Chapter Twenty-Five
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Theo
V al wants me . Not the crown prince, not the human glamour, not the power we could gain from a mating. Just me. The realization sends a high shooting through me, more intoxicating than any venom I can imagine.
I hit her with another dose to watch her pupils dilate and her lush lips part on a moan. With her taste on my tongue and her scream from her last orgasm still ringing in my ears, I need her to be consumed with pleasure. Because she’s driving me insane and costing me every ounce of the control I’ve fought to master for years.
Lifting her from the counter where I devoured her favorite dessert smeared all over my new favorite treat, I teleport us to the bed, ripping away the rest of her clothes until she’s left wearing nothing but the lab coat. From beneath it, her pale breasts peek in stolen glimpses, her rosy nipples hard and ready for me to tease. Gods, she’s gorgeous.
I should draw this out, make her writhe against the sheets, stretch out my taunting until she’s begging for me. Except we’ve been dancing around this desire since we met. We might not have agreed on anything else, but the sexual chemistry sparking between us has always been there.
Taking a shaky breath, she says, “Promises, promises, big talker. How about you use your mouth less and those more?” She tips her head toward my cocks, licking her lips in a move that must be guaranteed to send my fantasies straight to imagining her mouth wrapped around one.
“Provoking me won’t work. I’ll fuck you how I want, when I want, and you’ll let me, won’t you?”
She nods, a jerky movement so unlike her graceful norm.
“Such a good mate.” Climbing onto the bed, I cover her with my body, cocky and arrogant with my actions while I’m fighting to maintain restraint. What if I hurt her? What if I lose control of my magic?
I won’t.
I can’t .
Fuck, who knew finding a mate would make me insane?
Her body’s a winding map of voluptuous curves and long angles. I’ve gotten her sticky, and now I want to lick every inch. I dip my head to do exactly that, tracing a path around her nipples, along the slope of her breast, and farther down to her navel, a part of my human glamour that seems so useless, yet it’s lovely on her.
She giggles. “Are you trying to tickle me into another orgasm?”
“I’m exploring. Your body is so different from mine, so tempting.”
Brushing her fingertips over the scales near my claws, she whispers, “Same.”
“I don’t know if I can hold back with you.”
“Then don’t.”
I move back up to her lips, taking my time until her thighs are locked around my hips, holding me to her. “I love how you’re slick and ready for me. I’ll take you once like this where I can watch your face when you come, and then I’ll flip you onto all fours and fuck you until I’m spent.”
She gives a whimper, the sexiest affirmation of her earlier demands.
I sink into her, and her tight pussy grips me like she was made for me—my fated mate, my destined match.
“Gods, Val, you’re fucking perfect.” I can’t stop moving, pumping into her until sweat beads along my brow for the want of simply pounding her into the mattress to satisfy the monster in me. But I have to take this slow. The mating bond won’t complete without her pleasure. Hell, I won’t be able to finish without knowing I’ve marked and satisfied my mate.
“Harder, Theo. I need more.” She digs her nails into my sides, rocking her hips against me and urging me on.
I let the monster take over, rutting my mate as I wouldn’t have dared to dream about before meeting her. My strong, reckless mate.
Magic spirals between us, and I funnel it away from my brimstone fire to something, anything else. Shadowvale ripples around us—taking us from a bed to a temple to a forest older than I’ve ever seen. Another pulse of power, and we’re back in the bed.
Val yanks at my horns, focusing my attention on her.
Between thrusts, I nip at her with my fangs and tell her exactly what’s been on my mind.
“You drive me fucking crazy, Val. Your temper, your hot little body, the scent of you when you’re mad or turned on or just—gods—you existing and breathing. The way your touch lingers on my skin. How you want my demon form and rile me up like you have absolutely no fear. You’re everything, and you’re mine. You hear me? Mine.” The snarl rips from me, and I can’t think, can’t talk, can’t do a single thing other than give my mate as much pleasure as possible.
She comes with a cry, and I’m not far behind her, my release pouring into her as I want to give myself to her for forever. But I’m not done with her yet. I flip her over and take her again, notching my second cock against her opening and pushing inside. She thrashes and tosses her head back, struggling as if she’s attempting to take over.
The monster in me roars, wanting to dominate as much as I’m excited by her fight. I gently slide my claws along her spine, loving the way she rises to meet my touch. “Brave, beautiful mate.”
She pants, her voice breaking around the quick breaths. “I need, I can’t, there’s something building, buzzing along the inside of my skin, and it’s big. Theo?”
“It’s the mating magic. Let me help.” The primal instinct to provide for my mate takes over. My second cock moves with prehensile agility, ready to twist, curve, and damn near vibrate to please my mate. I take my cues from her moans, gasps, and whimpers, trying to maintain control when she’s destroying it one clench of her body at a time.
“ Theo .” Her whine has me wanting to make her come again and again.
Wrapping my wings around her hips, I hold her steady as she gives her weight into my grasp. “You were made for my cocks, Vicious. The magic recognizes you. I’ll worship you, licking your sweet little pussy every day until you bounce on my cocks and scream my name. You’re my mate. Mine. Say it.”
“Yours,” she whispers, a sob breaking at the end.
I thrust into her, sealing the vow with actions as much as words, needing to be one with her in every way.
A wave of magic uncoils, curling outward in a blast that forces my brimstone fire to the surface. The sheets around us catch flame.
“Shit.” I hurry to shield Val, but she reaches a hand toward the flickering heat, wrapping her fingers around a tendril before I can stop her. “How bad is it? I’ll call for extra healing potions. Or maybe the mating magic will—” I pry open her fist, expecting burns and blisters. There’s nothing. No redness, no charred skin, no fire.
Instead, a white petal rests upon her palm with the scarlet traces of a Brimstone Bell at its base.
Val comes up on her knees, sinking back against me and pushing her hair behind her ear to glance around the room. “Wow.”
Wow is an understatement.
Brimstone Bells bloom from the floor, the walls, even the ceiling—the previously rare flowers starkly pale in the light of the purple flames. Their sweet scent fills the room.
Wind from an invisible origin rustles the leaves and vines as though Shadowvale sighs in relief. The castle must have finally found the massive supernatural source it needs to heal from the latest attacks.
I take in the magic that should be impossible and look to Val who stares back with wide eyes.
“Theo?” Her voice loses its sex-soaked bliss of moments ago. “What in the hell dimensions did we make happen?”