Chapter 10
Kai
For three years, I'd been cold. Trapped. Dying over and over with no hope, no future, no reason to believe anything would ever change. But now—now there was a plan. A real plan. And this man, my mate, had risked everything to give it to me.
My hands went to his shirt, fingers pulling at the t-shirt fabric with desperate efficiency.
Jack pulled my towel open. His mouth went to my breast, kissing and sucking.
I gasped, grinding down against him, feeling the hard length of him through his jeans. The mate bond sang between us. My phoenix was humming with anticipation.
"Tell me if I hurt you," he growled against my lips, his hand sliding down to grip my ass. "Tell me if you want me to stop."
"Don't stop," I panted, my hands finally getting his shirt up so I could run my palms over the warm, solid muscle of his chest. "Don't you dare stop."
His mouth found mine again, swallowing my words as his hand moved between us, softly pushing me back. I heard the sound of his belt, his zipper, and then his cock was there—right there. When he rubbed against my belly, I closed my eyes at the heat inside me.
"Look at me," he commanded softly, and I opened my eyes to meet his. "I want to see you when I make you mine."
"Yes," I whispered. "Please—"
He placed his hands under my hips and easily lifted me up.
He angled me so I leaned against his chest. One of his hands left my hip.
Then he pushed himself into me slowly, carefully, watching my face for any sign of pain.
There was pressure, a brief sting of discomfort—it had been a while—but it felt so perfect having him inside.
Our mate bond energy radiating off of us.
"Are you alright?" he asked through gritted teeth, his whole-body trembling with the effort of holding still. "Kai?"
"Don't stop," I told him, my hands gripping his shoulders. "Please, Jack, don't stop."
He started to move, lifting me slowly and carefully at first, but I could feel his control slipping with each thrust. I caught his rhythm, sliding up and down his wide cock.
My body adjusted to him quickly, the discomfort fading into something else entirely—a pleasure that built and built until I was gasping his name.
"You're so warm, so perfect." His voice was rough in my ear. "That's my girl. Let me hear you."
Time lost all meaning. There was only sensation—his cock filling me with each slide of skin on skin. Our breathing matched. His hands helped me rise and fall. The mate bond blazing between us like wildfire, binding us together in ways that had nothing to do with the physical.
"Jack," I sobbed as the pleasure crested higher, my nails digging into his back. "Mark me. Please."
Still inside, Jack paused.
I looked at him; afraid I'd said something wrong.
"Kai, are you sure?"
"I've never been more certain of anything in my life." I kissed him. "If tonight goes bad, I want to be mated."
"Me too," Jack smiled. Then lifted me again, only to allow me to drop onto his cock.
I threw my head back. The instantly full feeling was almost enough to bring me to the edge. Jack lifted me again, his speed picking up. Up and down, I bounced while he helped me.
"I'm so close," I said, tightening my inner muscles around him.
While thrusting in and out, Jack moved his thumb, parting my lips. He slid it in, and after a few side-to-side motions, he found my clit.
"Let go," he commanded, his movements becoming more urgent, more desperate. "Come for me, Kai. Let me feel it." He applied pressure to my clit while he thrust me down hard.
The orgasm hit me like lightning, pleasure exploding through every nerve ending.
My back arched, my inner walls clenching around him, and I heard him curse as his own release followed—his body going rigid as he buried himself deep.
For a moment, we sat there, breathing hard, hearts pounding in sync.
Still inside me, Jack took his thumb out and brought it to our faces.
"Stay still," he commanded in a deeper voice than I'd ever heard.
My heartbeat quickened. His eyes turned the same color as his gorilla—a bright silver color outlined with a black ring.
His thumb glowed the same silver color. He took his thumb and placed it on the inside of my right wrist. He held it there, and my breath caught in my throat.
A tingling sensation spread through my body.
His eyes returned to normal as he removed his thumb.
I looked down at my wrist. There, in a glistening silver outline, was a thumbprint. Jack's thumbprint. I touched it, and the silver brightened. A tear escaped and rolled down my cheek.
"I love it." I touched it again, watching the glow. "My turn. Ready? Mine might hurt."
Jack nodded.
I brought my face to where his heart was and carefully transformed my mouth into my beak.
I spoke inward to my phoenix, asking it to accept and mark this man as our mate.
Immediately, my temperature rose. I allowed my phoenix to guide me, bringing the tip of my beak to the spot.
I applied it to Jack's chest. I heard him suck in air, but I didn't break the bond until I felt my phoenix transform my beak back into my human face.
Looking down at Jack's chest, there, burned into his skin, was a perfect orange and red feather.
Jack looked down, taking it in. Slowly, carefully, he lifted his head to look at me. His eyes were soft now, full of wonder and something that looked like awe.
"My mate," he said, brushing damp hair back from my face.
"My mate," I whispered, unable to stop smiling even though tears were leaking from the corners of my eyes.
Jack brought our foreheads together. The mate bond had settled into something warm and content in my chest, but underneath it was steel. We were bound now. Truly bound. This was something no one could take from me. Even in death, I would wear my mate's mark.
"Kai," Jack said. "I better go, and you better get ready."
"Alright, I suppose we better. But first, I have to know—did you have to use that thumb to mark me, or was that some male thing?"
Jack laughed. "I had to use it. In order to bring forth the gorilla marking, I have to have your essence." He smiled a mischievous-looking grin. "It was either that or your blood."
"Good choice." I kissed him.
"Alright, time for the shitty part." Jack carefully lifted me, pulling himself out. The act made me wince slightly, and immediately his expression became concerned. "Did I hurt you?"
"No," I assured him quickly. "You're pretty wide, I had to stretch. It's just a new sensation. I'm fine. Better than fine."
He grabbed the towel from where it had fallen and gently cleaned us both, his touch reverent. When he was done, he pulled me against his chest, his arms wrapped securely around me.
"I promise I'll keep you safe. And as soon as you're back, we're taking off. Just us," Jack promised.
Reality crashed back in. The performance. Tonight. Mortis.
I pulled back to look at him, and he must have seen the fear in my eyes because he immediately cupped my face in his hands.
"Hey," he said firmly. "We've got this. You and me. Together."
"Together," I repeated, letting the word settle into my bones.
He kissed me once more, soft and sweet and full of promise, then stood. Putting his t-shirt back on and zipping up his pants, he tightened his belt. "Hey, will you know me in your chick form?"
"Maybe, but it might be more of a feeling. I know I feel afraid of Mortis. But I've never had a mate before, so I'm not sure what will happen."
"I guess we'll see." Jack quickly kissed me. "Everything will be alright, Kai. It has to be. I love you, and I'm not losing you."
"You love me? I thought it was just me. I mean, who loved you." I was overjoyed with emotions and not making any sense. "I love you."
"Good. Now that we have that established," Jack laughed, kissing me again. "I have to go. Be strong." He pressed my mate mark, causing it to shine again. "You're not alone anymore."
Jack made to leave, but before he exited the tent, he turned back to face me.
"Kai, just so you know, next time we're together, I'm going to take my time and savor every inch of you."
My stomach flipped, and my vagina ached. "Promises, promises." Smiling, I winked at him.
He smiled back, then left the tent. And for the first time ever, I was excited to get dressed in the hideous dress.
To be on show in front of everyone. To burn on Mortis' command.
Because now I had something Mortis couldn't take from me—love and hope.
And tonight's rejuvenation wasn't for Mortis.
It was to show my mate just how bright my fire was.