Chapter 56 #2
As he spoke, he reached across Raye, and tugged Kalfr over on top of her.
And though it wasn’t Gaelfr himself, it was still so good, enough that Raye could have sobbed with it.
All Kalfr’s warm, fluid strength above her, covering her, protecting her, making her his.
And in this moment, as his legs gently guided hers apart, Raye could forget tomorrow, forget Sybil, forget that he would ever leave her behind again.
He was here, he was hers, and his hungry, slippery crown was nestling into her wet, quivering heat with such gentle, familiar willingness.
Just like it had all those years ago, when doing this together had felt like the easiest, most natural thing in the world.
When it had felt as though they’d always belonged together, and always would.
And as he slowly slid all the way inside, filling her with his strength, Raye clung to him as tightly as she could, drinking up the truth of him here, now, with her.
Her mate. Hers. And even if he left tomorrow, left her forever, in this moment it was real, it was beautiful, it was everything she’d longed for, all these years.
Kalfr in her arms again, inside her again, his mouth kissing so sweetly against hers, binding them together — and then his kisses slid warm and hungry down her cheek to her jaw, her throat.
Finding his place again, amidst all her scars, just as he should.
And Raye’s hand curved against the back of his head, drawing him further downwards. Meeting him. Trusting him.
And as his teeth bit down, and the pleasure shot and sang between them, swirling out in hot, dreamlike pulses, Raye sank into it, drowning in it, as if it was the goddess’ own voice, her own will.
She could trust Kalfr. They would be brave and strong Bautul together, and find a way through this.
For them, for Gaelfr, for their band, for Svein. A family.
“And you, Gael?” Raye heard Kalfr murmur, once he’d kissed at the bite in her throat until it felt smooth again. “Shall you grant our mate a turn, also?”
Raye’s hazy, floating attention snapped back again, focusing intently on Gaelfr, waiting for his answer. But she could almost feel him shaking his head, and letting out a sound that might have been a chuckle.
“Ach, but she is already so content upon you,” Gaelfr murmured, and Raye could feel him stroking Kalfr’s back, leaning in to kiss at his throat. “I ken she may even sleep thus, with you inside her.”
And amidst the whispering disappointment, Raye could admit that yes, it did still feel lovely like this, with Kalfr’s weight upon her, Kalfr’s softened strength still tucked inside her, keeping his seed safely behind it.
And when she curled her arms tighter around him, she could feel his nod, his body sinking heavier against hers, his head ducking close into its place against her throat.
After that, she did sleep, her thoughts twisting into soft, shimmering dreams. Dreams of Kalfr and Gaelfr and Svein, playing and laughing together in the moonlit garden, while Raye followed a quiet shadow between the trees.
Catching glimpses of it, here and there, of wild curly hair, a soft rounded body, a gentle, tender smile.
And when Raye found her, clasping her cool hands beside the altar, it was pure light and magic, twinkling and dancing all around them, shining all the way to Raye’s heart.
You are a great blessing, daughter, said the light. May you bear great blessings, also.
When Raye awoke, what felt like some time later, she could still almost see that light, could scent it in the air. Could taste that quivering, shimmering power of it, all above her, around her, inside her…
Inside her.
Her hand snapped to her belly, fingers trembling, spreading wide. And though it felt the same, that whisper of awareness kept rising, shining, because —
Kalfr must have slipped out of her at some point during the night, but his warm body was still heavy against her side, and she could feel his head lifting, could almost see the glitter of his eyes. “What is it, saeta?” he murmured, his voice thick with sleep. “Are you well?”
Raye rapidly nodded, blinking back the water suddenly pooling behind her eyes, while on her other side, Gaelfr shifted too, reaching to light the lamp.
Revealing both their bemused faces now looking down toward her, but then Gaelfr’s gaze narrowed, flicked down her front, as if maybe he felt it, too…
“I had… a dream,” Raye whispered. “Such a lovely dream. And in it, I saw the goddess, and she… she blessed me. And it felt so real, I thought…”
She couldn’t make herself say it, because it would sound so foolish, wouldn’t it? So presumptuous. To think the goddess would speak that way to her, or offer her such blessings…
But Kalfr’s eyes went arrested and unmoving on hers, and Gaelfr’s nostrils had begun flaring.
And in a jerky movement, he shoved himself down the bed, pressed his face into Raye’s bare belly, and drew in a deep, bracing breath.
Smelling her. And surely it was nothing, surely it had just been a dream after all…
But when Gaelfr raised his face again, his eyes were unnaturally bright, and a small, wavering smile pulled at his mouth. And Raye had never seen him look like this before, like he too had seen that beautiful light, and it was shining out from within him, flooding him with warmth and relief.
“Ach, the goddess has blessed us, saeta,” he croaked. “For you scent of — our son. Kalfr’s son.”