Chapter 43 #2
A low growl sounded in his throat when my tongue stroked his, and the kiss quickly grew heated.
I pressed myself against him, craving the feel of his skin on mine, but there were too many clothes and covers in the way.
My hands scrabbled at his laces, but he gently captured them in his and pulled back.
“Take the praise, Maeve. Don’t avoid it. You faced Death and defeated her. Take the win.”
I bit my lip as his words sank in. They were uncomfortable, making me want to squirm, but I tried to do as he said.
Part of me feared this was an illusion, that I’d actually lost the challenge and was trapped in my shattered mind.
Except I couldn’t imagine that being a happy place.
And even if it was, did it matter as long as I was happy with those I loved?
No. I decided it didn’t.
“You really offered Death a choice and sent her to the After,” he said. It was a statement, but a probing one.
“Yes.” I stroked the triangle of skin above his collar, unable to keep my hands off him.
“I thought I was going to have to shred her soul to end things, but when our bond solidified, the In Between wasn’t the only thing that was healed.
She was, too. I felt her understanding and regret of what she’d done.
She expected me to punish her and was willing to endure it.
If I’d done that, I’d be no better than she was all those years. ”
After everything she’d done to him, I expected Fen to be angry at my decision, but he gave me a thoughtful smile. It made him look younger. Less burdened. “I like the idea of mercy for all souls.” Something about the way he said it made me think he was thinking of himself.
“How do you feel?” I asked gently.
He sighed, picking up my meaning from our bond. “The cravings are still there. Less intense than they’ve been, but still there.” His disappointment was clear.
“How does it feel to share power with me?” Now that I had my own, the bond was no longer one-sided. I could feel a connection between our wells, the balance between them constantly shifting.
“Better than I expected.” His puzzlement was clear. Since he was addicted to power, having less of it should have been triggering.
“Maybe the fact that you also have access to mine makes you feel more secure.”
“Maybe.” He frowned.
I laid my hand on his chest. “Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it.”
He eyed me as if probing my assurance, unsure if it was real.
It was. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I wouldn’t shrink from facing it with him.
“Are you hungry?” he asked. It was a deflection, but he’d understood I was serious, so I allowed it.
“Not really.”
“Are you sure? You’ve been asleep for a full day.”
I blinked. “Did you sit with me the whole time”
“Well, Bea sat with you for several hours while I took care of some business.”
I stared at him, my eyes extra wide. “You left my side not knowing if or when I would wake up?”
The panic that swept across his features made me laugh with fiendish delight.
“I’m just teasing.”
His disbelief and indignation radiated through our bond. “You little…” He retaliated by ripping the covers off me, rolling me over, yanking my shirt over my ass, and spanking me.
It only made me laugh harder, wiggling in the hopes of provoking him to do more.
“It’s not a punishment if you enjoy it, Maeve,” he said darkly.
I rolled back over to face him. “But those are the best kind.” I gave him my best innocent eyes, and his stern expression broke into a smile.
“You’re going to be a pain in my ass, aren’t you.”
“Only if you’ll be a pain in mine.”
“Deal.” He kissed me on the nose, pulling me close. “You’re Death now. My partner and equal.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “How does it feel?”
It took me a moment to find the right word. “Like freedom.”
Fen’s smile made our Chord hum to life in my chest, and I pulled him in for a kiss.
I took my time, exploring his mouth, reacquainting myself with the shape and taste of him. It was addictive. The longer I kissed him, the more I wanted.
Devil save me. I would never get enough of this man.
My need reverberated through the bond and he finally, finally, let loose.
Covers were kicked aside. Laces were untied. Clothing yanked over heads and down legs until we were skin to skin. He hovered over me, lacing our fingers together and placing them by my head.
I let my light twine around our wrists and legs, pulling him snug against me. We both moaned as he pressed against my center.
“So demanding,” he said, but shadows twined around my ribbons of light, our powers mingling and caressing. It sent a jolt of pleasure straight to my clit.
I answered him with a deep kiss, demanding more.
Rolling over, he pulled me on top of him.
My ribbons dropped from our wrists, twining around his arms instead, allowing him to grab my hips and grind me back and forth over his hard length until I was wet, panting, and squirming with need.
Then he lifted me up and guided me onto him, sliding home in one agonizingly slow thrust.
The fullness of him, with just enough burn to enhance the pleasure, felt amazing.
“I love you, Fen.” I gasped when he was fully seated.
“Say that again.” There was so much love and heat in his eyes I nearly melted into a puddle on top of him.
I leaned down so that my lips hovered over his. “I love you.”
His kiss was sweet and lingering. Until he lifted my hips and brought me down on top of him at the exact angle to hit the perfect spot deep inside me.
Then he did it again. And again.
Over and over until I was nothing but sensation. Pleasure built, shoving me higher and higher. I felt him rising with me through our bond. We chased one another up and up and up until we were thrown over the edge.
Our Chord reverberated through us, beautiful and full. It warmed us as I collapsed onto his chest. We lay there, breathless and spent.
His arms tightened around me, and he turned his head to whisper in my ear. “I love you, too. From now until the After.”
From now until the After.