“Hold on, Pumpkin.”
My mewl made him lick up my neck before he lifted me again and slid me back down. I had no control.
“You like the name? Now that you know you’re my little death machine?”
I needed to taste him. My teeth sank into his sharp jaw and he ripped away, pumping into me in earnest, rattling my whole body.
“Fuck, Noth. I…I…”
My breasts rubbed against him with every bounce, flicking pleasure between my legs.
“Don’t tempt me, Maggie. You don’t want my bite.” His glowing ruby eyes said he was serious.
Because biting meant sealing whatever mate bond Evie told me about. Shifters had a weird way of holding a wedding. I had never wanted that. The white dress, the walk down the aisle. It just seemed to be a way to control each other, but I wanted it with Noth. Whatever it was. I wanted this cock all to myself. To have and to hold until forever do us part. It was wrecking my insides as Noth plowed into me like it was his mission to see me dead from my next orgasm.
I just didn’t know whether I was worthy of it.
Because his hands on my breasts were a benediction. Hisshadows on my clit, an absolution. Noth’s fingers around my throat squeezing like that time I thought he was going to kill me, an invocation of our orgasm.
I could faintly feel his pleasure through this tether between us and it only made me chase it harder, faster. My hips snapped against his and it forced him to use one hand to prop himself up.
“Come messy all over this cock, Pumpkin, because I won’t wait for you.”
“Don’t…” I panted like I couldn’t suck in enough air. “D-don’t tell me what to do.”
He smacked my ass so hard, so brutally that I didn’t even need his follow-up, “Bad girl” to tip headlong into an orgasm that wrung a scream from my lips.
Up and over every one of my chakras, Noth released inside me and each spurt shoved more and more magic into me until it leaked from my mouth, trailed down my cheeks from my eyes. Noth licked it from my face, coming again and spiraling me into a second orgasm. Suddenly, I could feel the bond for real–a thin cord of magic chaining us together.
I love you.I said in my mind. The words still stopped behind my clenching teeth but his grunt said he might have heard it through the new bond. I trembled with the last of my orgasm and the knowledge that someone saw clear through me.
We both dropped into the dirt and damaged flowers, chests heaving, magic and come all over our bodies. I locked onto his ruby eyes, speechless. Fear, amazement,joy crowded behind my lips, wanting to spill forth. But I was never good at saying them. Apparently, Noth wasn’t either. He gathered me close to him, wrapping around me until we touched everywhere. I was grateful he didn’t say anything as we learned how to breathe again.
The sex we just had was purifying in a way I didn't think was possible. Was I really about to say those three words to him? I was the angry girl, not built for love. Unsure of the missing rage inside me. I searched Noth’s face for answers and found a frightening resolve to love me there. My stomach coiled tightly with fear. I wasn’t ready to let go of the last of my anger and let him in. We needed to come together like the smoke and hellfire we were, not with a love I didn’t know what to do with.
“We have to do that again. As many times as possible,” I said. I needed to prove it meant nothing or it would mean everything.
He groaned, holding me tighter. “I would like nothing better, Pumpkin, but I took you here to hide, plan, and get ready to squash Brad like an ant. Not douse you with my come.”
“Are you complaining?”
“Not at all.” He covered his face with his hand, peeking out at me with one ruby eye. “Just reminding myself so I don’t fall on you again until we’re both useless. I would much rather hear your screams in my throne room.”
I stroked across his collarbones, liking that image waytoo much. “Then tell me the plan. I think we’ve both learned I’m not great at the assassination thing.” If we weren’t fucking, we better be fighting.
He brushed my hair behind my ear, his face serious for once. “Who would think someone named Brad would be so hard to kill? So we’re not pulling any more punches. You and I are doing this together. As…”
His lips formed the word mates, but he didn’t voice it. I couldn't be hung up on his hesitation when I was still so unsure myself. Whatever we called ourselves, Brad would have no chance against a Nightmare Elf and a sex-powered Witch working together.
“I’ll do whatever you tell me.” The sex, the rescue, or plain old Noth must have made me say it so fast. Was that what love felt like?
He huffed out a laugh. “That would be a first.”
“I won’t fail.”
I didn’t understand who I would be as part of a team, but if I would try it with anyone, it would be Noth.
“Of course you won’t. Trust me with this, Pumpkin, and you can unleash every bit of anger left in you on the butt waffle that deserves it.”
