Chapter Seven #2
Heat engulfed Kivani’s cock, wet and perfect, and he had to force himself not to thrust up into that willing mouth.
Dakota’s inexperience showed in the tentative way he moved, but what he lacked in skill he made up for in enthusiasm.
His head bobbed, taking Kivani deeper with each pass, and the sounds he made sent vibrations through sensitive flesh.
“Dakota.” Kivani’s voice came out strained, his free hand gripping the couch hard enough that the fabric tore under his fingers. “Your mouth feels so good.”
Dakota hummed around him, the vibration making Kivani’s hips buck despite his efforts to stay still. His hands came up to grip Kivani’s thighs, nails digging in, and the slight pain mixed with the pleasure in a way that made Kivani’s vision blur.
“That’s it.” Kivani’s hand in Dakota’s hair guided him, setting a rhythm that wouldn't overwhelm. “Just like that. You’re doing so well.”
Dakota’s eyes flicked up, meeting Kivani’s gaze, and the sight of his mate looking up at him with Kivani’s cock in his mouth nearly broke his control.
Those huge eyes were glassy, pupils blown wide, and Kivani could see arousal written across every feature.
His mate wanted this, wanted him, and that knowledge made something primal roar to life in Kivani’s hindbrain.
Dakota pulled off with an obscene sound, his lips red and swollen. “I want you to fuck my mouth.”
The words hit Kivani like lightning. His tiger snarled, demanding he take what was being offered, and Kivani’s control snapped. His hand tightened in Dakota’s hair, and he guided his mate back down, thrusting up as Dakota’s mouth opened.
Dakota moaned around him, the sound muffled but desperate. His hands gripped Kivani’s thighs harder, nails leaving crescents in Kivani’s skin, and he relaxed his throat to take more. Kivani set a rhythm, not rough but steady, watching his cock disappear between those perfect lips over and over.
“Look at you.” Kivani’s voice came out guttural, barely human. “Mouth so perfect.”
Dakota whimpered, his hips rolling against nothing. The sight of his mate so desperate, so eager, made heat coil tight in Kivani’s stomach. His tiger purred, pleased with their mate’s submission, with the way Dakota gave himself over completely.
“Touch yourself.” Kivani’s hand guided Dakota’s head, keeping the rhythm steady. “Want to see you get off on this.”
Dakota’s hand moved to his own jeans, fumbling with the button before getting it open.
He shoved his hand inside, and Kivani could see the movement of his arm as he stroked himself.
His mate’s eyes rolled back, his mouth going slack around Kivani’s cock, and the sight was almost enough to push Kivani over the edge.
“Not yet.” Kivani pulled Dakota off, his cock slipping free with a wet sound. “I want to taste you first.”
Dakota blinked up at him, dazed and beautiful. “What?”
“I want my mouth on you.” Kivani pulled Dakota up into his lap, their bodies pressed together. “Want to make you come on my tongue.”
“Fuck.” Dakota’s hips rolled forward, grinding against Kivani’s stomach. “Yes, okay, yes.”
Kivani flipped their positions, laying Dakota back against the couch and settling between his legs. His mate’s jeans were still partially on, and Kivani made quick work of removing them completely. Dakota’s cock stood hard against his stomach, and Kivani’s mouth watered at the sight.
He pressed his face against Dakota’s inner thigh, breathing in his mate’s scent. Arousal and sweat and something sweet that was uniquely Dakota. His tiger rumbled approval, wanting to mark and claim, but Kivani focused on the present. On making his mate feel good.
“Please.” Dakota’s hand found Kivani’s hair, fingers threading through the strands. “Stop teasing.”
Kivani’s tongue traced up the inside of Dakota’s thigh, getting closer but not quite touching where his mate wanted him most. Dakota’s hips jerked, seeking friction, and Kivani held him down with one hand on his hip.
“Patience.” Kivani’s breath ghosted across sensitive skin, and Dakota whined. “I want to savor this.”
“I’m going to die.” Dakota’s head fell back against the couch. “Actually die if you don’t put your mouth on me right now.”
Kivani smiled against Dakota’s skin then finally gave his mate what he wanted. His tongue traced the length of Dakota’s cock from base to tip, and Dakota’s entire body went rigid. The taste of him was perfect, salt and musk and arousal, and Kivani wanted more.
He wrapped his lips around the head and sucked, his tongue working the sensitive underside. Dakota cried out, his hand tightening in Kivani’s hair, and his hips tried to thrust up despite Kivani’s hand holding him down.
“Kivani.” His name came out broken, desperate. “God, that feels so good.”
Kivani took him deeper, relaxing his throat the way Dakota had tried to do.
His mate’s cock wasn't as thick as his own, and Kivani could take him all the way down without difficulty. He did, his nose pressing against Dakota’s pelvis, and the sound his mate made was almost enough to make Kivani come without a single touch.
“I’m not going to last.” Dakota’s thighs trembled on either side of Kivani’s head. “I’m already so close.”
Kivani pulled off just enough to speak. “Then don’t. Come for me.”
He swallowed Dakota down again, hollowing his cheeks and sucking hard. His hand moved from Dakota’s hip to between his own legs, gripping his cock and stroking in time with the movement of his mouth. His tiger purred, the vibration traveling through his throat, and Dakota’s entire body went taut.
“Kivani, I’m—fuck, I’m going to—”
Dakota came with a shout, his release hitting the back of Kivani’s throat.
Kivani swallowed it down, his own hand working faster on his cock.
The taste of his mate, the sounds he made, the way his body shook with pleasure was all too much.
Kivani’s orgasm hit him hard, his hips jerking as he spilled over his hand.
He kept his mouth on Dakota until his mate went soft, until the overstimulation made Dakota push at Kivani’s head weakly. Then Kivani pulled off and rested his forehead against Dakota’s thigh, breathing hard and trying to get his tiger back under control.
“Holy fuck.” Dakota’s voice was wrecked, barely above a whisper. “That was...”
“Good?” Kivani pressed a kiss to Dakota’s thigh then another higher up.
“Understatement of the century.” Dakota’s hand was still in Kivani’s hair, petting now instead of gripping. “I think you broke me.”
Kivani smiled against his mate’s skin, satisfaction warm in his stomach. “Good broken or bad broken?”
“Definitely good.” Dakota tugged at Kivani’s hair gently. “Come up here.”
Kivani climbed back up, settling beside Dakota on the couch. His mate immediately curled into him, face pressed against Kivani’s throat, and his tiger purred so loudly that Kivani was sure it echoed in every corner of the building.
“You’re doing that thing again.” Dakota’s breath was warm against Kivani’s skin. “The purring thing.”
“Can’t help it.” Kivani’s arm wrapped around Dakota’s shoulders, pulling him closer. “My tiger is very pleased right now.”
“Because we had sex?”
“Because you’re here. Safe. Happy.” His hand moved to Dakota’s back, rubbing slow circles. “The sex was just a bonus.”
His mate laughed, the sound soft and genuine. “A really good bonus though.”
“Definitely.” Kivani pressed a kiss to the top of Dakota’s head, breathing in his scent. His mate smelled like sex and satisfaction and Kivani, and his tiger rumbled approval at the combination. “How are you feeling? About everything?”
Dakota was quiet for a moment, his fingers tracing patterns on Kivani’s stomach. “Honestly? Still kind of freaked out. The vampire thing, the shifter thing, the mate-bond thing… It’s all a lot to process.”
“That’s fair.” Kivani kept his hand moving on Dakota’s back, the motion soothing for both of them. “You don’t have to process it all at once.”
“I keep thinking about what Bennett said.” Dakota’s voice went quieter. “About you wanting something from me. And I know you said the mate bond doesn't control how you feel, but what if it does? What if you only like me because some cosmic force decided we're supposed to be together?”
The fear in Dakota’s voice made Kivani’s tiger growl low. “The bond doesn't work like that. I told you it doesn't create feelings that aren't real.”
“How do you know?” Dakota tilted his head up to look at Kivani. “How can you be sure what you feel is real and not just the bond making you think it is?”
“Because I’ve lived three hundred years without feeling this.
” Kivani met his mate’s eyes, willing him to understand.
“I’ve met thousands of people. Been attracted to plenty of them.
Had relationships that lasted decades. But none of it felt like this.
None of them made my tiger settle the way you do. ”
Dakota’s expression softened, something vulnerable crossing his features. “Really?”
“Really.” Kivani’s hand came up to cup Dakota’s face, his thumb brushing across his mate’s lower lip. “The bond told me to pay attention to you. Everything else—the way I feel when you laugh, the way I want to make you smile, the way I can’t stop thinking about you—that’s all me.”
“Okay.” Dakota’s eyes searched Kivani’s face, looking for something. “I believe you.”
Relief flooded through Kivani’s system, his tiger settling further. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Dakota leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to Kivani’s mouth. “I still need time to process everything, but I believe that what you feel is real.”
“Take all the time you need.” Kivani returned the kiss, keeping it gentle. “I’m not going anywhere.”
They settled back into the couch, Dakota curled against Kivani’s side. The apartment was quiet except for their breathing, the occasional sound of a car passing on the street below. Kivani’s hand kept moving on Dakota’s back, rubbing slow circles that made his mate relax further into him.
“So what happens now?” Dakota asked after a while. “Do we just go back to normal? Pretend vampires and shifters don’t exist?”
“I don’t think you can pretend something doesn't exist once you know about it.” Kivani’s fingers found the hem of Dakota’s shirt—when had he put that back on?—and slipped underneath to touch bare skin. “But we don’t have to make any big decisions tonight. Tonight we just exist here, together.”
“That sounds good.” Dakota’s hand found Kivani’s free hand, their fingers interlacing. “I like existing here with you.”
“Good.” He pressed another kiss to Dakota’s head. “Because I plan on you existing here with me a lot more.”
His mate made a soft sound, something between contentment and exhaustion. His body was getting heavier against Kivani’s, his breathing evening out. His tiger rumbled with satisfaction, pleased their mate felt safe enough to sleep.