Chapter 16 #2
Now I understand the gravity of the situation. I’m a rolling stone and we both know it, but now, if we mate and it takes, I’ll hurt him. That’s a lot of responsibility. Atlas is a good man, and I don’t want to hurt him, but I also can’t imagine being domesticated.
The tug-of-war between potentially ruining him and possibly getting my power back is rough.
Is there a way we could make it work? I certainly didn’t think I’d ever be fated to someone, but if the ritual works, that means I am.
And if fate chose me for Atlas, well, that means something.
I should at least be open to what the future could look like, and having sex with the massive gargoyle isn’t exactly a hardship.
“I hear what you’re telling me.” I stroke his cheek. “It’s a major commitment, and I don’t take it lightly, so I promise you this: if the ritual works and we actually bond, then it means we’re fated mates, right?”
“Correct.”
“And if that’s the case, then I promise you I’ll do everything I can to avoid hurting you. I don’t know what our future will look like, but I can tell you I won’t just leave you when this is over.”
Atlas searches my eyes for a moment as his turn glassy. Shoot, this is a big deal for him. I’m not being too selfish though. I need my magic back to save us both. His life depends on it too.
“Okay, Rune. Let’s see what happens.”
I throw my arms around his shoulders and kiss him hard.
I can feel his cock swelling beneath me, pressing into my ass.
At least I know the attraction between us is real.
Reaching between us, I tug on the button of his jeans.
I’m gonna ride myself into oblivion, and gods willing, mate myself to this sweet, handsome man. There are worse fates to be had.
As we kiss, my tattoos flicker with dim energy, renewing my hope that the bonding will work and I’ll be able to harness my powers again.
Rubbing against him, I murmur a little spell I made for such occasions, hoping I have enough juice to power it.
When I feel the telltale wetness forming around my hole, I smile. It worked.
Suddenly, Elvira’s clomping footsteps break the mood, and Atlas disappears right from under me, leaving me horny and confused.
My cell door swings open, but it’s not Elvira. It’s a man dressed in all black as well. He stares at me with dead eyes, before narrowing his gaze and surveying the room.
“Can I help you?” I ask.
His attention shifts back to me, his gaze focusing on the barely flickering tattoos on my skin. He’s not at all like Elvira. He’s big and intimidating, with white hair, dark skin, and cloudy gray eyes. Definitely dead. How powerful is a reanimated being?
“You are alone,” he says with a flat affect.
“Of course I’m alone. How could I not be?”
“There is energy here. Where does it come from?”
I shrug, really hoping this thing can’t detect Atlas. “I am a rather powerful mage. I suppose some of it is residual.” I stand up and take a step forward. The man doesn’t move. “Maybe the magic holding me back won’t last forever. You can tell my captor that.”
“Captor?” the man repeats.
“The person who has me locked in here.”
“Mistress.”
I seize the opportunity to see if I can get any helpful info out of him. “Mistress who?”
The man focuses on me even though it looks like he can’t see anything. “Just Mistress.”
He turns to walk away, but I grab his arm. He looks down at the offending hand, and I wisely remove it. He might not be a magic user, but that doesn’t mean he can’t rip my arm out of its socket.
“What happened to the other guard?” I ask.
“Errand.” He clomps back to the door. “We are watching you.”
Then he’s gone. I exhale with relief and glance back in time to see Atlas reappear.
“That dude was creepy,” Atlas says.
“To say the least. I think we’re running out of time. I only had a flutter of magic and they felt it. We have to make this happen and hope that it works and I get all my power back.”
Atlas nods. “Okay.”
I climb back onto his lap, ready to get him naked, but the niggle of guilt in the back of my mind is killing the vibe. I better come clean.
“One last thing.”
“Mm-hmm,” he murmurs, kissing the edge of my jaw.
“I’ll have to borrow some of your energy.”
He stops kissing me. “What does that mean?”
“That’s how it works. Energy transfer. It’s temporary, but you might feel a little… weak while I harness my power.”
“Weak?”
“Tired, heavy, things like that.”
He nods. “If I’m depleted, I’ll turn to stone, and I might not have enough energy to shift back.”
Shit. I scrunch my nose. “If that happens, what can I do to help you?”
He rubs his forehead, his brows pulled in and mouth pressed into a tight line. “There are spells, but I’m not a magic user, I don’t know them.”
“Okay, so we just have to be careful and not drain you too much. Is that right?”
“Yes. I can usually tell when it’s going to happen.”
“Make sure you communicate, then.”
“I will.”
With my hands planted on his shoulders, I hold his gaze and smile. “Are you ready for this, Atlas?”
“Are you? This could change our lives.”
I nod as determination spreads through me. I really don’t see what choice we have.
“I’m ready.”