Chapter 25
TEASING ONLY LEADS TO SWEET-TASTING P—
Melek finds some old clothes from Ren’s bedroom, and Seraphina offers me one of her dresses at the sight of my torn garments strewn across the floor.
“I can heal those if you want?” she says, lingering on the hickeys marking my skin.
The dress she gave me sits tight around my chest, barely containing my breasts, and billows out around my stomach.
The light, baby-blue, glistening material sets off the fleck of blue in my eye, which I’ve given myself two seconds to mourn.
At least I didn’t lose it all. And my hair didn’t go prematurely white—just a long streak down one side.
I’m alive, Phoenix and Sunny are well, and that’s all that matters. For how much longer… I ignore the pessimist living in the back of my head.
This has to be the shortest dress I’ve ever worn, with strappy sleeves to boot. My arms, neck, and collarbone are littered with red and purplish welts. I think seriously about her offer. If Sunny sees these, he’ll be worried, and I already have enough things to stress over.
“Yes, please, can you?” Daunting pearly whites gleam before me, Sera too pleased about my impending healing. I take a step back. “What did I just agree to?”
Her graceful figure is set in a long waist-hugging gown that dusts the floorboards under her bare feet, gliding as if she’s walking on air.
“You, Stormy, just agreed to one kiss in exchange for all of your dirty, dirty sins”—she points up and down my body—“to be washed away.”
I place my hand before her, stopping her movements. “There’s no way Melek will agree to that.”
“Are you sure about that?” Spinning on her heel, she calls through the door. “Melek, we need your assistance.”
My husband strides into the room, Ren’s brown pants and white tunic giving him a casual but sexy look, his thick arms more pronounced than the fae’s, the sleeves straining.
I was not provided any underwear, which now means any wetness I hope to stop dripping down my leg has no hope at the sight of him.
Seraphina tilts her head and sniffs the air. “For a human, you do show a lot of mate tendencies.”
My head whips from Melek’s chiselled, tanned features, to sparkling green eyes set in a perfectly sculptured feminine face. “What do you mean?”
“The way you just perfumed for him.” Nose up in the air, she smells again for emphasis.
I choke on a cough. “What are you talking about, Sera?”
“You know.” She leans in closer to me. “You are literally dripping for him. I can smell you.”
“WHAT?”
She chuckles, syrupy sweet.
My mate leans on the door frame, his hands crossed over his arms, looking unbothered by Sera’s antics. “What did you need me for?”
“Your wife would like me to ask you if I can heal her love marks?” A pink lip sits bitten against her upper lip.
He ignores her, his eyes roaming the map he’s created.
“If it were just one or two, I would say no, but Sunny…” Melek is surprisingly thoughtful in his answer as he contemplates, probably reaching the same conclusion as me. Best not to have to field questions from our inquisitive five-year-old.
“Great, so we are in agreement.” Rubbing her hands together, the pink fae inches closer to me.
“No. Sera, you need to tell him the rest.” I swear, she’s just asking for him to go feral on her.
“Oh, fine. You’re no fun.” She pouts at me before turning to face the curious man waiting against the door frame.
“The easiest and fastest way to heal your mess.” Sera emphasises your like it will somehow persuade him.
A green glare catches my scoff. “Well, it’s to kiss Storm.
My saliva is a conduit to healing, and when I make contact through the kiss, I’ll be able to assess her body while pushing my intention towards those parts of her skin that need my magic. ”
I expect Melek to say no. Instead, he looks intrigued. “That is the easiest and fastest way to heal the marks?”
“Yes. Well, it’s the least invasive and quickest way. If we give her blood, they’ll still take time to heal because most of the magic will go straight to supporting the pregnancy.”
“Okay.”
“You’re kidding?” I exclaim. Both of them turn their attention to me. “One minute, you’re trying to tackle her for giving me a hug, and now you want her to kiss me?”
Moving through the doorway, he makes his way over to me.
“I never said I wanted her to kiss you. The only lips I want on these are mine.” Leaning down, he brushes his mouth over mine, and I can’t help it when I melt into him.
Melek smells the air and moves back in to murmur at my ear, “Don’t forget who makes you wet, wife.
” Holy fucking hell. My knees wobble, and my husband plasters his front to my back, circling his hands under my swollen stomach, lifting it.
I groan at the sudden weightlessness. “No one will ever know you like I do.”
It’s a promise I relish.
Collecting my wits, I find Sera fanning herself. “Well, damn, you two. That was hotter than a fairy orgy on a spring equinox.”
The man behind me gags on a huffed laugh. “Come on, Sera. You got your permission.” I offer her my hand.
“Two for one. Definitely my kind of offer.” Winking, she takes my proffered hand.
“Just do it already, fae,” my husband complains.
“Impatient, much?” Sera stands close enough for me to smell the floral scent of her. A head taller than me, I feel boxed in by the two. Taking my hands, she places them on top of my mate’s. Her rueful smile reaches her eyes as she looks down at me.
Securing my chin, she angles my head towards hers, giving Melek no chance to renege, leaning down. I make contact with soft, pillowy lips that taste like sprinkled sugar. My husband strains at my back. Letting him know I’m all his, I push back into his sturdy body, linking our fingers.
Sera slips her tongue between my lips, sending a shock through my system.
Gently cupping my face, her touch so different from Melek’s fervid need.
The colourful fae seems to be gently searching for something, curiously exploring my mouth.
I wouldn’t exactly call it sexual. It’s pleasant and tender, filling my insides with butterflies, neither good nor bad, my body knowing it’s not who it really wants.
While our tongues slowly dance, my skin begins to itch.
I want to move my hands and start scratching at the irritation.
I keep still for my husband’s sake. Melek begins a soft growl behind me that confuses my senses, my core aching for him.
Seraphina gives one last swipe before retreating, giving us a wide berth. Her face drops to my bump, frowning.
“What’s wrong?” I ask the usually bubbly fae.
Her eyes meet mine, slight creases framing her mouth. “She wants me to give you a message.”
“She?”
“Your baby.” It’s my turn to frown.
“She said you need to go back with Melek and leave Sunny with Phoenix.” Arms set wide, bewilderment mirrors our faces. “I don’t quite get it. Babies have always been way-showers until they lose sight with age, but who’s Phoenix?”
“Phoenix is what we are naming the baby.” Melek speaks up, which is a relief, considering my mouth isn’t working. Did my unborn daughter tell me I had to go back to Halo with Melek? What is she playing at? The point of coming here was to never go back to that place again.
“But, how can you leave Sunny with Phoenix if Phoenix is stuck in there?” She points to the unmistakable bump.
“And trust me, she’s still got a solid three weeks left, unless she decides otherwise.
Babes can be fickle sometimes. So we do need to talk about healing your womb to prepare for the upcoming birth. ”
“I… Okay?”
“The kiss is an easier way for me to read your body and heal at the same time. I can’t heal deeper-seated wounds that way, just surface-level.
You’ll need my blood and more of an energetic exchange for next time.
” She taps a sharp finger on her lips. “That sweet cherry vanilla taste did give me a prelude to what I might find—” The fae is treading dangerously, and she knows it.
“LEAVE.” Melek shudders, absorbing me to the point of pain, and Sera makes a quick escape, giggling before she shuts the door.
That woman simply can’t help herself, her playfulness back with a vengeance.
Besides Mam and Mary, she’s the only other woman in my life whom I can imagine growing close to, maybe even becoming friends.
“Hey.” I pat my husband’s merciless grip. “She’s just teasing you.”
“Tell that to the part of me that wants to rip her throat out, knowing she’s tasted what’s mine, smelled what’s mine. ARRRGGGHHH.” He’s always been possessive, since our first meeting. Now, it all makes sense.
I lift my hand in front of me and see smooth, unblemished skin reflected, even to the point that the scars on my palms have once again diminished. “She did what I asked.”
He’s pouting. I know it. Pushing at his hold, I turn, reaching for his neck. He leans down to grant me access. “You may not have enough time to fuck me senseless, but you definitely have enough time to kiss me breathless.”
“Wife, I love you so fucking much.” I freeze. He lifts me into his arms. “What’s wrong?”
“You’ve never said that before. I didn’t expect it.
” I skim his striking features, his bronzed skin so similar to our son’s.
The square jaw that is full of a week’s worth of scruff because he knows I like it.
And swirling, iron and metallic irises, a mixture of fae and Halo.
A man torn between two worlds. “I love you.”
For the second time in twenty-four hours, I swear, I see tears skimming his under eyes, but he smashes his mouth onto mine too quickly for me to take them in, and I’m utterly lost to him.
Sera’s kiss is no comparison. If this is a kiss, that was merely a peck compared to the otherworldly devouring and pulling at my heartstrings I feel when Melek’s mouth is on mine.
I’m sure I’m perfuming all over the place for him, and that only makes me crazier, knowing my husband can smell what he does to me.
Melek pulls back, resting his forehead on mine. “How was that?” I gasp out.
He gulps down air, growling. “Breathless.”
“Good. Let’s go see our son.”