16. My Beautiful
~ VOSKI ~
The audacity of my mate was astounding. And fucking brilliant.
When she arched up, stretching to kiss me, the leash on my control snapped.
I took her kiss, sucked her tongue into my mouth and pinched it between my teeth until her eyes flew wide and locked on mine.
‘Mine.’
I knew she heard the thought because she sucked in.
I released her with a growl, but didn’t soothe her. I sat back, straddling her thighs and smiled as she spluttered and twisted, wriggling out from under me.
I let her go for a moment, just until she’d pulled her legs free, to give her a moment of hope—thank God she was still giggling.
But the moment she tried to scramble to her feet, I caught her foot.
She tumbled to the ground from her half-prone position, and I yanked her back, sliding her on her belly until I could flip back her cloak and reach for her leathers.
Still on her stomach, she continued to struggle and laugh breathlessly, but it took little effort to hold her foot up, off the ground, so she couldn’t get purchase with it.
I dragged her to me, leaving her hands free to claw and try to pull herself away, as I slipped the other hand around her waist to find the buckle of her leathers and flick the button free.
Then the next. The third was tougher, wriggling and bucking as she was—but she was weak with laughter.
The moment her fly was open, I slipped a hand in to cup her, then released her foot and clamped that hand on her shoulder, forcing her flat to the earth, using my superior weight to pin her.
I clamped a kiss to her neck, that turned into a suck so fierce she threw a hand back to clap it to the back of my neck, gasp and writhing, one moment trying to wiggle free, the next tipping her head away to give me better access and arching into the kiss.
“Voski… oh god.”
The beast that lived in the dungeon of my heart, snarled with delight.
Still sucking, using my teeth on her neck as a warning against pulling away. Using my weight to pin her to the ground, I grasped the waistband of her leathers with both hands, lifted my hips, and yanked them halfway down her thighs.
She sucked in again as the cold air pebbled her skin, but I saw the flush on her cheeks, and felt the ripple in her body as I plunged one hand up her jacket to grasp her breast, and the other, down between her thighs from the back, teasing her apart and cursing with delight when I found her already slick.
“My beautiful, innocent, fiery mate,” I rasped, coming off her neck hard enough to leave a mark, pulling her hips up so she could be on her knees, but keeping her chest to the ground.
“Do you have anything to say to me?” I graveled as I took myself in hand and positioned myself for her, rubbing myself on her so she’d understand. There would be no waiting if—
“Nothing! Please, I—oh!”
The guttural groan tore from my throat and echoed in the trees as I plunged into her, clapping that hand to her shoulder and arching my back to drive into her with force.
Grace gave a beautiful, broken cry and shivered as I withdrew. I rasped her name in a guttural growl, then took her again.
Again.
Again.
Her nipple turned to a rivet against my palm, and I shuddered, fighting off the urge to twist that peak until she screamed.
She’s new to this. Innocent. I can’t—
Grace threw a hand forward, clawing fingers into the earth to brace, then pressed herself back against me, crying out as we joined again.
I shook from head to toe, my soul thrilled by the abandon of her. Struggling for control, arguing with myself, fighting the urge to let go completely.
This first experience had to be positive. She had to enjoy herself to encourage less caution in future, not more.
Squeezing, kneading her breast, gasping her name, taking her in quick, sure rhythm, I wrestled with my own restraint until I could swallow back the selfish need to unleash, then dragged that hand from her shoulder, to the back of her neck, twisting her hair around my wrist, gripping it in my fist, then tugged her head back, biting lightly on her earlobe and dragging my teeth from it until she twitched.
Listen, and obey. “Say my name,” I growled.
“Vos… Voski!”
I opened my mouth on the sensitive skin under her ear and laved it with my tongue to reward her, as I took her again and again, until she began to tighten on me and arched back.
I took another loop of her hair on my wrist to keep the tension, then kissed the corner of her jaw, whispering to her, as she keened, her mouth open and breath harsh.
“You are stunning,” I croaked, groaning as she clenched on me. “So fucking beautiful, Grace. So bold.”
“Voski…”
“And strong.”
“Vos—I’m…”
“And mine—” I spat the word through my teeth and her breath stopped. Her body went rigid, her breast swelling in my palm as she clamped down on me.
My orgasm detonated at the base of my spine and I roared for her.
The bond rushed like a crashing wave, pummeling my ribs, searing my soul as we both hung there, thrashing, helplessly gripped in the power of something so mighty, it threatened to break us—or cement us together for ever.
“Voski!” Her cry was high and shrill, a stuttering my name.
‘I’m here.’ I released her hair, though her head remained craned back as I wrapped that arm around her, pulled her to me, and rode out the wave of want and release that crashed through both of us, tumbling until it was impossible to know which way was up. And let our souls be scoured clean.
There was a single, breathless moment that we quivered together… then collapsed.
When I blinked back to reality, she was curled up tight, knees to her chest, her head resting on my bicep, my body wrapped around hers.
We both trembled.
A high, thin scream rang in the back of my skull, all instincts on alert as I tried to find my bearings and understand what the fuck just happened.
Then Grace blew out a breath and I felt her shiver and everything I’d just done slammed home.
“Grace… shit, Grace!”
Scrambling, I rolled her over to face me, taking her flushed face in my trembling hands and lifting it—which extended her neck and revealed the already dark bruise in the shape of my mouth.
Shit.
Rough. Too rough.
I wanted to reach for her buttons, to open her shirt—but I hesitated, knowing what I’d find.
Fingertip sized bruises around her breast, capped by half-moon marks where my nails dug into her flesh.
“Grace, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you. Please. Look at me,” I croaked, stroking her cheeks with my thumbs. “I can be gentle, I promise—that wasn’t, it’s just one way, not the only way. I wasn’t—”
She opened her eyes, then blinked, and blinked again her sky-blue gaze slowly clearing as she focused on me.
“Where does it hurt?” I whispered. “Koa might be able to help, but we can also—”
“I just need a moment. To get my breath back,” she whispered.
“Of course, of course. I’ll carry you back—I should never have… I’m so sorry—”
“Sorry?” She blinked again, then pulled her head back, out of my hands and leaned up on one elbow to stare down at me. Her chest rose and fell quickly, her cloak dragging sideways from her throat and pinned under my bicep.
I cursed and pushed up, off it, so she could be free. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry—”
“Why are you apologizing?” she panted. And then she grinned.
I froze in the sunlight of that smile. “I hurt you.”
She frowned and looked down at herself. “No you didn’t. I’m uninjured. Did you think—”
Speechless, I touched her neck where I’d sucked so hard, it was already turning a deep red. Then, because I needed to face the truth of myself, I unclipped her cloak and reached for the buttons of her jacket, popping them free, then opening the top three on her shirt as well.
I cupped her breast in my palm, sickened by the red marks around that sweet, plump pillow, and the scrape at the edge of the nipple.
How had I done that?
Grace stared at my hand, holding her a moment, then looked up at me again. “It doesn’t hurt.”
“It will.”
And then she fucking smiled again. “Prove it.”
I went still again, searching her expression, unable to believe what I saw there. She still trembled and panted. Her body in shock from the onslaught, leaving her voice shaky and breathless.
But she smiled.
“Grace, you don’t have to pretend—”
“Let me get my breath back. I can hide better,” she said, putting a hand to my chest so the bond jolted again and my body hummed. “I understand better now. I won’t laugh—and if I don’t use the bond, I won’t know where you are, and you’ll have to track me. It would work better.”
I stared at her, speechless.
Her smile faltered. “I’ll do it better next time. It’s a hunt, right? That was fun, and it made me want you too. I’ll get better at it, Voski. I promise.”
“You’re already perfect,” I breathed. And then, with shaking hands and my breath catching, I leaned down to kiss the marks on her pale skin.
She blew out a breath and slid fingers into my hair, pulling me into her, holding me against her as I kissed my way up her neck—careful to protect her from my teeth—and then took her mouth.
Her kiss was sweet and passionate, and a little bit desperate. I held her head to tilt her into it, and tried to use my body to express what wouldn’t come with words, the impossible feelings that swelled my chest.
When I finally pulled away, she resisted for a moment. Then opened her eyes and tracked me as I pushed up on one hand, cupped her jaw, and made myself hold her gaze.
“You’re amazing,” I said gruffly. “Pure and simple. But you also need care. Your body isn’t used to this. I have ointment in my bag. I’ll clean you and treat your wounds.” The word turned my stomach.
I looked away for a moment, suddenly saturated in self-doubt. She wanted to learn, but she didn’t know what she was walking into. Was I wrong to—
Grace grabbed my chin, which startled me. But when I tipped my head down as she urged, the smile she gave me blazed so brightly, it could have lit the whole castle. “Voski… I like this. I want this. I want you. Keep showing me. All the ways. Please. If I stop enjoying it, I’ll tell you.”
I stared at her, my heart swelling, but my fear as well. “You’re not just saying yes to please me? Give me your word that you’ll tell me if anything—”
“Yes.”
I stared, still uncertain if I could believe her. Until my dragon spoke. ‘Made for you…’ Kham murmured quietly in my head.
Something in my chest that had been fragile, brittle, turned solid. Strong. And Grace’s eyes warmed.
“Then we won’t stop,” I croaked. “We’ll use it for us, and for your training. Increase your skill while we… learn each other.” I swallowed.
Grace clapped her hands, and I shook my head.
“You’re an eager and fast learner,” I said on a huff of disbelief.
“Because I’m taught by the best,” she said, then laughed and launched herself at me, rolling me onto my back and kissing me with all the fervor and thrill of a woman in love.