Chapter twenty-two
Levi closed his eyes and forced the voracious beast that had risen in him down.
He was satiated and full for the first time in months.
Even before Amaya had set foot in his home, he hadn’t trusted himself to fully feed.
He’d been afraid the madness would make him go too far.
With Amaya under his roof, the desire to use another to satisfy his needs had diminished.
The hunger had still been there, it was just pointed solely at her.
Even the time he’d taunted her by feeding at the club. He’d barely taken enough to satisfy himself, only using the woman to make his mate jealous.
Retracting his teeth, Levi pulled back from her neck and stared down at her beautiful face.
Her body was lax in his arms, her mouth slack, soft breaths stirring the air between them.
Using his index finger, he lightly traced her features, wholly in love with this woman.
But even with his obsession, he hadn’t expected this depth of feeling.
“Your Highness.”
Lucas brought Levi’s attention to him. He’d been so enamored with Amaya that he hadn’t realized his enforcer was still in the room.
“She’s fine,” Levi assured Lucas, extricating the worry from his friend’s thoughts. “I didn’t take too much.”
Besides, the moment she awoke, Levi planned to give her more of his blood to seal their bond. Her allowing him into her heart and mind had started it, and he would complete it. It was greedy of him and he didn’t care.
“How long have I been down?”
“Just a few hours,” Lucas assured him. “If you two are okay, I’m going to bed.”
Levi gave him an absent-minded nod, his gaze steady on his mate as his friend left the room.
She had willingly given him blood, even after she claimed she would never.
During his healing, he’d felt Amaya tethering him to this side of the veil as the poison worked through his system.
How could he thank her for helping to save his life?
Careful not to jostle and wake her, Levi unwrapped himself from her.
He padded to his bathroom, needing to wash everything that had happened tonight off his body.
Well, last night, as the shutters being down announced that it was a new day.
Once his baby woke, he would get them to change the sheets too.
As he bathed his body in the scalding hot water, his mind went to the events of the night. Someone had tried to kill him.
Twice in one night.
Was it a coincidence?
Hell nah. He would bet money that the attacks were coordinated.
He was poisoned during the Collective meeting; did that mean one of the elders were working with the Buru?
That didn’t bode well for the South if someone on the Collective was going outside of their territory and bringing in their enemies.
Going toe to toe with the council hadn’t been in his game plan, but shit, plans could always be adjusted. He reached out to his best friend.
Bas answered his summons immediately, his voice groggy with sleep. ‘Yeah?’
Shit, he realized the time of day. ‘Never mind. We can talk this evening. Thank Firefly for me, please.’
‘Will do.’
Bas withdrew from his mind and Levi was once again left alone with his own thoughts.
That brought a startling realization to him.
The fogginess of the Akachi was completely gone from his mind.
Had Raven’s healing fire destroyed what Amaya’s shielding hadn’t been able to reach?
He could think straight for the first time in months.
With that thought came an immediate sense of guilt for the way he’d started his relationship with his mate.
There should never be any doubt on her end that he would care for her.
But he’d seen firsthand from Amaya’s mind how she’d been affected by their interactions. He lowered his head and braced his hands on the tile wall in front of him.
He’d fucked up.
There was no question about it. Even the warnings and admonishments from Lucas and Sebastian hadn’t gotten through to him.
He’d seen so much in his mate’s heart and mind when she’d opened up to him.
There had been a sense of forgiveness, but she was still wary of him.
Even as she gave herself freely to him, a small part of her held back because she was unsure of Levi.
He couldn’t fault her. Seeing his madness from her eyes brought home just how erratic his actions had been lately.
He owed all of his coven an apology.
Finishing up his shower, he got out and wet a washcloth with warm water. Carrying it out to the bedroom, he paused at the foot of his bed and just watched his sleeping baby doll. She rested peacefully.
Fuck.
He would make it all up to her, no matter how long it took.
He joined her in bed, lifting the hem of her gown. The evidence of her climax was all across her thighs, reigniting the hunger in him. Before using the washcloth, he leaned down and licked across her skin.
“Amaya.” Her name was a whispered plea from his lips.
She shuffled a little, but still didn’t awaken. He kissed the inside of her thigh, hunger clenching his stomach. It was too soon to feed from her again, but he promised himself that would be his first stop. Gently, he wiped the cloth across her sex, pushing down the lust making his mouth water.
Temptation proved too much, though, because no sooner than he’d promised himself he would behave, he was trailing kisses up her thigh.
They started out innocently enough, but he was intoxicated by her; there was no other word for it.
He licked across her skin, dragging open-mouth, pleading kisses up her thigh.
“Levi.” She whispered his name softly as she fought through the fog of sleep. He raised his body over hers, dropping soft kisses on her lips and all over her face.
Obsession.
He was obsessed with his mate, and damn if he cared. Amaya’s arms snaked around his neck and she pulled him down until his weight pinned her to the bed.
“You saved me, baby doll,” he said softly, nipping her ear.
She nodded, her eyes still closed. “You’re welcome.”
Chuckling softly, his bite to her chin was a little rougher. “Can I have you?”
Her eyes opened then, the debate written on her face.
Lust and longing flitted across her gaze also, and that gave him hope.
Her heart and mind were still open to him and Amaya wanted him just as much as he wanted her.
Allowing her time to ruminate on her answer, he slid down the strap of her gown.
Unable to resist the expanse of skin, he kissed her rounded shoulder, indulging in her softness.
Her bountiful breasts spilled from the gown and Levi lifted one, sucking her nipple into his mouth.
Amaya squirmed beneath him, whispering his name.
“Say yes, baby doll. You’ve already started our bond, let me seal it. I’ll take care of you. You’ll never have to want for anything. You’ve seen my heart and know how I feel about you.” He stared into her eyes, willing her to see his sincerity.
Her eyes watered as he reached out to her mind and once again allowed her entrance. She cupped the back of his head, holding him to her breast.
‘King,’ she whispered across their bond.
He slid his fingers down her soft stomach and it hollowed as she sucked in a breath.
He rubbed his face into her chest, her soft skin both soothing and inflaming him.
The peace she brought him clenched his chest, even while it made his dick hard.
He reached her pussy and slid a finger through her heated folds.
“So fucking wet,” he murmured, playing softly with her clit.
She whimpered and Levi damn near vibrated with anticipation. He knew the moment he pushed through her walls the obsession he already had would double.
“You gon’ let me in, lil baby?” He was careful to not use his glamour, wanting his mate to choose him herself.
Amaya cupped his cheeks, bringing him closer for a kiss.
Their tongues danced as her hips lifted to grind against his.
Need was building between them, taking hold of his control.
She reached down and removed the towel around his hips while her fingers sought his erection straining between them.
Her soft hands gripped him, slipping up and down his shaft.
Levi dropped his head to watch, frantic hunger making his stomach clench.
“I say yes, King,” was her whispered reply.
Levi didn’t give her a chance to change her mind, using her hand to guide his dick to her center. Amaya canted her hips and he sank in. Warm and tight, her pussy welcomed him in.
“God damn, baby doll,” he hissed as he fought through her clenching walls.
Spreading her legs out wider, Levi sank deeper, groaning at how much she was wetting his shit up.
Leaning forward, he joined their lips, their kisses frenzied.
He thrust in and out of his mate, closing his eyes to indulge in the silken feel of her skin sliding against his.
Tucking his head into her neck, he pulled her hips closer as he drove into her.
Before he lost himself in her, Levi wanted their bond sealed.
It had to happen now since he’d just fed from her.
Any longer and they would need to start the process over.
With that in mind, he grew out his nail and sliced it against his neck, careful not to go too deep.
“Drink,” he ordered.
Amaya’s head raised and she latched onto his throat, sucking on him.
His back bowed, electricity raising the hair on the back of his neck as his mate fed from him.
She tried to stop, but he held her head in place so that she could take enough for the mating bond to activate.
The little amount of blood she’d taken when they’d sealed their contract wouldn’t be enough.
She needed more.
The feel of her mouth against his skin scorched Levi from the inside out.
Keeping his strokes leisurely, he used his magic to finish the job Amaya had started fusing their souls together.
Their bond was bright and vibrant, testament to how deeply their love could develop.
He was already there, but that gave him reassurance that his mate wasn’t too far behind him.
She moaned beneath him, the pressure of her sucking driving up his need.
“Enough,” he managed to whisper, his hips driving forward to get deeper.
Amaya pulled back and her nails scored his skin as she arched beneath him. “Don’t hold back from me.”
“You ready to take more?” he growled, lifting his weight from her.
He pulled out and flipped her body, lifting her hips until her back arched deeply.
The sight of her ass up, her center dewy and waiting for him, released the monster waiting to devour her.
Driving forward, Levi plunged into her with desperate strokes, insatiable hunger filling him.
She was now his, tied irrevocably. His heart soared as he rocked against her.
He couldn’t even help the moan that slipped out of his mouth.
His gums ached, his fangs sliding down as he rode his mate.
The prettiest sounds escaped Amaya, feeding his ego as she pushed her hips back into his.
“More, King,” she panted.
Her pussy fluttered around his dick, and Levi slowed his strokes. “Hold it, baby doll.”
She whimpered, and the helpless sound fed the monster inside him.
Levi rotated his hips, bottoming out in her addictive pussy over and over.
He gripped her hair and pulled her head back.
The pain had her whimpering, her walls clamping down on his shaft.
All sense of logic faded and in its place was pure, heated craving.
They moved as though they’d already spent a lifetime together, both answering the other’s needs before they could be voiced.
He lost track of time in her body. There was no room for anything but satisfying the aching need between them. Soon, though, a tingle started at the base of his spine. Holding back his orgasm was impossible. Wrapping his arms around her, he used his fingers to tease her clit.
“Now, mama. Come for me,” he ordered.
Amaya screamed as her climax flooded their mating bond, dragging him under with her.
Instinct had him driving his teeth into her shoulder as he came.
Her body shuddered beneath him, the keening cry she released signaling that she’d come again.
Levi tightened his hold on his mate and released her shoulder, licking her skin to close his bite.
Fuck. This woman.
He was hers, in every way, and he already knew she would run him.
“I’m glad you know,” she murmured sleepily beneath him.
Smirking, he gently extracted himself from her body. “Shower, then you can rest, beloved.”
She hummed her agreement, her body pliant in his arms as he gathered her.
His life was changed—hell, had been from the moment he’d set his eyes on this witch.
But now that they were bonded with her heart and mind open to him, Levi understood the responsibility that came with holding her soul within him.
It was a closeness he’d never experienced before and if the world thought he’d been rabid before…
They would not be ready for what he’d do to protect and keep this woman.