Chapter 23
Corbin
Sebbie’s body was perfection. He was so generous with his reactions, and I could smell and taste his arousal in the air.
He squeezed me so tightly that I had to work not to come.
His hips thrust up into mine, and he looked at me like he knew we were mates.
There was such joy in his face, so much happiness.
He closed his eyes and bared his neck to me, and I took his offering. I leaned into him, the feeling of our skin pressing together was its own pleasure, and bit down low on his neck. He groaned, his body thrusting harder against me, and I bit harder, the slight taste of blood filling my mouth.
Sebbie didn’t mind—in fact, based on the sounds coming from him, he loved it. I licked and nibbled at the spot, the taste of him in my mouth. The pleasure was building at the base of my spine, and I knew I wouldn’t last much longer. Without thought, I turned my head and bared my own neck to Sebbie.
My mate bit down, hard, a flash of pain transforming into exquisite pleasure. He sucked on the spot, and his body tightened around me even further as I felt his cum paint our stomachs. His orgasm made me topple off the peak of pleasure, and I growled as I filled him up.
I tried to hold it back, but my knot filled him up, and Sebbie cried out again in pleasure.
“Corbin!” he gasped, his hips thrusting.
I growled against his neck, making tiny thrusts into his body.
The pleasure was exquisite, my orgasm going on and on as I filled him up.
It seemed to last forever, and I bit down again on that spot on his neck.
Sebbie cried out, his entire body shaking against mine, another tiny pulse of cum shooting from his dick.
It was like his second orgasm eased something inside of me, because I felt my knot deflating, the pleasure fading into pleasant aftershocks.
Sebbie lay spent and satisfied below me, and I stayed there until I softened inside of him.
Then I rolled us over so that Sebbie was laying on top of me.
My dick sadly slipped from his ass, and he made a little sound of displeasure that had me kissing his forehead.
He snuggled down into me, and I stroked his back in long, light sweeps.
“I love you. Always,” I said.
Sebbie squeezed his arms around me, and then he lifted his head. His smile was bright and open, and he patted my chest.
“That was fucking amazing. And I love you, too, Corbin.” He rolled next to me and cuddled into my arm, continuing to pet my chest. “You know, it feels fast, but at the same time, it feels like I’ve known you for ages.
Maybe that’s because we’ve been in each other’s pockets for the last two weeks or something.
I mean, if you count it in dates, because we’ve gone out and done a lot of stuff… ”
He started mumbling to himself, and I grinned at his silliness. What did time matter? We were mates. Two weeks or two centuries, it didn’t make a difference—my love for him was steadfast and secure.
“...So I think that means we've been on like thirty dates or something, and if you count each meal as a separate date it’s probably closer to forty. If you figure most people go on dates maybe three times a week at first, then it’s really been like we’ve been dating for three months.
At least,” he said, leaning up to smile down at me.
I laughed and squeezed my mate, pulling him in for a soft kiss. “Three months or three days—I love you, my little reaper.”
He smiled affectionately down at me, and then he tilted his head as if he were listening.
Interesting. I could hear the sounds of voices walking over from a distance, but Sebbie shouldn’t have been able to. I caressed his skin as I got a feel for who was coming. It was Thea, Aiden, and Fluffy, probably walking over from Aiden’s place.
I should have known they wouldn’t be able to leave us alone for long.
I sighed, patted Sebbie’s delicious ass, and gave him another kiss on the lips. He squeezed me and then hopped up, already cleaning himself up, pulling on clothes, and chattering.
“I think I hear voices. Probably some of the gang couldn’t stay away.
I bet I have, like, a zillion text messages, too.
Toby will decide I’ve been turned into a vampire or something, Josh will demand I get checked out at my doctor’s office, and Q will tell me I need to drink more coffee.
Aiden will probably throw a nice ‘If you need anything…’ kind of text in there, and Thea better have texted me, too, since we’re besties now. ”
I watched as he got dressed, enjoying the sound of his voice. I heard the front door open, and Thea’s voice called out a greeting. Sebbie turned to look at me.
“Get dressed!” he commanded. “We’ve got company!”
And with that, my little reaper was out the bedroom door, shutting it firmly behind him to give me privacy. I could hear him calling out to Thea, joking around that of course she had to come visit since they were “totally besties.”
I snorted in amusement and got up to clean up and dress.
I wasn’t sure how I’d gotten so lucky, but I’d been blessed.
I pulled on pants, then I heard a tap from my window.
Crow waited on the other side. I walked over to let her in, and she hopped onto the inside window ledge, knocking over the tarot cards I’d left there to get cleansed by moonlight.
They all landed face down, save for one card. It was the ten of cups. On it, a couple embraced, children danced around, and the ten cups were in a rainbow arching over them. The card meant emotional fulfillment and happiness. It was the happily ever after card.
Except it had fallen reversed.
Cheeky deck. My stomach dropped a little at the implications. It seemed as if Sebbie and I had reached love and harmony, but a reversed card suggested otherwise. I picked up the cards and shuffled them, thinking of Sebbie. I cut the deck and drew a card.
“Cheeky deck,” I murmured.
It was the six of swords once again. The ferryman journeying from rough waters into calm. Sebbie’s journey was not over—a transition needed to take place.
I only hoped that at the end of it, we would find our happily ever after. I would not let anything or anyone steal that away from us, no matter what it cost me. Sebbie was my fate.
Crow cawed in agreement.
I put the cards back on the windowsill, and Crow hopped onto my shoulder. Thea and Sebbie were still chatting in the living area, with an occasional comment from Aiden. I heard Q and Liam walking over as well.
So much for giving us space.
Although if I had to guess, Liam and Q might have information about the sheriff and Sebbie’s cryptic statement that had led everyone into a panic that his life might be in danger.
I walked into the living room at the same time Q and Liam came into the house. Sebbie was sitting on the couch, Thea was sitting next to him, and Aiden was sitting across from them petting Fluffy.
I went over and pushed Thea, signaling for her to move over so I could sit next to Sebbie.
“Rude,” she said, but Crow flew onto the back of the couch and hopped toward Thea like she was gonna take a little peck at her. Thea grumbled but slid over. Sebbie slid down as well, so he was in the middle, and I sat next to him, putting my arm around him.
Liam was setting up his computer at the table, and Q came over to sit by Aiden. He glanced at us and then focused on Sebbie. I had the urge to growl, but I wasn’t sure why.
“Well, thank fuck,” Q said. “I was getting tired of being all secretive and shit, not that Toby would understand the idea of subtlety if it bit him in the ass.”
Shit. I tensed up next to Sebbie, and he looked over at me, his eyes curious and confused.
“Secretive? About what?” Sebbie asked, turning back to look at Q.
Q looked at me. “Don’t tell me you didn’t tell him. For fuck’s sake, Corbin.”
“Consent is important,” Liam said from the table, not even looking up from his computer.
“It’s not like I’ve installed cameras all over his house to watch him, Liam,” I muttered defensively.
Q ignored the comment altogether and pointed at Sebbie’s neck. “You mated him. You fucking mated him, and you didn’t tell him? Corbin, that’s just fucking stupid.”
Thea snorted in laughter next to Sebbie, and I shot her a dirty look.
“I… I sort of forgot,” I muttered, not looking at Sebbie. I could tell he was still staring at me, but he didn’t smell upset or panicked, just curious.
“How do you forget about that, you dumbass? I thought you were the smart one in the group,” Q snarked.
Sebbie knew I was a hellhound in his underworld place, and I’d sort of forgotten that he didn’t know his dreams were real.
I wasn’t sure how to explain that to everyone without starting the conversation about what Sebbie was, which the man in black had told me not to do.
I wasn’t sure why I was still following his advice, except I had the sense that Sebbie wasn’t ready to know yet, either.
“He should meet Fire Fluffy,” Liam commented from the table.
“Oh my god, do not do the Fire Fluffy thing,” Q said, holding up a hand. “Do you not remember how that went last time?”
“He didn’t burn anything down,” Aiden commented.
Aiden wasn’t wrong. Atlas and Liam had only knocked down one of Josh’s lego sets, and that was when they were both humans, because they were being obnoxious.
“If you all can give us some space, I can handle this—” I started, but Sebbie interrupted me.
“Who’s Fire Fluffy?” he asked.
Of course, Atlas took that as his cue, because he was in his hellhound form next to Aiden, flames included.
Quinton sighed, Thea snorted, and Aiden gave Fire Fluffy a pat, smiling at Sebbie kindly.
“Oh,” Sebbie said, staring at Fluffy and Aiden. Then he looked over at me. “That isn’t my hellhound.”
I looked at him and nodded my head. He looked back at Fire Fluffy. Of course, that didn’t quite complete things, so Fire Fluffy turned into Atlas.
“Hide your junk!” Thea called out, but Atlas didn’t even look at her.
I heard Liam snort, but he didn’t look up. Q just rolled his eyes, and Aiden was still smiling kindly at Sebbie.
“He’s…” Sebbie started, and then he trailed off.
“Hey, Seb,” Atlas said. He was still standing there naked and exposed and not at all shy.
Sebbie turned to look at me, and I took his hand in mine. “I know it’s a lot.”
Sebbie blinked at me, then looked at Atlas, then looked at me. “I mean, yeah, it’s impressive, but I still like your dick better,” he said.
“Don’t tell me we have another Josh with the denial thing,” Q muttered.
Aiden shushed him, though. “Give him a minute, Q.” Then he patted the back of Atlas’s thigh, prompting him to turn back into Fire Fluffy, flames and all.
Well, at least all his bits were put away now.
Sebbie pointed at Atlas, saying again, “That isn’t my hellhound.”
“No, he’s my hellhound. You have your own hellhound,” Aiden said calmly.
Sebbie looked at me, and after a brief pause he said,“You’re my hellhound.”
“Yes,” I answered.
He took a moment, then he nodded at me. “Okay.” He looked back at Q, Aiden, and Fluffy. “What are you guys doing here?”
“We’ve been looking into the sheriff, and we can’t find any hits out or threats against him,” Liam said.
“Aside from the fact that he’s a sheriff and he’s made tons of criminal enemies,” Q added.
“Do you think it was danger from someone else, or do you think it’s something accidental or health related?” Liam asked.
“Although if Jude just marks him, that’ll prevent the accident or health stuff, won’t it?” Aiden asked.
I hummed in agreement. That really would be the best course of action, but I wasn’t sure if Jude and the sheriff were to that point yet.
Everyone was looking at Sebbie expectantly. He looked around at everyone, then said, “Um, okay? Why are you telling me about the sheriff? Did I miss something? I thought he was fine when he left?”
They all stared at us, and I tightened my arm around him, a low growl emanating from my throat.
Thea slapped Sebbie on the back. “Whelp, that’s my cue. I’m out!”
She got up to leave, and Sebbie popped up to hug her. “Yeah, we were gonna head back to my place, too, and you guys can have your Scooby Gang meeting or whatever,” Sebbie said, and then he looked at me.
I took the cue and stood up, ready to go wherever Sebbie needed me. I had a feeling he had questions, and my guess was that he didn’t want to ask them in front of everyone.
I’d fucked up. I knew I had.
Perhaps this was why the ten of cups had been upside down. Because I, apparently, was an idiot.