Chapter 11
Undeniable Pull
I had to get out of that room. I sat watching her sleep for as long as I could. Once I began to sweat, I had to leave. I, of all beings, sweating as I sat and did nothing. It has never happened in my existence.
If I questioned my little one being my mate before, I certainly don’t now. This pull to her is insane. My throat feels like I’m walking through a desert.
When I kissed her forehead before I left, there was this intense spark between us. Almost like her presence alone meant to latch on to me and keep me there.
Like I told Kendrick, I at least need to try to hold out. Seraphina is a fire fairy with a temper as hot as mine. I didn’t know the pull of the bond would be this great when I promised her I would give her time.
To be honest, I had given up on ever finding my mate. I had been content with finding fire fairies strong enough to bed me. At this point, I will have a crazy ex on my hands either way, but I would rather stand on my word.
“But can you truly stand on your word against this?” I mutter to myself.
The farther I walk away, the louder the answer rings in my ears. I try to distract myself by focusing on each step I take. I’ve walked these streets when they were nothing more than dirt and dust.
Long before I watched them become this concrete jungle where the suits feed off the weak. Drinking their souls while growing fat off broken dreams and soiled consciousnesses. Humans have chosen their gods once again.
However, I’ve watched them choose wrong constantly. Material things and those who have promised them have become their altars. Beings like myself are too old to fall prey to such things.
“We can finally be free,” I grumble as I pass by the expensive human shops.
The Ricci family won’t be able to hold us now that we have mates. They will have to find some other way to indulge in their greed.
“Bond with your mate.”
The words float through my head as if spoken through our mind link. Yet it isn’t the voice of my brothers or any of the others I recognize.
I begin to overheat once again. Rubbing my forearm across my forehead, it comes away wet. I won’t last the night like this.
Reel it the fuck in, Bradan. I think to myself.
I try to swallow to relieve the burn in my throat. It does no good. I would think I didn’t know how to swallow flames.
“Bond with your mate.”
I shake my head as the voice comes again. Then suddenly it’s as if I know she’s in as much pain as I am—probably worse. If this were just my battle, I would do my best to endure.
However, this is not my burden alone. My little one is suffering with me. She didn’t make the promise I did.
I will not leave her in pain for my mistake. This ends now.
Taylor
Exhaustion hit hard and I passed right out. I had questions on the tip of my tongue, but those turned into drool. However, I awake from my peaceful sleep, feeling like someone has lit the bed on fire.
My face is soaked in more than my saliva. My entire body is drenched. Bradan’s shirt already swallowed me. Now it’s soaked and feels like a weighted blanket.
I groan and toss the covers off. Rolling onto the dry side of the bed, I inhale and regret it instantly. I pop up in the bed and grasp my throat. It feels like it’s on fire.
“I need to get out of this shirt,” I croak.
It is as the words leave my mouth that I notice Bradan is gone. His scent still permeates the bedding, but he’s not here. I start to panic as heat rushes throughout my body. Jumping up from the bed, I claw at his shirt to tug it off.
Tossing it to the ground, I stand in nothing but my red thong. Yet the heat and burning don’t recede. I continue to sweat and feel like my skin is searing from my body. Stumbling forward, I try to blink the pain away.
When my eyes focus, I note the scorch marks on the concrete floors. I hadn’t noticed that earlier. The marks form a circle in the center of the room, almost facing the throne chair I had noticed before.
I stumble to the center and collapse to my knees. I want, I need, I can feel that there is something I need to make this stop. I manage to move to my knees and place my hands on my thighs to steady myself.
The air in the room becomes stifling and I have to begin to breathe through my nose. As I have my head down, trying to concentrate, music starts to play.
I know the song. “Play with Fire” by Sam Tinnesz. Leona has blasted this one through the apartment in the wee hours of the night. As the song fills the room, my chest heaves with my heavy breaths.
I look around for the source of the music, but I can’t see anything but waves of heat. It’s like my eyeballs are sweating. The bass of the music fills my chest, but my attention is grabbed not by the source of the music but by the flames that begin to surround me, encasing me in a circle.
I furrow my brows. I’ve been here before. I’ve done this.
This is just like that dream.
Right as I have the thought. I look up and see a figure moving toward me on the other side of the flames. I squint my eyes to see better. The figure becomes larger as it moves closer.
The ground beneath me begins to shake with each step the figure takes. My heart begins to pound, but not out of fear. It’s more of a need or longing deep inside. I lift a hand and reach out, feeling drawn to the figure heading for me.
“Bradan?” I whisper as the flames seem to yield to him.
He walks right through as if unscathed by the heat. The flames move with him instead of consuming him. His hair flows through the air as if a gust of wind is blowing his long, thick red locks around him.
As he steps through the flames, his clothes are the only thing affected as they seem to go up in smoke and vanish, leaving him completely naked before me. I bite my lip as I allow my gaze to roam over his strong, chiseled frame.
He’s pure perfection. Tats coil his right arm and spill across his chest. That red hair makes a trail from his belly button down to … Oh. My. God.
I blink a few times as I bite my lip and tilt my head. His penis is pierced. Not just once. From here, I can see he has a magic cross, a Prince Albert, two hafadas through his scrotum—shit. As I tilt my head, I count a few frenum piercings, creating a Jacob’s ladder.
I mean, there’s plenty of it to handle all the artwork, but damn. That beauty is certainly kitted out. His deep voice pulls me from my reverie.
“Like what you see, little one?”
“Can’t say I hate it.”
I surprise myself as my sarcasm comes through in a calm and even voice. A calm I do not feel in this moment. Power is rolling off this being standing before me.
A demigod.
The ground shakes even more as he comes toward me. Each footfall demonstrates the power he holds within. I keep my eyes on his, not sure what else to do.
He stops before me and lowers to one knee. He then takes my hand in one of his and places it over his heart. With his other hand, he reaches to caress the side of my face.
“You are in pain. I can make it go away. Are you ready to take me?”
I wince as another wave of heat rolls through me. I nod my head, wanting it to stop. Bradan leans in and takes my lips.
His kiss is as hungry as it was earlier, if not more so. I return it with just as much want. He deepens the kiss and cups my face, leaning into me as I fall back.
I’m startled when I go from leaning back thinking I’ll fall onto the floor, but land on the bed with him on top of me. Having him nestled between my legs feels so right. His heat I can bear when he’s close like this.
“Gods, you’re perfect. They have definitely blessed me,” he growls as he moves his lips to my neck and starts a trail of kisses there.
I start to become nervous as he moves lower to my breasts. However, he cups them and loves on them as if they’re perfect to him. He sucks my nipple into his mouth as he rolls the other between his fingers.
His hot mouth is driving me crazy. I need so much more. Seeming to read my mind, he abandons my mounds to move lower still. I cover my face, thankful that I’ve been waxing down there for about a year now. Loving the way it looks and feels, even if I’m the only one to see and feel it.
Well, I had been the only one to see it. Now, Bradan has his face all in it. I cry out and bow off the bed. Reaching for the pillow, I grab hold of it and clench it tightly. My mouth falls open and my eyes roll back.
His hums of pleasure only add to the amazing sensations he’s sending through my body. I forget all about saving myself. After all, my body and heart are telling me I’ll never want another in my life.
“Bradan,” I cry as he shoves his tongue into me.
I tighten my legs around his head as they begin to shake. This feels so fucking good. I come hard, but he doesn’t stop. I move my hands into his hair and hold on tight as I lift my hips and begin to rock against his face this time.
As if knowing I’m becoming weak as another orgasm coils within me, he locks my legs over his shoulders with his palms and dives in deeper. It’s all so overwhelming.
“Oh, fuck,” I scream as he begins to rub me, finger me and eat me at the same time, causing me to squirt everywhere.
Bradan lifts his head and grins at me. His beard is soaked in my juices. He pulls a hand down his face, then leans in to take my lips in another searing kiss.
I cup his face as I enjoy the taste of my essence on his lips. That flavor of his hits my senses once again and I’m intoxicated by it. So much so, I’m taken by surprise when he pushes into me. I cry out and wrap my arms around his neck, holding him tightly as he stills.
“The heavens don’t have a place that feels as good as you do,” he groans into my ear. I shiver from the sound of his voice and the feel of him pulsing inside me.
“Bradan, I need?—”
“I’ve got everything you need,” he says as he begins to pound into me.
All I can do is hold on as he works his hips and fucks the shit out of me. My screams and cries drown out the music still playing in the background.
Oh, I have played with fire and I will feel this burn in the morning. However, I can’t say I have it in me to care. I lock my legs around his waist and savor the way he’s making me feel.
“Fuck, Bray. Shit, you feel so good,” I whimper.
“Baby girl, I have never felt anything like this,” he growls. Then he places his forehead to mine. “Are you ready to seal the bond?”
“Yes, yes, yes,” I moan.
“That’s my girl. Repeat after me.”
I look up at him and give him a nod. I’m ready. I don’t know what all I’m walking into, but it feels right. Something in my heart is telling me this man, this being, is safe. I’m supposed to be here with him.
“I, Bradan, Second-born son of Tanr?, bond my heart, body, mind, and soul to you, Taylor Ann Ducato. My fire is your fire. My essence is your essence. I am your mate and you are mine.”
“I, Taylor Ann Ducato, bond my heart, body, mind, and soul to you, Bradan, second-born son of Tanr?. My fire is your fire. My essence is your essence. I am your mate and you are mine.”
He closes his eyes and groans. It’s almost as if I’m watching his skin glow as he does. When he opens his eyes and looks down at me, I can see the flames within them.
He lifts and pulls out, flipping me over effortlessly. Before I can settle, he has his face between my cheeks. I peek over my shoulder and see his big body behind me as he strokes himself while eating my ass.
Just when I don’t think I can take any more, he sits up and barks out a sexy command. “Lay your head on your arms and keep your ass up in the air.”
I do just as he says as he thrusts back into me. Clenching the sheets, I fight not to sink down onto my belly as he plows into me. He bands an arm around me and holds me up as he continues to tear my shit up in the best way.
I’m so wet for him. He’s so hard and has me so full. I feel him so deep inside me and yet I still want more of him. I wouldn’t think it would turn me on, but he licks the sweat from my back and releases a deep groan.
My pussy pulses in reaction and I know I’m not going to last much longer like this. My lids are already growing heavy. However, I get the feeling he’s just getting started.
“Fuck, baby girl. I need you to come for me. Come for me once more and I will come to seal our bond and make it complete,” he says tightly in my ear.
He straightens behind me and grabs my hips. I can feel his hips popping up against my ass. When I turn and look over my shoulder, he’s staring down at my ass with a huge smile on his lips as he watches himself pound into me.
Or is he watching my ass ripple around him? When he palms my butt cheeks and spreads them, I begin to think it’s the latter. I come from the sight of ecstasy on his face.
He throws his head back and roars, his hot seed spilling deep inside me. I smile and collapse. As I catch my breath, I realize the heat waves within my body have stopped.
The bed dips as Bradan lies beside me and pulls me onto his chest. He begins to stroke my back gently. My lids grow heavy, and I begin to fall into a peaceful sleep.
“Welcome home, my little mate. I’m very fucking happy to have you,” are the last words I hear.