Chapter Nine
Preston slowly opened his eyes to the darkness, momentarily frightened until he remembered where he was. In Zeppelin’s bed, his mate’s warm, solid body wrapped around him like a second skin. The steady rhythm of Zeppelin’s heartbeat pulsed against his back, strong and unwavering.
Memories from earlier flooded back—vampires, the pack, that incredible dinner—but all he could focus on was the heat radiating from his mate’s body and the arm draped possessively across his waist. A pleasant warmth pooled in his belly as Zeppelin’s breath tickled the nape of his neck.
He shifted slightly, and his mate’s arm tightened around him. “You awake?” Zeppelin’s voice rumbled against his ear, rough with sleep.
“Yeah,” Preston whispered, turning in the circle of Zeppelin’s arms to face him. In the darkness, he could just make out the contours of his mate’s face, the strong line of his jaw, the fullness of his lips. “Just thinking.”
Zeppelin traced a finger along Preston’s cheekbone, down to his lips. “About?”
“This. Us.” Preston pressed closer, his body responding to the proximity. “Everything.”
The soft brush of Zeppelin’s lips against his forehead sent tingles down to Preston’s toes. “Good thoughts, I hope.”
He answered by tilting his face up, capturing Zeppelin’s mouth with his own. The kiss started slow, exploratory, before deepening as Zeppelin’s tongue slid against his. Heat bloomed between them, turning the gentle caress into something hungrier.
Zeppelin rolled them until Preston lay beneath him, the weight of his body a delicious pressure. His hands skimmed down Preston’s sides, pushing up the borrowed T-shirt he’d slept in, fingertips grazing bare skin.
“Take this off,” Zeppelin murmured against Preston’s lips, tugging at the fabric.
Preston lifted his arms, allowing Zeppelin to pull the shirt over his head and toss it aside. The cool air against his skin made him shiver, but Zeppelin’s hands quickly returned, warming every inch they touched.
Moonlight filtered through a gap in the curtains, casting a silver glow across the bed. Preston watched as Zeppelin sat back on his heels, gaze traveling over Preston’s exposed torso with reverence.
“Look at you,” he breathed, palms sliding up Preston’s stomach to his chest. “So fucking beautiful.”
Preston laughed softly, reaching up to pull him back down. “Says the guy who looks like he was carved from marble.”
Their bodies aligned, skin against skin, and Preston gasped at the sensation. Zeppelin’s mouth found his neck, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down to his collarbone. Each touch of lips and tongue left a trail of fire in its wake.
“God, that feels good.” Preston sighed, arching into the contact.
Zeppelin hummed against his skin, moving lower to capture a nipple between his lips. The gentle suction made Preston’s hips buck involuntarily, seeking friction. A low chuckle vibrated against his chest as Zeppelin shifted to the other nipple, giving it the same attention.
“Patience,” Zeppelin whispered, his breath cooling the damp skin.
“Patience is overrated,” he countered, running his hands through Zeppelin’s hair, tugging him up for another kiss.
Their tongues tangled as Zeppelin’s hands continued exploring, mapping the contours of Preston’s body like he was memorizing every dip and curve. When his fingers hooked into the waistband of Preston’s boxers, Preston lifted his hips in silent invitation.
The fabric slid down his legs, and then he was completely naked, vulnerable under Zeppelin’s gaze. But instead of feeling exposed, he felt treasured, especially when his mate looked at him with such naked hunger.
“Your turn,” he said, reaching for Zeppelin’s boxers. “Fair’s fair.”
With a grin, Zeppelin helped, kicking the underwear off the bed. The full-body contact that followed drew moans from both of them. Preston’s hands roamed over his mate’s broad back, feeling the play of muscles beneath smooth skin.
He kissed his way down Preston’s body, pausing to nip at his hip bone to trace the soft curve of his stomach with his tongue. His beard tickled against sensitive skin, making Preston squirm and laugh.
“Ticklish?” his mate asked, deliberately rubbing his chin against Preston’s inner thigh.
“Stop that,” he gasped through his laughter, halfheartedly pushing at Zeppelin’s head.
His mate’s response was to grip Preston’s thighs, holding them apart as he lowered his mouth to the sensitive skin. The tickling sensation transformed into pleasure as Zeppelin’s tongue traced patterns on his inner thigh, moving higher with each pass.
When Zeppelin’s mouth finally closed around him, Preston’s back arched off the bed. Wet heat engulfed him, sending jolts of electricity up his spine. Zeppelin took him deep, hollowing his cheeks as he withdrew, creating a suction that had Preston clutching at the sheets.
“Fuck,” he breathed, watching through half-lidded eyes as Zeppelin worked him over. The sight of those full lips stretched around him, the sensation of Zeppelin’s tongue swirling around the head… It was almost too much.
Just as the pressure began building, Zeppelin pulled away, leaving Preston panting and frustrated. Before he could protest, Zeppelin was kissing him again, the taste of himself on Zeppelin’s tongue oddly arousing.
“Turn over,” Zeppelin whispered against his lips.
Preston complied, rolling onto his stomach. Zeppelin’s hands smoothed down his back, thumbs pressing into the muscles along his spine, massaging as they went. When they reached his ass, they kneaded the flesh, spreading him open.
The first touch of Zeppelin’s tongue against his entrance made Preston jerk in surprise and pleasure. He buried his face in the pillow, muffling a moan as Zeppelin’s tongue circled and probed, breaking him down with each flick and thrust.
“God, Zeppelin,” he gasped, pushing back against the sensation.
His mate hummed in response, the vibration adding another layer to the pleasure. His hands gripped Preston’s hips, holding him steady as his tongue worked magic.
When a slick finger joined Zeppelin’s tongue, Preston’s breath caught. The gentle pressure as it breached him burned slightly before giving way to pleasure. His mate worked him open slowly, adding a second finger when Preston began rocking back into his hand.
“You taste so good,” he murmured, placing kisses along the curve of Preston’s ass. “Could do this all night.”
He looked over his shoulder, catching Zeppelin’s eye. “I’d rather you fuck me.”
A growl rumbled from his mate’s chest as he leaned over to the nightstand, retrieving a bottle of lube. The snap of the cap opening seemed loud in the quiet room. He watched as Zeppelin slicked himself, the sight of his hand working over his cock making Preston’s mouth water.
“Come here,” Preston said, turning back over and reaching for him.
His mate settled between his thighs, capturing his mouth in a kiss that spoke of barely restrained hunger. The blunt pressure of his cock against Preston’s entrance made him tense momentarily before relaxing into it.
Inch by inch, Zeppelin pushed inside, his eyes never leaving Preston’s face. The stretch and burn gave way to fullness, to a sense of completeness he’d never experienced before.
“Move,” he urged when Zeppelin was fully seated, wrapping his legs around his mate’s waist.
Zeppelin began rocking into him with slow, measured thrusts that gradually increased in speed and intensity. Each drag and push sent waves of pleasure through Preston, building with each movement.
Their bodies moved together in perfect sync, as if they’d been doing this dance for years instead of the first time. Sweat slicked their skin, making the slide of chest against chest even more delicious.
“Turn over,” Zeppelin said again, his voice strained with restraint. “I want to take you from behind.”
Preston nodded, letting his mate withdraw before rolling onto his stomach again. Zeppelin pulled his hips up, positioning him on his hands and knees before sliding back inside in one smooth thrust.
This angle allowed his mate to go deeper, hitting spots that made Preston see stars. His pace increased, the sound of skin against skin filling the room along with their combined breathing.
One of Zeppelin’s hands slid around to grasp Preston’s cock, stroking in time with his thrusts. The dual sensation pushed him closer to the edge, his body tightening with impending release.
“Wait,” Preston gasped, pulling away just enough to turn around. “I want to see you.”
Zeppelin’s eyes darkened as Preston pushed him onto his back and straddled him. Sinking down on his mate’s cock, Preston set a new rhythm, riding him with abandon. Zeppelin’s hands gripped his hips, guiding his movements, helping him find just the right angle.
“Fuck, Preston,” his mate moaned, watching as Preston moved above him. “So fucking perfect.”
The praise washed over Preston, spurring him on. He leaned down to kiss his mate, their tongues tangling as their bodies rocked together. When he sat back up, Zeppelin followed, sitting up so they were chest to chest, Preston in his lap.
In this position, each thrust hit even deeper. He wrapped his arms around Zeppelin’s shoulders, holding on as the pleasure built to almost unbearable levels.
“Close,” he warned, feeling the familiar tightening in his gut.
“Me too,” Zeppelin panted, his rhythm becoming more erratic.
As Preston felt himself tipping over the edge, Zeppelin’s mouth latched onto the juncture between his neck and shoulder.
The sharp sting of teeth breaking skin mingled with the intense pleasure of his orgasm, creating a sensation so powerful Preston cried out, his body convulsing around his mate’s cock.
Preston gasped when he saw a gossamer blue ribbon rise out of Zeppelin’s chest, then a yellow one rising out of his own. He watched as the two ribbons twirled around each other, broke apart, the blue one diving toward Preston’s chest, the other toward Zeppelin’s. Then they were gone.
Suddenly, it felt as if Zeppelin was inside him, and not just his cock. It was as if Preston had known the guy forever, and he couldn’t imagine his life without the wolf in it.
Zeppelin followed immediately, his release pulsing deep inside as his teeth remained embedded in Preston’s flesh. A strange warmth spread from the bite, radiating outward until Preston’s entire body tingled with it.
When Zeppelin finally released his shoulder, he licked over the wound, soothing the sting. They stayed connected, forehead to forehead, breathing each other’s air as they came down from their high.
“What was that?” Preston asked once he could form words again, his hand going to the bite mark. It throbbed gently but didn't hurt the way he expected.
“The mate bond,” Zeppelin explained, pressing a gentle kiss to the spot. “It’s sealed now. And those colorful ribbons were out life forces. You’re officially mine, and I’m yours. Forever.”
Forever. The word should have terrified Preston, but instead, it filled him with a sense of rightness, of belonging. He traced his fingers over Zeppelin’s face, memorizing the planes and angles by touch.
“Forever sounds pretty good,” he whispered, leaning in for another kiss.
They stayed like that, trading lazy kisses and soft touches, until exhaustion began to pull at them. Zeppelin finally eased Preston off his lap, both of them wincing slightly at the separation. He disappeared into the bathroom, returning with a warm washcloth to clean them both up.
Once they were settled back under the covers, he curled against Zeppelin’s side, his head on his mate’s chest. The steady thump of his wolf’s heart lulled him toward sleep.