Chapter 47 – Raelyn
Chapter Forty-Seven
RAELYN
I’m frozen to the spot. Surely I’m no match for whatever is down there, but I can’t abandon my friend. The water goes still, and my heart sinks like a stone.
“Kian!” I scream before I rush back into the waist-deep water and duck beneath the surface, trying to look through the murky depths for something, anything.
What am I doing? I can’t swim. I can’t save her.
A wild scream erupts out of me under the water. In desperation, I stretch my hands out, shocked when light shoots from my fingers, illuminating the waters.
Almost too surprised to react, I continue soundlessly screaming as light pours out of me. There! I blink and spy Sera floating lifelessly twenty feet away as a dark shadow darts away from her. Whatever it is seems to be avoiding the beams lighting up the water’s fathomless depths.
I’m wrenched out of the water and start coughing. Kian’s entire body is rife with tension as he holds my back to his chest, his arms tight around my middle. “Are you okay? What in the hells is going on, Rae?”
“Sera!” I gasp as I point in the direction I last saw her. “She’s not moving,” I choke out. “There’s something in there.”
A splash is the only indication, and we turn and barely catch Alex disappearing beneath the surface of the lake.
“Let go of me, Ki. I can help!” I cry.
With no hesitation, he drops his arms, and I duck back under the water, trying to recall the sensation I felt before the light poured out of me.
Come on, Rae. You can do this.
I close my eyes in concentration, feel for the buzzing in my veins, and will it to leave my body through my fingers.
It’s different from the ribbons of light from my childhood memories with Erika.
It’s deeper . . . more powerful. A zap of warmth courses down my arms, and I open my eyes in awe as the light pours out of me again, making a clear path for Alex to find Sera.
I hold my breath as he reaches her, then quickly kicks to the surface.
Worried about whatever beast might be lying in wait, I continue shooting out beams of light until Alex swims past, and then I burst out of the water, sucking in a deep breath.
Alex rushes Sera to shore, and gods, I hope she’s okay.
“We should probably get out of here,” I say as my teeth chatter with cold. The sun has sunk below the horizon, and darkness is swiftly falling. “Whatever is down there didn’t like my light, but I don’t think I have anything left.”
My body is weak and drained. I could sleep for a week if left alone.
Wordlessly, Kian picks me up and carries me out of the water. He’s clenching his jaw so hard, I’m worried he’ll break a tooth.
Kian puts me down, and my fear for Sera sends a rush of energy through me as I hurry to her side. Alex laid her on the sandy beach and is doing quick compressions on her chest, stopping only to blow a few quick breaths into her mouth before starting compressions again.
My heart clenches, and I pray silently to any god who might listen. I can’t lose my friend.
“Here, love,” Kian says, handing me a clean, dry tunic from my bag, and I pull it over my head. Perhaps the embarrassment of Alex seeing me completely naked will hit later, but I’m not entirely sure he paid me a lick of attention, he is so focused on Sera.
I reach out and squeeze her unmoving hand. “Come on, Sera. Breathe,” I plead.
It was only moments, but it feels like a lifetime until she finally turns her head and coughs up a lungful of water. A slew of foreign-sounding words bubble out of her, and she grabs at her head.
“Sera!” I cry, tears rolling down my cheeks.
Alex rubs and pats her back. “It’s okay. Let it out, Spitfire.”
Sera’s eyes flutter open, and I sag in relief against Kian. “Thank the gods.”
Sera looks around, spies Alex’s worried gaze, and snaps at him, “What in the hells are you looking at? Get me some clothes.”
Alex snorts and shakes his head, standing to search for her clothing. “Clearly, she’s fine.”
“There should be something in my satchel,” I instruct, and Kian throws him the bag.
Sera wraps her arms around herself and gives Alex a stiff nod as he hands her a fresh tunic. “Thank you,” she mumbles under her breath.
“What was that?” Alex asks, quirking a brow.
“You heard me,” Sera growls.
“There’s the spitfire I know,” he quips.
I shake my head . . . These two just won’t quit.
“How are you feeling?” I ask Sera.
“My chest aches,” she admits. “And my leg hurts something fierce.”
I scan her body, looking for injuries, and note the giant welts and bruising on her calf. “What in the hells was down there?” I wonder aloud.
Kian squats next to us, looking at Sera’s leg, and frowns. “Some beast I have no desire to tangle with.” He shudders.
“How deep is that lake?” Alex asks.
“Surprisingly deep,” I reply.
Alex turns and pins his eyes on me. “Care to explain the light show, Rae? Kian never mentioned you having any powers.”
I flush. “Well . . . uhh . . . I got mad, and it kind of shot out of me and scared off whatever was down there. I had no idea I could do that.”
“Thank the gods for it,” Sera says, laying her head on her knees.
“Maybe we should get back to camp,” Kian suggests.
I groan as I rise, feeling a little weak in the knees.
Kian immediately steadies me. “Can you walk, love?”
“I think so.”
He helps me gather up the discarded clothes, and we stuff them into my satchel.
“Do you need help, Sera?” Alex asks with no bite in his tone.
Sera tries to put weight on her leg and winces. “I might . . .”
“That had to be hard for her to admit,” Kian whispers in my ear, and I swat him away.
“Shhh.”
Alex offers Sera a hand up, and before she can protest, he swoops her into his arms and stomps back toward camp. Shockingly, Sera doesn’t complain.
When they’re out of earshot, I look up at Kian. “Do you think . . .”
“One hundred percent. I’d be willing to wager on it.”
I chuckle. “I’m not taking that bet.”
“Yes, because you’d lose.” Kian flicks my nose gently, then his face turns serious. “Hells, Rae. When you screamed earlier and I got here and you were gone, I didn’t know what to think.”
I put my hand on his cheek, drawing his gaze to mine. “I’m okay, love. I promise.”
“Hey, that’s your name.” He turns his head to press a kiss to my palm. My eyes meet his, and they shimmer with so many unspoken words.
“Thank you for coming for me . . . for us.”
“You called.”
Gods, I want to kiss him. Ever since I got my memories back, I’ve had flashes of our brief times together .
. . the longest being when he first courted me seven years ago.
I understand the warmth I feel toward him, the connection that is deeper than I want to admit.
I take in a breath, forcing down the brief surge of anger at what was stolen from us, hoping it’s not too late to reclaim it.
Threading my hand in his, we make our slow trek back to the campsite.
“Are we going to talk about your powers?” Kian asks.
“I’m not sure where to start,” I admit, holding my hand up. It’s almost completely dark now, and I search for that hidden spark within me. A ribbon of light dances around my fingers.
“Incredible,” Kian breathes. “Just as beautiful as you.”
The light sputters out, and we’re plunged back into darkness.
In a breath, Kian swoops me up into his arms and takes me off the path, farther into the forest. My heart thunders in my chest as my mind tries to conjure all sorts of thoughts of what he might be up to.
Before I can utter a word, his mouth is on mine.
He’s pushing me back into a tree, hooking my leg around his hip, and consuming me with a soul-stealing kiss.
My hands fly up to his hair, and I dig my fingers in, pulling him even closer.
“I really thought I might have lost you,” Kian rasps as he kisses down my neck.
“I’m truly fine, I promise.” I let out a low moan as his hand dips under the tunic and I remember how bare I am. His hand trails up the side of my thigh, and oh gods, I need him to stop teasing me.
“Touch me, Ki,” I whimper, knowing somehow that he needs to hear me say it.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
I reach for him, but he pulls back, retrieving a dagger from his boot.
“How attached are you to this tunic?” he asks.
My breath picks up. “Not very.”
“Good,” he purrs as he slices through it, exposing my naked body in the dim light of the stars.
I take a breath, and he devours me with his eyes. “Beautiful. Exquisite.”
I shiver as the air tightens my nipples to hard peaks.
The hunger in his gaze makes me burn, and I reach for him once again, pulling him to me.
His mouth captures mine in another rapturous kiss, setting me on fire.
One hand makes a slow exploration of my body, starting with my breast, and I cry out as he gently pinches my nipple between his fingers before roaming farther down my side, his hand skimming my waist and finally, finally, sliding between my legs.
“Fuck, you’re so wet for me, love.”
I shudder again as he kisses down my throat while his fingers gently explore and circle my most sensitive part. I start to throb with want. It’s so much, it’s too much, it’s not enough.
“Ki, I need you.”
His mouth closes around my other breast, and he sucks, wringing another cry from my lips.
“I need to taste you first,” Kian replies as he continues kissing down my chest and stomach, all while his fingers tease and torture me, bringing me almost to the edge.
He drops to his knees in front of me, hooking a leg over his shoulder. “May I?”
“Please,” I whimper and then cry out as his tongue hits my center and he tastes me like a man desperate for sustenance.
Rocking against him, I writhe as he plunges first one finger, then two deep inside me, working me from without and within.
Every fear, every doubt washes away as he worships at my feet.
He keeps me on the edge of bliss, teasing me relentlessly.
“Ki, I need to come,” I beg as everything winds up inside of me.
“I’ve got you, love.” His voice rumbles through my body, and I’m strung tight like a bowstring. My legs quiver, and I explode, biting down on my lip to keep from screaming. My climax roars through me, and my body shakes almost uncontrollably as he works me through the release.
“Rae, you’re incredible. You taste like sunshine,” Kian murmurs as he gets to his feet, placing my shaky leg back on the ground. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are when you come undone for me?”
I sag into the tree, truly not knowing if I can stand with how he’s brought me to bliss.
“Do you have any idea how many years I’ve ached for you?
How much I’ve yearned to make you mine?” he whispers, pulling me into his arms. “I love you, Rae. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember.
Every time we met over the past twenty years, I learned more of who you are, and I still can’t get enough. ”
My heart melts into the ground, and everything within me cries out Yes as I pull his face to mine. He kisses me deeply, stealing the air from my lungs.
“Thank the gods,” I say. “I thought there had to be something wrong with me for how much I’ve wanted you. I think perhaps I’ve loved you all this time and merely didn’t understand it because I couldn’t remember . . .”
Kian gently pushes a tendril of hair behind my ear before cupping my cheek, a grin quirking his lips. “You could have said something sooner.”
I laugh, pulling him in for another kiss. “Make love to me, Ki,” I demand, desperate for him to fill me and make me completely his.
“I thought you’d never ask,” he moans into my mouth.
I can taste myself on his tongue, and it shoots another pang of desire through me.
He loosens his pants, then presses me into the tree, lifting me so I can hook my legs around his waist. He lets out a guttural groan as he slides in inch by inch, allowing me to adjust and stretch, the brief pinch of pain quickly forgotten as he kisses my throat.
He starts to thrust into me, and I’m soaring. His body fills mine so perfectly.
“Harder,” I breathe, wanting him to know he can let go with me. He doesn’t need to hold back.
He picks up his pace, and I moan into his mouth, loving the sensation of him so deep inside me. We’re no longer two but one.
“You take me so well, love,” he praises. He’s not gentle as he pounds his cock into me in desperation, like he needs to prove to himself that I’m all right. One hand grasps my breast, and when he pinches my nipple, I gasp as my release barrels through me out of nowhere.
“You’re amazing, Ki.”
I can feel his grin against my cheek as he gives one final thrust and finds his own release. “You’re amazing, Rae,” he says breathlessly before kissing me softly.
“So much for my lake bath,” I joke.
“You’ll smell like me,” he purrs. “No one will doubt who you belong to.”
“You and your filthy mouth,” I retort.
He reaches behind me and squeezes my rear. “I can’t help myself. You make me wild for you.”
My heart soars with joy and contentment, finally feeling like I truly belong. We’re no longer bound only by words and blood, but by body and soul as well.
“I think you were always supposed to be mine,” I whisper.
Kian cups my cheek again, his gaze boring into my soul. “I know you don’t believe in soul-bonded mates, but if there is such a thing, I know with certainty you are mine. I belong to you just as you belong to me.”
My breath catches, and tears prick my eyes, my soul screaming Yes louder than I could ever express with words. Kian kisses me softly, gently, and I completely surrender to him.
We kiss long and languidly, learning each other by touch and taste, discovering what the other likes, until Kian stills. I can’t quite see him in the dark, but I can feel him.
“What is it?” I ask, trying not to be frightened. “Please don’t tell me there’s another monster out here.”
“No, nothing like that,” he says. “I was just wondering if you needed some blood after expending so much energy.”
I pause. He makes a good point, as I’m not used to this . . . Obviously, the way my light sputtered out signaled weakness. I’ll have to learn how to control this gift so I don’t lose it when I need it most.
“That might be a good idea . . . but are you sure?”
“I’m sure,” he says. “But knowing my experience with you and blood . . . we might want to do it out here so we don’t put on a show for Alex and Sera.”
I flush, though I doubt he can see it. “Good point, husband. Do you think they’re wondering where we are?”
“I think they know exactly what we’re doing and are glad it’s not at camp,” Kian teases. He grabs the dagger out of his boot and holds it up. “Where would you like to drink, my love?”
Almost impossibly, a fresh wave of lust rolls through me. Round two it is.