Chapter 16 #2
My fingers tightened around the phone. “I said no.”
“I wasn’t asking permission.” His tone hardened. “We arrive at two. Have her presentable.”
“You’re a fucking prick,” I growled.
“Watch your language. This attitude is unbecoming of your position. You should be proud. After three years of failure, you’ve finally secured an axis that elevates the Nightfall Shield beyond ordinary status.”
Heat built behind my eyes, the telltale sign of my magic responding to my rage. “We didn’t fail at anything. And we didn’t ‘secure’ her. The bond happened during a life-or-death situation.”
“Nevertheless, it happened. And now you have responsibilities to this family that—”
“I’ll see you in two days,” I interrupted, unable to stomach another second of his voice. “Goodbye.”
I ended the call before he could respond, resisting the urge to hurl my phone across the room. Fucking typical. Three years of complaining about my “disappointing” shield configuration, and now suddenly I was the golden son again because Jupiter’s power made me valuable to him.
A soft knock at my door pulled me from my spiraling thoughts. I knew immediately who it was, the silver thread of our bond humming with her proximity.
“Come in,” I called, turning from the window.
Jupiter slipped inside, closing the door behind her and leaning against it.
She looked better than she had that morning.
Color had returned to her cheeks, and her eyes were clear and alert.
Her black hair fell loose around her shoulders, and she was wearing a simple black tank top and those little fucking tight shorts that made me feel things.
“Hey,” she said, her voice softer than I was used to hearing it. “I wanted to talk to you.”
I crossed my arms, trying to ignore how my body instantly responded to her presence. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. The healers say I’m completely recovered, physically at least.” She pushed away from the door, taking a tentative step toward me. “I wanted to thank you. For what you did in Philadelphia. For saving my life.”
“Don’t.”
She blinked, taken aback. “Don’t what?”
“Don’t thank me. You did exactly what you were born to do. What the Ophis designation was meant for. We did our jobs as your bond-mates.”
Jupiter studied me for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Is that all it was to you? A job?”
I looked away, unable to hold her gaze. “What else would it be?”
“I don’t know,” she said quietly. “When I saw that bane stab you with its claws... something happened to me, Percy. I felt this rage I couldn’t control. I couldn’t think straight. All I knew was that I needed to end it, to destroy anything that threatened you.”
I felt it too. Her fury pouring through.
“Jupiter—” I started, but the words died in my throat.
She moved closer, close enough that I could smell the faint scent of her shampoo, something clean and herbal that made my pulse quicken.
“I’ve never felt that way before. It fucking scared me, Percy. What this bond is doing to us, it’s changing things. Changing me.”
“It’s changing all of us,” I admitted. The silver thread connecting us pulsed, drawing me toward her like gravity.
She reached up, her fingers hovering just above the spot where my shoulder had been wounded. “Does it still hurt?”
“Yes,” I answered honestly, though not in the way she meant. Everything hurt since the moment I’d realized I could lose her. Every breath felt like borrowed time.
Something broke inside me then, some final wall of resistance I’d been desperately clinging to. I moved without thinking, closing the distance between us in one stride. My hands found her waist, pushing her back until she was against the door again, her eyes wide with surprise.
“Percy, what are you—”
I crushed my mouth to hers, swallowing whatever she was about to say. The kiss was hard, violent, years of control shattering in an instant. She stiffened for a heartbeat, then melted against me, her hands flying up to tangle in my hair.
Our bond exploded with sensation, silver light mingling with the red of my magic as we crashed into each other. I could taste her gasp, feel the rapid beat of her heart against my chest. Her lips were soft but demanding, meeting my hunger with equal need.
I pressed her harder against the door, one hand sliding up to cup her face while the other gripped her hip, fingers digging into her skin. She made a sound low in her throat, half moan, half whimper, that sent fire racing through my veins.
When we broke apart, both gasping for breath, I kept her pinned against the door, my forehead resting against hers. “I thought I was going to lose you. When I saw you lying there… I’ve never been so fucking terrified in my life.”
She shivered, and my cock hardened even more, more than I physically thought was possible.
“I need you,” I growled against her lips before capturing them again in a bruising kiss that left no room for doubt about my intentions. A groan tore from my throat as she gripped my hair, pulling me closer. My cock strained painfully against my jeans, pressing hard against her belly.
I’d never been this hard for other women. But with Jupiter it felt like I could come right here like a fucking boy before she even touched my cock.
I reached for our bond, letting my thoughts flow directly into her mind.
I’m going to fuck you now.
She didn’t answer with words. Instead, she pulled back just enough to grab the hem of my shirt, yanking it over my head with trembling hands.
I did the same to her tank top, revealing her perfect, heavy breasts, her nipples already hard.
I couldn’t wait any longer. I hooked my fingers into her shorts and underwear, dragging them down her legs.
Her body was so fucking perfect. Her skin was soft, and the tattoos snaking over her torso and arms had me groaning. They were so fucking sexy I couldn’t stand it.
I lifted her against the door, her legs wrapping around my waist as I positioned myself at her entrance.
With one harsh thrust, I buried myself inside her, the tight heat of her nearly undoing me on the spot.
We both moaned, her head falling back against the door as I began to move, setting a brutal pace that had her gasping with each thrust.
“Fuck, Percy,” she panted, her nails digging into my shoulders, probably drawing blood. I didn’t care. The pain only heightened the pleasure coursing through me.
I wanted more. Needed more. I fucked her fast and hard, until we were both covered in sweat.
Her thighs were shaking around my hips, as I buried my face in the crook of her neck, unable to stop myself from moaning.
I knew the others could hear us. They were just on the other side of the door, but none of them would interrupt us.
Without breaking our connection, I pulled her from the door and carried her to the bed, still deep inside her as I laid her down on the mattress. The new angle made her cry out, her back arching off the bed. I pulled out suddenly, dropping to my knees at the edge of the bed.
“What are you—” Her question turned into a moan as I buried my face between her thighs, my tongue finding her clit, the ring pierced through it flicking her right where she needed it.
I sucked the sensitive bud into my mouth, alternating between gentle suction and firm strokes as her thighs trembled on either side of my head.
Her pussy tasted delicious, a perfect mixture of salty and sweet as she gushed into my mouth. I could feel her pleasure building, spiraling higher with each flick of my tongue. Then I sucked hard on her clit, rolling my tongue over her, and when she came, her body convulsed.
Before she could fully recover, I stood and pulled her to the edge of the bed and thrust into her again, one hand gripping her hip while the other braced beside her head. I fucked her hard, watching her face contort with pleasure.
“Look at me,” I demanded, more of a growl than anything. Her silver eyes locked onto mine, pupils blown wide with desire and glowing just slightly. “You make me fucking crazy.”
Sweat slicked our bodies as we moved together, the room filling with the sounds of skin against skin and our moans. The bond between us amplified everything—every sensation, every emotion—creating a loop of pleasure that made every other sexual encounter of my life feel like less than nothing.
I felt her inner walls begin to clench around me, signaling her approaching climax. My own release built at the base of my spine, a gathering storm I couldn’t hold back much longer.
“Come for me,” I growled, grinding against her with each thrust. I could see the bright red glow from my eyes reflected on her skin as my magic flares. “Now, baby.”
She shattered beneath me, her back arching off the bed as her release washed over her. The sight of her coming pushed me over the edge, and I followed her with a long, shuddering moan, spilling hot cum inside her as my hips jerked erratically against hers.
It took a few moments of heavy breathing, racing hearts and trembling hands to come down from the high.
I’d never come that hard in my fucking life.
So hard it nearly made me black out. I’d had plenty of sex.
Fucked a ton of women who threw themselves at me in the hopes of being chosen to become our axis, but not a single one of them made me feel like Jupiter had.
Under that though, was this nagging sensation in the pit of my stomach. It took me a second to realize it was fear. A visceral, gnawing fear, as if any moment Jupiter was going to disappear, or something, somehow, would take her away from us.
My whole life, I’d been nothing but sure of myself. I knew what I wanted, who I wanted, what I needed to do to get it. But right now, everything felt slippery, as if my grip might slacken for a split second and I’d be alone again.
I rolled to my side, pulling her with me so we remained connected. Her hair spilled across my pillow, black as the space between the stars against the grey fabric. I traced the serpent tattoos on her arm with my fingertips.
“My father called earlier,” I found myself saying, my jaw tightening at the memory. “He and my mother are coming in two days They want to meet you.”
Jupiter stiffened slightly. “Why?”
“Because you’re valuable to them now. A powerful Ophis axis bonded to their son’s shield makes the Whitlock family look good.” I couldn’t keep the bitterness from my voice. “They’ll try to use you, to parade you in front of the Assembly Council like a prize they’ve won.”
“And you?” she asked quietly. “Am I a prize to you too?”
I caught her chin between my fingers, making her look at me. “You’re...” I struggled to find the words, hoping they wouldn’t come out wrong. “Suddenly you’re the axis around which my entire world now turns, and it has fuck all to do with magic.”
Her eyes widened and through our bond, I could feel her surprise, her cautious hope.
“I won’t let them use you,” I promised. “Any of them. You’re ours.”
“Possessive much?” she teased, but I could feel her pleasure at my words.
“You have no idea,” I growled, rolling her beneath me again, already hardening inside her.
Her laugh turned into a moan as I began to move again, slower this time, savoring each slide of our bodies together. Whatever happened with my parents, whatever the Assembly had planned for us, it didn’t matter. Jupiter was mine.