Chapter 50
Daphne
Before the moon had reached its fullest point, Travis had had two orgasms and I’d had one. A pretty spectacular one, if I was being honest. Having my man go down on me would never get old. Though I ached to feel his hands on me too, I wasn’t complaining.
I opened my pretty purple jar of salve again and scooped out a little more. Pleased with its performance so far, I knew the real test was yet to come.
Travis looked absolutely feral tied to the bed, dark hair curling at the ends from his sweat, his wolfish yellow eyes following my every move. He was holding his shit together, but just barely.
His wrists were worn raw from where the thick leather rubbed his skin, so I applied a little salve there first. He told me to forget about it. I told him to zip it. I didn’t know if it would ease his pain, I had other tinctures for that, but I knew it wouldn’t hurt.
A quick glance at the clock revealed it was time.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. But I was also excited. Travis was my fated mate and I was his. I wanted to experience the entirety of what that meant. The exquisiteness and the pain.
He groaned as he watched me spread a little of the salve on myself.
“I should be doing that for you,” he snapped. Even after two orgasms, he was still very much on edge.
“You will, my love. Just not tonight.”
I reached for his thick cock and coated it as well, concentrating on the area at the base where I thought the knot would flare from. This part vibrated against my clit during sex the closer we got to the full moon, but it was just a guess. None of my research had been conclusive.
I glanced at my nightstand. Everything was still within reach.
Slanting my mouth over his, I kissed him deeply.
“Whatever happens, Travis, I want you to know how much I love you. And that I trust you with all my heart.”
“Daphne,” he said, voice thick with emotion. “You’ve become my entire world, but my wolf is very powerful. If I hurt you—”
I cut him off with another kiss. “This is simply the physical expression of our mating bond. It’s powerful, yes, but so is the love we have for each other.”
I straddled his hips, then reached back and grabbed him. As I slid down the length of him, I tried not to notice that the tips of his fingers had turned into claws.
My head fell back and I concentrated on relaxing and taking him all in. It was difficult, but I could do hard things. After all, I went to an island filled with monsters and fell in love with a werewolf. He felt bigger tonight, like he might just touch my backbone.
“Heaven’s Moon, Daphne,” he rasped. “You’re so. Fucking. Tight.”
I leaned forward and suckled on his earlobe. “Because you’re so fucking huge.”
His masculine chuckle rumbled through me.
The stretch was exquisite. Almost to the point of pain, but not quite. The fullness I felt was all him. He wouldn’t need to do much more than this to get me screaming his name.
His lids were hooded with lust, gaze hungry as he stared at my breasts. I knew what he wanted, so I adjusted myself to give him better access. He pulled a nipple into his mouth and I moaned.
Fully seated on his cock now, my clit pressed against him, we began moving together in a perfectly synchronized rhythm. The sounds our bodies made were borderline criminal.
If that wasn’t enough, the vibration started, amping up every glorious, toe-curling sensation. Much stronger than before the full moon. My vision tunneled, I saw stars behind my eyelids, and then we were both coming. I clung to him as wave after wave crashed over us.
I felt it then. Inside of me.
Smooth barbs along his entire shaft. When I tried to lift off of him just a little, they dug in, and sharp, agonizing pain shot everywhere, locking me in place.
“Daphne,” he choked. “Are you okay?”
I must’ve cried out. I slid back down and the pain thankfully subsided. His wolf clearly rewarded good behavior, so I planned to stay obedient.
“I’m fine, my love.”
Worry lines creased his beautiful face, and tears pooled in the corners of his eyes. “I knew I would hurt you,” he hissed, not believing me.
The venom in his voice was directed at himself, and I needed to set him straight.
I cupped his cheeks and touched my forehead to his, looking him square in the eye. “I’m fine,” I repeated. “I wouldn’t lie to you, Travis. Yeah, it hurts when I try to move off of you, so I sure as hell am not doing that again. Guess you’re stuck with me for a while.”
His hard gaze searched my face, looking for signs that I wasn’t telling him the truth. Then his expression softened with relief when he realized I was. He nipped my shoulder. “I can think of worse things.”
I agreed. “Being intimately attached to the man I love isn’t a half-bad way to spend the evening.”
He snorted with laughter, which caused me to bounce slightly and I felt those barbs again.
“Ouch! No laughing.”
“Then stop making me laugh.”
I reached under his pillow, pulled out a key, and unlocked the cuffs around his wrists. I knew this had been overkill, but Travis hadn’t wanted to take chances this first time, and I loved him for that.
“Thank the moon!” he groaned as his arms went around me. I could tell he was being careful not to move too much as he held me tight and stroked my back with his fingers. “For how long do you think we need to stay like this? Not that I’m complaining.”
With my ear pressed to his chest, wrapped in his warm embrace, I could feel the beating of his heart as if it were my own. This right here was my definition of heaven. “Until your wolf thinks he’s given his little swimmers enough time, I guess.”
We’d talked about starting a family someday, but Travis wasn’t convinced he’d be a good dad. He hadn’t had the best role model. I knew he’d make a wonderful father, and if it was meant to be, he’d come around. But regardless of what the future held for us, he would always be enough for me.
He glanced over at my nightstand. “Good thing you brought snacks.”
I hope you loved Darkaway Island and Travis and Daphne’s story as much as I loved writing it! I spent many nights at my keyboard, giggling manically to myself, so I hope it brought you similar joy.
BONUS: Remember when Daphne wonders if she has a werewolf-chasing-her-through-the-dark-woods kink? Sign up for my VIP reader newsletter, and I’ll send you that spicy bonus epilogue. The fun on Darkaway Island is just getting started, and I want you there!
Keep scrolling to get the recipe for Unholy Grounds Peanut Butter Cookies AND for some slightly unhinged book club discussion questions.
As an indie author, I’d be forever grateful if you left an online review at the retailer and/or wherever you talk about books. Reviews, even short ones, help other readers decide if they’d like my books too. Without a big publisher behind me, word-of-mouth really helps. Thank you!!!