“Good.” The response is automatic. “Weird. Amazing. My head is buzzy.”
“Being tied up can do that.”
Aeric moves his arm across my chest so that I’m nearly welded to him. I wouldn’t have it any other way. “I liked it. Will we do that every time?”
Another kiss to the side of my neck, and I arch into it. Even that simple movement, and I can feel him hardening behind me. We’re definitely not finished. “Not every time,” he says. “I don’t need cuffs or rope to restrain you. Not when I have magic. And my hands work just fine.”
I remember the way he gripped my arms that night in the Crystal Court. That was just as effective as the cuffs—which are still wrapped around my wrists and ankles—and I don’t have any doubt that he’ll do it again.
“I like feeling you,” I say. I don’t need to clarify that I’m talking about the mating bond. He knows.
“Mmm. I like it too. I like knowing exactly what makes you shiver.”
A breathy laugh escapes me. “I think you’ve done a pretty good job figuring that out already.”
Aeric slips inside me from behind, the tightness of this position making me gasp. I feel fuller here, almost more taken than I did before. “I think I can do better,” he says, dragging his lips along the line of my shoulder. “Like I said before: I’ve got all night, and I intend to use it to learn exactly how my mate likes to be fucked.” He punctuates that word with a deep thrust, and I’m no longer capable of speech.
With his arms locked around me and my legs tangled with his, I do what he’s been asking for, and let go completely. Even more than when I was bound in rope. Now I’m bound by him, and I yield.
I surrender.
My mate wants to learn every part of me, and I’m going to let him.
CHAPTER SIX
________
AERIC
“We have to tell her,” Kent says.
I’m looking up at the ceiling, and away from this morning’s ‘offering.’ Fingers. I felt it when they hit the wards—so hard that it roused me from sleep. There are five, one for each of us with our name grotesquely carved into it. Brae currently has them wrapped in magic in case there’s a curse that accompanies them. Seeing if there’s anything we can glean before destroying them completely.
It’s the same as the last three days. Threats and more threats. Since Kari’s new mate—Kiaran—appeared with that message.
“What is telling her going to do except for upset her?” Verys asks. “This distraction plan is working.”
Kent sighs and looks at me. He’s right. I can feel Kari, still peacefully sleeping upstairs, content. I’m just as loath to upset, but she deserves to know. “As much as I’m enjoying the job of distracting her,” I say, “Kent is right. We just got over her not telling us something because she was concerned with our reaction. It’s stupid of us to turn around and do the same thing. And she’s going to figure it out. There’s a reason that I’ve had to keep distracting her. You think she hasn’t noticed that we’re hiding something?”
“None of these are from the same fae,” Brae says.
My stomach rolls. Last night it was the carcass of a fae beast, so destroyed that it was nearly unrecognizable. There were smaller animals too—birds like the ones that attacked us, with bloody names. The night after Kari and I mated I woke up in a panic, feeling like the wards were being attacked from all sides. It was that mist that Ariana sent after us, battering against the defenses.
She’s sending messages that her threats are real and that we should not ignore them. Not that we would, but it’s disconcerting. So far though, there’s no sign of her anywhere else. Nowhere we’ve checked has there been any trace. Not even at the meeting place that she’s chosen.
But these gifts are escalating.
I watch as Brae incinerates the fingers with pure, raw flame contained within his magical boundary. So hot that there’s nothing left. If Ariana cut the fingers from five fae today, we might be getting more pieces of them tomorrow. “She needs to know,” I say again. “There’s only so many times I’m going to be able to get her to ignore her instincts. Kari is frustrated, and she doesn’t know what to do about it.”
Kent smirks. “Good thing she has you.”
I roll my eyes.
Verys clears his throat. “We’re going to Manhattan right now to check on Kari’s friends, and around the areas we were before, just to see if there’s anything.”
“If there isn’t anything there, maybe one of her friends could be another distraction,” Urien says.
That could be good, but not as a distraction. “It might help her feel more at ease, but I still think we need to tell her about this.”
Kent nods. “Later today. After we get back from New York.”
There’s an uncomfortable silence before we split up. I get why they don’t want to tell her. We’re all uncomfortable with Kari’s pain. Especially me, since now I’ll be able to feel it. But I promised Kari that I would try. And that means doing things that might make me uncomfortable.
“Thanks,” Kent says, falling into step with me as I walk over to the breakfast table. “For backing me up.”
“You’re right,” I say. “For once.”
He crosses his arms. “Don’t give me too much credit, or I’ll start not to recognize you.”
I laugh, grabbing an apple from the table and biting into it. “Don’t get used to it.”
“I won’t. But I can still kick your ass.”
“You can try.” Now that Kent has his head out of his ass, I really like him. And it’s not lost on me that I acted almost the same as he did the other day. Fuck, I can’t believe I’m actually comparing myself to a human. But we have more in common than I thought that we did, and the way he’s been challenging me in training has had me more on my game than I’ve been in decades.
Kent clears his throat. “Can I ask you something?”
I raise an eyebrow. “Sure.”
“What’s it like?” He hesitates. “Mating.”
“I’m not going to give you the details of how we did the ritual. Ask Kari for that.”
He rolls his eyes. “Not that. The actual connection. I’m not sure that I’m ever going to get it, and so far you’re the only one who’s experiencing it. I’m just wondering what it’s like.”
He’s not making a joke or fun of me and Kari. If anything, Kent desires this bond with Kari the most out of all of us, and there’s no guarantee he’ll ever have it. I know Brae wants to find a way, and I check the surge of possessiveness that floods my system at the thought. But it’s getting better.
Through that bond, I reach out towards Kari. Feeling her asleep is even stranger than feeling her when she’s awake. The emotions are muted, but it’s almost as if I can sense her dreams. But I also feel her sense of safety. Her subconscious is letting her relax because she knows that we’re here and we’ll do anything to protect her. She doesn’t need to know that we’ve taken to sleeping in shifts so that there’s someone always alert, and if she knew she wouldn’t be surprised.
Kent is still looking at me expectantly.
I lean against the back of one of our couches, and search for the words to describe it. The way our souls merged together so that she’s literally a part of me. “It’s hard to describe,” I tell him. “I can feel her right now, muted, dreaming. When she’s awake…it’s just like experiencing your own emotions. But these are quieter, and they feel like her.”
“It sounds strange,” Kent says. “I want that, but I can’t imagine it.”
I take a bite of the apple, and look at him before speaking again. “I’ve known about mating bonds forever. You learn about them early here. But even knowing what they are and what they’re meant to do, I never would have been able to paint this picture. But now that I’ve felt it, it’s as natural as breathing.”
The look on his face isn’t one I’m used to seeing on Kent. It’s concerned and almost sad. Another similarity between Kent and I…we alw
ays show confidence to a fault.
“We’re going to try,” I tell him.
“I didn’t say anything.”
I smile before taking a final bite of apple. “You didn’t have to.”
Kent raises an eyebrow before heading to the door. “Just for that I’m going to kick your ass next time we spar.”
“You’re perfectly welcome to try.” I call after him.
He turns before he disappears. “If it’s all clear, should we bring one of Kari’s friend’s back?”
I shrug. “I think it’s a good idea. Since she’s become fixated on Kari, Ariana hasn’t harmed any other humans that we know of, and she seems more fixated on us than anything else. And even slightly misguided Urien is right. Kari needs someone else to talk to besides the five of us.”
“Yeah,” he says. “That was my thought. We’ll keep you posted.”
“Good luck.”
Kent pretty much always goes on any runs to New York. Even though he doesn’t work for their police force anymore, he knows the city and if anything were to happen he’d have more leverage than we would. Once fae began committing crimes, they constructed cells lined with ash that would keep us in check. The last thing we need is to end up in one right now. But I’m not expecting them to encounter anything on this trip.
Ariana has an agenda, and it’s moved beyond the human world. What Kiaran told Kari is disturbing, even if it can’t be completely trusted. She’s making her moves, and my instinct tells me she’s finished in the human world. For now.
Quickly, I sprint back up the stairs to my room, where Kari is still sleeping. The sight of her sprawled across my bed and tangled in the blankets sweeps warmth through me. Her red hair looks like a flame, curling wildly and flung in every direction.
I fucked her into exhaustion last night, and there’s no one to chastise me for the pride I feel about that. Careful and quiet, I grab my sword and knives. She hasn’t showed any sign of waking. I might as well train if I’m going to be on guard anyway.
But I can’t stop myself from leaning down and pressing a kiss to her temple, feeling the bond solidify with our proximity. She smells like sweetness and sex—the perfect combination. I whisper the words “I love you,” into her hair. She doesn’t stir, but she doesn’t have to. She’ll understand the words anyway.
CHAPTER SEVEN
________
KARI
I can tell that it’s well past midday when I wake up. The same way that I’ve woken up the last three days, because my newly sealed mate is determined to pleasure me into absolute exhaustion.
My body feels like it’s run a marathon, and in a way it has. Aeric took me in every way possible last night. Every night since we sealed that bond. The tantalizing magic and the newness of being able to feel driving us back into each other’s arms more than I expected we could. Until the bright begins to touch the sky, the candles that Aeric prefers burning low in pools of shimmering wax, and we fall asleep tangled in each other.
Now, though, I find myself alone in Aeric’s bed. I’m completely naked, and the cuffs he used to bind me to the four posts of his bed are gone from my wrists and ankles, though I fell asleep with them on.
Goddess, I feel like I could sleep for a week. It’s that exquisite exhaustion that comes from too much sex. If there is such a thing. Slowly, I stretch, feeling the soreness and tight spots. But I honestly don’t want to get out of this bed.
To their unending credit, not one of the other guys has complained about the amount of time I’ve spent in Aeric’s bed. In fact, I’ve seen them almost laughing about it. Sharing amused looks whenever Aeric hauls me into his lap during a meal or when he carried me like a caveman to this room last night. The fact that they manage to handle whatever jealousy they might have is still a miracle to me. I’m not sure that I would handle the same situation as well.
Plus, they’ll all get their turn.
One good thing about this is that I’ve been distracted from Ariana. Part of it, I know is intentional. Every time I start to worry, or they leave to go scout for traces of Ariana’s magic, or they share a look that makes me wonder if they’re hiding something, I end up glowing with magic and being driven mad by Aeric’s ferocious intensity.
But just like it has when I start to think about it, the frustration comes back. I’m sick of waiting. I need to act, and every day that goes by makes the itch under my skin worse. I don’t know if that’s coming from my lack of power, our lack of knowledge, or if I’m being pushed to fucking do something.
So far there’s been no sign of Ariana, but she’s there in the back of my mind. Why did she want to wait? She never does anything without a reason. That friction and frustration is building in me. As much as I love the sex and the pleasure, I hate just waiting.
Something has to give. Which might be part of her plan too. Driving me crazy so that by the time the meeting comes around I’m more pliable. I definitely wouldn’t put it past her. I put nothing past her.
The door opens, and Aeric slips in, full dressed. He has a glass of water and a plate of food. And what looks like a robe draped over his arm. He smiles. “I felt you wake up.”
“I might be going back to sleep.”
His smirk deepens as he passes me the glass of water. “I would consider it a victory if you did, but you can’t.”
The water is so good. Fuck, I didn’t realize how thirsty I was. Marathon sex requires hydration. “Why to both of those statements?”
Aeric puts the plate—which I can see now is fruit and waffles—on the bedside table and stretches out beside me. His hand lands naturally on the curve of my waist, and I love this. The connection has pulled us closer and is allowing us to be…easy. Natural in a way that we hadn’t yet achieved.
“First,” Aeric says. “Knowing that I fucked my mate hard enough that she can’t get out of bed would be a point of pride. And second, you can’t go back to sleep because you have a visitor. I mean you could, but I think that might be rude.”
“A visitor?” I can’t imagine who could possibly be visiting me, except for people we don’t want to visit. “Am I going to like this visitor?”
“Okay.” I push myself into a sitting position, holding steady for a moment. “I need to take a bath. And maybe some clothes since you keep shredded my underwear.” Just like I thought I might have to, I need to send a message to Kaya about more.
Aeric stands and holds up the robe—one of my favorites. “I did warn you about the underwear, and I honestly don’t think that she’ll care that much if you have a bath.”
My eyebrows rise into my hair. “She?”
He smiles again as he helps me into the sleeves. “Yes. Kent and Brae went to New York this morning to check on Emma and Odette. As far as Brae can tell, Ariana or anyone connected to her hasn’t been there since the fire. Nothing remotely close to your friends.” He presses a gentle kiss to my lips. “You’ve been anxious, and they thought you might feel better if you talked to someone who wasn’t the five of us.”
My whole mood brightens. “Emma is here?”
Aeric nods, smiling.
I move too quickly and I stumble before catching myself. Goddess, I really didn’t know that it was possible to have trouble walking after sex, but these past few days have proven that it’s very possible. I feel like my legs might give out. And I intentionally ignore Aeric’s chuckle behind me, because he notices. I can feel the primal male satisfaction streaming through our bond, and I send back the emotional equivalent of the middle finger.
That only makes him laugh harder.
Heading down the stairs, my entire mood lifts. I’m not sure which of the guys thought I needed a friend—or if it was all of them—but the thought of just relaxing and talking someone is relieving. I turn the corner into the living room, and Emma is sitting on one of the couches across from Kent and Brae. Her face lights up when she sees me. “Hi.”
I’m across the space to her in seconds, reaching out and pulling Emma into a hug th
at she returns even harder. We’ve always had hug competitions—who can nearly crush the other. Today she almost wins. “I’m so happy to see you,” I say, but the truth is laced with anxiety, and I look back at the men. “But is it safe that she’s here?”
Brae nods. “We took precautions, and warded Emma’s apartment as solidly as the mansion. We’re not hiding now. They know where we are. But there was nothing within a mile of her.”
“Okay.” I won’t lie, having her here is perfect. I little tightness in my chest that I’d never noticed eases. “Who’s idea was it?” I ask them.
“All of us,” Brae says immediately. It’s a lie that I let slide.
I look back over at my friend. “Should I give you the grand tour?”
Emma grins. “Hell yes. Given that this room is like three times the size of my actual apartment.”
Kent gestures. “We’ll give you two some time to catch up.” He and Brae quietly disappear, leaving the two of us alone, and as soon as they’re gone I hug Emma again.
“It really is good to see you.”
“You too! Though I think I maybe could have come at a better time.”
“Why?”
She gives me a look. “Have you looked in a mirror, Kari? I’m not sure there’s ever been a clearer example of ‘freshly fucked’ than you right now.”
I roll my eyes. “I told Aeric I wanted to bathe first and he convinced me not to.”
“I don’t care, but girl you must have gotten it good last night.” She laughs when I blush all the way to my hairline. “I’m going to need you to tell me everything though.”
“Emma.”
“Kari,” she responds, eyes lit up with amusement. “Odette wanted to come, by the way. But she’s in the middle of full-length rehearsals for Swan Lake.”
“Damn,” I say. Those are some of the most intense rehearsals. That role is difficult and demanding, and as sure as I am that Odette will absolutely be amazing, I’m not surprised that she doesn’t have the time to spare. “Give her my love.”
Shameless: A Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance (The Carnal Court Book 3) Page 6
