Chapter 37
Chapter
Thirty-Seven
Titus
Our lips clash, two warriors running into battle, side by side, hand in hand. I hold nothing back. Fire, heat, passion —everything I pour into that kiss.
As she sighs, her lips part, accepting all I give. Every suck, bite, and pull of my tongue. She molds to me, melts, and coos. All her walls crumble into the palms of my hands.
I catch and cradle every piece.
Men like me—forged in battle—think burning down an empire is the best feeling. It’s not. Getting them to open their gates, handing you the keys willingly, that’s the best fucking feeling.
Selene just handed me total control.
I open my eyes, needing to see her. Her black hair frames her sun-kissed skin, and those angled eyes press into me like a butter knife, wanting me to cover my body over hers.
Tristen clears his throat noisily. I completely forgot he was outside.
He shouts through the door, “I’m going to go further down the hall and make sure no one comes, because we all know you both will be coming.
Pun intended. Okay, it’s not the time for sex jokes.
For fuck’s sake, you’re lucky Galen went on his little pony ride. Let’s hope he’s not back soon.”
I hear his shadows slide out to cover him and his sword. The door closes. If anyone enters her hall, Tristen will kill them as he remains camouflaged in the dark corner next to the staircase.
That’s right. Galen left. I have her all to myself.
She looks away from the locked door and gives in to her desire. Her fingers dig into my garments, fiddling with my armor’s fasteners, while her eyes drop to my erection. “I need you now.” She pushes forward and straddles my lap as the bond gives us both the fuel we need.
I cage her wrists. Sex has always been an escape for her.
She’s always been used, never admired, cherished, or loved.
“Sex with me is not your escape, Selene. I’m not rushing.
I’m going to take my time. I will spend the rest of my life worshiping your body, protecting your heart, and praising your strength. ”
Her breath causes her chest to rise and fall like the tide. Her hands abandon my clothing, combing through my hair instead. “I’m not worthy of you.”
Another kiss is how I silence her. “Enough with this talk; you are worthy of my love. I will consider it an honor to remind you of this every day.”
She gathers my face in her hands. “I’m sorry, so sorry I asked you to deny the bond, to ignore it.”
“It’s in the past.” My eyes drop to her lips.
“Titus…”
I’ll never tire of hearing my name on her lips.
“I can’t stop,” the rasp of my voice scrapes my throat. I unfasten my leather armor.
She grabs the hem of my shirt and pulls it off. Her eyes trace my mark; her fingers drift out to touch it. As soon as she makes contact with it, we moan in unison. Her thighs squeeze me; my hands reach out, guiding her hips back and forth against my core.
“Did that feel as good for you as it did for me?” Her breath is like a delicate thread.
I nod. Words have vanished from my tongue.
“What’s this?” She peers at the small scar our family made.
“It’s a mark my brothers and sister gave each other. If a battle stole us, we never wanted to forget one another.”
I expect her jealousy. Instead, she smiles as she presses her forehead to mine. “I’ll keep you safe for them.”
“It’s my job to keep you safe.” My hand glides down her spine. Each inch it descends has her body trembling and leaning closer to me.
She moves her head. “No. Our mark makes us equal. I belong to you, and you belong to me.”
“You are my equal, but there is nothing wrong with allowing me to be your shield. You’ve been holding a sword for so long. It’s time to let me bear the weight.” I tuck her hair behind her pointed ear and study the angle of her jaw.
Where will I kiss her first? There, I press my lips to her collarbone.
“You don’t have to fight me to gain my love and affection.” Another kiss. “You have it, all of it.” She angles her neck, allowing more of my lips to taste her skin.
Her throat rolls as she swallows. The thumping of her pulse pulls my fangs longer. “You’ve been mine since I released that arrow aimed at your heart. It was my heart to take.” Lowering her face, she kisses our mark.
What feels like an orgasm explodes through my body.
My back lies against the stone floor of her balcony.
I hold on to her like a blanket, keeping her on top of me.
Her plump lips suck my skin as she nips it, then she admires the teeth marks on our bond.
She spreads her palms wide, roaming all over my chest, down my abs, touching and studying my strength.
“By the gods, you’re beautiful, Titus,” she murmurs in awe.
Taking her time, she traces my body with her fingertips.
“And I still want your heart, but this time, I intend to keep it safe instead of driving an arrow through it.”
A dark laugh slips from my lips. “You’re not like any other.” I smirk, then I grab her shirt.
She lifts her arms to help me. Just then, a cloud moves, the sunset vanishes, and moonlight illuminates her body as she lifts her hips and pushes her pants down. Her body is a blend of muscle and soft curves.
She’s a warrior who has been forced to remain in the shadows. I’m going to pull her into the light. Let her fight and shine.
Her spirit stumbles, pulling her eyes to look down. “I’m scared,” she admits.
“Why?” Does she think I’d hurt her?
“Because you see me,” she looks to the side, “and some parts of me should remain hidden.”
I catch her jaw in my hand and guide her face back to me. “Share them with me so I can vanquish them from your mind. We all have a past, Selene; it’s our choice to let it taint our future.”
The pad of my thumb catches her tear.
“What aren’t you telling me?” I ask. A knot clots my throat. “Hey, I love you, every part of you. If you could forgive me for what I did to your brother, then I can forgive your past. Let me show you what love is, Selene.”
That’s the cause of her fear. Nobody has ever treated her this way.
“I don’t love myself.” Her voice is choked. “And one day I fear you won’t love me either. You’re going to wish you'd let me shatter.”
Her truth is more brutal than the roughness of the balcony floor.
“I’d only let you crumble because I know I’ll catch you.
I’ll gather up every piece and help you stand again.
Look at me. I won’t let your scars cause more pain and destroy this moment.
I’m going to heal you by giving you my heart.
One day, you will look at yourself and love every inch.
It will be my duty, my life's mission to show you how much of a treasure you are.”
Her soft, warm breasts fill my palm as I cup them, then I bend down and kiss the swell of each one. Her nipple hardens and presses into my palm. An aching sigh escapes her. She cups my hands with hers, guiding me to show how much pressure she likes.
“You don’t have to be gentle with me, Titus. I want your marks all over my body.”
I fixate on her mark. I grab her hips and flip her, so I’m on top. Her long hair spreads out like a shadow. Her wide eyes reflect the full moon. I bring my face down and suck her nipple into my mouth, rolling my tongue over it.
Her back arches. “Titus, don’t stop,” I nip her skin, making sure my fangs don’t pierce it. Just enough to ensure my imprint lingers until she’s begging.
The bond jolts. A new sense invades my body. One I can’t fight, nor would I. Her pleasure starts to feel like mine! Every sharp inhale she takes reverberates to my chest, every pull of my tongue, that has her legs clenching, core aching… I feel it. She’s about to break.
“Come for me,” I demand with a hard suck. No wonder fated mates are always in bed. This isn’t sex; it’s transcending.
She wraps her legs around my hips, pulling me down to meet her sex.
I glide my fang over her nipple again; her head rolls to the side, night paints its shadows over her parted lips that whisper my name, over and over again.
My eyes snap open to see our mating mark rise and fall with the fast pace of her heartbeat.
A euphoric high slips over my skin like a tailor-made garment.
“More,” she pants. “Don’t you dare stop.” She rolls her hips like a temptress, grinding them into me.
“We’re only kissing. I haven’t started yet.” I chuckle.
“That felt… Titus…”
“I know. I could feel you coming. I can’t explain it.”
Her blush deepens; her eyes peer at my belt. “I need you. Now.” She grabs my belt, pulling it so fast from the loops that it hisses against my leather trousers. She carelessly tosses it aside.
“You sure?” I tease as I roll my hips against her sex. “You wanted to wait, remember? Slow our bond. I think we should take it slow, so you know how I felt,” I tease. Pushing up slightly, I nudge her legs open with my knee. “Look how wet you are for me.”
I run my index finger along her inner thigh, slow and deliberate, before I find my target, her swollen clit. Lips parted, eyes wide, she moans my name.
“Does that moan mean to take it slow, or is that permission to taste you before I make you mine?”
“Yes,” she makes the word five syllables long. “Yes, yes.”
I grin. “What’s the third yes permission for?”
“For you to take me any way you want; slow, gentle, rough, as long as you’re inside of me, yes, to anything.” She blinks deliriously.
“You’re waving a red flag in front of a bull.” I lift her leg, kissing her inner ankle.
“Because I know how to tame you,” she taunts. Her hands cup her breasts as she massages them.
“Is that what you want? To tame me?” I tease.
She bites her lip and playfully nods.
“That means you have to see my wild side first.”
“I’m not scared of you, mate.” She beams. “Show me what you’ve got.” Her eyes drift to my cock.
I kiss up her inner thigh till I press my lips to her wet, heated core. We lock eyes, and everything just… shatters. I lick her long and slow, then I dip my tongue inside and taste her. Her fingers dive into my hair, holding me in place.
“Greedy.” I smirk as her wetness coats my lips.
“Needy. There’s a difference.” She rolls her hips, urging me on.
“Show me then.” I blow air over her sex, delighted as her body trembles. “Show me how needy you are, Selene.” I thrust my tongue inside her, swirling and scooping. I palm her breast, molding it to my hand, massaging gently, then squeezing it hard just the way she likes.
She clenches her legs, keeping my face anchored between her thighs.
Her hips begin to thrust as she nears her peak. “Slow,” I purr; I remove my tongue, but right before she moans a complaint, I cover her sex with my mouth and suck. Hard.
I cover her mouth as she screams into my palm.
I hover over her, bending down, kissing her neck. “You try so hard to make others think you’re all spice, but deep down there, you’re nothing but sweetness. See how sweet you taste, Selene?” I thrust my tongue between her lips, taking my time. “Like fucking candy,” I whisper over her mouth.
Her eyes flutter open, and her lips have a smiling haze pulling them wide. Her hands slide down, wrapping around my cock, taking in my size. “I have to warn you, I'm selfish. I was raised as a princess after all. I want you.”
“You already have me.” My gaze drops, studying my cock in her hands. It’s a sight I love.
“I want more,” she purrs as she starts to stroke me, making me harder. “I want you to bite me. I want my blood inside of you, fueling you.”
“Selene,” I thrust my hips. She squeezes me tighter and quickens her movements.
“Bite me,”
I close my eyes. Think of a kittens, or some shit that stops you from coming in her hand! “When I bite you, I’ll be buried inside of you.”
“So what are you waiting for?” she smirks, guiding my cock to her wet entrance.
I no longer have the illusion of slowly making love to my mate. Rawness replaces it.
The kiss isn’t slow; it spreads like a rapid sickness, tainting everything. Our hands move in a frenzy. I reach down and push two fingers inside her. I need to get her ready. I don’t want to hurt her.. That’s it. More wetness coats my fingers. I curl my finger up, feeling her swollen spot inside.
“Titus…” She rakes her nails down my back.
Nothing else matters as much as she does. Nothing. Not the Vitalis or my family.
It’s a frightening thought. It could dismantle everything we worked so hard to accomplish.
I don’t care.
Didn’t care if Everett’s plan went to shit.
I just want her. Need her in every way.
Mate, mate, mate!
Her eyelashes brush against my face as she looks at me. I align myself with her and caress her clit with my hand as I start thrusting inside. “Gods, Titus.” Her fingers claw my back again, this time breaking some of the skin.
“I thought you denounced the gods,” I murmur. I give her short pumps as a tease.
Go slow. Don’t hurt your mate. I watch as her body slowly takes me, inch by inch.
“A cock this huge made me a believer again.”
I shift her hips by sliding my arm beneath her. She swings her leg up, planting her heel in the groove of my spine.
I sink further in. “Am I hurting you?” I pant.
“In the best way possible.” She swivels her hips, encouraging me.
I slide my hand over and stroke her while I push as far as I can go. “Selene,” I gasp. If she squeezes me any harder, I won’t be able to withdraw.
We move together, holding each other tight, but it’s still not enough. I hoist her leg over my shoulder, determined to go deeper.
“You trying to stab my heart?” A moan escapes her with a smirk. “Yes, right there, gods,” she throws her head back.
I thrust so hard we slide an inch along the floor. “Don‘t start praising the gods now. It’s me buried inside of you. Not the gods.”
“Are you sure you’re not a god? No man has ever taken me like this,”
“No man will ever take you again. I’m the past, present, and future. The memory, the reality, and the dream. Your mate.”
“You did the impossible,” Selene coos, “You made me a dreamer. I love you.”
My heart races wildly. "I love you too, Selene." I slow my rhythm, moving inside her to savor every hot, velvet inch of her embrace.
She rolls her head to the side, exposing her neck to me. “Do it.” Our eyes meet. “Make me yours, Titus. Make me yours in every way possible.”
I withdraw and then slide in. Again and again. I feel Selene starting her orgasm. Another slow thrust pushes us past the limit. While her body convulses in pleasure, I lean down and sink my fangs deep into her neck. “Mine.”