Chapter 15 – Farrah
Before I could ask Locheran questions, and I have a lot, he insisted on feeding and hydrating me. Especially after I told him the last time I ate was around noon when I made a sandwich with some chips.
“Fated mates expend a shit ton of energy fucking so I’m going to need you to stay fueled. Eat more and drink a gallon of water every day,” he said.
When I told him I was a horrible cook, he demanded I sit down in the chair at the kitchen peninsula while he got to work cooking.
Since I didn’t have a lot of ingredients, he declared we’d be having breakfast for dinner and is currently whipping together French toast with bread, eggs, milk, and cinnamon.
I won’t tell him the milk expired three days ago. It should be fine.
“Can I ask you about your hair?” Locheran says after a moment of silence.
“What about it?”
“You were a redhead when we met. Now you’re blonde. Don’t get me wrong; both colors look amazing on you. I just wondered why the change.”
I scrunch up my nose before answering. “After moving here, I wanted to distance myself from my family as much as possible, and one way to do that was hiding the infamous O’Hern red hair. The upkeep is going to suck, but I don’t mind.”
I shrug and take a sip of coffee.
“That makes sense,” he says.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Anything.”
“Where do your wings go when you sleep?”
His back is to me as he stands at the stove, flipping the pieces of French toast. He shakes his wings before tucking them flush against his body again. The movement is fascinating, as if they shrink or fold. They’re barely visible when he’s facing me, only the tips peek out.
“Sometimes I keep them just like this, other times I spread them out.” He shrugs. “Just depends.”
“Is it uncomfortable?”
“Not at all.” Over his shoulder, he gives me that charming, fanged smile that I always thought was annoyingly cocky. Yet it failed to turn me off to its alluring magic.
“And you can control them? Use them like another limb?”
I know he can since his wings held my arms down during sex. I blush thinking about it, and his knowing smirk tells me he heard my thoughts.
“I just mean how does it work?”
He starts transferring the food to plates.
“I can control them, but it’s no different than extending my arm or leg. I’ve had my wings since I was five years old. I’ve had 995-years to learn how to live with them. Sometimes, I don’t even realize I’m using them… like during sex.”
He winks, which makes me all giddy inside and hands me my food. I’ve already set out the toppings and choose some butter to slather on top, then drown the toast in syrup. Locheran sits next to me and adds everything I do plus peanut butter. His stack of French toast is five slices higher than mine.
He takes a bite and sighs. I shove a forkful in my mouth and groan.
I’ve made French toast before, but it never tasted like this.
“Oh, yeah, that’s another thing,” he says. “All your senses are overstimulated right now because of the mating bond. So, it’s kinda like your taste buds are on steroids.”
No wonder that sandwich I had at lunch was the best fucking sandwich I’ve ever made.
I swallow my food and chase it down with several gulps of ice water.
My eyes wander to Potato walking into the living room after finishing his meal—that Locheran plated for him while I used the restroom.
As much as the gargoyle tries to deny it, he’s becoming a cat lover.
Potato climbs his cat tree that I have placed in the corner next to the window and curls up in the little basket.
“What else do you want to know?” Locheran asks.
When I turn my head back his way, my eyes stop on his wings again.
“What happens if I touch your wings?”
He shovels the rest of his French toast into his mouth, and I stop myself from gaping at him. I’ve barely had two bites, and this massive monster just inhaled his meal.
He pushes his plate away and turns in the chair to face me.
“I get turned on.”
The corner of his mouth tilts up, and I can't help the blush that blossoms on my cheeks.
“But what if you have them wrapped around me and my arm is touching them. Would that turn you on too?”
He shakes his head.
“It’s different. You intentionally touching the silken membrane—the most sensitive part—with your fingertips will get a reaction from me. But it’s not like I’ll come the moment you touch them. It’ll drive up my desire though.”
“Has it always been like that? Your wings being an erogenous zone of sorts?”
“Not really. I’ve had a handful of partners I’ve allowed to touch my wings, and while it felt good, it’s not the same. It didn’t make me feral.”
“And I would do that? Make you feral?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.”
Locheran takes my left hand and weaves his four fingers with my five.
“It’s a good thing, I promise.”
He points at my plate. A silent command to finish my food before our conversation can continue.
Five minutes later, I take my last bite and set my fork down. I turn in my chair to match Locheran’s pose.
“What does it feel like to be in your human form?”
He lowers his eyes before answering.
“It feels like I’m still me but as if I’m wearing a costume. Honestly, it’s more like armor. It keeps me safe and protects me from being exposed to the human world. Though, I suppose I won’t need my human form much longer.”
“How many humans did you sleep with while in your human form?”
“A lot.”
“Oh.”
He squeezes my hand. “Are you jealous?”
“No.” I turn away from him to hide my smile. “But wouldn’t having sex in your human form be, I don’t know, deceptive?”
“It's still me. My cock, my fingers, my tongue. The magic of our masking ability reimagines us as what we’d look like if were humans.”
“How many partners have you had?”
“Do you really want to talk numbers? I’m a thousand years old, Mouse.”
I shake my head because the gargoyle makes a good point.
“Tell me about knotting. How does it… why does it…”
My face heats remembering the sensation of his base expanding when we mated. How painful yet wonderful it was.
“The base expands while inside you and acts as a lock. Some supernaturals knot after ejaculation; others, like gargoyles, knot seconds before. It’s meant to keep my cum inside you for breeding purposes—”
“Breeding? Like, having babies?”
My eyes widen, and I place my hand over my chest, my heartbeat thundering beneath it.
“Conception will only happen if both your mind and body are ready and willing. When I knotted in you… that was part of the mating ritual. I don’t knot every time we have sex, but I can if that’s what you want. It can be used to enhance your pleasure. Elongate your orgasms… and mine.”
I take another long drink of water.
“Okay. Um… I don’t know if I want babies. I mean, I never really wanted kids, and now I’m in my forties so it’s not likely to happen anymore.”
Locheran brings our embraced hands up to his mouth and kisses my knuckles.
“Remember last night when I told you my immortality was shared with you?”
I nod, the memory of his words inside my head replaying.
“Your aging will slow. Your body will remain fertile for hundreds of years, meaning you have that long to decide if you want to have kids. If we want to have kids. If you don’t, that’s okay too.”
“This is crazy. I mean, it’s all… overwhelming. I’ve known you for what? Months?”
“Technically about a year.”
I stand and step away from Locheran to pace my living room. I’m in full panic mode.
“You know what I mean. You barely spoke ten words to me before Evangeline’s wedding and now you’re talking about having babies with me?”
“Farrah—”
“So, am I supposed to be in love with you now after one whole day of being your mate? I mean, yeah, I like you a lot. And I’ve crushed on you hard since we met, but love?”
I don’t miss Locheran’s smirk at my confession that I’ve always had a crush on him.
“This is happening way too fast. What if you realize you don’t like me or you aren’t attracted to me or—”
“Farrah!” Locheran’s raised voice startles me, and it might be the first time I’ve seen this man…
um, gargoyle… frustrated. Now standing in front of me, he cups my face in his large hands.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry it happened this way.
It’s not how I imagined finding my mate.
I wish you would have been able to take your time to make this decision.
That we could have had time to explore our feelings.
But I’m not sorry it’s you. I can’t tell you that we will never fight, or that you won’t hate me sometimes, but if you ever doubt my attraction to you—mind, body, and soul—I will take you over my knee and spank your ass so hard, you won’t be able to sit for days. ”
He shuts his mouth, opens it, then clamps it shut.
“I’m… wow… that’s not what I… it’s the bond talking… I swear…”
His eyes bore into mine; pupils expanding. His sight falls to my chest, which heaves, as if his words jumpstarted my libido. I briefly consider jumping into his arms and demanding he fuck me.
The thought is ludicrous, which is why I laugh.
And laugh and laugh until I'm a giggling mess.
Locheran joins in, perhaps amused by me losing my shit or maybe it’s this situation.
Probably a little of both.
“Maybe I want you to spank me,” I say, once my cackling has died down. The words are quiet, but full of possibilities. I bite my bottom lip, attempting to appear innocent.
I want to be anything but innocent around my mate.
Locheran groans and looks up at the ceiling as if struggling whether he wants to take me up on that offer.
I decide to be the strong one and keep the conversation going.
“Tell me what else has changed because of…” I wave my hand between us, “this?”
He frowns briefly before running his hand down his face. “You have the ability to heal faster like me.”
My hand reaches for the bite mark on my neck. It no longer aches. I take off the bandage and swipe my fingertips over the skin.
It’s gone.
Healed.
Not even a scar.
“Dying will also be harder. As a hunter, I’m sure you know how gargoyles can die: warspear, beheading… Same goes for you. And if your mate—if I—ever die, you would be quick to follow as the pain of a mate dying is too unbearable.
“Mating bonds can also be broken. It’s rare, but if there’s any sort of deceit between mates, betrayal, the bond can detach.”
“I would never…”
“I know, Mouse,” Locheran says, palming my cheek. “The mating bond makes intentionally harming each other difficult.”
I close my eyes and lean into his touch as his thumb brushes over my cheek.
It’s unfathomable that this monster with fangs and claws can be both terrifying and gentle. He could rip me to pieces with just his hands, but those hands can also make me fall apart with a mind-shattering orgasm.
Locheran’s phone vibrates, and he drops his hand to grab it off the counter. He frowns at the screen. “I have a meeting to get to.”
“I thought Xander said he’d have someone else take over.”
“He did, but you have an early start tomorrow and need rest. If I stay the night, we won’t be sleeping.”
My face heats imagining the possibilities. Before I can let my thoughts convince the bond I’m horny again, I nod.
“Tomorrow night you’re meeting with Rorik, right?”
“Yes.”
Evangeline texted me earlier today asking if I could meet them at their penthouse. They want the vampire to dig around in my head to make sure I’m not a traitor. I’m nervous. Not that I’m hiding anything, but I know they’re eager to get inside my thoughts to see what it will reveal about my family.
Locheran’s phone buzzes again. He glances at the screen, aggressively types out a text, and stuffs the device in his pant pocket.
“There will be someone outside your door if you need anything. A gargoyle until the sun comes up and a bear shifter during the day to escort you to work. I will see you tomorrow night, okay?”
“Okay.” I glance down at my feet. Not sure why I’m being shy all of a sudden. I just had Locheran’s cock in my mouth for fuck’s sake.
He grabs my chin and lifts my head. Leaning in, he whispers against my mouth, “And it was the best blow job I’ve ever had.”
I roll my eyes before Locheran claims a kiss. It starts soft, his lips like velvet against my own. Then it deepens and I open my mouth, begging for his taste.
When Locheran pulls away, I whine.
“You’re tempting me like the mouse that you are. So cute yet a true menace.”
I slap his shoulder when he winks and before I can attempt to steal more kisses, he leaves.
My body is on fire, so I head straight to the bathroom for a cold shower. Then I crawl into bed with Potato curled beside my head. My active mind and an exhausted body fades into sleep the moment my head hits the pillow.