Thirty-Nine
Kallie
When I wake, I’m blissfully wrapped up in Callum’s arms. He pulls me in closer, and I get a jolt of pleasure between my thighs when he does. Instinctively, I rub my ass against his front, snuggling in closer.
“Be careful, Princess. You don’t want to start something you can’t finish.” Callum’s morning voice is one of my favorites. It’s deep and low, like sleep still hasn’t left him. It’s up there in my top three Callum voices. Right next to the, ‘You’re irritating me, Kallie,’ and the indescribable sound that comes out when he’s praising me.
It’s been a little over a week since I had a total mental breakdown in front of him, and part of me is glad I did. Without knowing it, he had been slowly chipping away at the heavily guarded walls I kept, peeling away the layers until there wasn’t anything separating my heart from his.
His presence has brought me a sense of comfort, something I didn’t know I needed until I had it, and now I don’t think I’ll ever be able to let it go. My nightmares have been non-existent, not a peep from anything or anyone since the night I got the twin scars on my legs.
Teasingly, I respond, “What makes you think I couldn’t finish?”
“I’m famished. Starving, really, and the only thing that’s going to satisfy my hunger is the sweet nectar you have pooling between your thighs. And I plan on having seconds.” I press my legs together as his growing erection digs into my ass.
He kisses the junction between my neck and shoulder before his breath fans across the shell of my ear. “As much as I want to bury myself in you, we have a big day ahead of us.” His teeth prick my earlobe before finishing, “So I’ll meet you in the shower.” And he’s off me in an instant. I groan but don’t make any attempts at moving.
Callum’s hand finds its mark on my ass, and I yelp in response. “Don’t make me carry you into that shower. I’ll fling you over my shoulder and spank these lovely swollen cheeks until they’re black and blue.”
“I’d like to see you try.” He only moves an inch with my pathetic attempt at pushing him away, but that was all the room I needed. Flying off the bed, my feet barely make contact with the floor before I’m being hauled over Callum’s shoulder. A shriek leaves me as I’m airborne, and the room flips upside down until I’m staring at the ceiling.
“You’re gonna pay for that one.” He slaps my pussy for emphasis. My body jerks up, but his arm keeps me braced against him.
He carries us into the shower. The water is warm but not quite at the boiling temperature I prefer. I’m about to protest, tell him to put me down, but shadows emerge, gripping my ankles and hauling them up so I’m straddling the shower head.
Callum moves forward, keeping his arm braced around my middle and me still pressed against him.
The water beats down on my clit, and I jolt from the sensation. Two more shadows appear, wrapping around my knees and spreading me wider.
“Callum, it’s too much.” My legs are already shaking, the base of my spine beginning to tingle.
“I watched you,” he admits. He watched me? That’s kinda creepy. “Back at the school. You walked into the bathroom, and I saw as you used the showerhead to get yourself off. I listened to all the wonderful sounds that left you, and I couldn’t help myself.”
I think I’m getting every other word. All my focus is locked in on the mess I’m making between my legs.
“I used your underwear while I got myself off at the sight of you. And it was glorious.” My orgasm hits me like a stage five tsunami. My hips buck up, the water continuing its assault on my sensitive flesh. My hands wrap around the back of Callum’s neck, and I claw at him, trying to relieve the pressure.
The black ropes leave me, and Callum lowers me. My legs feel like Jell-O as I try to stand. I press my back against the shower wall and close my eyes, needing to catch my breath.
I open them up slowly, looking at Callum as water runs down the panes of his muscular frame. Lowering my gaze, I can’t miss the bulge in his boxers, which are completely soaked.
Taking two steps forward until we’re almost touching, my hardened nipples brush against his abdomen, and I reach out and grip his girth.
His eyes roll in the back of his head, and a satisfied smile spreads over my face.
“It’s a shame we don’t have time.” My tone is teasing.
“On second thought, I think we could spare five minutes.” His words drip with need. I drop to my knees, yanking him free. It bounces in front of me. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the sheer size of him.
I lick off the precum forming on his tip, letting the salty taste run over my taste buds. Taking him in both my hands, I grip him at the base before taking the head between my lips. The groan he lets out rumbles all the way through him and into me, and my fingers itch to touch myself.
I work him into my mouth, inch by agonizing inch, until I feel him in the back of my throat. I gag around him, and that earns me another moan.
Intertwining his fingers in my hair, he moves my mouth over him, and I’m taking him farther and farther. I flick my gaze up to him and see he’s already watching me. I smile around his cock, bobbing my head back and forth but still letting him guide me. One of my hands moves to cup his balls, and I lightly squeeze.
“ Fuck.”
I moan around him, and he picks up his pace, using both hands to cup the back of my head, fucking my face.
“You take my cock so fucking good, Princess. You on your knees, tears rolling down your face, you look like a fucking masterpiece.” An image of what he just described flashes in my mind.
Holy shit. He’s showing me what I look like. Right now. My teeth scrape around his shaft, and he hisses.
Pressing my thighs together, I try to relieve my increasing need. It doesn’t do shit. Taking one of my hands, I snake it between my legs, keeping the other on his dick, covering the length that doesn’t fit in my mouth.
My fingers graze over my clit, and I cry out with relief. I plunge two fingers inside myself, in time with him entering my mouth.
“Touch yourself at the feeling of me filling your bratty little mouth.” His head hits the back of my throat, and I gag, but he pushes a little further. “That’s it. Take it all like the good little slut you are.”
I pull my fingers out of me, rubbing them over my sensitive nub, and my legs start to shake.
“You were fucking made for me, little fighter. I want you to come all over your fingers with my cock buried in your tight little throat.” And that’s exactly what I do. I lurch forward with my climax, taking him deeper than before.
“You’re going to swallow every last drop I give you.” I nod the best I can. My cheeks ache, but I keep going. I take the fingers that were just inside me and wipe them over his length, covering him with more of my arousal with each bob of my head.
His cock swells right before his release fills my mouth. The taste of his climax mingles with mine, and it starts seeping out the corners of my mouth. I slowly take him out of me, giving his head one finally suck before letting him free.
Callum hauls me off the floor, grabbing the sides of my face with both hands and kisses me. His tongue dives into my mouth, and he groans with pleasure, tasting both of us.
“Fucking ecstasy.”
Callum washes my hair and my body, giving extra attention to my more delicate areas, leading me to have another orgasm. He washes up quickly, and we both dry off before getting dressed.
He insists on braiding my hair for me, and a swarm of butterflies takes flight in my stomach. Once he’s done, he leans over and kisses me.
“I love you,” he declares. I haven’t been able to tell him those exact words—not that I don’t feel the same way. I just can’t bring myself to say it. Everything that we’ve been doing has felt natural and so right. The devil on my shoulder keeps telling me that it’s too good to be true, and I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
So instead of saying those three words, I always tell him, “More than all the stars in the sky.”
We dress rather quickly, and seeing as we’re already late, I insist Callum portal us to the city. It still leaves me queasy, but it’s getting better. The city is lively, people coming and going from the shops.
For the first time, I can see myself staying here, wanting to be a part of something that makes me feel whole inside.
My dad sits in the back of my mind, and I wonder if he would come live here. Surely he misses it—if everything Callum has told me is true, that is. He left to keep me safe. Granted, he was from Astralis, but maybe it would be enough to just be back with his people, which are my people too, I guess.
“I’m going to go see my mother. Why don’t you go over to my father’s. Grab us some forest buns,” Callum instructs. I give him a chaste kiss on the cheek before heading the opposite direction.
The line for Benny’s Bakery is out the door. I don’t want to be that bitch that cuts the line because I know the owner. So I hop in at the end of the line, admiring the town as I wait.
“I haven’t seen you around here before,” some guy says behind me. I turn around out of instinct and see him checking me out.
“Wow, you must have women falling at your feet with that line,” I say, unamused, and turn back around. He taps me on the shoulder, and I shrug it off.
“Where have they been hiding you?” This guy just can’t take a hint.
“In the lab with all the other self-respecting women,” I quip, clearly annoyed.
“I’m Zeke.” He holds his hand out to the side of me, and I look at it and over my shoulder. My eyes wander around him with a look of confusion.
“What are you doing?” he asks.
“Trying to find where I asked.”
“Look, you don’t have to be such a hag. I’m just trying to be nice.”
“Well, here’s a free tip: don’t call a woman a hag and say you’re trying to be nice in the same sentence. And you can take your hand and inflated ego and shove it up your ass.”
He grabs my shoulder and tries to spin me around. He doesn’t get the chance because, in a split second, my hand is covering his, and they both go up in flames. He tries to yank it free, but I don’t let go. Instead, I take his fingers and bend them back one by one, listening to the bones snap as I do.
“Keep your fucking hands off me.” To the side, I see Callum stalk over. His feet quickly eat up the distance between us, his face mirroring one of a jealous lover.
Before I can tell him I have this handled, he takes matters into his own hands, literally, and wraps his hand around Zeke’s throat. His wings expand to their full length, and he hovers just above the ground, holding him in the air.
“Oh, you fucked up,” I sing.
“Did you just put your hands on her?” Callum’s voice is lethal. Zeke doesn’t reply—can’t is more like it—as he grapples at Callum’s hand, trying to relieve the pressure. He flies a little higher before letting the douchebag go. Zeke plummets to the cement, breaking one of his legs on impact.
“I had that handled,” I tell Callum.
“I know you did, but nobody touches what’s mine. He’s lucky he can still hobble out of here.” And we watch Zeke do just that, hobble on his one good leg, cradling his burnt and broken hand to his chest while trying to get very far away from us.
“Why are you in line?”
“Because that’s what normal people do?”
“Come on.” He nods his head toward the door.
“Cal, really, it’s fine. I don’t mind waiting,” I insist. But he looks at the people around us, and it’s then I notice the lingering stares, people leaning in to whisper to each other. I figured it was about the scene we just caused, but the stiffness of his body tells me otherwise.
“Hey, is everything alright?”
“Fine.” The word is clipped, but I can tell he’s getting agitated.
“Okay, let’s go in.” He moves instantly, and the people in the open doorway match his speed and move out of the way, not offering any pleasantries, making themselves as small as possible, like they’re afraid if their arm brushes his, they’ll catch a disease.
Benny’s voice rings out before I can inquire on what the hell that was. “My boy! And look who you’ve brought with you.” We move closer to the front, weaving around people until we’re behind the counter.
Benny brings me in for a bear hug, and I return the gesture. He does the same to Callum, and I start to see his body relax.
“I have some fresh forest buns in the oven. It will just be a minute!”
“No worries, Pops. We were just stopping in before we head out for some training,” Callum informs him. I didn’t know we were training. After we’ve spent the last week just being us, I forgot about all the impending doom that’s to come.
“I was wondering when I would see you again. My wife and son have been taking up all of your time.”
“You can’t keep me away for too long, Benny.”
“I would hope not. I’m just glad you guys made time to see this old man.”
“You’re not old, and I always have time for you.” I swear his smile can’t get any bigger. He excuses himself to grab the fresh buns from the back, leaving the cash register to another employee and Callum and I the talk of the town.
“What was all of that back there?” I finally ask.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“They acted like you were diseased, the mere thought of touching you showed true disgust on their face.”
“Drop it, Kallie.” His tone is harsh, and I clamp my mouth shut, not wanting to cause a scene.
Benny busts out of the kitchen with the baked treats he promised. A few are plated for us to go, and the rest go in the glass showcase for the other customers. My mouth waters from the smell alone, and my stomach grumbles with hunger. I snatch one off the plate and take a big bite. I let out a small moan as the cinnamon and icing dance on my tongue.
“Keep making those sounds, and I’m going to bend you over this counter and really give you something to groan about.” My eyes widen, and I can’t help the glance I take and see his cock straining against his leathers.
“Alright, Pops, we’ve got to get going.”
“So soon?” Benny looks like a sad puppy when you leave them in the house to go to work.
“Well, okay, but promise you’ll come see your old man soon.”
“Will do, Pops.” He gives him a hug, one longer than the last. Benny wraps me up and squeezes me so hard I’m afraid the bite I took is going to come back up.
“I’ll see you soon, kiddo,” he says in my ear. I have to keep the tears at bay at the usage of the nickname my dad has for me.
I offer him a smile and small nod, not trusting myself to reply. Following Callum out the back, we eat the rest of the buns before his wings spread wide. He takes me into his arms, and we’re flying above the town. Letting out a small shriek of excitement, I give him a quick kiss as I see right where we’re headed.
We land just before the barrier, like we always do. The tingles spread over my body as we pass through, and I’m giddy with excitement.
“I thought you said we were training.”
“We are, but we need Voraxis’s help.” I don’t even care, nearly skipping all the way up the hill and down toward the group of dragons.
There’s my favorite firebird.
I’m your only firebird. I chuckle.
Semantics. When he comes into view, I break out into a full-blown sprint, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“Who’s the best dragon?” I ask in the most annoying voice I can muster, like I’m talking to a puppy.
“Never talk to me like that again.” Even though he sounds annoyed, he still licks the side of my face.
Gross.
Voraxis eyes Callum behind me. “Hey, play nice.”
“Tell him that, and I’ll think about it.” I roll my eyes. So fucking dramatic.
“You”—I point at Callum—“be nice. I can’t keep protecting you from my mean, ruthless, fire-breathing dragon forever. You guys need to learn to get along.”
“Tell him that, and I’ll think about it,” Cal says, not taking his eyes off Voraxis .
“Okay, well, this is obviously a work in progress, so what’s on the agenda today?” I’m nearly jumping up and down with anticipation.
“We’re not going far from here. Get on him, and let’s go.” With that order, Voraxis lowers his head, and I use his scales as anchors to hoist myself onto the base of his neck.
Then we’re off, and I hold on for dear life. My arms and legs squeeze around him while I try to stay on his back. My legs scream at me, and he just keeps rising higher and higher. Then we level out, and I can relax a bit. The wind stings my face, but I welcome the feeling.
“I’ll never get used to this.” I send down both the bonds.
The rest of the flight is quiet, and when Voraxis touches the ground, I already miss the feeling, knowing that no length of time will ever be long enough.
I hop off his back, rubbing down the length of his neck. I turn to face Callum, who is stone-face serious. Great.
“What’s the plan, oh glum one?” I try to lighten the mood, but his resolve doesn’t crack. I check down the bond only to find that he’s closed it off. Weird.
“We are going to be honing all of your powers. Clearly, I underestimated you. I was led to believe that you only possessed fire, and obviously that’s not the case.”
“Right, now I’m a badass warrior with all these tricks up my sleeve.”
“This isn’t a fucking joke, Kallie. You need to take this seriously.” Jeez, what crawled up his ass and died this morning?
“I am taking this seriously, Callum. But lighten up a little bit. You don’t need to be such a hardass.” The only response I get is a static expression.
Starting out small, I show him everything I do with Donni. I wish she was here. I should have gone to see her. Maybe tomorrow , I think to myself as I shoot fireballs over the cliff and extinguish them with balls of water. I sprout different plants around me. I had asked Donni what that was good for, kill them with their prettiness? She laughed at me, and I have a feeling that if I were to tell Cal that right now, he would throw me off the side of the mountain.
She said it’s all about the type of plants I create. There are deadly flowers that can be mixed into food or drinks. I’ve kept that in the back of my mind since, wondering if I would have to use them on Callum. I’m thinking about using them right now, actually, as he continues to yell at me.
“I need more from you, Kallie. Give me something that isn’t a parlor trick.” Balling my fists at my side, I shoot him an annoyed look as I create a wall of flames between us. It grows as I pour more of my power into it, completely shielding me and Voraxis from his pestering gaze. The flames fester, feeding on everything I give it until I’m finally ready to let it go. I close my palms, swiping them in front of me, and the fire dies out completely.
He might be slightly impressed, who the fuck knows. I do the same thing with the water, intertwining vines throughout the waterfall. A thought crosses my mind, and I lash two of them toward him, wrapping around both his arms, and pull him through the wall. It all disappears, and I keel over laughing. He’s completely soaked head to toe, and the look on his face is fucking priceless.
Wiping the tears from my eyes, my laughter slowly dies out as he stares at me with so much fury I’m starting to regret my decision.
“I thought you needed to cool off.”
“Show me your shadow magic.” He doesn’t yell at me, not a single sliver of emotion present. Even the anger he held moments ago has faded away.
“I’ll pass.”
“You’ll pass?”
“Sure will.”
“Why?”
“Just because.”
“Kallie.” There’s the wrath coming back.
“I don’t like to use them,” I rush out, looking anywhere but at him.
“Care to share why that is?” He crosses his arms over his chest, and I can’t help but stare as the cords in his forearms bulge out.
“It makes me feel weird when I do,” I admit.
“I don’t care if it makes you want to jump off the back of your dragon. Do it.” My mouth hangs open, not believing he just said that to me. He better get that stick out of his ass soon, or I’ll shove it up there deeper.
“We don’t have all day.”
My face scrunches up, and I close my eyes, trying to find that part of me I don’t want. It’s like waking up a sleeping beast. It comes out with vengeance. I feel it, the black smoke surrounding my body, leaking out of my palms.
“Is this what you want?” That voice I don’t recognize is back. A sinister smile pulls at my face before I’m sending the power straight for Callum.
He side-steps my attack, but I’m already sending another his way. It hits the mark, slicing through his pant leg like butter. One of his shadows wraps around mine, tangling together as they both fight for dominance. I push and push, but he’s stronger.
I’m dripping with sweat, and I lash out another, hoping to catch him off guard. He matches me for every one I hurtle his way.
Letting out a growl in frustration, I send a stream of fire down his path. He jumps out of the way just in time, but he loses focus.
Perfect.
With one thought, the wind picks up, faster and faster, going round and round, creating a vortex. I coax it over to where Callum stands, and he tries to get away. Oh, does he try, but he’s not fast enough. His feet are just above the ground, and I’m sending another wave of shadows. I cast them around his legs and his torso, keeping him at my mercy. Keeping him suspended in the air, his wings try to beat faster. He tries to pull away, but it’s no use. The tornado is coming, and it’s going to be glorious.
“Is this what you were looking for?” I yell over the roaring winds. He’s trapped as the air continues moving faster around him, leaves and twigs adding to the mix.
Pushing it a step further, I advance toward him, never letting my gaze falter. “This is the power you were searching for, wasn’t it?” I raise my hands up to the sky, relishing in the boom of thunder. Lightning bolts light up the sky, and storm clouds swirl above.
“I think he’s had enough.” Ignoring Voraxis’s warning, I seal off his thoughts. I don’t need his input. This is what he wanted. Callum wanted to unleash the beast. This is the creature that was put to sleep, and I am starving.
Callum’s eyes close, and his arms cross in an X over his chest. He pulls himself in tight, tucking his chin down and bringing his knees up as much as he can. He goes deathly still.
I see a flicker in the center of him, just a blip before it dies out. In an instant, he spreads his arms out wide, kicking his head back as a bright-white light explodes out of him.
A wave is pushed out, hitting me in the center of my chest, and I’m knocked onto my back. All at once, everything goes unnervingly still. The wind fades out, along with my shadows, and I succumb to the darkness.
Hot air fans my face. My hand comes up to bat it away, but it comes right back. My eyes flutter open, and I see a sky full of stars. I jolt upright only to be met with stark-white scales.
“Finally,” Voraxis says, keeping his eyes closed.
“Where’s Callum?”
“Over there, pouting.”
Wiping off my legs after I stand, I amble over to where Callum sits, his legs dangling over the mountain’s edge. Taking a seat next to him, I wait for him to say something.
I told him I didn’t want to. That power…it feels wrong. It completely takes over who I am, and each time, it chips a little more. One of these days, I might not come back.
“Callum, I—”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” he interjects. “I’m the one that insisted.”
Nodding my head, I give him a sideways glance. “Gotta admit, I had you in a bind.” The corner of his lip quirks up.
“I just needed to know you were ready.”
“You know me. I can take care of myself,” I remind him, bumping his shoulder with mine.
“I know.” He sounds far away, like the weight of the realm is pressing down on him, and the only thing he can do is dissociate, act like he’s not here at all.
That’s that. No more conversation about what happened. But the darkness inside me is knocking on its cage, looking for my weak spot and preparing for the chaos that will reign once it finds it.