Chapter 27 #3
"Don't hold back," I finally managed, my fingers curling into the sheets beneath us, my voice almost unrecognizable with raw desire.
"I won't break." My eyes locked with his, letting him see the truth there, the need burning through me, the absolute trust I placed in him.
The blue markings across my skin pulsed brighter, responding to my racing heartbeat and the intensity of emotion flooding through me.
I arched upward, pressing our bodies impossibly closer, feeling the controlled tension in his muscles as he tried to protect me from his full weight.
My fingertips traced the taut lines of his back, discovering each subtle ridge and valley beneath his skin.
The sensation of restraint in his frame told me everything, how carefully he moved, how deeply he cared.
His shoulders trembled slightly with the effort of holding back, and I felt a surge of tenderness mingled with my desire.
"I can feel you hesitating," I whispered against the curve of his neck, my lips brushing his pulse point.
The blue patterns across my skin brightened in response to the intensity between us.
He wanted to let go but was afraid to hurt me.
I slid my hands down to his hips, guiding him closer still, encouraging him with each touch to trust that I could match his passion.
The blue markings on my skin flared with each thrust, spreading further, covering more of me until I was glowing with prophetic energy. But for once, the power didn't feel like a burden or a danger. It felt like part of me, enhancing every sensation, every touch.
Zane watched in wonder as the markings pulsed, his own rhythm matching their cadence. "You're incredible," he breathed, leaning down to capture my lips in a kiss that was all heat and need.
I met him thrust for thrust, my hands roaming his back, careful to avoid his wound but desperate to touch as much of him as possible. The pleasure built rapidly, pushing me toward a peak I could already sense would be unlike anything I'd experienced before.
"I'm close," I gasped against his mouth. "So close."
"Let go," Zane encouraged, his movements becoming more urgent. "I've got you."
The tension inside me snapped, cumming in rippling waves of pleasure so intense my vision blurred into a kaleidoscope of sensation.
A cry tore from my throat, my body arching sharply beneath him as each pulse of ecstasy radiated from our joined bodies to every nerve ending.
The blue markings flared blindingly bright for a moment, my power no longer contained but expanding outward in waves that matched the trembling of my thighs and the rhythmic clenching deep inside me.
I felt rather than saw Zane follow me over the edge, his powerful body shuddering against mine, his forehead pressed to mine as he gasped my name like a prayer.
His release pulsed hot within me, each throb triggering delicious aftershocks that made me whimper and clutch at him.
His face, caught in that beautiful moment of surrender, was the most breathtaking thing I'd ever witnessed, vulnerability and ecstasy etched across features usually so controlled.
As we lay together afterward, our breathing gradually slowing, I became aware of a strange sensation. The prophetic markings, which had spread so far during our lovemaking, were receding, retreating back to their usual boundaries on my arm and shoulder.
"That's new," I watched in fascination as the blue light dimmed to its normal glow.
Zane traced the path of the retreating markings with gentle fingers. "Emotional release. It stabilized your energy."
I looked up at him, a smile tugging at my lips. "Are you saying we just had therapeutic sex?"
He laughed, the sound warm and rich in the quiet room. "If that's the case, we should probably schedule regular sessions. For your health, of course."
"Of course," I agreed, snuggling closer to his warmth. "Very professional."
We lay in comfortable silence for a while, the reality of our situation temporarily held at bay by the cocoon of intimacy we'd created. Eventually, though, practicality reasserted itself.
"We should contact the Bureau," I sighed, reluctant to break the spell. "Let them know what happened."
"Already did," Zane admitted. "While you were sleeping. They're sending an extraction team. Should be here within the hour."
I nodded, grateful for his foresight but disappointed that our time alone was coming to an end. "What happens when we get back?"
Zane's arms tightened around me. "We figure it out. Together."
"And Milo? Rook? Fenric?" I couldn't help asking.
"Like I said, complicated and messy," he smiled against my hair. "But we'll figure that out too. One step at a time."
I believed him.
Zane pressed his lips to my temple, his voice a low murmur against my skin. "Next time, we'll make it to a bed before the world tries to end on us."
I laughed, the sound light and free in a way I hadn't felt since this whole prophecy business began. "Is that a promise?"
"Absolutely," he sealed it with a kiss, soft and sweet and full of possibility.
Outside, we could hear the distant sound of approaching vehicles, Bureau backup finally arriving. But neither of us moved just yet, clinging to these final moments of peace before facing whatever came next.