14. Just Us #3
He brought his lips back down to hers, and as they finally moved together in perfect, synchronous alignment, the Mating Bond flared into a brilliant, blinding geyser of pure white-and-lavender fire.
It wasn't the official, ceremonial binding they would perform before the Clan whenever they returned home, but it was an absolute, unbreakable seal of survival.
Their souls locked together, deeper than they had ever reached before, and in the deep spaces of their consciousness, Han and Kara silently rejoiced.
With the last wall between them gone, tenderness gave way to heat.
Touching Sydney’s skin was electric. Needing all of his Mate, Garrett ripped the panties from her body and threw them over his shoulder.
Her scent filled the air, driving him wild with unbridled need.
No longer able to hold back, he thrust two fingers into Sydney’s body, shouting his pleasure right along with hers.
The Guardsman didn’t even attempt to stop the smile that crossed his lips as Sydney screamed, “Oh my Goddess, Garrett, more…please…more…”
Pushing his thumb against her aroused nub, Garrett rubbed circles at the same time he curled his fingers buried deep inside her to torment the bundle of nerves at the top of her channel.
Sydney’s eyes flew open, holding him hostage with a look so passionate, so possessive, and so raw that Garrett was lost forever, adrift on their love.
Mischief twinkled in the depths of her eyes as Sydney reached between their bodies, quickly unzipped his pants, and fisted him from root to tip. Grabbing the moisture from the tip for lubrication, she worked him faster and faster until Garrett was sure he’d gone to the Heavens.
Needing to be buried deep inside his Mate, Garrett pulled his fingers from Sydney’s body, ignored her moans of loss, and let her legs slide down his body, pushing his pants to the floor as she went.
Stepping back, he reluctantly forced her to release his throbbing cock.
Even as she pouted, he spun her around, whispering while holding her earlobe between his teeth, “Lean forward, Mo chroí. Hands on the bed.”
His heart nearly beat out of his chest as Sydney did what he asked without a second thought.
She trusted him to always have her best interests at heart, just as he trusted her with his very life.
Looking at his Mate as she stood there hot, wet, and naked…
his and only his forever, Garrett said the first words that popped into his mind.
“You are the most spectacular woman I’ve ever seen. ”
Before Sydney could respond, he thrust into her with such force that the tip of his cock touched her womb.
Their new position caused him to fill her as never before.
Her walls stretched to accommodate him. They fit together like glove and hand.
Garrett could think of no place he ever wanted to be but within the haven of his Sydney.
Completely seated within her, Garrett stopped all motion and watched as his Mate dropped her head forward on a breathless moan.
Her delicate hands were clenched, her knuckles white as she used all her strength to stay upright.
Sydney’s womb squeezed tight around him, shattering his hard-fought control.
Leaning forward, he grabbed both her shoulders and began to thrust, hard and fast, creating the perfect rhythm.
Sydney’s moans of ecstasy grew louder with each stroke Garrett made into her warm, wet flesh.
Pushing back, she met him thrust for thrust. Their movements inevitably became uncoordinated and frantic.
He felt her orgasm building, threatening to take them both over the edge but needing an extra push.
Removing one of his hands from her shoulders, Garrett palmed her breast, squeezing her hardened nipple between his thumb and forefinger until she screamed her release to the Heavens, with him blissfully following her into ecstasy.
Leaning forward, he rested his chest against her back, inhaled their combined scent, and bathed his senses in everything that he and his Mate were together.
Only his arm around her waist kept Sydney from falling as her legs threatened to fold.
Kissing up her spine, his erection began to once again harden as she tightened around him.
Hours later, the couple lay in perfect, companionable silence as the cottage settled into the lazy, golden peace of the late afternoon.
The heavy curtains shifted softly in the summer breeze, casting long, peaceful shadows across the tangled sheets.
Garrett was lying on his side, his broad chest propped against the pillows, pulling Sydney securely against him.
She rested her head effortlessly over his heart, one leg draped over his thigh, her fingers idly tracing the faded tactical scars on his shoulder.
Garrett ran his large hand up and down the smooth skin of her back, a deep, satisfied sigh escaping his chest. He realized, with a strange shock, that a heavy, bone-deep fatigue was beginning to settle behind his eyes.
But for the first time in longer than he could remember, the exhaustion didn't bring a spike of adrenaline. He wasn't afraid to close his eyes.
"I'm tired," Garrett admitted quietly into the silence of the bedroom.
Sydney let out a soft, content snort against his skin. "After everything we just did? I would certainly hope so."
"No, I mean..." Garrett paused, his thumb tracing the edge of her shoulder blade. "I'm tired, and I'm not afraid to go to sleep, Syd."
Sydney lifted her head from his chest, propping her chin on her hand as she looked up at him, her blue eyes intensely tender. "Then go to sleep, Dragon Man."
"After everything we just did?" he smirked, a lazy, relaxed smile finally anchoring to his lips.
"Especially after everything we just did," she countered softly, her fingers smoothing the dark hair back from his forehead.
Garrett’s smile faltered just a fraction, a tiny, lingering ghost of a question flitting through his mind out of pure, survivalist habit. "What if…”
"There is no what if, Garrett," Sydney interrupted gently, her voice striking the room with absolute, unshakeable certainty.
She didn't offer a hollow lie about the future or pretend that the world was completely devoid of danger.
She was addressing the immediate reality of his soul.
"He is not in there anymore. The room is gone. "
Garrett closed his eyes, executing one final, internal sweep of his mind and body. He dropped his consciousness down into the deep, fiery chambers of his mind, scanning every coordinate of the baseline. There were no stone pillars. No monolithic structures. No green smoke.
“Still just us, Lad,” Han rumbled quietly from the dark, his Dragon voice thick with a lazy, resting comfort. “Go to sleep.”
Garrett opened his eyes, looking back down into the face of the woman the universe had made for him. He let out a long, slow breath, his rigid shoulders finally surrendering every ounce of their defensive armor as he sank deep into the soft pillows.
"Coffee tomorrow?" he whispered.
Sydney smiled, leaning up to press one final, sweet kiss to his lips. "Absolutely. That's how we start the day, my love."
Garrett closed his eyes.
This time, he didn't fight the descent. He didn't try to force his nervous system to maintain silent respiratory discipline, and he didn't check the locks from inside his head. Garrett felt Sydney shift beside him as sleep began pulling at the edges of his consciousness.
The Mating Bond remained warm and bright, her presence following him toward the dark without fear or urgency. Somewhere on the nightstand, the clock continued counting meaningless minutes.
It didn't matter anymore.
3:42 was just a number.
Sydney's lips brushed softly against his forehead.
“Sweet dreams, Dragon Man.”
Garrett heard her from somewhere between waking and sleep.
As the dark finally took him under, he realized the ultimate truth of his recovery. For the first time since his rescue, sleep didn't feel like a tactical surrender to a hostile force. It didn't feel like an entry point for a monster.
It felt like trust.
Garrett let himself drift deeper into the quiet.
There was no shadow waiting to steal his time.
There was no door, and no Demon Lord was lurking in the blind spots of his recovery.
There was only the steady, beautiful hammer of Sydney's heartbeat beneath his palm, and Han's warm, ancient presence settled safely inside his soul.
For the first time in longer than he could remember, Garrett wasn't falling helplessly into the dark. He was going willingly, walking into Dreamland with the love of his Mate to keep him safe.