Chapter 22 Zuko
zuko
. . .
I couldn’t get enough of Rune last night, even after I woke her up twice to continue giving her orgasms. The feeling remained the same this morning.
The ends of her hair glowed faintly in the dark room like a green-colored wild brushfire in the dead of night.
Her hair had fallen out of the tie sometime last night.
The strands flared out in every direction, some sticking to her cheek, others curling over her shoulder and some over her pretty boobs.
I’d reached out earlier and moved her hair from her body, and she’d mumbled something incoherent before whipping her head the other way, smacking me in the face with some of it.
She was beautiful, though. Ridiculously so.
Her lips parted just slightly, lashes resting against her cheeks. The soft glow of her hair made her look like the Fates embodied…well, if the Fates thrashed like they were wrestling invisible enemies.
Every time I tried to pull her in to cuddle, she rolled the other way. Every time I gave her space, she sprawled over me, her limbs tangling with mine, and her toes digging into my calf.
At one point, she had an arm around my throat and one knee pressing into my cock.
It was hot as fuck.
Every wild toss and turn just made me sink deeper into the fact that she was mine. Even when she kicked the blanket off me for the fifth time.
“Wake up, pretty little poison. We need to get ready for class,” I spoke into her ear loudly.
She jolted before opening her pretty golden eyes and staying sprawled on her back. “Make me.”
“Make you?” I chuckled and pressed my lips to her shoulder, moving my fingers between her legs.
She gasped, spreading her legs for me. “Zuko, please fuck me.”
“Ah, but your name isn’t on my dick yet.” I pulled back and got to my feet, tugging my boxers on and grabbing my suit and hers. “Let’s go take a shower before everyone else wakes up.”
She huffed, her lips pouty as she got up.
My eyes were glued to her perfect body as she grabbed one of my shirts from my drawers and pulled it over herself.
We made it into the bathroom without issue, locking it behind us.
White marble walls veined with shimmering gold caught the light from the crystal sconces. Every surface hummed faintly with wards. They were self-cleaning, temperature-regulating, and held enchantments to prevent accidental flooding.
It was interesting how many things runes could do.
I loved the shower here. It was a circular platform of black stone that sat in the center of the room, runes carved along its edge in delicate spirals.
With a single slide of my finger on the red and blue crystal on the top of one of the dark stones, hot water cascaded from the air itself, falling in perfect sheets.
The steam carried hints of jasmine, eucalyptus, and something sharper, probably an old magic meant to cleanse your aura.
Beneath the falling water, the runes lit up faintly in response to the bather’s needs, adjusting the pressure and temperature to match their exact preference.
It was really fucking cool. I needed one at home.
She tugged my shirt off and tossed it onto the warm marble before stepping in. “Not coming?” she asked in a voice that made my cock painfully hard, but I had to put her name on it before it seared inside of her.
It would be the ultimate fucking, and I wasn’t going to mess up our first time.
“And miss a shower with you?” Stepping out of my boxers, I got in with her. The water was hot, almost scalding, as it raced down my spine in rivulets. “Never happening.”
The steam curled around us in lazy spirals, clinging to her skin, making her glisten.
Her back was to me at first, and I moved my hands over a soap enchantment in one of the stones before running my palms over her shoulders, washing her in slow, deliberate strokes.
My thumbs pressed small circles into the knots just under her neck, and she moaned. “Mmm, that feels good.” She tilted her head forward, the neon tips of her hair catching droplets like stars before they trailed down her spine.
“I can make you feel even better.” I felt her melt beneath the heat and my touch as I continued to wash and rinse her body.
“I can make you feel good, too.” She turned to face me, eyes half-lidded from the heat, and pressed her hand over the enchanted soap stone.
“You already have.” I winked.
Her fingers brushed over my ribs as she spread the lather of soap suds across my chest. She washed me like we had all the time in the world, letting the slick slide of her palm follow the lines of my muscles.
The water caught between us in warm rivulets, dripping from her wrists as she smoothed soap along my shoulders and arms.
I closed my eyes for a moment just to feel her touch on my body. The scent of her midnight orchid mixing with the herbal steam drove me over the edge. Her hands moved down until she gripped my cock.
My eyes flew open, and she was on her knees, staring up at me as the water pelted us both.
“Shh. Be quiet, okay?” Maintaining eye contact, she opened her mouth and took me in.
I moaned, ignoring her warning, tilting my head back and letting the water hit us as she sucked my cock like she was drinking my venom—fuck, she probably was.
I came embarrassingly quickly, and she moaned as she swallowed every bit of my cum.
“Fuck, that was so hot.” I helped her to her feet and kissed her like my life depended on it.
She pulled away with a small giggle and a flush across her cheeks. “I guess I can skip my morning tea.”
“My turn.” I dropped to my knees in front of her, grabbed her ass cheek with one hand and her thigh with the other. One of her legs draped over my shoulder, and once her hands tangled in my hair, I devoured her.
My tongue slipped inside her pussy, and I felt it split, tasting every part of her it could. Her pussy clenched around me, and I let my fangs cut her as my nose bumped her clit.
I pushed my tongue in and out of her, nipping at her clit before going back and forth.
She forced my face into her pussy as she came, a strangled cry leaving her as she grinded against my mouth.
Her legs trembled around me as her hips jerked. “Zuko, Fates!”
She gushed all over my face, and I reached out and turned the shower off. The water stopped falling.
I let her leg go, sliding back to my feet and holding her naked body close to mine. Her skin against mine was fucking everything.
“What’re you doing?” she panted. “We need to wash me off your face.”
“That’s not happening.” I shook my head, making sure she had her balance before letting her go and walking out of the shower.
“Why not?” she asked, grabbing a towel from the shelf and drying herself off as I did the same. “You’re going to smell like me all day.”
“That’s the point.” I gave her a wicked smile as we put our suits on. “Are you embarrassed that I made you come on my face?”
“Fuck no,” she stated simply, her suit perfectly formed to the body I personally knew was perfection underneath.
I grinned. “And you’re still into me?”
“Obviously I am.” She arched a brow at me.
“This wasn’t a one time thing?” I checked, and even clarifying that was a stab to my heart.
“Of course not!” Her eyes blazed, and it calmed my worries.
“So, we’re dating,” I told her, grabbing her hand and tugging her along with me.
“I’m good with that,” she replied easily.
My heart fucking soared.
Unlocking the door, we walked out and bumped directly into Hawk. His dark eyes widened as he took us in.
“I, uh, didn’t realize you two were a thing,” he muttered.
“Yeah.” Rune shrugged.
“We’re dating.” I grinned.
Hawk stumbled back before going around us into the bathroom.
Slater shuffled over, red eyes ringed with dark bags. “I could hear you all night,” he whined. “What kind of torture was that?”
Rune’s face flushed crimson, and she turned her glare on me. “Zuko! What about the music?”
I held my hands up in defense. “I swear I turned it on! You heard it playing, too!”
Koa emerged from his room, running a hand through his messy hair, looking equally exhausted. “Yeah, but it turned off after only twenty minutes.”
“I’m so sorry,” Rune mumbled, burying her face in my chest.
I grinned down at her. “I’m not. Didn’t it sound beautiful?”
Eleanor nearly choked on her morning tea. “I don’t think I would describe it as beautiful.”
“I would,” Slater admitted dreamily.
He got it.
Aura chuckled. “Fuck yeah, girl. Get it.”
“Oh, she did,” I said smugly. “Twenty-seven times.”
Everyone in the room screamed in unison. “Twenty-seven!”
Slater’s lower lip trembled like he might cry. “You’re meant for me too, Rune. Do I still have a shot?”
She giggled, stepping toward him and lacing her hand through his.
The sadness in his expression immediately shifted to a hopeful warmth.
“If she wants, you can join next time,” I said casually.
“Can I join, venom baby?” Slater pouted.
“I’m good with that,” she agreed.
“Then, I am so in.” Slater groaned. “I’m only a little envious of him being your first mate to be with you.”
“Actually, we didn’t—” Rune mumbled, cheeks pink.
“You made her come twenty-seven times and never had sex with her?” Koa’s mouth dropped open.
I smirked. “Yeah, I told her I wouldn’t fuck her until I had her name tattooed on my cock.”
Slater lit up as he stared down at Rune with excited red eyes. “Should I also get your name on me? I am your future mate.”
Rune’s lips curved into a smile as she shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”
“Oh my Fates, you didn’t correct me!” Slater waved a hand at himself to cool himself down. “Zuko, help me decide where our mate’s name is going on me!”
“Can we just fucking go to class now?” Dimitri snapped, yanking his door open and slamming it hard enough to make the enchanted frame shudder.
As we headed out of the house, Slater leaned toward Rune and whispered, “You smell so much like Zuko.”
Her blush deepened, but she grinned.
Slater’s eyes snapped to mine. “And you smell exactly like her.”
“Thanks for noticing,” I gloated.
“It’s his venom,” Dimitri muttered sharply. “Of course she smells like him.”
“Well, I do bite.” I flashed my fangs at him teasingly.
Dimitri just rolled his eyes.
We made it to the gate, crossing the bridge toward Apex Nexus, when a commotion caught our attention.
Tobias—Rune’s brother—was in a heated argument with Darian, his green eyes blazing and his black hair, streaked with green lowlights, flared red as his phoenix magic slipped free.
“Get the fuck away from me, and stay away from my sister!” Tobias shouted, flames licking his arms.
Rune was gone in an instant, rushing to her brother’s side. “Tibby, he’s not worth it.”
Both men turned toward her, nostrils flaring.
Darian’s hand shot toward her.
Tobias knocked it away and shoved him back, heat flaring hard enough that it would have scorched Darian’s chest if not for the academy-issued suit. “Don’t fucking touch her!”
“Who the fuck have you been with?” Darian snarled at her, lunging again, only for Tobias to block him.
I stepped in, wrapping an arm protectively around Rune’s waist and letting my venom pool on my fingers before flicking it at Darian’s cheek.
The pain was so immediate that whatever glamour he had in place glitched and flickered until it fully revealed a burn scar covering half his face. It was phoenix fire damage.
His glamour unfortunately came right back.
“She’s mine! She’s mine!” Darian raged.
I gave a slow, mocking smile. “Oh? I don’t see her name on you like it is on me. Must not have been that serious.”
I may not have had her name on me yet, but this asshole didn’t know that.
Darian’s lip curled. “Then, I’ll get her name tattooed.”
Rune made a face. “Ew. Don’t.”
His eyes narrowed. “I don’t see her name on you either.”
My grin turned razor-sharp. “Want to see my dick, then?”
Tobias had to physically hold him back, but the effort only pushed Darian toward shifting into his drake form. Silver scales rippled over his arms, his talons extending.
Koa’s hand slammed against Darian’s face, fire roaring to life over his arm. His voice was deadly calm. “You shift, you die.”
Darian sucked in a sharp breath and stumbled back, pointing at Rune. “We’re talking about this.”
I let out a dark laugh. “You aren’t even going to be breathing in her presence again.”
“That’s right,” Slater added, his voice low and uncharacteristically menacing. “Forget talking.”
His chaos manifestation, Snakey, lunged from his body and bit Darian’s finger.
Darian’s scream was raw.
“Snakey’s venom is like liquid fire, liquefying from the inside out. Have fun enjoying that,” Slater cooed as Snakey looked at Rune before de-manifesting.
“Go to class before you get yourselves in trouble,” Tobias growled, eyes still blazing. “I’ll handle this asshole. He’s on my squad.”
Dimitri cleared his throat, ushering everyone back toward the academy. His gaze lingered on Rune. “You picked a real gem for an ex.”
Rune hissed, “He was fine at first.”
Dimitri’s lips quirked faintly. “I understand that more than you know.” His fingers brushed the scar at his throat through the slit in his suit as we walked on.