by Amy Marie
I continued to massage his prostate as I bent down to take his cock in my mouth, but he let go of one of his legs and pushed my head away. “Too much. I’ll…I’ll come if you do that. Not yet,” he growled brokenly and breathless.
His confession made me want to torture him a little more, but I did as he asked, and instead, pulled my fingers out to add a third. I was thick and long, and he would need the extra time and effort.
“I need you in me,” Lorde declared, “Please.”
Honestly, I was at the end of my rope and needed to be in him. Without taking my eyes off of him, I blindly searched for the box of condoms and found them. Sheathing my cock, I added more lube and then moved until I was between his legs, lining my dick up with his ass. “Ready?”
He nodded. “Yes, goddess, yes!”
I pushed in slowly, a lot slower than I did with my fingers, and watched his face closely. If he asked me to stop, I would, but it would be difficult. As it was, I had a hard time keeping my eyes open and on his face. The tight heat surrounding my pole was pure bliss. The moment I was seated fully, my eyes slid shut, and I reveled in the feeling of being inside my mate. Mine. This man was mine for life.
“Move, Max,” he ordered.
I did. Pulling back until only my tip remained inside him, I thrust in. Mine. I kept pistoning into him, his tightness sheathing me, sending me to a pleasure plane that surpassed any moment I’d spent with any other man in my life . Mine. I moved faster, harder, but he didn’t push me away. If anything, he wrapped his legs around me, his heels digging into my butt cheeks. Mine. He cried out when I hit his prostate and focused on hitting it again and again.
Leaning down, I kissed him, thrusting my tongue into his mouth like my cock was doing to his body. Our tongues wrestled for control, but I wasn’t willing to give it up, not this time. His whimper of pleasure shot a thrill throughout my body. Mine.
Between us, my hand gripped his cock. I wasn’t going to last much longer, but I would not come before him. Mine. “Come for me, Lorde.” I twisted my wrist over his cockhead, felt his dick get larger, his ass get tighter, and he came, coating both of our bodies in his spunk.
Releasing him, I continued to saw into him. I was close. The pulse beating in my ears, the rightness of this, I couldn’t hold back. Squeezing my eyes shut, I threw back my head and roared with my release. This man was mine, I only wish I’d truly claimed him as mine without the condom, and the swan agreed. It would happen, but we should make sure everything was safe first. Mine.
“Mine,” I declared before retaking his mouth.
“Yours,” he agreed when I finally released him. His hand reached up to caress my cheek. “Always yours.”
Here, right now, I felt complete, and I knew our fates were forever cemented together. They always had been, but now, there was no denying it, no turning back.
Mine.
Lorde
As soon as Max filled me completely…I didn’t know how to explain it. It was like this last wall or door or whatever between us disappeared. We were in a new space together with nothing separating us. It sounded like pure rubbish and idiotic, but that was the best way to describe it. We were one, joined together forever. Mates. I was his, as he was mine.
In all my years, the experimenting and playing with myself never felt as thrilling and all-consuming as being with Max. I didn’t know it could be so ethereal. It was more than just a physical act. It was mind, body, and soul.
Max shifted off the bed, and I tried to hold him in place. “I’m just getting a washcloth. I’d rather not wake up crusty,” he snickered and escaped the warmth of the bed.
Going out starkers earlier to get the box of condoms had probably not been the most brilliant thing to do, but it had been worth it. The kisses, the rubbing…everything had been amazing, and I wouldn’t have changed anything.
The feel of a warm cloth sweeping up my arse crack and another wiping my stomach had my eyes flying open to find Max staring down at me with a small smile and his striking baby blues. They were what had captivated me from the beginning.
“Was I too rough? Are you okay?” he asked.
Shaking my head, I grinned, utterly chuffed. “No, you weren’t, and I’m fine. I might be a little sore tomorrow, but worth it.” I took hold of his arm and jerked on it so that he fell on me. “You’re worth it.” I pressed my lips to his.
When we ended the kiss, I noticed his frown and the way he bit his lip. “What?”
“I was thinking about what you said.”
“Which part? I’m certain I said a lot,” I joked. Now was not the time to be serious. We could worry about that after we’d gotten some sleep, and the sun came up.
“Your mother—“ I covered his mouth with my hand.
“Tomorrow. Let’s worry about first world problems and the loons tomorrow. And before you tell me it’s already tomorrow because it’s after midnight, I’m well aware of that. I’m saying, let’s forget the outside world for a bit, and after some sleep, we can talk about it.”
I didn’t release him yet, and he nodded, my hand still on his mouth. Feeling his teeth biting me, I rolled my eyes and dropped it. “Very mature.”
“I could have licked it, but I don’t know where that hand’s been,” he teased with a laugh.
Rolling him over, I pinned him to the bed. “I believe it’s been on your person.”
“Has it now?”
“Cheeky bastard.”
“But you love me despite it.”
“I would love you no matter what,” I told him seriously.
“Me too.” Just when I thought he might be serious, he said, “I would love me too.”
Something I learned as we began to wrestle playfully in bed, Max was ticklish on his sides. Not only a little, tickling, incapacitated him, causing him to laugh loudly, a sound I hoped to hear the rest of my days. Max was right, my mother was a huge worry.
Eventually, we settled down and drifted off to sleep. I had a hard time, fearful of what would happen when my mother discovered I had no intention of following through with anything. She could very well kill me before she tried to kill him because the only way she would get to him would be over my dead body.
“Sleep, Lorde. Love you,” Max said sleepily, and I peered down to where his head rested on my chest. He hadn’t woken up.
Kissing the top of his head, I did as he suggested, or tried to. I foreshadowed doom in our near future.
Chapter 24
Lorde
I didn’t sleep worth shit last night. We finally woke up at about noon, and Max stretched, a beaming smile on his face as he told me, “I don’t think I’ve ever slept as well. You can be my pillow every night from now on.” I got the impression he was trying to inject an air of lightness into the heaviness surrounding me.
Forcing a grin, I kissed him. “I happily volunteer, my prince.”
Max rolled his eyes and moved into the ensuite bathroom. “Coming? Or are you taking a shower alone.”
I wanted to be alone, but I could see the hopefulness on his face and said, “I’m coming.”
Like the rest of the house, the walls were the massive logs, but it seemed natural instead of too much brown. He had a large bathroom that housed double sinks, a shower, and a soaking tub. “Wow.”
“Huh?”
“I figured the cabin was small, but it isn’t.”
Max shrugged. “In a way, it is. It’s longer than wider and only has two bedrooms, both with their own bathroom. The one across the hall has a bathroom door in the bedroom and in the hallway. Finally, there is a laundry room, which is nothing more than a closet for the washer and dryer.”
“I thought Fizz said it was off the grid or something like that.”
“It is. There are solar panels to collect the energy, a water catchment system, and a filtration system. The toilets are composting toilets. If, for some reason, I need to, I can also get water from the pond. Food comes from town, trash is burned or used for compost. I spread it
around the trees and the pond.
My mouth dropped open, and I gaped at him. He’d thought about it all. “Why doesn’t anyone know about this place?”
“You and Fizz know.” He smirked.
“I mean—”
“I know what you meant. I bought this place when I was twenty-three and had the cabin built. It was my escape. I had a hard time with the shifting, terrified someone would find out. I blamed my parents, my ancestors, your ancestors, the universe, everyone. I hated that I had been saddled with this curse because it brought nothing except bad news and heartache.” He chuckled softly and met my gaze. “My attitude might be changing. But this was my refuge. A place to unplug. I run a large corporation, sit on the board for the charity my grandfather initiated, and live in a busy city. Not to mention, I’m a shifter. This place has zero internet, phone service is out of range, and it has a small pond for when I want to shift and swim. It has everything I could ever need.” He turned on the water, and told me, “We do have hot water. Are you coming?”
He stepped into the large glass shower, staring at me, daring me to join him. So, I did. Someone had to wash his back.
“No food besides the protein bars Fizz dropped off with my clothes and keys,” Max grumbled as he slammed the refrigerator door shut.
I furrowed my brow in confusion. “He brought you clothes and keys but no groceries? He couldn’t go to the market?”
“First, he’s my bodyguard and not my assistant. Second, he probably wanted to come and go without me seeing him.”
Unable to fight it, I guffawed at his choice of words. “Come and go, really?” He joined in my laughter.
When we settled, I suggested, “Let’s go out. We can get something to eat and pick up some essentials.”
“I didn’t exactly drive here.”
“No, but I did.” I kissed him and pulled him out of the cabin.
If only I could have predicted what happened next.
“Bravo on locating and getting close to him,” my mother sneered.
I’d been watching Max lock up the cabin, but as soon as I heard her voice, I whipped around. “Mother!” I exclaimed.
“Surprised to see me?” Her straight, golden blonde hair had been piled high on her head in a tight bun, and next to her stood Virginia. Unlike my mother’s neat appearance, she was a mess. Her unkempt hair was ratted, and her clothes were stained. Two opposites in everything, but they were both evil to the core.
“How…ahem…How did you find me?”
“Who do you think taught you how to use your magic, boy?” she snapped.
Virginia snickered. “You are nothing without her.”
I recalled my conversation with Aunt Pat and hoped against hope she was correct. “I think not. She may have trained me, but I’m more powerful than she will ever be. The only one who isn’t is you, dear Aunt Virginia,” I informed her and gagged as if I had something distasteful in my mouth.
“Watch it, Lorde!” She flicked her hand, and pure energy was sent hurtling toward me. I simply waved it away, and she screamed. I’d always known she was on the weak side, and this simply proved that. The true test would be my mother.
Mother narrowed her eyes. “Someone is getting a little too big for his britches.”
“You can’t have him,” I declared and stepped in front of him.
She grinned. “Of course, you will kill him. We only came to bear witness, not to interfere.”
“No, I’m not going to kill him. He’s mine.”
“Way too big,” she spat.
It was only then I realized I could feel Max shaking behind me.
“It’s the same,” he muttered.
“Same?” Now was not the time for him to lose it.
His head moved up and down against my back. “In my apartment yesterday. There was an incident. The new maid. I had a bad feeling, and my swan freaked out. She wasn’t who she said she was, and Fizz got me out of there. We met up with you to give people time to clear the place.” His voice was low, but I heard every word.
“Someone was in your apartment?”
Virginia cackled. “That would have been my familiar. She left a present for you, one the cleaners haven’t found yet. Now, we don’t have to worry about that. It wouldn’t have killed you, but it would have been a torturous existence.”
“Ha!” I barked. “I heard you can’t touch him at all. That you need me to kill him because you can’t.”
“Oh, we can touch him. You just needed to prove your worth. I should have killed you both,” my mother snarled and lifted her hand to her mouth. Her lips moved, but I didn’t hear anything before she blew on her palm. I’d seen her do this one other time when I was a child to torture Virginia.
I tried to recall what I needed to say to counter the spell. “Valeo!” I shouted, but a split second too late. A wave of heat hit my chest, dropping me to my knees.
“Lorde!” Max screamed and grabbed my shoulders. “What happened? What can I do?” A moment ago, he had been quaking behind me, and now, I saw a fire in his eyes.
Lifting my hand to his face, I told him, “I’ll be all right.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” my mother cackled, reminding me of the witch in the Wizard of Oz, minus the green paint.
I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, trying to find that power Aunt Pat was convinced I possessed. Nothing. I felt no different than I did yesterday or the day before.
Max whispered, “I love you,” right before I felt him move away from me. My eyes were on the ground, and I saw him step forward toward them. “I don’t know what your problem is, but you need to leave. This is private property.”
My mother’s screeching voice was loud and deep. She was enjoying this, which meant we were in danger. “You are my problem. Your family hunted us, treated us like monsters or animals, and killed us. Innocents were slaughtered, both adults and children alike. The fact you’re breathing is offensive to me.”
“I could say the same thing. People in my family were attacked and murdered too. Are you saying two wrongs make a right? Are you saying we need to try, convict, and pass judgment? Do we have to pay for the sins of our forefathers? Who are you to sentence anyone to death? Are you God? Gaia? Another god or goddess? Do you rule the world, or simply try to instill fear into your own son, your own family because you are brainwashed.” He paused, and he locked his stance, spreading his legs apart, his hands on his hips. “Or do you already know the truth and are trying to impress those who came before you? Guess what? They’re gone. Why try to impress them?”
“Because she thinks by killing you, she will gain favor and power,” Aunt Pat announced her presence. “It won’t help. Nothing will.”
“Patricia,” Mother growled.
Rolling her eyes, Pat shook her head and snorted. “Oh, please. I always hated that pretentious name.” She glanced away from her sisters and focused on me. I was finally getting up and able to stand on my feet, but the pain had barely subsided. “My dear boy,” she tsked, and began chanting words I didn’t understand, but the burning ache that had doubled me over disappeared.
“Thank you.”
“I told you to watch your back with her. You have it in you.” She winked at me.
“How dare you! You’re supposed to be on our side,” Virginia shrieked.
“Do shut up, Virginia. Cau i fyny.” I recognized the Welsh word for shut up. Virginia was instantly silent. Her mouth was open, but no sound escaped. If we weren’t in the situation we were in, I might have found it funny.
“Patricia!” Mother tried to reverse the spell put on Virginia, but she couldn’t. She was starting to panic. Her breathing came out in heaving breaths, her eyes were wide and wild, and spittle flew from her mouth. “Why? How?”
“You always assume too much,” Pat responded in a bored tone.
Max was back at my side and grabbed my face. “Are you all right?”
“Never felt better,” I said and kissed him briefly, which made my mother scream again.
“Him? He’s bewitched you! Come here, Lorde,” Mother ordered.
“They are mated to each other, Kelly. Go crawl back in your hole and disappear,” Pat snapped.
My mother shook her head back and forth with so much vigor, I almost expected it to fly off. “It’s not possible. Lorde is loyal to this family.”
“He’s mine, Mother,” I announced, throwing Max behind me, and much to my annoyance, he stepped to the side of me, refusing to stay put. I tried twice, and the second time he informed me not to try a third time. “Aunt Pat, what did you mean by power and favor?”
“There is a legend that is passed down from generation to generation. That when the time is right, the savior of our family will gain Mila and Isla’s powers combined. It won’t work. It’s nothing except lies,” Aunt Pat explained.
“And how would you know when it’s the right time?”
“Doesn’t exactly say. Just said we would know. The vagueness should have been the clue. Your mother decided it was the right time when you were born a boy since we tended to usually have girls in our family. Plus, you have an unusually high amount of magic within you. Of course, she tried to suppress it and tell you that you were nothing more than a weak man, but you’re not. Your circle is complete now that you’re with Max.”
Mother took a menacing step toward her sister. I could see her gathering her magic, and she hurled it toward Pat, who was able to counter it, but it did throw her back a few steps, knocking her off her feet. When Mother was about to attack again, I shouted, “No!”
The woman who gave birth to me, the one who helped raise me, sneered, “Kill him, and I’ll spare her.” Her whole being was vile and disgusting.
“No,” I adamantly denied.
