Chapter 19
Karrick
I’m not sure how long we were laying there inside the hollow of the tree.
After we’d mated, the last colors of sunset were still bleeding across the sky.
But when I awoke without realizing I’d ever fallen asleep, it was pitch dark and bright stars filled the sky above.
The world was quiet save for the occasional rustle of leaves and the crickets chirping in the grass.
As far as I knew, we were the only people for miles.
The solitude made me feel safe and content, especially with Phoenix wrapped up warm in my arms.
Already the bond between us was much stronger. I could feel emotions tickling at the back of my mind that were not my own. Phoenix must have been dreaming because I could feel them shift, but mostly they just felt warm, safe, and content.
I shifted slightly, trying not to disturb him, and pressed my lips gently to the top of his head.
His dark hair was soft against my mouth, and I breathed in his scent, something like cedar and smoke that made my chest tighten with affection.
The bite marks I’d left on his shoulder were already gone, but they’d leave a permanent scent behind that would mark him as mine.
The thought sent a possessive thrill through me.
Phoenix stirred in my arms, those amber eyes fluttering open to meet mine in the dim light of the enchanted lanterns. A sleepy smile curved his lips, and I felt his contentment wash over me through our bond.
“Hey,” he whispered, his voice husky from sleep. “How long was I out?”
“A few hours maybe,” I rumbled softly, my hand stroking down his bare back. “You looked peaceful. I didn’t want to wake you.”
He stretched against me luxuriously like a cat, and I couldn’t help but notice how his movement made our still-naked bodies slide together in ways that sent heat pooling in my belly again. The mate bond was insatiable, apparently.
“I can feel you,” Phoenix murmured, his palm pressing flat against my chest. “In here. It’s like there’s a warm glow that’s just... you.”
“I know,” I said, nuzzling against his temple. “It’s incredible. But Phoenix...” I hesitated, suddenly uncertain. “There’s something else. Something I need to tell you about the bond.”
He pulled back slightly to look at me, those beautiful eyes searching my face. “What is it?”
“The mating... what we just did... it only goes one way.” The words felt clumsy on my tongue. “You’re bound to me now, marked as mine. But because we’re guys… well… for the bond to be truly complete, for us to be equals in this...” I swallowed hard. “I need to be claimed too.”
Understanding dawned in his expression, followed quickly by something that looked like hunger. “You mean...”
“I mean I need you inside me,” I said, my voice dropping to barely above a whisper. “I need you to fuck me, Phoenix. To mark me the way I marked you.”
His eyes widened, pupils dilating with desire. I felt his cock stir against my thigh, already beginning to harden again. The bond let me sense his arousal mixing with mine, creating a feedback loop that made my breath catch.
“Are you sure?” he asked, echoing my earlier words. His hand came up to cup my face, thumb brushing over my cheekbone. “I’ve never... I mean, I’ve never been with anyone before you. I don’t really know what I’m doing and I don’t want to hurt you.”
The confession sent an unexpected surge of possessiveness through me. He’d given me his first time with anyone, and now I wanted to give him my first time with a guy. “I’m sure,” I said, leaning into his touch. “I trust you completely. And I need this, Phoenix. I need us to be equals.”
He studied my face for a long moment, and I could feel his emotions through our bond. There was desire, nervousness, love, and a growing determination. Finally, he nodded.
“Okay,” he whispered. “But we take it slow. I want to worship you the way you did me.”
The promise in his voice made me shudder. I’d been on the receiving end of a strap-on before, but not with the real thing like this. And not with someone I actually cared about. But something about Phoenix, about our bond, made me crave his touch in ways I’d never imagined.
He pressed me gently onto my back, reversing our positions. In the lantern light, he looked almost ethereal, all lean muscle and pale skin, his amber eyes glowing with newfound confidence. His hands traced over my chest, fingers threading through the thick fur there.
“I love how you feel,” he murmured, leaning down to press kisses along my collarbone. “So strong and warm.”
His mouth worked lower, tongue flicking over my nipples until I groaned and arched beneath him. Every touch sent electricity racing through me, the bond amplifying each sensation until I was trembling with need.
When his lips wrapped around one of my nipples, sucking gently while his fingers played with the other, I couldn’t hold back a rumbling growl. The sound seemed to encourage him, and he grew bolder, his teeth grazing the sensitive flesh.
He sat back a moment later, reaching a hand up to his mouth to extract a dark hair. “You are very fuzzy,” he giggled, tossing the hair aside.
“Sorry…” I mumbled, feeling slightly embarrassed.
“Don’t be,” he replied, leaning back down to my nipple and flicking his tongue over it. “I love it. I love everything about you, Karrick.”
Then he bit down, drawing a gasp from my lips. “Phoenix,” I sputtered, my hands fisting in his hair. “Fuck that feels good!”
He pulled back with a satisfied smile. “Good. I want to return the favor for what you did for me.”
His hands mapped every inch of my torso, learning the contours of muscle beneath fur. When he reached my cock, already hard and leaking, he wrapped his fingers around my length with agonizingly slow movements.
“You’re so big,” he breathed, stroking me slowly. “I can’t believe you fit inside me.”
The memory of being buried in his tight heat made my hips jerk involuntarily. “God… you were so tight. I could barely hold back. I’ve never had anything that perfect before.”
Phoenix smiled wickedly at my compliment, his fingers tightening around my shaft as he stroked me with more confidence. I couldn’t help the low moan that escaped me as his thumb circled the sensitive head, spreading the pre-cum that gathered there.
“I want to taste you again,” he whispered, his voice husky with desire.
Before I could respond, he lowered his head and ran his tongue along the underside of my cock, from base to tip in one long, wet stroke. My hips bucked involuntarily, and I had to fight to keep from grabbing his head and thrusting into his mouth.
“Phoenix,” I groaned, my claws digging into the blankets beneath us. “You don’t have to—”
“I want to,” he interrupted, his amber eyes meeting mine with fierce determination. “You’re my mate. Shut up and let me take care of you.”
Then his lips wrapped around the head of my cock, and coherent thought fled my mind.
The wet heat of his mouth engulfed me, and I watched in awe as he took me deeper, his cheeks expanding as I filled his mouth.
For someone who claimed to have no experience, he’d learned fast from our first encounter.
He used his hand to work what wouldn’t fit in his mouth, sending pleasure coursing through me.
“Fuck,” I panted, reaching down to brush his hair back from his face. I wanted to see him, to burn this image into my memory forever. Phoenix Emberwood, my childhood friend turned mate, taking my cock with such beautiful enthusiasm as those orange eyes stared back at me.
The sight alone nearly pushed me over the edge, but I didn’t want to finish like this. Not when there was something far more enticing waiting for us.
“Wait,” I gasped, gently tugging at his hair. “Stop, or I’m going to cum.”
He released me with a wet pop, looking up with swollen lips and flushed cheeks. “Isn’t that the point?” he asked with a mischievous smile.
“Not yet,” I said, pulling him up for a deep kiss. I could taste myself on his tongue, and it sent an instinctual thrill through me. “I want you inside me when I cum.”
His eyes darkened with desire, and I felt his cock twitch against my thigh. “Show me how,” he whispered against my lips. “Tell me what to do.”
I reached for the vial of magical oil, pressing it into his palm. “Use this,” I instructed, my voice rough with need. “Start with one finger, go slow.”
Phoenix nodded, coating his fingers generously. I spread my legs wider, exposing myself to him completely. I’d never felt so vulnerable yet so safe at the same time.
The first touch of his slick finger against my entrance made me tense instinctively. “Relax,” he murmured, his free hand stroking my thigh soothingly. “I’ve got you.”
I focused on his touch, on the bond between us that pulsed with love and desire. Gradually, I felt myself opening for him, my muscles relaxing as his finger slid carefully inside me.
“That’s it,” Phoenix encouraged, his voice low. “You’re doing so well.”
The sensation was strange at first. The intrusion was foreign and slightly uncomfortable, but as he worked his finger deeper, brushing against my inner walls, discomfort gave way to pleasure. I groaned, my head falling back against the blankets.
“More,” I demanded, my hips pushing down against his hand.
Phoenix obliged, adding a second slick finger alongside the first. The stretch burned slightly, but the magical oil took the edge off, transforming pain into a delicious fullness that had me panting.
When his fingers curled inside me, searching, they brushed against something that made stars explode behind my eyelids.
“Fuck!” I roared, my back arching off the blankets. “Right there, Phoenix. Right fucking there.”