Chapter 19 #2
I take Ada by the hand and walk her over to Niven. She looks so much stronger and healthier than she has since I arrived. I am unsure if she is physically younger than she was, but her health has been fully restored and mayhap even enhanced.
A grin splits Niven’s face. “Moon and stars, you look fantastic.” His voice is full of staggering relief.
They embrace, and two months of pent-up fear and stress appear to melt from Niven in that very moment.
When he pulls away, he holds her by the forearms and studies her, seeming to search for any sign that the relics did not work.
Tears fill his eyes as he looks up at her face again and he subtly sniffles. “The healers have good news.”
Thea comes by and gives both of their shoulders a quick friendly squeeze.
Her expression beams. “There are no more signs of the fae spell. It seems to have been broken like Niven’s team had hoped.
We will wait until tomorrow to officially give you a clean bill of health.
But we’re very optimistic,” she explains.
“Why don’t you try to cast a spell. Let’s see how your magick is doing. ”
Ada shuts her eyes, squaring her shoulders.
After a few moments, a dreamy expression settles over her features.
“May the magick of our ancestors protect this home and keep away those who would harm it.” She pauses, opening her eyes again.
“I feel the ward. My parents’ magick. I can strengthen it again.
” There’s a smile in her voice. A sense of peace in her I have not witnessed in many, many years.
She abruptly spins toward me, and a peal of laughter erupts from her.
“It’s back!” she cries out. “I can’t believe it!
” She springs into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist. She laughs, unrestrained and gleeful.
It is contagious. I swing her around, laughing with her between our sweet kisses, releasing months, if not years, of pain and heartache.
Finally, I settle her against me. She still giggles into my chest, the warm air caressing my skin through my pelt.
“I’m so relieved,” Thea exclaims, watching us. “Even if you don’t feel like you need to, take it easy tonight. You’ve been through a lot today.”
Ada turns her head to look at Thea, still resting it on my chest. “I will, but I feel amazing,” Ada delights. “Thank you for everything.”
“I barely did anything. It was all them.” She motions between me and the witches, who are chatting with Elgar.
Elgar looks over at us, exhausted and spent.
I feel the same, though attempt to hold it together.
Ada unwraps her legs from me and slides down my body to stand on her own.
She pulls me toward the group. Their mood is joyous and their voices sound light and easygoing, a welcome change from the tense atmosphere earlier.
They turn their attention to Ada as she approaches.
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for your help today and through the weeks you’ve been preparing for this. I can never fully express how grateful I am.” Ada’s voice hitches raggedly. “You all saved my life. I’ll never forget it.” She fights her tears, but they flow freely in relief.
“Every minute was worth it, Ada. We’re all so happy it worked,” Niven assures her, speaking for the team.
After many more comforting hugs and earnest words of praise and congratulations, the witches clean up the salon.
The healers shrink the gurneys and put them in a case they set against a wall, out of the way.
The healers then talk to both Walt and Acton, who both still look dazed by Walt’s physical transformation.
The sparkling smiles on their faces as they listen to the healers’ words confirm they are both in good health.
Walt and Acton approach me and Ada after their conversation with the healers ends. “We’re heading home. I can hardly believe that this is real. I’m a simple man and this has surely blown my mind,” he quips self-deprecatingly. “I need some time to let it sink in.”
“I can hardly believe it myself,” she empathizes.
“My girl, we are so unbelievably happy you’re free of that awful fae. It was hard to watch you grow weak. I can only imagine how it felt,” he whispers as he pulls her into his arms.
“I don’t know if I’m your girl anymore. I think I’m your elder,” Ada jokes, laughing tearfully into his shoulder.
“You will always be my girl. I’m still an old man at heart even if I don’t look it. Now I know how Acton feels,” he says with a bark of laughter. He winks playfully at his mate over the top of Ada’s head.
“Your body reflects your heart and soul once more, endlessly young and full of adventure,” Acton responds.
After they leave, the witches follow soon after. They announce their decision to head straight to the pub to celebrate. The second wind blows them in that direction after a long, stressful day. Elgar collapses onto a sofa in the living room, depleted after managing the relics for so long.
“You two rest, I’m going to make dinner,” she declares as she practically skips through the doorway, a lively spring in her step.
“I will not make it through dinner. I am still recovering from the hike to the mountain and back, and I barely slept last night,” Elgar groans, his head lolling backward on the sofa.
“Eat a snack and then head upstairs to bed,” I offer.
“Thanks, Norrell. That sounds good,” he responds, struggling to keep his eyes open.
Jogging into the kitchen, I find Ada humming and dancing around as she sets out ingredients. “Slight change of plans,” I say as I come up behind her and press a kiss to her neck, “Elgar is off to bed. The cats are still upstairs. It is just the two of us.”
She leans back into me, then playfully spins away as she puts a pan on the stove and then dances toward the pantry.
I grab a banana from the counter to give to Elgar.
When I walk in, his eyes barely blink open.
“Oh, thanks,” he remarks groggily as he takes the banana.
Making quick work of the peeling, he shoves it into his mouth and places the peel into my outstretched open palm.
He pushes himself off the sofa and shuffles toward the stairs.
Returning to the kitchen to throw away the peel and help Ada, I cannot help but shake my head and laugh at my brother. “That male tired himself out today. He will be dead asleep the moment his head hits the pillow.”
A frisky gleam lights her eyes. “Oh really? You don’t think he’ll be downstairs at all?”
Following her line of thinking, and liking it, I respond, “Not a chance.”
She stops in her tracks and turns around. “Interesting. Well, I have some ideas about what I’d rather do than make dinner,” she says in a husky voice, biting her bottom lip seductively as she looks me over. “You were gone for so long, we have a lot to make up for.”
My dick stirs just beholding her. She looks so healthy and vibrant, the way I always remember her. Hopefully, now that her appetite is back, her curves will fill out again, giving me more to squeeze. I love palming her ass and thighs when she is on top of me.
“I missed you too, my ember. I want to show you just how much,” I growl.
She hooks a finger over the top of my pants and tugs me forward so that I press her into the edge of the countertop. I am already hard, so I grind against her, letting her know I am ready for anything she has in mind.
“How do you want it? Slow and soft or quick and hard?” I murmur, trailing my fingertips up her arms, across her shoulders. Up her neck to cradle her head in my hands, brushing my thumb across her lips. She catches it in her teeth to give it a little bite.
“I want it hard. I need you right here, right now,” she whines.
“Anything, my mate. It is yours,” I promise easily.
I lean down, pressing my lips to hers in a searing kiss. Hungry for her, my tongue opens her mouth to find hers. When they meet, I groan into her, longing to devour her. I want her to let me in everywhere.
“Take me here, Norrell, please. On the counter. I can’t wait any longer,” she begs breathlessly as we come up for air. She clutches at my pants, trying to pull them down.
I lean my torso away from her long enough to unbutton and slide them down my legs, stepping out of them as they fall to the floor. She shimmies a little and her panties land on top of them.
“I like it when my good girl is eager for my cock,” I tell her with a dark chuckle. “You make it even more swollen and ready for you.”
“I need to feel you splitting me apart, Norrell,” she says desperately, clawing at my shoulders and chest.
“Does your pussy need to be pounded with my fat cock?” I tease her.
“Yes, always,” she moans. With that, I lift her up by her backside and position her at the edge of the counter. I circle my cock around her spread open heat, making sure to pay extra attention to her clit. She squirms and gasps as I ready her.
She pulls her dress over her head and unclasps her bra.
When she’s fully bare to me, I lean in and suck one of her nipples and circle the other one with my thumb.
I love her breasts. The small round globes are always so sensitive, especially when I use my mouth.
She cards her fingers through my hair as I pull away from her nipple with a loud pop and move to the other one.
“I’m dripping for you, my mate. Please fuck me,” she commands.
I growl as I give one last lick to her nipple and pull myself fully upright again.
I line up my cock with her slit and rock into her, filling her all at once.
She cries out, grabbing onto the back of my head for support.
My hands curve around her bottom, kneading her softness, to anchor her as I fuck into her in fast, deep strokes.
She moans my name loud enough to wake the dead, mayhap even our dead asleep guest upstairs.
She only quiets down when my mouth finds hers again.