Chapter 31
“A nd this is when he first learned how to plant the seeds in the garden with me. Look how little he was—such a sweet little faeling. Always clinging to my side,” Samani recalled as she displayed the memory on the crystal tablet—the memory as bright as a movie on a screen. I couldn’t get enough of the magicked videos. I could see Draevyn’s tiny facial features, his semi-long dark hair beginning to grow past his tiny tipped ears, and the absolute naked glee of helping his mother in her garden. My heart squeezed at the idea that we might have a little faeling of our own.
Some day.
Not anytime soon, though.
We sat on a long loveseat on the patio, waiting for Draevyn and Zoriato to return. The dishes had been cleaned, tables cleared, and food put away. When Samani asked if I would like to see a few videos of Draevyn in his youth, I couldn’t refuse. We filled our glasses and got comfortable before the outdoor fireplace. The heaviness from the dinner drifted away as Samani talked about Draevyn growing up. I tucked a few stories safely in my back pocket to tease him with later.
“Oh no. Bibi , please tell me you aren’t showing her my faeling videos. You couldn’t have saved those till at least the second visit?” Draevyn approached with an amused smile, taking in the scene before him. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on my head before sinking into the neighboring chair. I noted the gleam in his eyes and felt immediate relief.
Zoriato was slower to join our company. He padded to stand in front of us, observing us cautiously. I couldn’t help but notice Samani’s brow rising as she regarded him. His fists fidgeted at his side as he said, “Well, Princess. If you’re going to be part of this family, you’ll need to learn how to take care of the fields. At any rate, it’ll make you a better Queen to understand how us farm folk operate.”
Samani’s gaze shifted back to me, and a smirk emerged on her face. I took that as his approval…and apology. And it was good enough for me. “Thank you. I’d love to learn more about farmers here in Sabana.” I scrunched my brow. “Come to think of it, my knowledge of farming in the Above World is kind of limited. There’s not much of it near The Keys, where I was raised.”
Zoriato placed his hands on his hips. “Well, we’ll just have to give you a crash course while you’re here.” He pointed at our nearly empty glasses. “You’ll want to watch your intake for the rest of the night. We get up early around here.”
“Real early,” Draevyn complained.
“That’s right, guali . There’s no time like the morning to accomplish one’s tasks with full strength and a fresh mind.”
“Always trying to ruin the fun,” Samani said, sighing.
Zoriato gave her a lovely grin, so at odds with the gruff male he’d been since we’d arrived. “Oh, come now, my love. I’m not always a bore.” He wagged his dark eyebrows, causing a blush to spread across Samani’s cheeks.
“You’ll have to forgive them,” Draevyn said to me. “They tend to delve into naughty talk regardless of who’s present. And despite their guali wanting to gag every time it happens.”
“Oh, stop.” Samani threw a patio pillow in his direction, which he swiftly caught as he bellowed with laughter. “One of these days, when you have faelings of your own, you’ll understand how hard it is to contain your love for your nanichi in front of them. It can’t be helped.”
My gaze slipped to Draevyn’s, my cheeks heating.
Love.
That word hadn’t passed through either of our lips, but I certainly felt that way about him. Only him. What I previously felt for any boy or man—John included—couldn’t compare to the absolute rightness of…us.
Of our bond. Sitting. Waiting, just beneath the surface.
And after what was a shaky introduction into the family, I couldn’t help but hope that maybe we’d finally come to a point where we could express that love to one another in words—three simple words that held so much significance, so much weight to them; three little words that stood on the tip of my tongue, dying to spill from my lips—dying for me to convey just how I felt about him.
“I think it’s time to retire, liani . Leave the two love birds alone, yes?” Zoriato took Samani’s hand and lifted her to stand, placing a chase kiss on her lips.
“Yes, I suppose. I’ll need to prepare for tomorrow’s gathering in honor of our special guest,” she glanced over her shoulder and gave me a mischievous wink.
“Gathering?” I asked.
Samani lifted her slender shoulders in a casual shrug. “Just as soon as you arrived, we decided to organize a small gathering of the farming elementals to meet you. Nothing big. Just a small outdoor meal with friends.”
The apprehension built in my stomach. With everything happening, I wasn’t sure what kind of welcome I’d receive from the farming elementals, but a determination to win their favor sprouted from a little seed within.
Pun intended.
Plus, anything that Samani Eliron put together was sure to have a certain flare to it, given the skill with which she handled meals for the Guardians and dinner for us. Hospitality was clearly one of her talents. I had to wonder what Samani and Aurelio would do as a team. “That sounds wonderful. Can’t wait,” I said sincerely.
Zoriato and Samani departed arm and arm through the open doors, leaving us with nothing but the dying fire and the wind rustling the leaves upon the vines for company. Draevyn rose and slid into the vacant seat beside me, his strong arm pulling me into his side. I couldn’t help but rest my head on his shoulder—the warmth of him providing a comfort I felt deep in my soul. I held my gaze on the dying flames in the fireplace, watching them twist and dance with the gentle breeze.
“So,” he started.
“So.”
“I’m sorry about my father,” Draevyn murmured as his fingers glided up and down my bare arm—my scales fashioned in pop collar tunic style with sleeveless arms that Aurelio had taught me to do before we left Atlantis.
“No need to be sorry. He loves you. He wants what’s best for you.”
“That doesn’t excuse him from treating you the way he did. He shouldn’t have said the things he did about Cathan. That’s not fair to him.”
I didn’t know the best way to breach the subject of his future as my King. There was no easy way to do it. So I forged ahead and said, “You know many Atlantians will have the same perspective as your father.”
Draevyn went silent for a moment. “I understand.”
“Being by my side won’t be easy. You’ll be ridiculed. There’s a lot you’ll be expected to give up. And you’ve worked too damn hard just to willingly let it go.”
His fingers graced my chin, pulling it to the side to meet his intense gaze, robbing me of breath. “I want you to listen to me and listen to me carefully, nanichi . I understand what being by your side entails—as your mate, Atabey willing—but also as your Guardian. I understand the things weaker people will say about me and the dangers that may come our way. Our way . Not just your way, for you’ll never have to worry about facing those dangers alone. I’ll be by your side every step of the way. I’m not the type of male who flippantly decides his path. When I know something is right for me, I go for it. And you are right for me. You are my path. You have my heart. You have my soul. And love is such an inadequate word for how I feel about you, but you have it, too, nonetheless.” He leaned down, his warm cheek sliding against mine as he brought his lips to the shell of my ear. “I love you, Asherah Delmar. I am madly, deeply, in love with you,” he whispered.
Whatever pretty words I had died on my tongue as he brought his soft lips to mine, kissing me fervently, passionately, and with wild possession. My fingers slid into his hair, pulling him toward me, hungry. Seeking. This male, this absolutely wonderful, strong, beautiful male, just told me that he loves me.
Me.
The wallflower. The girl who was always just a friend. Nothing more. Chrissy’s permanent wing-woman.
Me.
Draevyn loves me.
The revelation pinged around in my mind as I leaned back, breathing rapidly against his lips. “I love you, too.”
He pulled back slightly. A flutter of vulnerability I was unused to seeing on him lay heavy in his stare. “You don’t have to say it back. That’s…that’s not what I’d expected in return. I just needed to let you know that—”
I brought my pointer finger to his lips, silencing him. “I’m not the type of female who flippantly decides her path. When I know something is right for me, I go for it.” The corner of his lips lifted with the use of his words. “I love you, Draevyn Eliron. With my whole heart and soul, I love you. Everything I am is yours.”
Draevyn rested his forehead against mine. “Thank you.”
“You do not have to thank me for loving you.”
He chuckled lightly. “Perhaps it’s not a thank you for loving me as much as it’s a thank you for being so patient with my father today. That is something I do have to thank you for.”
My shoulder lifted. “Eh, what family doesn’t have their issues? Plenty of families like to act as if they’re all smiles and happy times. That’s a damn lie. All families have their challenges.”
“Well, you rose to the challenge today.” He sighed. “And I’m afraid you might have to continue rising to it tomorrow. It’s going to be a very long day.”
My brows dipped. “Just how early do we have to get up tomorrow?”
Draevyn groaned. “Early. Real early.” With his water magic, he extinguished the fire—the steam hissing and rising into the evening air. He rose and held his hand out. “Come, my Queen. Let me show you to the royal chambers.”
I tsked. “Royal chambers,” I mimicked as we entered the home, closing the French doors behind us. “Don’t act like a guest bed isn’t good enough for me. I was a college kid, after all. I did couch surf,” I remarked as we ascended the stairs leading to the second floor.
“You’re not staying in a guest room. You’re staying in mine.”
My brow rose. “Your parents won’t mind?”
He looked at me aghast. “You realize you’re among the Fae now, yes? We aren’t exactly known for our modesty.” Right. That wasn’t something I was used to. Talk about culture shock. “Besides,” he continued, “I want you by my side. It’s the best place I can protect you.”
Draevyn led us to a large wooden door with intricate carvings. He pushed it open revealing a dark room with dim faelights flickering throughout. A large four-poster bed with a fluffy navy-blue comforter and puffy white pillows screamed in invitation. Suddenly, I yawned. It couldn’t be helped. The adrenaline of the visit had finally subsided.
Draevyn led me to the bed and pulled back the sheets. I instantly dropped my scales, his Caribbean green eyes caressing my naked form, overriding my exhaustion and causing my thighs to clench.
“I want to bury myself inside you,” he said in a sensual timbre tone, “but you need to rest.”
My lower lip dipped in a pout, but I obeyed, scooting under the covers he held up for me. His bed was magicked. It had to be because sleep came for me the moment my head hit the pillow. The last thing I remembered was the warm feel of Draevyn’s naked body sidling up behind mine, bringing my back to his chest. In the safety of his embrace, I drifted to sleep.
It turns out that staying up drinking faery wine was not the brightest idea when working in the fields the next day. Granted, I didn’t have a hangover like the humans do—for that, I was grateful—but I did feel my body drag with every motion of my arms and step taken. As I worked on the next set of vines, I could hardly believe the amount of sweat that rolled off my face and scales. My amazement grew every time I turned my head and found the other workers moving at an unimaginable pace—their heads periodically twisting in my direction to catch a glimpse of the princess working alongside them. I didn’t want to draw any attention, but I understood their curiosity. So far, they’d been very cordial. My hands picked up the pace in an effort to keep up with them. The last thing I wanted to do was be a burden or to seem weak in their eyes.
When we arrived at the barn earlier that morning before the sun had even risen, Zoriato had requested Draevyn’s help in a different field filled with various types of vegetables, the labor far more intense in that field than in mine. I didn’t know how that was possible as my hand swept across my forehead, drenched with sweat. The hot, crisp air was very different from the humid, tropical climate of The Keys, which felt more like a wet blanket. This level of heat held a certain intensity I was unused to.
“It’s the magic,” a woman called from the next row. “It’s a beast, but it sets the grapes just right.”
I peeked through the branches. A stout human woman with crow’s feet that swept out around her eyes smiled at me—her dark hair with a few streaks of gray pulled tightly back in a bun. “It’s the garden elementals. The temperature is unlike anywhere else in Atlantis,” she said as she threw a few grapes in her bucket. “But oh, does it produce some of the best faery wine ever to hit your tastebuds.”
“Yes, I seem to remember that from last night,” I agreed with a wince. “Probably wasn’t the best idea to indulge before coming out in the hot sun to work.”
The woman’s shoulders shook with laughter. “I suppose not. We humans don’t exactly have the greatest tolerance for the stuff. Although some of us have certainly worked up our defenses.” She leaned in between the branches. “It’s in the name of science. Have to make sure the wine’s just right,” she winked.
I chuckled as I plucked a few more grapes from the vine. “Oh yes, we wouldn’t want to mess with one’s scientific methods.”
“Certainly not.” The woman hoisted her bucket, slowly trudging her way to the next cluster—the sounds of the grapes hitting the bucket echoing as she worked. Pluck, pluck, pluck. Thump. “I’m Bucoana, by the way.”
“Asherah,” I called.
“Oh, I know who you are, Your Highness. Half the damn town is beside themselves with awe that a Princess is actually in the outskirts of town.” Pluck, pluck, pluck. Thump. Pluck, pluck. Thump. “When Zoriato announced to the crew that you’d be working with us today, we had to help Samani pick some of the crew’s mouths up off the ground. They could hardly believe it. A royal getting dirty with the farming folk,” Pluck, pluck. Thump.
I froze, a sense of unease spreading throughout my aching limbs. “Did…did my mother…Queen Neleah, I mean…not come out here often?”
Pluck, pluck.
A long period of silence ensued—the rustling of the vines from the surrounding rows emanating around us.
Thump . “I suppose you wouldn’t know one way or another if she had visited, eh? Or any of the other folk high up there in the capital—you being in the Above World and all.”
I nibbled on the inside of my cheek. “Right. Yes, I…I wouldn’t know.”
Pluck, pluck, pluck. Thump. “It’s okay, dear. The way your parents hid you from the rest of the queendom? That did not settle well for some. Was she more concerned with the humans in the Above World than the very ones in her realm? No one will ever know. Save yourself, maybe. But since she never told you about Atlantis, it would’ve been hard for Queen Neleah to tell you her thoughts on the matter.” Pluck, pluck. Thump. “I’m not blaming you or anything. It’s just some of us felt a little forgotten. Sorry if that came out a bit harshly. I’m sure some would consider my comments outright disrespectful.”
I resumed my plucking. “It’s not disrespectful at all. Everyone is allowed to express their feelings. It’s your experience, after all. You know the ins and outs of Atlantis, and you’re entitled to your opinion. You feed mouths both here and in the capital and all the towns along the way. It’s important that I hear your thoughts; it’s important that they hear them, too. How else does the realm improve if we don’t listen to our people? The council can’t expect to make decisions that could potentially change the lives of everyone in the farming towns like Sabana without seeing how life is here on the ground. That’s just ridiculous. You and everyone else in this field are welcome to speak freely with me. I don’t mind one bit.”
The vines next to me rustled. Bucoana’s torso popped through the row of vines, her eyes giving me a once-over. “Huh. Interesting.” The next moment, she backed away and returned to plucking. “You know what, Your Highness?” Pluck, pluck, pluck. Thump.
“Yes?”
“I think you’re going to do just fine with the farm folk. You keep shining your shine. You’ll surely win their favor.”
My lips quirked. “I surely hope so.”
My newfound respect grew for the farming country and the families within it. From what I’d observed, every worker in that field—both Fae and human—worked their tail off to provide for our people. And from what I gathered from Bucoana, there were hostilities directed toward Mom and the council because of their lack of involvement in the farming communities of Atlantis. A renewed sense of purpose emerged within me. I’d make sure they were taken care of and heard.
The temperature slowly dipped as the day progressed. Every bone in my body ached when Samani found me at the end of my row, her cheeks rosy—a warm smile flashing on her face. “There you are. How did everything go?”
I wiped the moisture off my forehead for the hundredth time that day. “Good. Just the workout I was looking for.”
“Excellent,” she beamed. “Why don’t we head to the house so we can freshen up? Then you can help me get everything ready. The rest of the crew will be done shortly, and I could use the help.”
“I’d be happy to,” I said, following Samani down the row toward the house. I spared one last glance over my shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of Bucoana, but she was farther down, having worked much faster than me. I’d have to catch up with her later.
After quickly bathing in Draevyn’s wonderfully warm shower—one I wished I could linger in longer after the hot day—we strode in the direction of the oak wood barn. The rich smell of smoked brisket permeated the air as we approached the picnic tables before it. My stomach grumbled in response, causing Samani to chuckle. “We’ll be eating soon enough.”
Checkered cloth table linens lay perfectly across several picnic tables, with napkins, utensils, and plates placed in even stacks each. The entire little area was prepared to perfection by the time the workers from the fields strolled in. While weariness hung heavy on the group, the smiles on their faces could be felt as they gathered up their plates and began serving themselves from the buffet that lined the wall of the barn. It was a feast unlike any other I’d witnessed, one that came from the work of their hands. For them, I was sure nothing could be more rewarding.
As I stood with the biggest cheesy smile on my face—soaking in the moment—I thought of Bucoana, her voice playing on repeat in my mind.
I’m not blaming you or anything. It’s just some of us felt a little forgotten.
Bucoana wasn’t blaming me, but I blamed myself nonetheless. Perhaps it wasn’t my fault that Mom and the council didn’t pay much attention to the outskirts. But that was about to change. I would see to it.
A set of strong, muscular arms coiled around my waist from behind. I would have panicked if it weren’t for the tingling sensation in my center. “Hello, nanichi, ” he whispered in my ear.
The smell of sandalwood drifting from his skin from the shower he must have taken assaulted my senses. I twisted in Draevyn’s arms, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Hello, my love.”
The joy that spread across his face at my term of endearment could be felt in the next realm. He leaned in and kissed me slowly.
“Hey, you two,” Zoriato called. “Quit your canoodling and get some food before there’s none left.”
We giggled as we pulled apart. When we turned, a good number of the crew had stopped to stare—their eyes pinging between us.
Draevyn cleared his throat and murmured, “They didn’t…they don’t know that we…”
“Oh. Right. That we’re a thing.”
His shoulder lifted as he slid his fingers through mine. “Or that I’m ‘thinging’ with any female at all. I’ve never brought a female home before. I’ll likely never hear the end of it.”
Sure enough, some of the male members of the crew began whooping and patting Draevyn on the back as our steps brought us closer to the buffet filled with tender meats, roasted vegetables, stark white rice, various white and deep yellow cheeses, and faery wine. Once our plates were filled to the brim, we scanned the area, looking for a place to enjoy our meal.
“Your Highness!” called a familiar voice. My gaze drifted in the direction of the call till it settled on Bucoana—her short arms waving frantically in the air, nearly whacking the Fae male that sat next to her. I smiled as we made our way to the two empty spaces at their table.
“We saved a spot just for you all,” Bucoana said enthusiastically.
“Thank you,” I said as we laid our food on the table.
“Bucoana, Tenebuy. Nice to see you all again,” Draevyn greeted.
“ Tau , Draevyn,” Tenebuy said, reaching out to shake Draevyn’s hand. “How is everything in the capital?”
“Hmph. As to be expected.”
Tenebuy shook his head. “That good, huh?” His gaze slid to me. “Pleasure to meet you, Your Highness.”
“Please, call me Ash. The pleasure’s all mine.”
Bucoana playfully swatted his shoulder. “You hear that, Tenie? The future Queen said to call her Ash . We’re moving up in the world.”
Tenebuy’s shoulders shook with laughter.
“Well, Asherah, you couldn’t have found yourself in better company,” Draevyn told me, “Tenebuy has been working as a garden elemental with us for decades. He’s been the lead climate adjuster for the past three,” he beamed before filling his mouth with a heaping forkful of food. He closed his eyes with a rumbling moan. “Just as good as I remembered it.”
That sparked my interest—the climate adjusting, not the rumbling moan. Although, that equally held my interest. “So, you adjust the temperature?”
“Yup,” he confirmed. “It’s important for the growth of the crops. I’ve seen rookie elementals scorch entire fields if they didn’t get it right.” He shook his head. “It’s disastrous when it happens.”
“Don’t act like it didn’t happen to you,” Bucoana teased, hiding her smile behind her glass of wine.
“Now, I never claimed that it didn’t happen to me. My heart hurts seeing all those crops go to waste. It’s different for a garden elemental. We can feel the crops.”
My brows lowered. “Wait, you can feel the crops?”
“Every day,” he confirmed as I ate a bit of my food, stifling back a moan as the savory flavors assaulted my taste buds. “That’s the beauty of a garden elemental,” Tenebuy continued. “We can tell what they need, but some elementals just learning to communicate with their crops tend to get the messages wrong, hence the fields of crops that are ruined in the process. That’s precisely why Samani and Zoriato have a rigorous internship program. Took me nearly four decades to gain my permanency.”
“But we’re all glad you did,” Bucoana beamed with a certain gleam in her eye; she and Tenebuy shared a look before he cleared his throat and looked the other way, but not before a slight blush crept up from his neck to his cheeks. Bucoana masterfully moved on to safer topics, engaging with him again.
I observed them with intense curiosity—my gaze traveling between them as I ate my food. Clearly, Bucoana was a human, and he, a Fae. It wouldn’t be impossible for them to be together. Reneah had informed me that relationships between humans and Fae were perfectly acceptable. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to let someone go after falling in love with them. If what I assumed was true between Bucoana and Tenebuy, I didn’t know if I could bear it. Could I be with someone I was doomed to lose?
Could Draevyn?
I couldn’t help but think of the risk we faced ahead, the risk Draevyn faced in being with me.
“If you think any harder, you may hurt yourself or others. What in the realms are you thinking about,” Draevyn asked, interrupting my musings.
I glanced down at my food, my cheeks burning. “It’s nothing.”
He pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “You blush so prettily when you lie.” He brought his mouth to my ear. “It makes me want to do very naughty things to you,” he whispered, his breath tickling my neck. I nearly moaned out loud, thinking of all the delectable things that mouth could do.
“So, Draevyn,” Tenebuy piped up, the teasing tone matching the knowing grin. “When do we start calling you ‘Your Highness?’”
“You will do no such thing,” he growled.
“But it’s true,” Bucoana implored. “You will be the King Consort.”
Tenebuy’s brow rose. “Or perhaps you all haven’t had that conversation yet.”
“Oh, I don’t think they’ve had that conversation yet, Tenie. Just look at their faces.”
“You may be right, Ana. I’ve never seen Draevyn blush that way before, and I’ve seen him in the fields red-cheeked to the brim.”
“The poor souls.”
“They can’t even look at each other.”
“Isn’t that cute?”
“Endearing.”
Draevyn winced in my periphery. “I forgot how well the two of you embarrass people with your banter.”
Bucoana shrugged with innocent eyes. “Just putting things into perspective for you, boss.”
Draevyn groaned, much to the pleasure of Bucoana and Tenebuy, who roared with laughter. I couldn’t resist joining in.
Night had fallen, and everyone had had their fill. More stories and laughter were shared. It was only when a small group broke away and began playing instruments that had been stored within the barn that everyone began to dance. There wasn’t a human or Fae who wasn’t smiling, dancing, or both. When the band had ended their melody, I watched as a flood of people scurried into position—each pair taking a side and facing their partner. The flames from the bonfire flickered across the area, highlighting their movement.
“What are they dancing?” I inquired.
“ Areito . It’s a traditional Atlantian dance,” Draevyn answered, his arms closing around me from behind. I leaned into him, his chin coming to rest on top of my head.
I watched the dancers in fascination as they moved in perfect unison—their intricate steps, the way that they matched the beat perfectly, and the utter joy on their faces. “It’s beautiful.”
“Would you like to learn?”
I turned in his arms, my hands drifting over his immaculately sculpted chest. “Perhaps there’s a different type of dance we can do, one that requires just the two of us, one that we already know.” I flicked my head toward the barn.
Draevyn smiled salaciously. “Does the lady want to play?”
My head dipped in a single nod as I bit my lip.
He took my hand in his. “This way, my Queen.” With a quick glance around, we traveled into the depths of the darkened barn undetected—the dim glow of the faelights casting areas in shadow. The smell of fermenting wine immediately hit my nose as we strolled deeper into a dark corner littered with wine barrels. My heart kicked in my chest, my core aching in anticipation. He pivoted to me, lifting me on top of a wine barrel—his eyes hooded with desire. “I’ve wanted to bury myself inside you so badly, Asherah. It drove me mad not seeing you all day, not being able to taste you, feel you.” He dove into my neck, sucking the skin just below my ear into his sensual mouth. “Just seeing you be the Queen I know you to be makes my cock hard. My beautiful, strong, delicious female.” His breath, with hints of faery wine, coasted across my lips as he moved his mouth over mine. “I need to claim you.”
“Then claim me.”
Draevyn’s mouth pressed down on mine. Possessing. Claiming. When I sucked his full bottom lip, Draevyn made a low noise in his throat that contributed to the ache between my thighs. “Are you wet for me, Asherah?” I obliged his curiosity and parted my scales at my slit. His hand breached the opening, finding it drenched with desire. His thick, deft fingers gathered my wetness. With his heated gaze never leaving mine, he brought his fingers to his mouth, moaning around them as he sucked them clean. I stifled a moan, melting into a puddle of liquid lust. “You are so ready for me.” His big, powerful hands brushed over my curves. “Drop your scales, nanichi . Let me see all of you.”
One by one, each layer of my scales retreated, revealing my bare skin to his hungry gaze. Draevyn leaned down, taking my pert nipple in his warm mouth, the surface of his coarse tongue causing my legs to twitch. His fingers dipped inside of my heat, thrusting to the swirls of his tongue. I couldn’t control my hips as they rode his hand, the soft pad of his palm rubbing against my sensitive clit. My need built as he took my other nipple in his awaiting mouth—his thrusting picking up pace. Just as my climax was about to break throughout my body, he dropped to his knees, and his mouth was on my pussy, his tongue swirling circles around my swollen bud. His deep groan sent vibrations throughout my core, becoming my undoing. My release ripped through me, my hips bucking against his mouth as he lapped up my juices like a man dying of thirst.
Grabbing the underside of my thighs, he pulled me to the edge of the barrel, the rim digging into my ass as Draevyn dropped his scales, positioning his hardened rock-hard length to my opening. I leaned back on my arms and watched as he slowly slid into me, my chest pumping with every thick inch that stretched my dripping wet entrance. He fixed his hungry eyes on me as he thrust all the way in, my mouth releasing a moan I couldn’t contain and my eyes closing in response.
Draevyn gripped the base of my neck. “Open your eyes, nanichi . I want you to watch me as I take you.” As if some hidden force had taken over my body, my eyes opened to the sight of us joined together, my desire glistening on his length as he slowly moved in and out of me. “Good girl.”
And then, he showed me just how good I had been.
Draevyn fucked me with quick wild pumps of his hips, his cock hitting the back of my womb over and over till I felt my need rising once again. His hand gripped my ass, holding me tightly to him as the other played with my clit. The feel of him was maddening, and I found myself addicted to this particular brand of Draevyn.
“Drae, I’m going to—”
“Give it to me.”
My body thrummed as I came around his cock. When his body began to shudder, my name left his lips as he came inside me.
With deep-satiated breaths, he brought his mouth to mine once again, the taste of my arousal still lingering on his lips. His tongue was slow and gentle.
“That is a dance I’ll never forget,” he whispered.
“I’m willing to be your dance partner anytime,” I breathed against his lips.
We remained joined together in each other’s arms for a long while until Draevyn delicately pulled out from me. He summoned water from the nearby well and cleaned me thoroughly before discarding the water on the ground. “Come. Let’s go to bed.”
My scales spread across my body as I let loose a satisfied sigh. “Won’t they miss us?”
He laughed amusedly, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Not from the sounds of it.”
We exited the back of the barn into the cool night, escaping the festivities like two thieves in the night.
With the early morning light streaming into the room, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, stifling a yawn. My body instinctively gravitated toward Draevyn's warmth. I scooted into his side, my leg draped over his muscular thigh. My skin pebbled when his hand began drawing lazy circles across my back. The dozens of gleaming medals that hung on metal hooks on the walls just above the dozens of trophies proudly displayed provided a glimpse of a younger Draevyn. The thought had me smiling against his chest.
“I’m glad we came here,” I confessed.
“I needed this,” he admitted. “I needed you to see where I grew up, to meet the people of Sabana. They needed to see you here.”
An uneasy feeling sunk in my gut. “I’m very disappointed in my mother.”
His hand paused momentarily before he asked, “And why is that?”
“Because she didn’t come out here often. Neither did the council.”
“Ah. Bucoana,” he said in understanding.
“Yes, she doesn’t exactly hold back her feelings on that matter.”
“Or any other matter,” he murmured.
I chuckled against his chest. “I like that about her. How else would I have known that we need to do better at helping the people of Sabana and farming towns all over Atlantis? Just because they don’t reside in the capital doesn’t mean their voices shouldn’t be heard.”
“It’s a very wise and diplomatic perspective. I’m proud of you for voicing it. If you become an advocate for our people, they will love you all the more.”
The sounds of the breaking dawn fluttered through the open window—birds chirping, the low bustle of workers laboring in a distant field. It was quite a contrast from the sounds of the capital, the sounds that awaited me as soon as I left the safety of Draevyn’s arms. I snuggled closer to him.
“I’m also glad you got a chance to meet my parents and that they got an opportunity to get to know the real you. I needed them to see the source of my happiness for themselves. My parents are very fond of you.”
I groaned. “I don’t know about that.”
He turned fully toward me. “My father?”
I nodded.
“Believe it or not, that’s about as joyful as Zoriato Eliron gets. Trust me. He likes you. It may take a while for him to come around to the idea of us bonding, but if Atabey gives us her blessing, there’s not much anyone can say about it.” He pulled me to him, his hard length pressing into my stomach. “So, let them talk. I truly don’t care.”
The tips of my fingers brushed against his chest. “And you…you’re sure about this? You’re okay being bonded to a Queen?”
He cupped my cheek. “Yes, Asherah. I’m more than okay. This feeling goes beyond what you might know of love in the Above World. Our kind, when we feel something for another, it’s primal. A calling. It pulls deep within us. That’s what lets us know our soul has a partner, someone to walk this life with. And I’m not talking about completing you. You do that all on your own without any help from me. The purpose of a mate is to complement each other wholly, as partners in this long life.” He placed a flattened palm between my breasts. “Is the weird tingling sensation beginning to get stronger by the day?”
“It is,” I breathed.
“And do you feel a certain restlessness when I’m away?”
“Yes,” I admitted.
His eyes searched mine. “That’s the bond, nanichi . And the way to fully enact it is to attend the bonding ceremony—to attend Guake’te—where before Atabey, our bond is affirmed by the Bohiti. That bond is sacred. And I choose that with you.”
The tears welled in my eyes. “I choose it with you too. Thank you…for choosing me.” I shrugged as a tiny smirk lifted my lips. “Even if you’re a little overbearing during our training.”
He smacked my backside playfully. “That, my dear, will never change.”
And while the rest of the world waited for us beyond the blissful confines of Draevyn’s childhood bedroom, he made love to me—long and slow, his body expressing exactly how he felt.