Chapter 32 #2
The torches relit, one by one, clearing the shadows. He pressed one last kiss to her throbbing center then held her gaze as he slid his fingers into his mouth, licking them clean.
“I love that you made a mess all over our wedding band,” he murmured, still on his knees before her.
“Vane.” His name was half order, half plea. She was already throbbing and wanting again, her breasts heavy underneath the leather of her torn flight jacket. She tore it off and threw it to the ground.
He nodded once, rising up and easily pulling her into his arms. She wrapped her legs around him, and when he kissed her, she tasted herself on his lips.
When he laid her against one of the sleeping mats, his gaze sinking into hers, she whispered, “I take it back. Love isn’t the right word.”
He nodded, searching her gaze. “There isn’t one. Believe me, my darling, I’ve searched for over a hundred years to find one that encompasses what I feel for you.”
She pulled him closer, kissing him deeply. Control slid away, their mouths sliding in a clash of tangling tongues, heavy breath, and nipping bites. He only pulled away when he positioned himself at her entrance.
“This might hurt a bit,” he murmured. “Tell me if it’s too much.”
“I will,” she promised, touching his face.
Gone was the game. All that remained now was him.
She gasped as he slid into her slick entrance. There was pressure, then a sharp bite of pain. He paused, his jaw tight.
“Soren?”
“I’m alright. Keep going,” she whispered. “Just don’t look away.”
He relaxed slightly. “Never.”
It took a moment for it to feel good again, and he took her through that part in slow, shallow strokes. But when her back arched and pleasure raced down her spine, he began to pump his hips faster, eyes never leaving hers. She slid her hands up his back, and he increased the pace.
When she began to whimper again, he slid a hand between them, working her swollen clit as he filled her again and again. The climax that hit her was so abrupt, she didn’t see it coming until her back was off the mat, her cry echoing around them.
When the violent waves of pleasure finally ebbed, he slowed the pace again, dipping his head to kiss her mouth and then her neck. She didn’t even realize she was crying until he licked at the tears running down her face.
“Let go,” she whispered, feeling the tense control he was holding as he moved inside her.
He ignored her order, lowering his mouth to her breasts, worshiping them with soft swirls of his tongue that made her already-sensitive body light up with a near-unbearable heat. Then, his hands ran over her, carefully and meticulously, as if he was trying to tattoo every inch of her to memory.
When his breath started to shake, she touched his face. “Let go, my love,” she said again. “I’ll still be here when you do.”
He kissed her desperately, his hips jerking against hers as his movements grew less controlled and he gasped for each breath against her lips.
“Don’t—leave me,” he begged, his hands sliding behind her to hold her as close as possible as he destroyed her with each stroke. “Not again.”
“Never.” She pressed her forehead to his, closing her eyes as his body tensed and he slammed to the hilt one last time. “I’ll come back for you.”
He shuddered, and each torch in the room flared red-hot as he poured himself into her.
Minutes passed in a haze, and neither of them moved, not until he said against her hair, “You’re not going alone tomorrow.”
She lifted her head. “But you said you can’t enter Arcadia without a summons or pardon?”
“Without consequence, apparently. I never tried. Johannas forbade it.”
“Vane, it’s too much risk. You have no idea what—”
He was still inside her, and her breath hitched when he tugged her to his chest with one arm, the other hand gently gripping her face.
“It’s worth whatever the risk. You don’t know… I cannot send you into danger alone, not knowing if you’ll return.”
She shut her eyes. For all they knew, stepping over the border could kill him. She wouldn’t be surprised if that was the price, but she understood his need to follow her. She understood it as much as she could understand the pain of his past century.
“Together,” she finally whispered. “I did promise that.”
He relaxed, if only slightly, nodding and kissing her forehead.
“Vane?”
“Mhmm?”
“Should you…should we not stay like this?” He chuckled softly, and her breath caught, already feeling him harden again inside her. “Already?”
His lips curved up. “I will never stop wanting you. It will never be enough.”
Her gaze dropped to his mouth. “I know. It must nearly be dawn, though.”
“Probably.”
“We should speak to the others.”
“Yes.”
“Vane.”
He grinned. “Alright. Just know this is my preferred way to exist.”
“You are such a—” She gasped as he tilted his hips into her.
“Hmm, my love?”
Her head fell against his chest as she tried to focus, muttering, “I need to bathe.”
“We can do that. There are a few pools in these caverns, but we have to walk there.”
“I can walk.”
He finally pulled out, a soft whimper escaping her before she could stop it at the loss.
“We’ll see,” he quipped, nipping at her ear.
He wasn’t entirely wrong. Her legs shook as she stood, her core sore enough that thoughts of continuing were regretfully out the window. Vane’s eyes flicked to her thighs, where there was a small smear of blood, his jaw tightening.
“I hate that it has to hurt you. I hated it the first time, and I hate it now.”
She smiled softly, kissing his cheek. “It only stung for a moment. I’m fine.”
He leaned into her touch then took her hand and wordlessly led her down one of the tunnels that funneled into the cavern, both still naked, a flame flickering in his outstretched palm.
When they reached the pool he had promised, there were hanging torches ready to be lit.
She let her eyes slide over the walls shimmering with some sort of sparkling geode, the water tinged aqua from the minerals.
“We used to come here too, didn’t we?” she said, her voice hushed as memories flashed in her mind.
Slick skin against hers. He laughed as she splashed him. She cut him off with a kiss.
“What kind of stone do you think this is?”
Vane was looking at her now in nearly the same way he had before. But she saw it: the faint undercurrent of pain in his eyes each time he saw her. It would take years for that to leave—if they even had that much time.
She doubted it.
He said nothing, just sliding into the pool and holding out a hand for her.
She took it and found the water pleasantly cool, not icy as she’d expected.
Reaching for him, she ran water-slick hands over his chest and back before she took his hands in hers and scrubbed away the last remnants of blood.
He brushed his lip to her forehead then dipped his head under the surface.
As he rose, the water streaming off him in rivulets, she didn’t doubt for a second that he was Vulcan’s heir.
Vane was untamed, beautiful power, raw in a way even full-blooded godlings couldn’t be, not without the influence of mortal blood.
“Your turn,” he said, gaze heavy on her. “It feels nice.”
She sucked in a breath and dipped under the surface. It was calm beneath the water, peaceful even. She stayed there for a few seconds, savoring the feeling, before standing again and wiping the droplets from her eyes.
“We should go,” she said, a little breathless. “Cion and the others are waiting, I’m sure. We’ll tell them to go back to the capitol. If things go wrong in Arcadia, they’ll be ready.”
Vane nodded once, jaw tense. It was really setting in, what they were about to do.
When they returned to the cavern, they dressed quickly, and Soren braided back her hair. Vane led her down the tunnel to the cavern where he’d sent Cion and the riders. They were all awake when they entered; he must have lit the torches for them from all the way down the tunnel.
“I have a plan,” Cion said as soon as they entered.
Vane threaded his fingers with Soren’s. “Drop it. We have a better one.”
Cion narrowed her eyes, but to her credit, she only said, “Alright.”
“We’re going to Arcadia,” Soren told her. “We told you: the border only keeps mortals from entering, not gods.”
Cion looked doubtful. “And what exactly are you going to do when you arrive there?”
“Not sure,” Vane said casually. “But there’s a high chance of unrest, based on how Kronos has handled the last century. We’ll try to garner support from the gods who are already against him.”
Cion stared at them both then laughed harshly. “That is your ‘better’ plan? You’re going to walk into Arcadia, the land of the gods, and just hope there’s a chance they don’t kill you?”
Soren bristled. When it was put like that, it did sound a little foolish, but they were out of options.
“Nyx and her consort will be on our side at the least,” Vane said, and Soren’s throat tightened. “But what we need to do isn’t your concern, not unless we fail.”
Cion’s brows rose. “I’m assuming you want us to just fly back to my palace and wait for either good news or our deaths?”
Soren’s lips twitched. In another life, Cion and Vane truly could have been bickering siblings.
“You assume correctly,” Vane said flatly.
“And if I refuse? Pull your leash?”
“Then I would go alone anyways,” Soren said. “Not preferable, given the promise I made, but to save the mortal realm from Kronos, I will.”
“Promise…” Cion muttered, looking between her and Vane, her sharp features softening a fraction. “Fine—but only because I need to find Ana. She has a lot of explaining to do.”
“That’s it?” one of the riders said from behind Cion. “We came here only to return to war.”
“If we succeed,” Vane said, “there will be no more war, not for long. And if we don’t, you all need to prepare yourselves. There’s no telling what Kronos will do should we fail to end his reign.”
Fear and resolve alike flickered across the riders’ faces, but none of them protested further.
Cion took a short breath. “Soren.”
“Yes, princess?”
Cion’s smile was tight, laced with bitterness. “You were bound to me by your life but…you were always the closest thing I had to a true sister.”
She knelt, and Soren froze as she reached out and unlatched the thin iron anklet, letting it fall to the floor.
“There was no lock?” Soren whispered.
Cion shook her head, her expression sad. “My father always said none of you would ever try. Fear was enough to keep you chained.”
Vane looked livid, and the air rippled with heat, but Soren merely looked at the princess who was on her knees before her. “In another life, perhaps we could have been sisters. But in this one, you were simply my captor.”
Cion’s eyes shone as she stood. “You should go. Take your dragons and end this. If not, we’ll be ready to die.”
The mortal princess is not a complete idiot, it seems.
Soren’s lips twitched. Are you ready to go home, Thessa?
My home is where you are, silly godling. But fine. Let us fly to our deaths.
Vane glanced at Soren and nodded. “It’s time.”