Chapter 67
Abe vanished from the room instantly and Justice walked up to Lucie’s side. He knew Abe was going for Derrick. Lucie lowered the bag back down on the table and sifted through the contents, tears streaming down her face.
Justice looked into the bag and pursed his lips together. He placed his hand on Lucie’s back and rubbed it gently. “It’s okay, Lucie. You’re allowed to grieve what you’ve lost.”
Lucie turned into Justice, her soft sobs and hiccups muffled in his shirt.
What her mother had sent her wasn’t supposed to make her feel sad, but it was a message telling her she was still strong.
It was an outfit fit for a huntress, complete with daggers, silver stakes, throwing knives, and black combat boots.
But it made Lucie realize what she had sacrificed.
She had always trained with all her skills, but now it came down to only the skills her mother had taught her.
She had witch and fairy magic too, but when it came to physical combat, she could no longer fight as a lycan.
It would all come down to her hand-to-hand combat training.
The past events hit her all at once. The abduction, her lips and body being touched by someone other than Derrick, giving up a part of herself. And it hurt. Like crashing into a wall. She thought she was okay with everything. But her mental wall had been hit hard, and it was all finally sinking in.
“Okay, everyone. I’ll take it from here.”
Lucie was spun around and wrapped tightly in Derrick’s arms. She heard the others leave, the door shutting behind them.
“Oh, Lucie.” Derrick’s voice was soft and soothing. He rubbed her back gently and breathed in slowly as he felt her emotions. Her pain was his pain.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m so emotional over all of this.”
“Baby, you’ve been through a lot, and you’re trying to be strong through it all. Lean on me, okay? Let it out. Let me feel it, too. Don’t close it off inside you like you did before.” He kissed the top of her head as his fingers traced lightly across her back.
Lucie wept into his chest. Her quiet sobs filled the room while Derrick continued to hold her and soothe her with his voice.
She could feel him comforting her both on the outside and inside with his positive thoughts and emotions.
He was there for her, and he ached for her too.
She gripped his shirt, leaning her forehead against him.
It was so nice to have a soulmate. She didn’t need to explain anything to him.
He just knew. And he knew exactly what she needed.
She loved him, missed him … and desired him.
“Lucie, baby, let’s wait.”
“No.” Lucie looked up at his face with her damp eyes and smiled.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him down to her, and crashed her lips into his, greedy and desperate.
She needed him to make her body his. To erase all the unwanted touches with his own.
And she simply needed to feel connected to him like this.
It had been weeks since they were first mated. Far too long. They both needed this.
She thrust her tongue into his mouth and listened as he growled in approval. She sucked on it gently and nipped at his bottom lip. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around him. Her hands tangled in his hair as the kiss became more frantic and urgent.
She could feel his emotions and knew exactly where his thoughts were. In the back of his mind, he was still worried about doing this now.
She forced her mouth away from his and continued to hold his hair in her hands.
“Derrick. I need you. This is what needs to be healed right now. I’m not blocking anything from you.
You can feel my emotions.” She nudged her nose into his cheek and peppered him with light kisses, working her way down.
She licked over the mark on his neck and teased it with her teeth, biting at it and remembering the taste of his blood.
When she had marked him, it was as both her vampire and lycan self.
Establishing the mark wasn’t necessary, but she wanted to taste him again.
The memories of the party came into her mind and she couldn’t stop herself.
She sank her teeth into his neck and he moaned with pleasure.
Liquid desire and want filled her as her body heated up, needing more.
“Mmmm, Lucie,” Derrick moaned raspily and collapsed on top of her on his bed.
A wave of pleasure rippled through him as she withdrew her fangs.
He reached out and quickly tore her clothing off before discarding his own carelessly.
It was now his turn. He also desired to taste his mate.
A primal growl sounded from his throat as he extended his fangs and sank them into her neck.
His hand wandered over the warm flesh beneath him as he drank the ecstasy from her.
She rolled her hips into him and against his arousal.
He lifted his head up slowly, licking her neck carefully for any escaped droplets before crashing his lips into hers, frantically moving against her.
He slowly slid his hand down and cupped one of her mounds.
He moved from her lips and began claiming every inch of her as his own. Trailing his tongue over her sensitive skin, nipping and playing with her skin while his hand continued to tease her buds, heightening her senses.
She was going crazy with need as he toyed with her. She felt his hot breath and soft lips creep up her inner thigh and gently kiss her center that was craving him.
“Derrick,” she whimpered out. She needed him now, and she knew he knew it.
His lips trailed up her stomach, and he took a moment to take one of her buds into his mouth.
She arched her chest into him and gasped as his tongue flicked over her, and she reached down, gripping his hair, pulling him up to her.
His lips crashed into hers as she felt him gently knee her legs apart for him.
They were both more than ready for this.
She felt the head of his arousal near her entrance, and with a deep thrust, he filled her up.
They began dancing the dance of passion, meeting each other thrust for thrust. The sound of their heavy panting and moaning filled the air as they both reached their highs together.
“Gods, Lucie …” Derrick collapsed into her chest. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. “I missed you so much, baby,” he said, leaving light kisses on her chest.
“Mmmm, me too.” Lucie smiled in contentment as she wrapped her arms around his head, running her fingers through his hair.
For a moment, they stayed wrapped in each other, catching their breath, chests rising and falling against one another while their hearts pounded in rhythm.
This was theirs. Two separate bodies sharing one existence, one heartbeat, one breath.
They soaked each other in and let the weight of the moment settle between them.
“You know, my sweet Luce Luce …”
Lucie smiled as his thoughts raced into her head.
“I had a refrigerator brought in here, fully stocked. Plenty of drinks, and we can live on its contents for a couple of days.” Derrick lifted his head up and grinned at her mischievously. “And I really want to taste you again …”
Lucie giggled as she felt his desire rising already. “If you think you have the stamina to keep up with me.” She bit her lip coquettishly and felt his body lift upward slightly.
“Let’s see how long we can last before exhaustion kicks in. You up for the challenge?” Derrick smirked. “After all … that only took the edge off …”
She watched his eyes darken with desire as he began to lay siege upon her body again …
and again … and again. Throughout the next few days and nights, they continued to reach for each other, satisfying their desires completely, only taking short breaks for fluids and one shower that ended up not being just a shower.
They stayed locked up together for days, absorbing every moment they could.
Derrick helped her get dressed, gently kissing her bare shoulder before covering it with clothing … the first time they’d worn clothes in days. He continued to mentally praise her body over and over.
“Will you stop it?” Lucie giggled, swatting at him.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her into his chest. “Never. I’ll never stop praising my perfect little mate.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Alas … the small remnants of nonperishable food are gone, and we cannot live off of each other.”
“I want a whole stack of pancakes!” Lucie smiled and thought of her brother. He always wanted her to make pancakes. She wondered how things were going with him and his new mate.
“We’ll visit them soon.”
“I know. We will. I plan on stopping there on the—”
“No.”
“I’m not asking. On the way to find Beryl.
” Lucie was going witch hunting very soon.
Enough was enough. She knew Derrick planned to go back as well, and she was going with him.
Lycans weren’t affected, and even if they were, she wasn’t one anymore.
She was a dhampir like her mother, except she also had strong fairy magic.
“I can see you looking for some sort of loophole around this. There isn’t one.
I won’t ever be parted from your side again, and I am not staying in the dragon kingdom waiting around for you.
Besides, Justice needs to see some action too, so he can test out his guardian skills. ”
“You’re right, my little mate. We aren’t good apart, and I can’t be worrying about you the whole time.
We’ll capture this witch together.” Derrick smiled and leaned his forehead against hers.
He felt dumb that for a second he’d planned to leave her in the dragon kingdom.
Of course, that wouldn’t work with Lucie.
Not after everything. Especially not now, knowing she wasn’t in danger from the potion.
“But that isn’t right now. Not today. Today is a relaxing day,” Derrick said.
“What were the days before?”
“Oh, those were fun days but not relaxing. It takes work pleasing a woman like you. Very satisfying work.” Derrick grinned and tugged her into his side, walking her out the door. “Today, we are going to show the kingdom that their princess is safe.”
“After food, though?” Lucie listened to his chuckle.
“Yes. Food is first on the agenda. Myra?” Derrick called out.
“Sire.”
“Please ask the kitchen staff to prepare a breakfast feast. The princess and I are famished.”
“My lord.” Myra bowed her head with a faint smile and vanished.
“I hope Justice has managed to keep himself busy.” Lucie looked around, wondering where he was.
“I’m sure he’s just fine.” Derrick winked down at Lucie. “He’s your guardian, sweetheart. You’re not his.” She had a bad habit of trying to look after and take care of everyone. But she was the precious one, his most precious and perfect little mate.