by A. C. James
“Cyn!”
Her vision cleared. Disoriented, she whirled around, panicked another fan (or worse, an obsessed pycho) was about to pounce on her. But it was only Nathan grinning as he waited in the long queue.
The tension released from her shoulders. “Hey, come on,” she said, waving her clutch. “I’ve got an extra pass for you.”
Nathan left the queue and jogged over to Cyn, wrapping her in a massive bear hug. “It’s so good to see you.”
Her nose squished against the scratchy material of his shirt. He had a familiar smell of nice cologne and a faint hint of fast-food grease. A lump formed in Cyn’s throat at the realization that of course, Nathan didn’t smell like Fallon.
“It’s good to get out,” Cyn said, her voice muffled against his chest.
“Anything for you...”
Cyn chose to ignore him, and moved away from his tight grip. She opened her clutch and pulled out the passes. “Here, take these. I don’t think I’ll be coming back here.”
“Why not?” Nathan furrowed his brow as they walked toward the entrance, while everyone in line threw them murderous glares. “We haven’t even been inside yet.”
“No reason,” she muttered, reaching up to pat her hair. Her curls were still loosely held in place with oversized bobby pins. Even though she looked fabulous, she couldn’t shake her feeling of unease. “I’m not myself tonight.”
Nathan laughed. “Are you ever?”
Cyn rolled her eyes at his joke. They joined a small queue to go through metal detectors before they strode into the club. Everything was matte black—the walls, the floor, the decorations. There were black suede booths with chrome accents, and a dim purple glow emanated from the baseboards. Looking up, Cyn saw a black sculpture hung by invisible wire from the ceiling, creating kind of a pop-out effect if you moved around it too closely. She shook her head, feeling dizzy. She’d downed a few shots at home before she left—if she was being honest, she found herself doing that more days than was typical for her. Cyn hadn’t really been a big drinker, but the loneliness was getting to be too bloody much. The rhythm of life was so different than the Realm.
“This is posh,” Cyn said.
As usual, he was staring at her in clear adoration. “Right, right.”
“Let’s get a drink,” she said, walking over to the bar.
The bartender informed her that she and Nathan were being given a VIP booth, on the house, with a few bottles of Stoli and some mixer. Cyn was delighted, albeit slightly embarrassed. She’d always enjoyed her fame, and a year ago this would have absolutely thrilled her. Even though Felicity and Nathan teased her about it, she had enjoyed the attention that came with her career. Cyn loved the club scene, but now it seemed loud and strange. She felt like a foreigner in a strange land.
They settled into a booth and Cyn mixed a drink with Stoli and cranberry juice, adding in a lime slice. She handed it to Nathan and then poured one for herself, knocking half of it back at once. Nathan took his and sipped, gingerly.
“Wow,” he said, pulling a face. He set the glass back on the table. “This is strong, Cyn.”
Alchemy was filling up, and people were starting to dance.
Cyn yelled over the music and downed the rest of her drink. “I made yours with a double shot. You won’t notice the second one as much. I’ll be sure to pour a single.”
“Right.” Nathan screwed up his eyes and chugged his whole cocktail.
She sighed, and fixed herself a refill. “Uhmmm, you may not want to do that. D’you want me to carry you all the bloody way home?”
Nathan laughed, his cheeks already pinking with a tell-tale flush. “No, no. I’ll be fine, love.”
“Okay,” Cyn said, sipping at her second vodka cranberry. “Just watch yourself. I don’t think I could lug you home. I’d ruin my shoes.”
“We couldn’t have that, could we?” Nathan asked. His eyes dipped to her cleavage.
A twinge of anxiety shot through her at his blatant and unwanted attention. If I just ignore him, it’ll probably go away.
“Definitely not,” she said, her voice mock-serious.
The familiar-yet-remixed strains of one of her favourite songs blared from the speakers.
“Let’s dance!” Cyn squealed, squirming out of the booth and onto the floor. Nathan hesitated, but it might be good for him to burn off some of the alcohol.
“Oh, I dunno,” he said.
She laughed. Nathan always stalled getting on the dance floor when Felicity was with them, but he had no need. He really could move quite well. “It always takes you a drink or two to loosen up. You’ll be fine. C’mon, finish your drink. Liquid courage, mate.”
Nathan grinned and tossed back the rest of his drink. “Well, you know I can never say no to you.”
He was a little wobbly as he stood. His fingers brushed against hers as he moved to follow her. Cyn wasn’t sure if it was deliberate, but Nathan was harmless. Why couldn’t she shake the anxiety gripping her stomach?
She led the way out onto the floor. “Indeed.”
Lights flashed and pulsated. The very walls of the club seemed to move. Cyn examined the sculpture above them again. They illuminated it with different colours, pulsing in time with the beat of the music. She was lightheaded from the vodka, but it was good to be out, doing something. It was so nice not to be wallowing at home with the telly.
Cyn made sure to keep a few inches away from Nathan as she danced, but he edged closer and closer. When she took a small step back, he’d take one more forward. Her jaw clenched. She closed her eyes, twisting her arms over her head and moving her body around to the beat. Cyn lost herself in the music. She twirled and spun and twisted until she was hot and sweaty. The fans blowing through the club made her damp skin deliciously chilled. She shivered. Across from them was another couple dancing, and once Cyn spotted them, she was unable to take her eyes away. They were both dressed fairly plainly, but they were obviously together and very much in love. The man reached up and brushed the hair away from his girlfriend’s face. He smiled and whispered something Cyn couldn’t hear in the loud, pulsing club. His girlfriend grinned and pulled his face down for a kiss. Cyn missed Fallon more with every passing second.
She spotted Nathan grooving away with his eyes closed.
Cyn tapped him on the shoulder, leaned forward and cupped a hand around his ear. “I’m going out for a fag!” She mimed smoking a cigarette.
Outside, the air was fresh and damp. Her ears buzzed. The thumping of the music pulsed around her. There were only a few people outside now, and they were huddled in small groups, peering over their mobiles or cigarettes. Cyn took a deep breath, filling her lungs until her chest hurt. She loved dancing, but something about the club was really claustrophobic. I’m losing my bloody mind. She dug through her clutch for a cigarette and her lighter. Her fingers briefly made contact with something smooth and cool to the touch. Fallon popped into her mind, smiling and beckoning to her. Cyn could almost sense his presence. The image faded as soon as she took her hand off of the communication portal.
“There you are...” Nathan’s watery voice cut through Cyn’s reverie. She looked over to see him tottering toward her with limp arms and droopy eyes.
“’Ello,” she said, stepping back against the wall. “I’ll be right in, Nathan.”
He stepped closer. “I had to come find you.”
Fear shot through her. She was used to flirtatious comments, but he’d never really made a move on her. He was obviously drunk. Before he could make an ass out of himself, she dropped her cigarette on the ground, twisting her shoe over it to butt it out.
She kept her voice as cheerful as possible, trying not to reveal how nervous she was around him now that he was intoxicated. “D’you want to go home?”
Nathan frowned, reaching out and resting a heavy arm on Cyn’s shoulder. “No...” he trailed off, blinking heavily.
“We should go in and I’ll get you some water.”
“N
o, I want to do this—” he slurred, and leaned forward, pressing his mouth against her lips.
She was momentarily stunned. Even though she’d sensed Nathan was going to do something stupid, he’d backed her against the wall with the way he leaned. Cyn hadn’t been kissed since Fallon. Nathan had always harboured feelings for her, but he’d never been this bold. His lips didn’t feel bad, exactly. But they were vodka-scented and moist. And they weren’t Fallon’s. Cyn pulled away as quickly as she could.
“No, Nathan,” she said in a firm voice, stepping to the side. “You know you’re like a brother to me. This isn’t going to happen between us. Let’s get you home.”
Nathan slumped against the wall, mumbling and making vague slurping noises in his mouth. Keeping one cautious eye on him, Cyn pulled out her mobile and texted for an Uber. In a few minutes, a small auto pulled up in front of them. Cyn leaned in and gave the driver Nathan’s address. Then she wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders and hauled him over to the car. The driver looked suspicious, but after giving Cyn a long look he pulled away with Nathan lolling in the backseat.
“Bloody hell,” Cyn muttered, rolling her eyes.
She hoped once he sobered up he’d either forget what happened or at least pretend he had alcohol amnesia, for fuck’s sake. Cyn rubbed her hands over her arms, hugging herself. This wasn’t how she’d wanted the night to end.
Chapter Five
She must be dreaming. Though she knows none of it could be real, Cyn didn’t want to wake. If it were real then he couldn’t miss her or want her the way he does now. His forgiveness as he whispers against her ear makes her breath catch in her throat, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.
“I’ve missed you, love,” Fallon murmurs hungrily, and his eyes take in Cyn’s voluptuous curves.
She blushes, her body instantly responding to him. She couldn’t say whether it’s his look, the way he stares at her with desire, or his slightly musky smell, but being around Fallon drives her wild. It makes her forget everything else. And it has been much, much too long.
“I’ve missed you, too,” Cyn breathes. She looks into his eyes and smiles. It’s the first one not filled with sadness. “I’m so sorry I left. I can’t be without you, I need to be here. I know that now. And I’ve been so scared, so stupid—”
Fallon holds up a hand, shushing her guilty admission. His face is overcome with emotion. Suddenly, without speaking, Cyn knows he feels exactly the same way, and that he’s already forgiven her.
He steps closer to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against his frame. His hands slide up her back, and the warmth of his skin through her clothes is electrifying. Fallon cups two fingers under her chin and tilts her face up, staring into her eyes. Two tiny reflections of herself shimmer in his, and no one has ever made her feel as completely loved and desired as he does at that moment. He looks at her like she’s his entire universe, and she never wants it to stop. His love, his passion and desire for her are all-consuming—like a wildfire sweeping across a forest, devouring everything.
“You never left. You’ve always been mine.”
Cyn swallows hard. “Fallon...”
She’s his mate and nothing in this Realm or the world beyond the veil can break their bond. She bites her bottom lip and leans forward, kissing him with every ounce of bottled up hunger from being separated from him for so long. His lips are so good, so right. They’re warm and dry, and he smells absolutely delicious. Musky and almost animalistic, like he always does. She moans softly, opening to his kiss. His tongue flicks and caresses the delicate flesh of her mouth.
Fallon’s grip around her tightens, which sends tingles across her skin. She is braless, and the friction of her nipples rubbing against the inside of her shirt is deliciously painful. With ease, Fallon reaches down and picks her up, not breaking their kiss. She feels herself being lifted higher and higher. Fallon sucks at her lower lip. Cyn quivers and gasps, pulling him close. His cock presses against her through his leggings sending a spasm of pleasure up her body.
Cyn breaks the kiss, sitting up and greedily drinking in his body. He meets her gaze as he crosses his arms over his stomach, reaches up and pulls off his tunic. Cyn is taken again, as always, by his taut golden-brown skin and rock-hard abs. A flush creeps from her neck to the roots of her hair when she realizes he is all hers...forever. Cyn pulls him down to the bed, trailing her hands over Fallon’s smooth chest.
He sighs in pleasure and leans back, nestling his head in the soft pillows. “I’ve missed the way you touch me, love.”
Cyn pauses at his admission, feeling almost shy. Her hands catch on his leggings and gently tug them down, freeing his erection. Although she’s used to how big he is, the sight never fails to elicit a pang of lust. Slowly, she leans down, licking the head of his cock with soft, deliberate strokes. Fallon groans and arches his back, thrilling her. She loves the sense of power she has when bringing him pleasure. Something about it makes her feel incredibly confident. She takes a few inches of him into her mouth, licking and sucking, moving her lips down his velvety shaft.
He groans with a powerful spasm that echoes through her body. Cyn wraps a hand around the base of his erection and pumps up and down in time with the pull of her lips. His cock is so fat her fist can’t span the base, but he’s moaning and thrashing around on the bed anyway. Cyn gently releases him, pulling away and wiping the back of her mouth.
She reaches down and unlaces the bodice of her dress, sliding it down her curves and wiggling out of it. Clad only in black panties, she inches toward Fallon, wrapping her legs around one of his.
“You’re so beautiful I can’t stand it.” He twines a hand in her hair and crushes her head close, kissing her fiercely.
Cyn is aware of the throbbing between her legs. As she closes her eyes, his fingers slip down her body. They caress her breasts, gently tickling the undersides and circling her nipples, making her squirm.
Fallon chuckles deep in his throat and pinches her nipples. The warmth in her lower belly spreads through her limbs. Cyn pants and writhes on the bed, giving herself over to him. He lowers his head to one of her breasts, kissing and licking all over, sucking at one nipple gently while his fingers cruelly pinch the other. The dual sensation is almost too much to bear. Wetness seeps between her legs, and she moans, her fingers tugging at luxurious handfuls of Fallon’s hair.
His tongue laps its way down her body, swirling over her stomach. With anyone else she would be self-conscious, but he showers her with such overwhelming desire and admiration that her curves become a thing of beauty. She embraced who she was and always had, but no one ever accepted every part of her the way Fallon did. When she’s in his arms she knows what it means to be complete.
Cyn squirms, but Fallon pins her firmly on the bed. He continues to lick at her skin, finally plunging his face into the damp fabric of her panties. He inhales her scent deeply, and Cyn shivers. With one strong hand, Fallon pulls her panties down and spreads her legs. He nuzzles at her pale inner thighs, taking in her scent again, and tracing the crease between her thigh and her body delicately with his tongue. Cyn moans, feeling hot all over. Her heart is thudding, her head is spinning, and the only thing she’s aware of is him. His fingers trace patterns from her knees to the inside of her thighs, sliding closer and closer to her sex. She gasps.
Fallon strokes her gently, pulling her lips apart and stroking the side of her clit with his thumb. The amazing sensation makes her whole body tense up, and she moans loudly. Her voice echoes in the cavernous chamber. Fallon slips a finger inside of her and strokes against the front wall of her channel and Cyn gasps at the sudden, pleasurable sensation. Fallon adds two more fingers and begins to thrust in and out. He leans down to flick her engorged clit with his tongue.
She belongs to him body and soul. There is no denying this man. Her body is vibrating with pleasure, and she lets out a full-throated moan. Unconsciously, she grinds against his face, desperate for more. She whin
es and begs for him to touch her clit again, her voice close to hysterics as he refuses.
“Tell me you will never leave again.” His voice is throaty.
Tears shimmer in her eyes both from his desperate need, and from everything she put him through. She always thought she might lose herself entirely if she let herself fall for someone, but in truth she isn’t complete without him in her life. She knows it now.
“I’ll never leave again.”
One by one, Fallon slides his fingers out of her and moves away from her most sensitive area. He licks at her thighs and belly, crawling up her body. Cyn pushes him onto his back and climbs on top of him, teasing his erection with her soaked labia. Looking down into his eyes, she sees nothing but desire and a love so powerful it shakes her to the core.
Fallon grips her hips and pulls her down, impaling her on his massive cock. Cyn cries out as he penetrates her. She’s so lubricated that he slides in with ease, and she stretches to accommodate his girth. Slowly, she begins to rock, undulating her body. Her eyes lock with Fallon’s, and the gaze adds an extra dimension to their already explosive intimacy. He reaches up and laces his fingers through her hands, balancing Cyn so she’s sitting straight up on his cock. Every time she moves, bliss radiates through her body. Beneath her, Fallon bucks upward and plunges inside of her as deeply as he can.
“Oh, god,” she groans, panting.
Cyn arches her back, moaning. Her wetness coats Fallon’s cock, creating a slick, irresistible friction. She rides him hard, leaning forward and bracing herself against the bed as she grinds herself on Fallon in abandon. A hot rush builds. She holds her breath, moving her hips faster and faster. Fallon moans and wraps his arms around her, pulling her close and straining with all his might. She can’t fight it anymore—every muscle releases, an orgasm soaring through her. Cyn screams, and Fallon grips her tightly as his hot seed jets inside of her. His own release sends her higher.
