Chapter 20 Luka
LUKA
I held Lennox to me, fearing if I let her go, this would all disappear. That I would realize this was all an elaborate dream.
She’s here. She’s really here. She came back, I reminded myself as I stroked my finger up and down the heated skin of her arm. She was here in my arms.
“I think I heard you,” she murmured. “When I was unconscious. When I was fighting against the magic. I heard you.”
I tightened my hand on her hip. “Yeah?”
She nodded against my chest. “Keziq tried to alter my memories of us. She tried to turn me against you—against vampires. While I was unconscious, I relived memory after memory of us. When the memory started, I had no idea who you were, and when I realized you were a vampire, I was terrified. But then something would trigger a memory—and I’d remember. I’d remember you.”
“I could hear you and another voice that sounded a lot like my mother’s.
She told me to fight the magic. So, I did.
Each memory it showed you—but not you. It was a different version.
The magic tried to change you in my mind, but I always remembered the true you.
Each time I remembered—when I reclaimed a memory, it would throw me into another one, and I’d have to start all over.
Time after time, memory after memory, I always remembered you. ”
“I’m glad.” My skin felt tight as I searched for words. “Lennox, when they told me what that witch tried to do—when you wouldn’t wake up—”
She stroked a hand down my face, turning my gaze to meet her. “I know.” We stayed like that, our eyes locked. After all she had been through, she made it back to me.
She closed the space between us and dusted her lips over mine, her hair a golden curtain around us. The light from the window illuminated her in a glow like she truly was my gift from the stars sent down just for me.
“I love you, Luka.” My chest contracted, that string connecting me to her squeezing tight as the mark on my hand burned.
“Do you know how long I’ve been waiting to hear you say those three words?”
“I know exactly how long.” She pressed her lips to mine. “I’m sorry I made you wait.”
I brushed my thumb over her cheek. “I’m not.
” A line formed between her brows. “I never wanted you to say it because you felt like you had to. I wanted you to say it when you were ready.” Yes, I had wanted nothing more than to hear those three words from her, but I knew she loved me.
I always knew deep down she did, and I didn’t need her to say the words for it to be real.
I knew she’d tell me when she was ready.
She drew her bottom lip between her teeth. “I’ve known for a long while. Before our wedding even, I think. It’s hard to know because I tried to deny it for so long.” She swallowed. “But when I had Luce knock you out—I knew then. And I regretted not telling you sooner.” Her voice trembled.
“I love you, too, Lennox.” I brought my mouth to hers, kissing her softly. “Until the stars turn to dust.”
She smiled. “I love you, until the stars turn to dust.”
A fist pounded on the door, pulling me from sleep. Lennox stirred beside me, her eyes remaining closed as she snuggled deeper into my neck.
“Are you two done fucking yet?” Nico’s voice rang from the other side of the door. I ignored him, closing my eyes and pulling Lennox closer.
“Don’t think I won’t come in there even if you are.”
“Go away, Nico,” I groaned. “Nico!” I scolded. I made sure Lennox was covered as the door creaked open.
The wolf only shrugged. “I knew you guys weren’t fucking anymore, you’re both very loud.”
Lennox buried her face deeper into the bed as her shoulders shook with silent laughter.
“I gave you your time, Luka. I want to see my best friend awake.”
Lennox raised her head from her cocoon. “I missed you too, Nico.” The wolf smiled. “Give us a half hour. I need a bath.” Her stomach grumbled. “And food.” She poked my side. “Someone was more concerned about getting into my pants than feeding me when I woke up.”
“Hey, I didn’t hear you protesting.”
Nico pointed between us, raising his brows. “Half an hour. I’ll get a meal set up for us all.” He made his way toward the door. “If you’re not down in half an hour, I’ll barge in again and I better not find you fucking in the tub.”
Lennox fell onto her back, scrubbing her hands over her face. “I missed him,” she mussed.
“But not as much as you missed me.” I rolled on top of her, hovering my body over hers.
She brushed the hair out of my face. “Hmmm, I don’t know, it’s a close call.”
“Let me remind you.” I bent my head down, sealing my lips over hers as my hands roamed over her body. When we finally parted, she was panting and squirming underneath me as my hand danced lower.
“Now.” I nipped at her neck. “Tell me who you missed more.”
“You.” She panted as she arched against me.
“That’s what I thought, Sweetheart.” I rolled off her.
“Hey!” she protested.
“I have no intention of letting Nico walk in on us in the tub.” I offered her a hand. “So we better get started quickly.” Her eyes glimmered at the challenge.
The sheet fell to the side as I pulled her to me, exposing her naked body. I needed more than half an hour. I didn’t want to leave this room for days. She wound her fingers in mine, pulling me toward the bathing chamber.
I stopped dead in my tracks when she turned, her back facing me.
Lennox didn’t notice my hesitation, her fingers slipping from mine as she continued into the bathing chamber.
My eyes didn’t leave her back as I watched her sink into the steaming tub, the image burned into my mind. I had seen scars before—but never scars like those.
The puckered skin covered the expanse of her back. They started at the top by her shoulder and followed a line down to the small of her back—there could only be one thing that made marks like that.
They hadn’t only messed with her memories, they had laid a hand on her. They had hurt her. Marked her. The only marks she should ever have to bear are marks put there by me.
They had scarred my mate. A growl threatened to slip from my lips. I’d kill them. I’d kill every fucking person in the Panateia for doing that to her. To my mate.
“You coming?” She looked over her shoulder at me, the steam billowing around her.
I balled my hands into fists and took a deep breath, trying to calm my raging emotions as I made my way to the bathing chamber. “What the fuck happened to your back?” I said as calmly as I could manage.
Her body tensed, her eyes going wide as she slunk further into the water. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing, Lennox.” I rubbed my hand over my jaw as I approached the tub. She remained on the opposite end as I moved closer. “Let me see it.” I couldn’t keep the roughness from my tone this time. Her hands gripped the edge of the tub, her knuckles turning white.
“Someone touched you, someone funking hurt you. I need to see it. Please.”
Her eyes softened. Slowly, she turned, the water sloshing as she exposed her back to me. I took her hair in one hand, brushing it over her shoulder.
Her back was covered in scars. They crisscrossed across the expanse of her once-smooth skin.
Starting at her shoulders and disappearing into the water.
They were deep too, the edges still pink as they healed.
I lowered to my knees at the side of the tub, running my fingers along the edges of her scars.
My stomach rolled. My anger mixed with disgust as I thought about how someone could have done this to her. Even her tattoo, her tattoo pledging to the witches, to her people, had been wrecked. A thick scar sliced through the middle.
“Who did this to you?”
Lennox shivered. “Who do you think?” She crossed her arms over her chest as she turned to face me, hiding her back once again.
“I’ll kill her.” My magic pulsed at my fingertips. “I’ll rip her heart from her chest for ever laying a hand on you.”
Lennox stared at the water, the look on her face causing me to pause.
I slipped into the tub with her.
“Come here.” She didn’t move so I reached for her, the water splashing over the side of the tub as I pulled her into my lap, her scarred back against my front as I wrapped my arms around her.
“Do you want to talk about it now?”
She shook her head. “Okay,” I reassured her. “When you’re ready, I’m here.”
Her hand squeezed mine. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you.
I want to tell you everything that happened, I want you to know, but I need a couple of days.
I need some space now that I’m out. I want a couple of days to pretend like everything is even slightly okay.
I made it out. I’m back in your arms. That’s what I want to focus on right now. ”
I kissed her shoulder, my lips brushing over the top of a scar. “Okay.”
I reached for the toiletries set on the edge of the tub, squirting a small amount of soap into my hand before bringing it to Lennox’s hair.
I ran the soap through the damp strands, distributing it evenly before helping her rinse out the suds and continuing with the next product.
Lennox remained silent as I finished washing her hair, letting the sopping strands fall down her back, partially covering the scars.
After everything she’d been through, for her to go through this too—
“Distract me.” Lennox’s voice was soft. “Please, Luka, distract me. Say something, anything.”
I brought my hand to her stomach as I placed a kiss on her shoulder. “Okay.” My hand on her stomach slipped lower. “Tell me what you need.” Anything, I’d give her fucking anything.
“I need you to touch me.”
I didn’t hesitate. I slipped two fingers inside her easily beneath the water. She arched into me, a moan slipping from her lips as I held her against me with a hand on her stomach. I moved my fingers in and out slowly, the water sloshing as Lennox squirmed in my arms.
“Luka.” Her hand tightened around my arm. She swiveled her hips over my already hard cock. “I need more than your fingers. I need you inside me.”
I slipped my fingers from her and she shifted, turning to face me. Her hands landed on my shoulders as I guided myself to her entrance.
We both moaned as I slid deep inside.
Her legs wrapped around my waist, her hips thrusting to meet mine as I brought her mouth to mine.
Water sloshed over the sides of the tub, soaking the floor as we moved, both of us desperate to feel one another in this moment. Both of us chasing the feeling of ecstasy together, reminding us we were still here, that we were both still alive.
That we were here together.
Lennox’s nails dug into my back as I braced my hands on her hips and thrusted upward.
“Fuck,” Lennox swore, her forehead resting against my shoulder. I thrust faster, causing the water to splash between us as Lennox screamed, her body clenching around me.
“That’s it, Sweetheart. Keep squeezing the life out of my cock.” She threw her head back as she continued to tremble in my arms.
I didn’t stop my thrusts, my hands digging into her hips so hard it might leave a mark, the only marks she should have, marks claiming her as mine.
Her breasts bounced as I continued to move us. “Give me one more, Lennox.” I bent my head and took her breast in my mouth.
I flicked my tongue over the sensitive bud before pulling it between my teeth. Incoherent curses slipped from her lips as she continued to bounce on my lap.
I removed my mouth from her breast. “If I didn’t think Nico would burst in here at any moment, I’d drink from your perfect pink nipple.” I flicked my tongue over the bud again. “But we don’t have time for that right now.”
“Later,” Lennox panted, staring at me with hooded eyes.
“Later, Sweetheart.” I threw her a wink before biting down on her other nipple, causing her to whimper. Goddess above, I had missed this. “And that’s a promise.”
My hand slipped between us, finding her clit.
She came again with a moan and I fell over the edge with her, holding her limp body as she collapsed against me.
“Remind me to thank Nico for the tub idea,” she panted.
“You will not be thanking Nico for any such thing.” I placed a kiss on her forehead. “He’s already got a big enough head.”