Chapter Six
Chapter Six
He had no idea what had changed in Zavian—what had prompted his earlier phone call. Something had to have happened from the time his mate had left last night to just before lunch.
It had to be profound, something strong enough to crack Zavian’s armor and let Hendrix glimpse a part of him that was usually locked away. That thought alone twisted Hendrix’s gut because whatever it was, it didn’t feel like it had been good.
Twice now, Zavian had reached out, the call earlier and now, showing up unannounced at his door.
That told Hendrix his mate was looking for solace, for a steady anchor to ground himself.
And Zavian had chosen him. Instead of giving his mate the stability he needed, Hendrix had gone straight for the kiss, his tongue claiming Zavian’s like he had no control.
Backing away, Hendrix blew out a breath, reeling in his need. This wasn’t about him right now. Zavian was going through something, and whatever it was, the guy didn’t need to be groped.
“I’m sorry about the coffee.” Hendrix made his way to the kitchen, grabbing some paper towels while taking a moment to pull himself together. When he stepped back into the living room, he was surprised to find Zavian still there. His mate wasn’t exactly known for sticking around.
Still shaken by the kiss, Hendrix headed for the spilled coffee, only to find the mess completely gone. Even the cup and lid had disappeared.
“Here.” Zavian’s voice drew Hendrix’s attention to the cup in his hand, his long, slim fingers curled around it with casual ease.
“Thanks.” Hendrix reached for the cup, expecting it to be empty, but the weight caught him off guard. His brow furrowed. “You put the spilled coffee back in here? Tell me you don’t expect me to drink it after it’s been on the floor.”
“That would be disgusting.” Zavian wrinkled his nose. “It’s freshly brewed, kitty cat.”
Still, Hendrix gazed at the cup, unsure if he wanted to drink it.
His mate let out a low grunt, snatching the cup and taking a sip. “See? Neither dirty nor poisoned.” He thrust it back toward him.
Hendrix grinned. “But now your cooties are in it.”
Zavian swept a heated gaze over him. “You weren’t complaining a moment ago when you had your tongue down my throat.”
“Which I shouldn’t have done.” Hendrix took a drink, surprised at how good it tasted. Although Ajax was a coffee god, this was next-level delicious. “Where’d you get this?”
“A little café in Italy.” There was a grin in Zavian’s tone. “I popped over there while you were in the kitchen.” He grabbed a small, white paper bag at his feet Hendrix hadn’t noticed. “Try their bombolone. The jam one is delicious.”
“But I was only gone for two seconds.” Jesus. The bombolone’s sweetness burst across Hendrix’s tongue, balanced perfectly by the sugar coating. It shouldn’t have been possible to taste perfection, yet here he was, groaning over baked goods.
“You were in there approximately four minutes and thirty-two seconds, to be precise.” Zavian bit into another bombolone, his eyes rolling back. His deep groan had Hendrix’s cock getting hard. “I just popped over there and snatched someone’s order.”
“You stole these?”
“I left the money where the order was sitting,” Zavian huffed. “I’m not a thief.”
Hendrix’s lips twitched. “Just an order snatcher.” He took another sip of his coffee, groaning. “Don’t do it again.” Then another sip, positive he was now addicted to the delicious creation.
Between the bombolonis and coffee, they were having a moaning contest, Hendrix declaring his mate the winner.
“That hit the spot. Thanks for the snatched coffee.” Hendrix would’ve said stolen, but Zavian seemed to take great offense to the implication.
“Are you going to finish that?” His mate eyed Hendrix’s jam-filled pastry, which was still clutched in his hand.
With a smirk, Hendrix took a slow bite, chewed, and then swallowed before making a show of licking his lips. “Why, do you want it?”
His mate had watched him the entire time, his intense gaze following Hendrix’s every move.
In a few steps, his mate closed the gap between them, his long, slim fingers circling around Hendrix’s wrist. Lifting Hendrix’s hand, Zavian’s lips parted just enough to take a bite, his tongue sweeping across them in a way that felt less like eating and more like seduction. Hendrix was already hard, his pulse a wild drumbeat in his ears. One bite, one moan, and he was ruined.
He pulled his mate in for a kiss, tasting the pastry on his soft lips. Hendrix growled softly when Zavian slid his arms around his neck, melting into him. Curling an arm around his mate, Hendrix crushed Zavian against his chest.
God, it felt so good to hold him, to feel Zavian’s solid warmth against him. When he pulled back, he eyed the erection straining against his mate’s jeans.
Zavian’s intense stare burned into Hendrix as he sank to his knees, their gazes locked. His fingers trailed over the thick bulge, drawing a deep, guttural moan from his mate. Spreading the denim apart, Hendrix’s mouth watered at the sight of the dark wet spot staining Zavian’s underwear. Slowly, he tugged both jeans and underwear down to midthigh. Then he leaned in and dragged his tongue over the head in one slow stroke, his eyes fluttering closed for a moment as the taste of his mate hit his tongue.
Hendrix hadn’t thought about another man since Michael, hadn’t felt even a flicker of desire, until now. Zavian’s wild, musky scent wrapped around him, igniting a need so intense it burned through his restraint. He dragged his tongue up one side of his mate’s cock then down the other, loving how Zavian’s legs trembled beneath his touch. Without hesitation, Hendrix took the head into his mouth, the warmth and taste sending a bolt of heat straight through him.
But he jerked back as a spurt of fluid shot from Zavian’s cock. Pre-cum? He’d never experienced anything like it before. Licking the fluid from his lips, he moaned at the unexpected, spicy taste.
Opening wide, he took Zavian back into his mouth, drawing a guttural grunt from his mate that shattered the stillness of the room. A shiver coursed through Hendrix as he dragged his tongue over the sensitive skin just below the head, savoring every drop as he drew the pre-cum into his mouth. He kinda hoped Zavian’s cock would do that neat little trick again.
When Zavian’s fingers brushed down Hendrix’s cheek, another wave of warmth shot through him. His mate’s touch was tender, almost reverent, and Hendrix couldn’t look away from the heavy-lidded gaze fixed on him. Zavian’s expression, a mix of awe and raw desire, squeezed every part of Hendrix from the inside out. The way his mate watched him so intently, like Hendrix was the only thing in his world, was potent.
Hendrix’s eyes drifted shut as he drew in the heady, musky scent of his mate’s skin. The heat of Zavian’s flesh filled his palm, hard and unyielding beneath the satin-like smoothness of his skin. His fist tightened, savoring the contrast, each stroke sending a pulse of desire straight through him.
Zavian’s fingers threaded through Hendrix’s hair, the gentle tugging a sharp counterpoint to the raw intensity of the moment. Hendrix let himself sink deeper, his tongue tracing the contours of his mate’s cock as he continued to taste, each touch of his mate’s hand spurring him on.
Gods, Zavian tasted incredible, every moment only making Hendrix crave more on his tongue. The way his mate’s hands caressed him sent a pulse of arousal straight to his groin, thickening his cock against the restraint of his slacks.
His free hand tugged at Zavian’s pants, pushing them lower to reveal the lean, sculpted muscles that seemed to glow in the dim light. Long and perfectly shaped, Zavian’s legs were nothing short of breathtaking.
A sharp hiss escaped Zavian when Hendrix took him in all the way to the base, his lips stretching around the impressive girth, larger than Michael had been, but Hendrix didn’t care. He was up for the challenge, his determination driving him deeper.
His tongue mapped every ridge and vein as Hendrix fought against the instinct to let his teeth lengthen, refusing to risk even the smallest chance of hurting his mate. All he wanted was to bring Zavian the kind of pleasure that would unravel him completely.
Zavian leaned back against the door, his strong hands cradling Hendrix’s face, raw hunger swirling in his gaze and sending a shudder through Hendrix’s body. This man, his mate, was going to own him, heart and body, and Hendrix wasn’t going to fight it.
“Hendrix, what are you doing to me?” The words came as a strained moan, Zavian’s fingers brushing over every inch of his face, gentle yet driving him to the brink of madness.
He cupped Zavian’s sac, feeling the heavy weight in his palm. The subtle motion made the guy groan. With a soft rustle, Zavian shoved his pants down to his ankles, spreading his legs wider to give Hendrix more room to play.
“Worshiping you the way you deserve.” Hendrix’s voice was a murmur, reverent yet laced with hunger. Leaning forward, he mouthed the soft skin of Zavian’s sac, the musky scent strongest here, right at the center of his mate’s body. His tongue slid over each orb slowly, while his hand continued stroking Zavian’s cock in a measured rhythm that left nothing untouched.
“You don’t have to do this.” Zavian’s protest was halfhearted as his fingers tugged at Hendrix’s hair, each pull sending a jolt of heat through his body.
Hendrix’s tongue dragged a long, wet path up the inside of Zavian’s thigh before he nipped gently at the sensitive skin of his sac. “I know.”
“Then why…” The words dissolved into a groan as Hendrix’s hand tightened around him.
“I’ll stop in a minute,” he murmured before taking Zavian’s cock back into his mouth, swallowing him to the base. The hard length pushed against the back of his throat, and Hendrix moaned softly around it, savoring the hardness filling his mouth.
His own cock throbbed painfully against the confines of his pants, the need to free himself almost overwhelming. But he forced himself to hold back, his focus entirely on Zavian. If he gave in to his own desires, he risked breaking the moment, and there was no way he’d let that happen.
Lightning-hot desire tore through Hendrix as another spurt shot from the head of Zavian’s cock. The dark, spicy scent filled his lungs, clinging to every cell in his body and fueling the fire burning inside of him. A soft growl rumbled in his chest as he gripped Zavian’s solid thighs, grounding him while pulling him closer. He wanted more, needed Zavian deeper, closer, until nothing else existed between them.
He had his mate, willing, trembling, and entirely at his mercy. This was his chance to show Zavian exactly what could be between them.
Hendrix wasn’t walking away.
He wasn’t giving up.
Zavian belonged to him, no matter how much the man protested. Hendrix would fight for him every step of the way if that was what it took.
Hendrix slid his hands behind his mate, gripping Zavian’s firm ass as he drew him deeper into his mouth. Every touch, every lick, was Hendrix’s promise to find the man behind the guarded walls, to pull Zavian into the light where he belonged.
“Hendrix.” His name spilled from Zavian in a deep rumble that vibrated through his chest and sank into Hendrix. The sound made his heart soar, his body aching to hear it again.
The salty heat of pre-cum hit the back of Hendrix’s throat, the exotic flavor flooding his senses. His nails dug into Zavian’s skin, his lips parting wider as he sucked greedily, desperate for another taste, for another shudder of pleasure from his mate.
Hendrix glanced up at the soft thunk of Zavian’s head hitting the door. His mate’s mouth fell open slightly, a strangled cry escaping as hot cum filled Hendrix’s mouth. He held on, taking everything Zavian gave, running his tongue over the head, coaxing, begging silently for more.
Pulling back, Hendrix licked his bottom lip, drawing in every drop that might have spilled. Time with Zavian always felt fleeting, never enough to satisfy the hunger that burned deep inside him. Even forever wouldn’t be long enough for Hendrix to have his mate.
He smiled up at him as he stood. “I told you I’d stop in a minute.”
A soft huff of laughter escaped Zavian. “A man of his word.”
His sated laugh sent warmth flooding through Hendrix as he pressed a kiss over his mate’s heart. “And willing to suck your cock any time you bring me stolen coffee.”
“Not stolen,” Zavian groaned, his voice tinged with exasperation. Hendrix’s breath caught as his mate leaned forward, their lips hovering so close they brushed. “Thank you.”
A moan escaped him as Zavian’s lips claimed his, the kiss sending his senses spiraling. When his mate pulled back, it was only to press a teasing kiss to Hendrix’s bottom lip before their mouths crashed together again. This wasn’t slow or gentle like before. This was frantic, maddening, a desperate collision of need.
Hendrix gripped Zavian’s shoulders, pulling him in and clinging to the sculpted lines of his mate’s body. Zavian slid his hands up his back, strong fingers finding the nape of Hendrix’s neck and squeezing firmly. The sensation sent a shudder through Hendrix.
His pants were still frustratingly in the way, and Hendrix burned to feel Zavian’s hands on him, no barriers. But before he could reach for them, everything shifted. Zavian held him tight, and the world around them blurred.
When Hendrix blinked, he found himself sprawled on his own bed, their bodies bare, entwined, and already tangled in the sheets.
“Handy little trick,” Hendrix murmured, chuckling as his gaze roamed over Zavian’s naked form.
He nudged Hendrix’s thighs apart, positioning his cock at his entrance. The man’s refraction time was nothing short of impressive, but Hendrix went rigid. He’d never bottomed before, not even with his husband, and uncertainty rippled through him at the thought of doing it now.
“Zavian…” His voice was a low rumble.
“Let me have you.” The raw plea in Zavian’s voice unraveled Hendrix’s defenses. He didn’t nod, didn’t give a spoken answer, but the lack of refusal was enough.
The first warm spurt against his hole sent a shiver through Hendrix, then another, and another, before Zavian slowly sank inside him.
“Fuck.” The word came out on a breath, his chest rising and falling heavily as the unfamiliar stretch wrecked his focus. He paused, adjusting to the sensation, the burning stretch unlike anything he’d experienced before.
“You feel so good wrapped around my cock,” Zavian groaned, his voice low and reverent.
H endrix blinked, watching as a kaleidoscope of colors filled his mate’s eyes. The hues twisted and danced in a breathtaking display, a far cry from their usual striking blue.
“Do my eyes frighten you, kitty cat?” Zavian’s voice softened, holding an unexpected tenderness.
“No.” Hendrix shook his head, his lips parting. “They’re…incredible.”
“The colors represents all the life threads I’ve woven together since the beginning of time.” Zavian’s voice was steady, but his body wasn’t. Each hard thrust sent pleasure crashing through Hendrix and pulling a ragged cry from his lips.
“I don’t understand how we’re mates when I didn’t set the path,” Zavian whispered. “God help me, but I want you. I want to claim you, Hendrix.”
The confession was something Hendrix never thought to hear. His canines lengthened instinctively, an overwhelming urge to bite consuming him.
With a low growl, Hendrix turned his head and sank his canines deep into Zavian’s shoulder. His climax tore through him at the same moment, pulling a raw, broken cry from his throat. His body trembled against Zavian’s, the force of his orgasm leaving him breathless as he clung to his mate.
Beneath the overwhelming pleasure, a vision struck Hendrix with startling clarity. Zavian was shooting through the cosmos, weaving not just lives but the fabric of time itself. Alongside him was another figure—a man forging the elements Zavian laced together with precision and grace.
They were forming the universe.
A jolt of energy ripped through Hendrix’s chest, spreading outward until his entire body felt like it had been fused with Zavian’s. This wasn’t just a bonding of souls. It was a merging of their very beings, an intimacy so profound it left him breathless.
Zavian’s low, guttural groan caused Hendrix to shudder as his mate hooked an arm under his leg, pulling it higher and driving deeper. His hips punched forward, every thrust driving Zavian’s cock deeper until he felt his mate’s cock throbbing inside of him with his release.
Pulling his canines free, Hendrix licked the wound, then traced his tongue over the spot as he felt their bond resonate through every fiber of his being.
His lion purred as Zavian brushed his hand over Hendrix’s chest. The look in his mate’s eyes—intense, possessive, and dark—rooted itself firmly, making everything else fade. In that moment, Hendrix understood with absolute clarity: Zavian owned him. Heart, mind, and soul.
F ate or not, Hendrix couldn’t ignore the strange feeling inside his chest. The sensation felt alive, like something real was stirring beneath his ribcage.
“You have a part of my powers inside of you.” Zavian’s voice came low and rough, hovering on the edge of a growl. “The sensation will soon pass.”
Hendrix shook his head, trying to push away the oppressive sadness and aching emptiness threatening to swallow him whole.
Zavian’s emotions.
And then, as quickly as it had come, the heaviness was gone.
Zavian had brought Hendrix’s heart to its knees, forging a bond so deep it felt like breathing depended on him. His heart was chained to Fate, and for the first time in his life, Hendrix was willing to give it away completely.
“Well?” One of his mate’s brows rose. “Are you a fan of bottoming?”
A chuckle escaped Hendrix, squeezing his thighs, which Zavian still lay between. There was a glint of playfulness in his mate’s blue eyes, but Hendrix also saw a sparkle of nervousness. Why? If Hendrix hadn’t liked it, he wouldn’t have been so loud, and his back definitely wouldn’t have arched. He crooked a finger, making Zavian lean in close. The kiss was gentle, showing his mate just what the man meant to him.
“It was incredible.” He cupped the man’s jaw.
Zavian opened his mouth, as if to say something when someone pounded on the front door. Whoever it was had shitty timing. Hendrix had wanted to enjoy the intimate moment for as long as possible.
They groaned in unison when Zavian eased out of him, giving Hendrix a quick kiss.
So much for cuddling.