Chapter 14Talon
Chapter 14
TALON
I miss her. It’s only been a few days, but I can’t help it. Now that she’s my mate, it’s like I crave her presence. I know she went back to her family’s house, so I know she is safe. I’ve just been so unsettled this weekend; it’s unlike me.
The first night, I didn’t notice a difference. It was like any normal night where she slept in her dorm. But midway through the next morning, I became jittery. Onyx squawked at me a couple of times before deciding to hop outside and perch on the tree by the porch. I guess I was too anxious for him. I don’t blame him, because by midafternoon, I annoyed myself with the pacing I couldn’t stop.
I decided at that point I’d take Onyx on a hike. We took the route through the forest to the rear of campus. Once we emerged, I practiced sending Onyx out for sight guidance. When I’d tracked him up to five miles away and back, I decided to channel him to practice my dark magic. If I ever want to fully master my dark powers, I have to use them regularly. This time, I directed Onyx to fly off behind me and grab something small in his claws before flying back toward me and flinging it out in front of me. The surprise of not knowing what direction it was headed or coming from made it challenging, and I needed to keep my focus maintained.
We worked late into the evening, and I had to utilize my remaining power to create a light to see the path home. Once we returned home, I showered before heading out to the dining hall. I only grabbed a sandwich and left, preferring to eat in the solitude of my cottage. Onyx stayed out, tracking down his own food. I leave seeds and berries out for him daily, but I think he prefers something a little more…fresh.
I left the little hatch open for him to make his way inside when he was ready, and then I climbed into bed. The entire afternoon was both physically and mentally draining. That was the point. However, I underestimated my determination and completely drained my power. Now, only sleep can help.
By the time I woke late the next morning, my body felt better. I had received no messages from Rogue, so my emotions were already on a rollercoaster to start the day. I was slightly worried, but she was with her family; she was likely just busy. I decided if I didn’t hear from her later, I’d message and see what’s going on.
After lunch, I decide to head to the athletic center. I am slightly sore from yesterday’s hike and magic drills, but that doesn’t mean I can slack off. It only means my endurance isn’t up to the standard I’ve set for myself. As I walk in, Kane and Silas arguing in the middle of the weight room isn’t what I expected to see. Why is Kane even here? Before I can move to say anything, Silas spins on him and backs him into one of the private yoga rooms.
My eyes narrow as the door slams shut. What the fucking hells is going on? I shake my head, reminding myself they’ve known each other for years. It might just be a simple team argument. I decide to mind my own business for the time being, stepping up and working on a squat machine as I keep a close eye on the door. When I complete three sets, and they still haven't come out, I get curious. What is going on? I thought they weren’t friends.
A thought flashes through my mind. What if they are conspiring against my mate? I know Kane said he’d work with me to protect her if we can share her, but with the lack of communication from her, and Kane showing up early, doubts are flooding my mind.
I finish the last of this set before I replace the weighted bar. When I remove myself from the machine, I quietly make my way over to the door. I can’t initially hear anything, so I lean in close, pressing my ear against the door. I’m not sure what I thought I’d hear, but grunts and dirty talk are not what I expected. “You like this? You’re doing so well for me.” A few seconds later, Kane speaks again. “Are you okay?”
“I’m-I’m okay. It’s a lot, that’s all. I’m getting so close to coming from just you touching me.” Silas breathes. Fuck, is Kane the one in charge here?
“Ah, I’ll take care of you, Hot Shot. Don’t you worry. Hang on, though. I’m about to take you to the next level.”
Stepping back, I decide they need privacy. It’s what I’d want, if I somehow managed to get myself into a situation like this. I gather my things and make my way to the far corner of the room, waiting out what will happen between them. I get busy on the cable machine hidden behind other machines, as I don’t want them to think I was waiting for them to exit the room. A few minutes later, the door opens and Kane walks out, turning to head toward the locker rooms and showers. After about two minutes, Silas exits the room. As he turns to walk outside, he scans the room nervously. Not finding me hiding in the back, he quickly flees. I’ve never seen him looking so anxious. He’s always so confident, but whatever happened between them has him on edge. What was happening in there? Were they truly hooking up? My imagination starts to run wild with so many scenarios, each with Kane or Silas and me. Could I feel that way with them? Would they ever be interested in me? Shaking my head, I clear the jealousy and hypothetical thoughts.
I decide I need to have a conversation with Kane. Wiping down the machine I used, I collect my things and make my way to the locker rooms. As I enter the locker room, Kane is pulling on a pair of clean shorts after a shower, the skin of his back and ass still littered with water droplets that trace the warm curves of his body. I swallow, appreciating the sight in front of me before clearing my throat.
“Kane.”
The statuesque man in front of me turns, glancing over his shoulder with a grin. “Ah, Blackwood. Nice to see you.”
“I need to talk to you,” I say gruffly.
“Well, you don’t have long.” He spins, running his hand through his dark hair before sitting on a bench to put on his socks and shoes. “I have somewhere to be soon, so you have until I’m done.”
“Where is Rogue? Why are you here, when you were supposed to be her ride to the house this weekend? Is she already back?”
The cocky look on his face drops, and he looks down to hide the loss of confidence. “I don’t know. I came back to campus last night because she had something important to handle. She’s a big girl; she can find her own way back.”
“So, what? You left the girl you wanted to share with me without a ride and came back here and found a fuck buddy? Is that all you care about? Your next hit of sex?”
“Fuck you,” he spits. “You don’t know why I came back; it’s none of your business.”
“It is my business when you ask to share the woman who is now my mate, and then you abandon her!”
“Have you ever thought about that? The fact that she is now your mate? What does that mean for me? For her and I? No, you never thought about what happened to our agreement, did you? That’s because you at least have a mate now.”
With a tug on the laces of his shoes, he stands, grabs his t-shirt, and throws it over his shoulder before he collects his bag and storms out.
He’s right. I never had any thought about Kane and our agreement when Rogue and I bonded. Raking my hands over my face, guilt washes over me with my actions today. I ignored Kane, totally distracted by my new mate. Now I have some things to think about and decisions to make. All of that can wait, though, until I find Rogue.
When I don’t hear from Rogue by the time I finish dinner, I send a message to her.
Hey, I’m just checking in on you. Are you doing okay?
It takes a little while to get a response from her. By the time it does ping through to my phone, I’m outside working on tilling soil in the moonlight. Gardening after dark isn’t the smartest thing I’ve done, but I knew I wanted to install an herb garden, and at this point, I needed the distraction.
Rogue
Hey, I’m on my way back to campus. It will be later, as I’m coming from the edge of Kalakai Cove. Isabella insisted on taking me to dinner.
Alright, just making sure. Did you want to just come to my place, then? I’d like to show you where I live.
Rogue
Sounds great. I’ll message when I’m almost there.
The idea of seeing my mate spurs me into action, as I’ll have to shower before I see her.
Twenty minutes later, I’m clean and walking out the door when her message comes through. I end up meeting her halfway from the parking lot and running to envelop her in my arms.
“Talon!” she squeals, wrapping her arms around my neck. Fuck, she feels so good pressed up against me. “What are you doing?!”
“I’ve missed you, so I’m hugging you. I needed to feel you close to me.” My arms wrap around her waist, skimming over her hip where I remember that gorgeous tattoo that sweeps down her leg. I need to ask her about that, because the swirls and feathers intrigue me.
“That sounds about right,” she giggles. “Come, show me your space.”
As we grow nearer to my cottage, I explain the reason I have my own place. “So, when I developed into my power, it was explained to me that I would be considered volatile. My hold on my power could be lost at any moment, so once I decided to attend Terranea and had to disclose my power, they decided a small, individual dwelling would best suit me. They had it built and ready for me formy first semester, and since then, this has been my home.”
As we walk around a curve in the path, the light I left on glimmers through the window. I’m sure she can see how small it is, but based on her bright eyes and excited smile, it doesn’t look like she’s judging me harshly.
“Oh, this is adorable!” she beams.
“I’m glad you like it. Come, let’s go inside.”
Once I help her inside my little cabin, I set down her bag and take her on a quick tour of the layout before helping her settle in.
“Would you like some tea? I’d love to hear about your weekend.”
“Sure,” she says, her hand latching hold of mine as we enter the room. “I love how this is the perfect size for you.” She slowly spins, taking in the entire cooking area, the dining table, and the door with the hatch to the patio. Suddenly, Onyx pops through the hatch and caws. “Good evening, Onyx.” She walks over as he hops up onto his perch. When Rogue raises her hand and hangs it there, he quickly nuzzles into it, taking in all the love he can manage. Recognizing my familiar, immediately accepting my mate, my mate marks glow with my pride and love of this woman. I’m so lucky to have a mate that is so easy to love.
“He’s so handsome,” she says, turning toward me.
“Don’t continue, he’ll get an enormous head. He already thinks he’s the best.” Her giggle echoing through my little home fills my heart. “So, do you want to tell me about your weekend?” Her wane smile hurts my heart a little, but she takes a seat at my dinette table and dives in.
“The drive out to the house was awkward. Kane and I hooked up that day you saw us shopping in town, so I knew he had an interest in me. Well, I told him how we bonded, and while he didn’t blame me, I could tell the news hurt him. I felt terrible, but there was honestly nothing I could do except be honest with him. We all had dinner Friday night, but then he left early to return to campus. He never once talked to me about it.” She sighs before continuing. “I wish there was something I could do to ease his pain.”
So that’s why he was acting strange earlier.
“On happier news, I talked to my mom! I told her about you, and she can’t wait to meet you.”
“That’s amazing, Rogue. What else did you talk about?”
“I told her about reuniting with Dad and finding out he remarried. Mom didn’t know either, and I’m sad I had to tell her. I also told her about Bethany, though. About seeing her again, and then everything that happened. I did leave out the parts about the bullying and the attacks because I didn’t want her to worry. I glossed over the fact that Bethany’s death was an accident. She asked me about her family, and I told her I hadn’t seen much of them. I explained Mrs. Oramar was distraught at the funeral, so I could understand why she might not have recognized me.”
“I could see that. She was quite distracted by her grief.”
“Yeah,” Rogue murmurs as she looks down into her tea.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know what to do, Talon. I’m so heartbroken for how Kane is hurting. My heart still holds onto him; I can’t help feeling drawn to him as I am, and that makes me feel guilty for betraying you.”
“My dear mate,” I say, standing and walking to her, leaning over her back and wrapping my arms around her. “I understand how you feel. My heart has been reaching out to others lately, too. We only know who we are and aren’t supposed to be with when the fates say so.”
Something I said sparks Rogue’s curiosity, because she insists on standing from her chair. I wrap her in my arms once more, unable to keep my hands from pulling her close. When I glance into her bright cerulean eyes, a question lurks in the shadows. “I’ve felt something recently toward Kane, too.”
“What?” Her eyes widen at my admission.
“Yes. He and I have had several interactions, mostly about you. There was always a spark there. In the few encounters I’ve had with Silas, I can see why you were attracted to him as well. Given both situations, I began to wonder if I was attracted to men as well. As I went to classes, I began to notice numerous men that female classmates would fawn over. At that point, I realized it wasn’t ‘men,’ it was those two, specifically. At least, for now. I’ve had sexual experience with both men and women in the past, but nothing really stood out until now. Until you.” My eyes drift from hers to her lips, plump and a soft rose pink that is begging for my attention. “Knowing you are my mate, that has changed the world for me.”
“So,” she says hesitantly, “you’d be interested in him, too? How would that work?”
Leaning down, I brush my lips against hers. Fuck, she tastes so good. When I break the kiss, I start placing gentle kisses along her jaw. “Let’s take things one step at a time, okay?”
The soft gasp that escapes from her instantly redirects blood to below my waist. I nip at her earlobe before breathing out, “Right now, when I think about you and how you crave me, knowing that you are getting wet thinking about me and him, I need to be inside you.”
“That intrigues you?” Her question lilts at the end, like she knows she’s being a teasing brat. That’s okay, though. I’ll give her credit for being brave to admit those feelings. I pull back, finding her smirking at me with a fire lit in her bright turquoise eyes.
“You have no idea. I love watching you writhe beneath me, but I’d love to be able to watch you under someone else’s hand.”
She spins away seductively, backing away toward the bedroom with a crook of her finger. She wants me to follow? I’d follow her to the ends of the earth, even if it meant our demise. I never want to be without her again.
As she spins once more, she kicks off one shoe, and then the other. As she enters my bedroom, she reaches down and grabs the hem of her dress, dragging it over her ample curves and slowly revealing her glorious body. Turning back to face me, she reaches out and grabs my hand before yanking me close and then pushing me backward onto the bed. I grin up at her obvious playfulness, thankful she is home now.
As I watch her climb onto the bed between my legs, my body heats with a passion to claim my mate. I hold back, knowing her claiming me is just as important. As she sits back on her heels, her thick thighs and ample hips spreading my legs wide, my dick begins to throb as her scent of arousal fills the air. Her eyes droop, eyeing the very obvious tent in my shorts, before she runs her hands up my thighs. When she tucks her fingertips into my waistband, a chill runs down my spine. She pulls my shorts down as I lift my hips, but only enough to free my length.
“Is that what you thought about while I was gone? Watching me pleasure someone else? Are you hoping to one day, just so you can remember this moment? Is that something that has crossed your mind? “
“Yes,” I say with rough words. It’s like she knows what I never knew about myself.
“Do you want to remember what my lips feel like wrapped around your cock while you watch me suck his?”
Fuck. She’s playing with fire. “Are you sure you’re up for a late night? Because if you follow up on your words, you aren’t sleeping anytime soon,” I say with a dark glare in her direction.
With a crook of her brow, Rogue lowers those plump rosy lips that I love and crave, taking me into her warm, wet mouth. My body explodes with tension as I’ve been straining to hold myself back from the moment she walked into my cottage. I grip the sheets as I gaze down my body at her, knowing I can’t let go just yet. She’s choosing to honor me, and I can’t ruin that.
When she peers up at me through her lashes, I bite my lip at the sight. “You’re such a good girl,” I say, voice thick with lust. “You know exactly what I need.” She grins around my length, using her tongue to massage the underside of my dick. My vision blurs, forcing me to close my eyes and take a deep breath to collect my composure. The only problem with that is I don’t see the hint of mischief in her eyes until the last minute. As soon as I blink my eyes open, she takes me further into her mouth, stretching her lips wide and taking me into her throat. “Fuck,” my curse is drawn out into a groan, and I reach out and grip her hair, gently pulling her off of me.
“My love, I haven’t seen you in almost three days. I won’t be coming down your throat, despite your best efforts,” I say, as we both pant heavily. “Now, crawl up here and turn your ass around, so I can pleasure you as well. I want my face between your thighs.”
She giggles as she sits up, crawling on her hands and knees toward me. She’s such a vision, her heavy tits swinging in my face as she kneels above one of my shoulders and swings her leg over my head. When I glance up, expecting to see her glistening pussy, I find it covered with fabric, and an obvious wet spot. I growl, as no fabric is worthy enough to clothe this wonderland. I lower my mouth to the wet spot, desperate to drink in every drop from her center. When she bucks and groans, I wrap my hands around her thighs. Leaning back, I grab the material with both hands and yank, rendering it into two pieces.
“What the fuck?!” she squeals, and I only use my palm to smack her ass lightly, rubbing the sting away with my palm.
“Hush, before I bind you up and tease you as relentlessly as you have me tonight.” When the skin of her ass and thighs erupts in goosebumps, I chuckle. She must decide to heed my warning, as only moments pass before her mouth envelops me again. This time, I smother my moans in her pussy, licking and sucking, to drive her to the edge with me.
It takes my entire being to hold off from erupting down her throat, but I manage to ignore my needs and focus on her. It’s when I feel her thighs close in around my head, holding my face to her core and practically suffocating me that I know my tongue has finally pushed her over the edge first.
She lets go of my head, pulling my sensitive and swollen cock out from between her puffy lips, and rolls over onto the bed. I allow her a moment to catch her breath, and as she shivers from a draft of cool air, she decides she’s not done with me.
Seeing this ethereal fantasy of mine sit up, swing her leg across my hips, and attempt to sink down onto my dick will never get old. My only regret is that I’m so large, it takes her a while to stretch to fit me. My brows crease with concern as she cringes from the discomfort of not taking me for so long.
“You can do it, my love, you can take it all.” I reach down to stroke her clit for her as she bounces on her knees slowly to sink lower and lower. When she bottoms out, she pants, breathless and glowing. I groan at the sensation of her cunt wrapping my cock in ecstasy.
“Move for me. I need this. I need you.” She places both of her hands on my chest and grinds down, winding me further. My Rogue is a gods-damned fucking goddess, a vision of a queen among the mortals. She feels like heaven.
“Just like that,” I murmur. “Look at you taking me so well. I knew you were meant for me.” Her movements jerk, a shiver interrupting her rhythm. I take advantage to assist and brace my feet to help her bounce on my dick. Snaking my arm through hers, I return my fingers to the apex of her thighs, beginning to circle my tips around her clit. When her thighs begin to tremble, I know she’s close. I am too, and this time, I won’t hold back.
“That’s right, are you going to come again for me, my love? Give it to me, Rogue. Give me your pleasure.” Within moments, her orgasm washes over her, her song exploding in a wave of power and dragging me with her. I swell inside her, filling her with my cum.
When she collapses onto my chest, I brush her hair away from her face. I still don’t know what I did to deserve this woman, but I know I’ll be treasuring her forever.