looking lovingly into my eyes as I stare into his red ones.
We both glance around at the beautiful night sky all around us. He looks up into the heavens and I join him, marveling at all of the shiny stars.
Before I know it, he scoops me up into his arms and we glide back down to the soft mossy spot. He settles me back into him, between his legs as he rests his weight back on his arms.
His wings wrap around us both, mine fitting inside the huge span of his, to keep me warm despite his back being exposed to the chilly winds.
He kisses my cheek and hums a song that sounds haunting and lovely both at the same time.
I never imagined that he would have a voice like an angel and it shocks me to my core.
For the moment everything is perfect in my world, I am exactly where I want to be, and have wanted to be since the first time that I saw his hauntingly beautiful face.
Right here in his arms, where I now belong. Forever.
Chapter Eleven
The first thing I notice is the bright light behind my closed eyelids. I open my eyes and see that it's now sometime in the morning because the sun is up. Directly in front of me about three feet away is the fire pit, fire excluded. It must have died down sometime not long ago because there are a few embers embedded in the soot.
I'm laying on something soft, yet firm and my cheek is seriously squished. I lift my head from Shadow's chest and my cheek sticks to his skin. I make a series of ugly expressions no doubt, trying to stretch my cheek out.
I scan my still sleeping friends around the fire to find bodies and feet tangled to one side of me and Wraith's loud snore. Kaia and Wraith. Oh, Kaia and Wraith. I shake my head, not sure what I think about those two love birds.
I lift my head to look down my feet and find Jezebel curled up like a rollie-pollie, hands palm to palm under her ear, mouth agape and drool pooling out of it onto the dirt.
That's attractive, I think.
Not as attractive as the cute little noises that you make when you're sleeping.
I purse my lips and shut my eyes for a long second before looking up and pinning Shadow with a mock glare.
And he smirks and wiggles his eyebrows!
I shake my head at him with a smile on my face. I am just so happy I can't even put on a fake attitude.
I glance back at Jezebel to finish my scrutiny when a hand extends over her hip from behind her and rubs her tenderly.
What the heck?! "Shadow!"
Shadow, having heard my thoughts before I screamed his name, was over there before I had his name out of my mouth, jerking that hand up and throwing its owner with it.
Next thing I see is Gabriel soaring towards the nearest tree, end over end.
"Oops," Shadow grumbles with his sexy, sleep filled voice. "My bad!" he yells towards Gabe while pretending to stretch out his arms and yawn.
Poor Gabe lands back to the tree and his head whiplashes backward into the thick trunk.
He shakes his head, rubbing the back of it and I glance to his raised bicep.
Hmm, were his biceps that large before I left? I certainly don't remember noticing them then.
Shadow turns his head and delivers a squinty-eyed-stare that makes heat rush to my cheeks along with embarrassment.
You like those baby? He asks.
I stand up, stretching and open my mouth to respond that, yes, yes I do, but I think better of it when he stands face to face with me a second later, holding my hand onto his flexed, bulging bicep.
I clear my throat. "Not when you put it like that," I smile sheepishly.
"That's what I thought. Now, no more dirty thoughts," he commands and whizzes over the tree next to Gabe faster than my eyes can track.
Still smiling like a moron as I watch Shadow with Gabe off in the distance, I notice the silence coming from my friends. I turn around and notice that Jezebel, Wraith, and Kaia are all staring at me with their mouths wide open.
"Wha
t?" I say innocently, earning head shakes before everyone's attention is back on Shadow and Gabe heading towards us.
Kaia scratches her head. "Nothing, I just didn't know that you two could mind-link Alexia…how?"
"Oh, noticed that did you?" I say, glancing back towards my other half.
Gabe looks pissed as hell. Shadow has that endearing smirk plastered on his face.
We all walk to meet them halfway and I debate explaining the whole long, crazy, complex story to Kaia right then and there.
But just as I start to speak Gabe glares at me and it distracts me.
What did I do now?
Same crap different day, angel. He wants you. You want me. It's a vicious circle.
My eyes meet Shadows and that warm, happy feeling I get when I look at him threatens to make my lips tip up at the edges again, but I know now is not the time so I fight it, hard.
He winks at me and I quickly loose that fight, magnificently.
"Not to interrupt your silent little conversation Alexia," Kaia starts, "but…what the…?"
Now I look at her questioningly. She reaches for my hair and I think that she is going to put a stray piece back into my messy bun (I always sleep with my hair up, in a messy ball) but instead she grabs my shoulders (rather roughly) and forces me to twist around so that my back is to her and everyone else.
Gasps and surprised startles abound.
I look to my right at Shadow, my eyebrows drawn. "What?"
He has a very shocked expression on his face, eyes kind of wide and it distracts me for a moment as I notice how bright red they are even in the light of day.
"What the hell is that?" Gabe's irritated voice demands, rather loudly if I might add.
I turn back towards everyone's shocked faces and feel frantically all over my head and the back of my neck for something.
"What? What is it?!"
"I don't know, it, it looks like a tattoo or a mark or something, but it wasn't there before," Kaia stammers.
"You morons!" Jezebel sneers. "It's the mark of a demon!"
My Immortal Page 10