Now, his eyes blazing with need and his body as hard as steel, his resolve to complete the mating washed over her.
“Are you ready to be mine forever?” he asked her, but the deep-seated knowledge was there in his eyes. He didn’t doubt it. He was biding his time as he positioned himself over her.
The length of his shaft nestled between her pussy lips, making her moan again. How could she be ready for another one after the first orgasm had all but taken her out?
She tipped her hips, pressing herself more firmly against him. The slide of hot and hard against her softness sent a new wave of sensation into her and her muscles pulsing around nothing. “I need you, Zenon. Please,” she begged.
A muscle in his jaw jumped, and he sucked in a breath. Reaching between them, he positioned his cock at her entrance. Eyes locked with his, she held her breath.
“Open yourself to me, mate. Give me your soul and take mine into your keeping.”
“I don’t know how,” she said.
“I reside inside your mind, now let me have the rest of you. Let me invade every space inside you until you can no longer exist without my soul’s touch.”
Though the words shouldn’t have made sense, the essence of him—of who he was—expanded inside her. Like an addict seeking a fix, she grabbed hold of him and filled herself with him.
“Mate,” he whispered in a garbled tone. With a deep moan, he pressed forward, burying his cock inside her as deep as it could go.
Pleasure, more than physical, exploded within her spirit. Bracing himself with his forearms on the bed on either side of her head, he pulled most of the way out before finding his way home inside her again.
“Now, take what is yours. Fill every part of me. Join your soul to mine.”
Finding their mental link wide open, she didn’t hesitate, pouring her entire being, heart and soul, into him. She found the dark places he tried to hide and infused them with her light. His cock jerked inside her, and he moaned again.
More frenzied, he pulled back and drove into her, harder than before, making her whole body bump up on the mattress, then down again when he retreated, only to do it again with his next thrust.
Every stroke inside her had her pussy clenching around his shaft and pleasure rushing through her. The hard planes of his chest sent sweet jolts from her nipples into her body, adding to the sensual attack.
He brought his lips to hers, stealing her breath with his kiss. His tongue delved into her mouth, capturing every part of her.
“When our bodies find their releases, and my phoenix touches both of our souls, you will be mine forever,” Zenon said into her mind, his voice deep and velvety.
“Yes, I’m ready,” she said, needing to assure him, even though he hadn’t posed the question.
He snapped his hips back, then drove inside her again. Her moan was lost in his kiss. She gripped him tighter with her hips as her nails dug into his shoulders. Her pussy throbbed, and the muscles quivered at his invasion. With every deep thrust, his body pressed and stroked her clit.
“Please, please, please,” she begged, unable to do anything else.
He broke their kiss with a groan and locked his gaze to hers once more.
“You,” he said, driving himself into her, making her breath catch in her throat as the pleasure crested and her whole body readied for the fall over the precipice.
“Are.” The warbled sound of the phoenix rumbled from his throat. Bright swirls and patterns emerged on his skin like living fire that did not burn. The captivating display amped her need as the phoenix showed itself in their lovemaking.
“Mine,” he growled as he plunged deep inside her once more, throwing her over the edge as he body clamped and released around his cock, the rhythmic squeezing bringing her more ecstasy than she’d ever experienced. Her whole body shivered and shook as sensation rushed over and through her.
Zenon grunted, his cock jerking as he came inside her, making her irrevocably his.
She could hardly breathe as their combined pleasure overwhelmed her.
On her own skin, a paler version of his phoenix markings emerged. Heat unlike anything any human could withstand filled her. The bruised band around her ribs ached for a moment before a tingling sensation replaced the hurt. She didn’t have to look down to know that the phoenix had healed her wounds, as slight as they had been.
***
Zenon lay there, Nickie sweetly nestled in his arms. He hadn’t known exactly how the mating would affect her, but between the physical act itself and the transcendent state they’d both experienced with their releases, he wasn’t surprised that she’d fallen fast asleep.
The mattress they lay upon was unlike anything he’d ever known. The material—memory foam, as he’d gathered from Nickie—molded itself to his body, cradling him in softness. But as wonderful as it was, his woman against him was better.
Up until their full mating, her mortality had been bound to his. Now that they were joined as one, her immortality was. He dared not think of the day when her life would be snuffed out or the ensuing panic he was sure to suffer in those moments, but she would come back to him. No matter how great their enemy, she would not fall. His phoenix resided within her, guaranteeing it. Only when the Goddesses saw fit to bring them home would either of them leave this world behind.
He skimmed the pads of his fingers along the newly healed skin at the base of her ribs, shoving the caustic guilt eating at him to the back of his mind. Nickie had absolved him, but it would be a long time before he forgave himself for harming her, regardless of the circumstances surrounding it. He should have known better than to think he could hide that guilt when they joined. As soon as her soul reached him, every single emotion, every thought, and every fear were as transparent to her as hers were to him. It was the way it was meant to be between mates. Together, they were unbeatable.
It was no wonder that his parents had been so devoted to one another.
Nickie shifted in her sleep, nuzzling closer. With one leg over his and her body plastered against him, there was nowhere closer she could be, but still, she tried, making him smile wider.
He could hardly believe his own foolish notion of thinking he could deliver her to her friends and stay away from his mate. Even guarding her from a distance would have been impossible. Their bond had grown so great in the last twenty-four hours that she would have sensed his presence. And knowing the depths of her feelings for him, she would not have allowed the situation to stand.
Thankfully, his mate was as stubborn as she was beautiful. It would serve her well over the centuries.
“What are you smiling about, dimples?” she asked, her voice thick and sleepy as she tried to burrow closer.
He cracked his eyes open and peered down into the face of his angel. “I have many reasons, and each one begins with you.”
A rosy flush pinkened her cheeks. “I could easily say the same.”
He’d had a link into her soul before the mating, but now, it was as though it were a part of him, as well. All the goodness inside her surfaced within him. How could a world so ugly and so corrupt create an exquisite woman such as his mate?
“Not all is ugly and corrupt. There are plenty of bad people in this world, I’ll give you that, but there’s also so much good,” she said, proving that she was as deeply entrenched in him as he was in her before snuggling her cheek against his chest once more.
He’d seen the wickedness of humankind firsthand. Had suffered in misery for the avarice plaguing the earth. Though the culmination had come in the form of his confinement and collar in that wretched field, it had grown and built over centuries. He and his brothers had worried about the fate of humans long before their capture. They had not been wrong.
“For you, I wish it were different, my Nickie.”
An image, not a pleasant one, came to life in his mind, making his heart thud hard against his breast bone. Tall buildings of glass and steel loomed above. People stood around, some looking horrif
ied, others holding up cell phones and taking videos. Nickie stared up into Jasmine’s terrified face. He couldn’t hear what Jasmine was saying, but her lips moved as a tear slipped down her cheek.
Unbearable pain squeezed his chest in a vise so tight he could barely draw a breath. A burning tingle started in his toes and raced up his legs at the same time as the same happened to his fingers and arms. His heart wasn’t beating right. It hammered away for a few seconds, then stopped for a pause that was too long to be healthy before racing once more. Black spots danced before his eyes as his lungs burned for air.
Fear skittered through him, but it wasn’t his own. He’d survived death more often than any living creature, save his phoenix brethren. But never had he experienced the soul-deep terror ripping through Nickie in that moment. He’d had the certainty of knowing he would live once more. She had not.
He did not wish to see the painful memory Nickie had brought forth, but he refused to ignore it. Doing so would dishonor her and the obstacles she had overcome to become the woman she was.
After a moment, all went black, and he couldn’t see anything at all, but then, slowly, the image twinkled into light again. His lungs labored, and the panic inside him overwhelmed all reason as consciousness returned. Nickie stared at her friend, too afraid to blink in case her eyes would not open again.
Jas swiped the free-flowing tears from her cheeks and gave her a wobbly smile. Relief filled her shattered eyes, and he knew without a doubt that Jasmine had suffered the same fear as his mate had. A male dressed in a dark suit shoved his way through the crowd, looking down his too-narrow nose at the two women. His lips moved, saying something that obviously had angered Jasmine, because in the next instant, the feisty woman was on her feet and shoving the man away from Nickie until he threw up his hands and stormed away.
It didn’t matter what was said, only that Jasmine had been there for his mate when she’d been at her most vulnerable.
“I already knew she was important to you, my Nickie. I will protect her always. But that alone does not make the world a good place.”
“You’re right. It doesn’t.”
He expected her denial, but what he got was another image.
This time, Nickie stood in the low light of dusk. Nervousness bit at his consciousness, but tight in her grip, a flashlight bobbed on the rough terrain as she took her first uncertain steps into the forest. Glancing to the right, he spotted Jasmine, her own flashlight sweeping in a steady arc. Beyond her, the row of people continued.
“What were you seeking?” he asked.
“A little girl. Three years old. She’d wandered away from her parents’ campsite. They had put her in the tent for a nap, and when they went to check on her, she was gone.”
Joy spiked inside him, making him smile. “You found her.”
“Not me, personally, but one of the men in our group did. She was scared and cold, but she was otherwise fine,” Nickie said, pride heavy in her voice. “Close to a hundred people dropped what they were doing that day to help find one tiny, little girl. The family was on a road trip and had stopped for the night. No one knew them, but that didn’t matter. All that we cared about was getting her back to her parents safe and sound. When that man yelled that he’d found her and that she was okay, we all cried.”
Chapter 19
Beating Zenon over the head with examples of goodness wasn’t going to change his mind about the state of the world. He was correct in that there was a lot of evil out there. The news stories sensationalized them all the time, so it was right there and in everyone’s faces. But that wasn’t all there was by a long shot. Eventually, when he’d had some time to heal from his past, he’d see it, too.
With a goofy grin, she watched her mate play with the same eagle they’d seen the day before. It flew in an erratic pattern, at times trying to get away as Zenon gave chase, and at others, rushing the phoenix for all it was worth.
Streaks of pink and purple painted the evening sky. Although tomorrow promised to be another beautiful day, she couldn’t help being a little sad that they’d be leaving the campground. Hazel had kept her promise and had some shoes on the doorstep waiting for Zenon when they’d come out earlier in the day. He’d tried them on and they’d fit perfectly. She grinned as she remembered his faltering steps and concentrated frown as he tried to walk without the full use of his toes for balance.
“So majestic,” Hazel said from right next to her.
Nickie gasped, and her hand fluttered to her chest. “Yes, he is. We saw him when we arrived yesterday. I’d never been so close to an eagle before.”
“I meant your mate, child,” Hazel said.
“You can see him up there? We thought he was invisible when he was flying.”
Hazel nodded sadly. “Once upon a time, that may have been true. But just as spell casters have been able to hide mythical beasts from humans, they also have the ability to spot them if they know enough to look.”
Her heart thudded. This couldn’t be good. “But we made it all the way over here without being seen.”
“You were lucky. My best guess is that the spell casters had been weak, or the spells hadn’t had enough reinforcement. I can only assume that your mate flew at breakneck speeds to get you to safety. They could not focus enough energy in his exact location to spot him.”
She was right in that Zenon had flown hard and fast. What he was doing now was playing around. He wasn’t trying to get away from anything or anyone except the eagle.
Her breath caught in her throat. “You have to get out of the sky,” she sent out to Zenon, panic making her inner voice rise.
“Dark magic has not tainted the air here,” he said even as he changed course and returned to the cabin. He landed a few feet away, retaining his phoenix form.
The eagle came in more slowly, approaching them as though it had done so for all it’s life. It circled once then landed on the peak of their cottage, his too intelligent eyes catching everything.
“Come Clive, we’ll let your friend find some clothes. Then they can join us at the main house,” Hazel said, turning her back on them as she made her way down the beach. The eagle left its perch, following the witch.
The moment they were out of sight, Zenon shifted and took her into his arms. “Don’t worry, sweet angel. The witch was right. The area is heavily warded and protected. The enemy would not have seen me up there.”
“But they could. Once we leave here. We can’t take that chance. I want to go to the next location, but I won’t risk you to do it. Maybe we should just stay here.” It sounded silly even to her own ears.
Zenon pulled back a little, that slow grin that made her heart melt—and maybe her panties, too—brightening his face. “You want to stay in this little cabin forever?”
She shrugged and shook her head. Not really, but it would be better than him being in danger. “The idea has some merit. I’ve had quite a nice time here so far.”
His body stiffened, and she resisted the urge to wiggle against him to see how much harder she could make him. “I’m certain that wherever we decide to make our home, we will have many more nice times. We cannot hide forever. Besides, if we are here, then who will protect Jasmine?”
Nickie snorted. “You know, she’d have your balls in a sling if she heard you talk like that. Jasmine takes care of herself. Always. Except when I do, but that’s it. And even then, she won’t admit it.”
His face contorted as her words sank in. “Sounds painful.”
She giggled. “Not literally, of course, but she wouldn’t be impressed. So, I guess that means we go see Hazel?”
Zenon sighed. “I suppose we should. I would not wish for her to come looking for us should we get distracted inside the cabin.”
Rather than face temptation, she waited outside while Zenon got dressed. He came out wearing the same sweats and T-shirt, and the shoes Hazel had provided. Slung over his shoulders was her backpack. Already, his gait was more natural. Unless she looked for
it, she wouldn’t notice the way he rolled his feet, seeking balance.
“Shall we?” he asked, taking her hand.
She fell into step next to him, interlacing her fingers with his. “I guess we should.”
“Do not worry, my Nickie. I can feel it roiling inside you. We are mated. The effects of the spells will not be the same. The doubts and fears they used against us are useless to them now. You will see.”
“But what if they manage to find us?” They couldn’t be killed, but they could be captured—tortured like he had been for so long.
Mindless rage exploded from him, spilling into her, and she had to breathe through it to keep it from taking over.
“I will not allow them near you. Ever. I will kill anyone who dares try harming you.”
She lifted their joined hands to her lips and kissed his knuckles. Finding her love for him inside her, she sent it into him, soothing the fury scorching him from his core. “Let’s see what the witch has to say. We can figure out what we’ll do from there.”
Hazel greeted them before they reached the campsite store. “This way,” she said, rushing them off toward the other side of the building. Stepping quickly, she led them to a plain, wooden door near the back and ushered them inside to a narrow set of stairs.
When Nickie climbed the first step, her foot dropped, and she let out a startled gasp. The next was the same. Even though the stairs led up, her feet didn’t follow what was expected.
“My apologies,” Hazel said. With a flick of her wrist and the wave of her hand, the stairs disappeared entirely. “I should have warned you about that. I’m so used to it that I don’t even flinch at the illusion anymore.”
Instead of stairs, they now faced a windowless hallway. Even though there were no electric lights anywhere that she could see, the passage was as bright as day.
“Well, go on,” Hazel said. “We must hurry.”
They reached the end of the hall and turned right to follow the next. Once they arrived at the end of that one, they did the same and repeated the process one more time. If her math was correct, and she couldn’t see how it wasn’t, it should have taken them right back to where they’d started at the door. But instead, the hallway opened into a large living room.
Rising Darkness_Book One of a Phoenix Shifter Fantasy Romance Page 13
