Chapter 24 #2
“I’m very well, wife. I think I could go for some breakfast.” I’m about to persuade him to stay in bed when I feel the trajectory of his hand and realise he means that I’m the breakfast. Insatiable motherfucker.
Morning sunlight spills through the window above us, giving him a clear view of the space. However, his eyes are only for me, hand inching around my waist. His opposite hand moves a strand of black hair off my cheek, revealing another consequence of his feral actions.
At the same time, his eyebrows raise to his hairline, he skims the underside of my ass, reminding me of a spanking that I shall never admit I enjoyed so much I squirted all over the sheets.
I would’ve been mortified if he hadn’t rolled me over and fucked me sideways in our juices. We were nothing but animals.
It was the best night of my life. A sigh escapes my parted lips, cheeks reddening. Damn. He’s about to explode, and all I can think about is how good he screwed me.
Gripping my chin tight, his nose pushes against mine, searching.
I’ve been told there’s still a sliver of blue left.
That’ll have to do. He must see it too. Fingers loosen.
“Why are your eyes grey, wife?” There’s pained confusion in his voice.
“Is this a dream?” I figured there’d be some puzzlement, trying to fit the pieces together of what happened since he went feral, but I didn’t entertain the idea that he might not remember any of it.
My chest tightens. I wrap a leg around him, my hands going to cup his sharp jaw, bringing our bodies impossibly close. “Do you not remember? It’s not a dream. We’re in the Fairy Lands.” The air sucks clean out of the room at those two words.
“Remember what? I’m not in a playful mood, Storm. What happened?” He’s trying so hard to hold it together, pupils blown wide, his grip flexing. Even his smell seems more pronounced to me. I want to douse myself in it, just as we rolled in our sex last night.
“We escaped to the Fairy Lands, and there was a magical accident,” I say, leaving out the cause of said “accident,” because even though he held me captive for twelve years, I hate the thought of him seeing himself as violent towards me.
He has never been that. My commander is steadfast and protective.
Never has he raised a hand to hurt me unless I wanted him to.
I should want to crush him. To shatter his heart into a million and one pieces. However, as I gaze at the torrential hurt already forming in his eyes, I can’t seem to make it worse. The mate pull. It’s the only explanation. And the feelings that have expanded the ever-growing muscle in my chest.
“When we crossed into the Fairy Lands, there was an unexpected magic that took hold of me. It’s hard to explain...
” You being the unexpected magic. His eyes wide and on the verge of beasting out, I do the only thing I know of to calm him.
I plaster my lips against his, devouring his mouth.
My husband doesn’t fight it. He encourages me, holding the back of my head.
Our tongues mingle, neither of us coming up for air until it’s necessary.
Melek’s forehead rests against mine, my breath heavy.
“We are all here, and we are all safe. That’s enough.” My heated whisper glides over his cheek.
“They were my favourite colour. You’re my favourite…” His roughened voice chokes before going back in, trailing his lips along my neck until he spots the reddish-purple bruise. That didn’t last long.
Pausing, he falls back, eyeing my covered body quizzically up and down, finally deciding to pull back the olive sheets.
I don’t bother trying to keep any part hidden.
That safe, unobstructed time with him yesterday was one of the best times of my life.
I let myself feel everything I’d kept locked away from him. It was bliss.
“What the fuck, Storm?”
Argh, shit. No doubt he has spotted the many, many hickeys he put all over my body last night after he gave me his blood, spending copious amounts of time on them because they kept going away, until he found that if he stayed sucking an area of delicate flesh long enough, it would stay bright red, which pleased him immensely.
And who am I to get in the way of a hot lord beast and his whims?
I’m just a human.
I’m so screwed. Not in the fun way this time.
“I have to tell you something, and you can’t freak out.” Any more than you already are. Holding my bump, I move to sit. Surely, he remembers some of what happened between us.
His jaw tightens. I try to keep a hand on his chest so he can’t move.
“God fucking hell, Storm, your whole body is covered in bruises. And your eyes and hair? What the—Who did this to you?” My hand falls by the waist side as he sits up beside me.
He sees every inch of my exposed skin. The fair, milky flesh he marked last night, the lack of pigment in my irises, and the strip of white hair.
Yet he has no recollection of it. Bronzed hands reach out to touch them, hovering, never making full contact.
Anger follows. Taking his hand, I place it on one of the worst bruises on my breast. The air around us crackles. “Just so we are clear here, you did that.” I run his hand over the bruises welting my skin. “And that. And that.”
Swiftly pulling back his hand, his sharp temper comes through. “No, I fucking didn’t, Storm. Are you insane? I’d never—”
“What? You’ve never given me a few dozen hickeys before?” His fingers travel through his hair harshly, taking in the room around us. “Need I remind you of the many marks you’ve given my body over the last twelve years?”
“Never like that.” Voice coarse, his mood bubbles over to pain. “You’re completely covered. I didn’t do that. And whose bedroom is this?” A quick scan of our surroundings should be enough for him to register that we aren’t in Halo anymore. I’m not sure that part is fully sinking in yet, though.
“Oh, please, Melek. Don’t get all high and mighty now.
You are very capable of turning my body into your pleasure toy.
You’ve been doing it for over a decade. And we’re at Adam’s house, in the Fairy Lands.
You know, your most promising work recruit?
” I drop another bomb in the worst way possible, my anger getting the better of me.
Shooting out of bed, he strides towards a double bay window, peering out. “We can’t be in the Fairy Lands. That’s not possible. Where are we, Storm, and stop bullshitting me.” It’s like he hasn’t listened to a word I’ve said since he woke up.
“Did you know you are a quarter fae?” I casually drop another missile and regret it instantly.
Turning slowly, his naked body on full display, cock erect for battle. Fury fills the corners of his eyes, swirling metallic edging in.
“What did you say to me?” His walk is predatory as he comes closer to the bed, hard length swinging. I’d cower if I weren’t so stupidly turned on by the sight of him.
“I said, you’re quarter fae. Do you need to get your hearing checked, old man?”
Stomach muscles tensing, a rumbling chuckle makes its way from his hard abs to his throat.
“Fucking hell, Storm. I should have listened to them. I should’ve just married that nice, obedient Halo girl.
” Walking the length of the bedroom, he scratches the length of his beard, mumbling aloud to himself, “I didn’t listen, did I?
I took one look at your eyes, and I wanted you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my whole fucking life.
You’re all I think about. You’re all I dream of.
I went to work each day, wondering what you were doing at home.
I trained until I was spent to taper the need I had for you each night, but still, when I came home, I couldn’t fucking help myself.
You consumed me. If you didn’t need to sleep, I would’ve been buried in you all night.
I didn’t understand. I still don’t understand.
You’re my weakness. I saw you, and I wanted to fall at your feet and beg you for mercy because my heart would never be strong enough for you.
Don’t you see? I’m not good enough for you.
Your courage or your love. But I cared for you.
I obsessed, and I took. I wore you down until you were happy giving me everything I wanted.
But you were never happy, were you?” Rambling over, he stops, facing me, eyes flickering with sorrow.
My heart breaks for him and for me. I’ve fractured him. And now, it’s too late, because I love him.
“No.” Hugging the sheets to me, I wipe away the tears running down my face.
I see the moment his beast peeks through, shifting from grey to silver. Regardless, I’ve seen enough. There’s a crack in his chest, drowning me in secrets, giving me the parts of him I always wanted. Piece by piece. Belief by belief.
Everything in me aches to go to him. To comfort him. However, the logical part of my brain reminds me how this man was willing to keep our children and me locked up in the name of safety. What was his plan if I never escaped?
A lone drop of liquid falls from his haunted expression.
That’s all it takes for me to break. Small to some, but big to me in every way that counts.
Melek doesn’t cry. He doesn’t show sadness.
At the sight, I go to him, forgetting about everything that got us to this point.
And instead of being met with welcoming arms, he turns, barging through the door, nearly knocking it off its hinges.
“Damn you, Melek.” I let out a sob.
On the other side, a loud roar, followed by furniture crashing against the wall, makes me jump. Tracing the links of molted skin, from pinks to reds to purple over my skin, I take a deep breath, willing the pumping of the organ that got me into this mess to calm down.
This is my fault. Melek only just changed back into himself, and I wreaked havoc, wanting to hurt him because he didn’t remember. Now, it’s up to me to clean up the mess.