Chapter 47 #2
“Oh my gods,” I gasp. Even though I know it’s coming, the feeling is completely unexpected. I’ve never experienced this before. The sensation is new and intense and…wonderful.
My breaths become wild, chaotic, as his tongue circles my bud and sends gratifying vibrations through my body. I squeeze my eyes shut, helpless moans bursting out of me as he burrows deeper.
“Open your eyes, Zaira,” he commands between licks. “Look at me.”
I peel my eyes open, panting raggedly as he cups my hips and devours me like I’m the sweetest fruit. Every lap of his tongue has the perfect amount of pressure. Every one of his groans makes mine increase in volume.
I feel the restraints around my wrists fade away the longer he watches me. As I gaze down at him, he slides a hand up my tunic and caresses my nipples.
“Thane…” My hips buck as he continues to stroke and suck. “Thane…please.”
His next groan is deeper. The rolling and kneading of my nipples only elevate the sensations. I’ve never felt so built up, so overwhelmed with pleasure to the point I’m afraid to let go.
But eventually, I’m left with no choice. Thane’s sole focus in this moment is to satisfy me. And it has arrived in full.
I clutch a handful of his thick hair and throw my head back to cry out in pleasure.
But does he stop there? No, he still circles his tongue in gentle swirls that make me twitch. Repeatedly.
“Oh, fuck,” I breathe, whimpering.
“Damn, Zaira.” He kisses my pelvis. “I swear watching you come for me will never get old.”
When he stands, I tug at the strings of his pants, wanting the real thing.
He chuckles. “So greedy.”
He’s right.
I am greedy.
I’m insatiable for this man. I’ve never felt so drawn to someone, to the point that all I want is for him to take me over and over and over again. This connection we have is both electrifying and terrifying.
Thane pushes his pants down and grips himself. He’s already hard as rock. He slowly strokes himself with one hand while the other angles my hips just right. I press my palms down on the counter for balance as he brings his mouth to mine, tasting of my essence.
He gradually kisses me as he slides inside me, filling me inch by every savory inch.
“Oh shit,” he curses on my mouth. “So fucking tight.”
He begins with slow strokes and fervent kisses. One hand keeps steady on my hip while the other wraps around the back of my neck. His guttural groans fill the confines of the washroom as he swallows my moans.
“It feels so good being lost inside you.” He groans into the bend of my neck. “If only I could stay buried deep within you for the rest of my days… Life would truly be marvelous.”
“You have no idea how much I want the same thing,” I say as his steady strokes evolve into rigid thrusts.
He curses again, sucking on the soft skin of my neck.
His thrusts pick up in speed, and his deep moans become twice as loud.
The room shines gold from his ignited hands—the same hands holding my face.
I circle my legs around his waist to guide him deeper, pleased by the burning light of his clear excitement and enjoyment.
I feel him swell inside me, on the brink of release as I inch closer to the edge yet again.
The light brightens the thicker his breathing becomes, to the point it’s nearly blinding, but he doesn’t stop—not until I feel that familiar heat rise up through my toes and burst through me. I can’t help but cry his name as I fall.
In a sudden movement, he snatches his mouth away, jerks back, and pulls out of me. I reach out and fist him until he, too, reaches that precipice with a groan and spills on my thigh.
“Shadows,” he rasps, breathless. The glow fades ever so slowly, putting us back in dim, flickering candlelight. “You are so good.”
I blush when he gives me a lazy smile. We linger like this for a moment, basking in the bliss of what we’ve done. Eventually, he snaps out of his trance to pull his trousers up, then finds a hand towel in the bin under the basin to clean me up.
I hop off the counter, smiling up at him as I fix my rumpled tunic and then put my spectacles on. He smiles back, palms one side of my face in his large hand, and kisses me softly.
“I hate that this has to come to an end,” I tell him in a soft voice.
He studies the details of my face, his thumb stroking the lobe of my ear. “It’ll be for the best, little mortal. You know it.”
Sighing, I press my forehead to his chest, but that’s when I notice his necklace again. I pick my head back up to lift the scorpion-shaped pendant. It’s bumpy and has a thick tail.
“Does this necklace mean something?” I ask.
His eyes darken a notch. “It was a gift for my brother. I gave it to him a few months before he died.”
“Oh.” I release the pendant. “Why a scorpion? If you don’t mind me asking.”
He’s quiet for a moment as he lifts the pendant to study it himself.
“He cried one day because he lost a fight during training. He was beating himself up about how he should’ve taken a certain punch but didn’t want to hurt the other person too badly so he held back.
When I gave him this, I told him: ‘We can’t afford to be doves, Koa.
We don’t have the privilege of flying high and soaring in peace.
’” His throat bobs. “I told him since we weren’t raised with grace, we have to be scorpions instead.
If we don’t strike first—if we don’t sting to protect ourselves—we stand to lose everything. ”
“Wow.” I take a moment to let those words marinate. “That’s very…profound.”
“Not profound enough, obviously.” He tucks the pendant away.
We leave the washroom, but before heading to the cabin, Thane walks toward the side of the boat to chuck the hand towel overboard.
“Good idea.” I giggle. No one deserves an encounter with a crusty towel.
When Thane sits on the bench, pensively staring at the endless horizon, I join him. I huddle up against him, basking in his warmth. The ocean sound is soothing, almost enough to make me sleepy again.
“I want him dead as much as you do,” Thane says after a while. “You know that, right?”
I take my head out of the crook of his arm and look up at his face, which is now bathed in moonlight. “Seferin?” I ask.
He clenches his jaw. “He took everything from me.”
Goose bumps dot my flesh when I realize he’s about to open up again. This time, they’re not from the cold.
“Seferin was one of The Divine’s biggest advocates once. Did you know that?”
I shake my head.
“For years, he helped generals and trained some of the soldiers, including me and Koa. We believed in him because he believed in us.” Thane scoffs and shakes his head.
“He told us that he was going to launch a special unit and recruit some of the strongest guards from The Divine. He promised me and my brother so many good things, said we’d be unstoppable in our magic, and swore he’d never separate us.
That’s all I cared about—never being apart from my brother. ”
I nod in understanding. “I know that feeling all too well.”
“I know you do, sweet one.” He plants a gentle kiss on my forehead.
I smile.
“Anyway, Seferin made us swear to keep his plans a secret, and we thought we were in on this wonderful thing. I mean, think about it. This powerful sorcerer wanted to recruit us and make us nearly as strong as he was. It sounded like a dream, too good to be true. And you know what they say about things that are too good to be true…” Thane looks out at the dark ocean, shaking his head.
“I wanted only the best for myself and Koa. We’d been through so much, so we deserved it. ”
I don’t know where this story is going, but I grab his hand and rub a reassuring thumb over his knuckles.
“We’d leave Meriva and train deep in the forests near Ruvain where no one could hear or see us,” he goes on.
“We trained so hard and for so long, we were left with no choice but to get better.” His jaw ticks as he lowers his gaze to the deck.
“Then, one night, Seferin said he needed us to retrieve something from the royal vaults in the Crystal Palace. Neither Koa nor I had been given permission before to patrol inside the Crystal Palace. I should’ve taken that as a sign that something was off.
But Seferin gave us the order, so we didn’t think twice.
We went to the vault and retrieved the Sunderstone Crystal.
Alarms immediately went off, and guards came after us.
We tried to explain we were there on Seferin’s orders, but they didn’t listen.
They just attacked. I had no choice but to fight back. ”
Something that looks a lot like shame seizes him.
“I murdered them,” he says in a low, pained voice. “And I knew deep down that Seferin knew this would happen because he helped us escape Meriva with the Sunderstone under one condition…”
“That you join The Shadow Guild,” I finish.
He nods, and that confirmation makes my heart ache for him and Koa—for their betrayal.
“But I don’t understand. Why would he ruin his relationship with the queen and The Divine?” I ask.
“Because he never had good intentions for the kingdom and especially not us, Zaira,” he answers through gritted teeth.
“He knew from the start we were hopeless fools fueled by dreams and ambition, and he used every ounce of that for his own agenda. All he cares about is power. He wants to dethrone the queen and rule Meriva—he still does.”
He pauses, readying himself for the next part.
“I knew I had to get Koa and myself out of his clutches. I figured we could start fresh in Yellek or Junsho. A place that allowed refugees. We got so close to Yellek, but somehow, the guild found us. They caught us and returned us to the camp. And to teach me a lesson about running, they slit my brother’s throat right in front of me. ”
I stifle a gasp as I cup a hand over my mouth. “No,” I whisper, tears burning my eyes.
“Yes. Like I said in Frevella’s cave, it’s my fault he’s dead.” Thane’s voice thickens as he continues. “If I hadn’t tried to run away with him—if I’d just stuck it out there and dealt with the consequences—he’d probably still be alive.”
“My gods. I get it now. That’s why you want Seferin dead.”
He clenches a fist. “That’s exactly why I want him dead.”
“Thane, I’m so sorry that happened.” I squeeze his hand tighter, wishing I could soothe the pain I know is in his heart, or take it away. “No one deserves to go through that.”
He nods but doesn’t bother saying anything. At least, not about Seferin or Koa.
“Let’s go back to the cabin.” He releases his arm from around me. “You need some sleep.”
Heart heavy, I nod in agreement, and we make our way to the door.
Once inside, Thane helps me into bed and even pulls the quilt over my shoulders before getting on his cot and lying down. I want him to join me, but the beds aren’t very large, and I’m not sure if he wants Algar and Rynthea to catch us sleeping together like some infatuated couple.
We had our fun, but I must remember we’re still on an important quest. And soon this quest will be over.
We’ll go our separate ways, and I might not ever see him again.
The reminder of it all saddens me more than I’ll ever admit because, truthfully, I’ll miss Thane. I wonder if he’ll miss me, too.
I turn over in bed and stare at the bottom of the top bunk. Regardless of how I feel, it’s completely up to Orvena whether we live to see another day or not.
I can only pray that the goddess keeps us in her arms.