“Okay. But let me know when you need to. I’ll make sure to clear my schedule for recovery.”
A small smile crosses his face.
“I will.”
I glance at the clock. It’s almost midnight. The day has finally caught up with me. I stand and stretch, feeling pleasant tiredness settling into my bones.
“I’m going to brush my teeth and get ready for bed.”
I start toward the bathroom, then Zeth speaks up. His voice is careful, almost hesitant.
“Wren, I think we should merge for the night.”
I stop in my tracks and turn around.
“What? Why?”
He sits up straighter.
“We need to get used to staying merged for extended periods. When you’re working for the Kyzers, I’ll be inside you constantly. We should practice that, including sleeping merged.”
I cross my arms defensively.
“That’s ridiculous. We don’t need to be merged when we sleep.”
He stands up and faces me.
“It’s not ridiculous, it’s necessary. We need to know what it feels like and how your body reacts during sleep.”
I consider his words and know he has a point. During the mission, I won’t have the luxury of separating at night. The Kyzers might check on me. I can’t risk being caught separated.
I groan with frustration.
“Fine. You’re right.”
In the bathroom, I brush my teeth and splash water on my face, trying to calm my racing heart. When I come back out, he’s already lying in bed, waiting. The room feels smaller and more intimate, but it’s probably just in my head. I climb into bed and pull the covers up to my chin.
I lie on my side facing the wall with my back to him. I feel the bed shift as he moves closer, his presence right behind me and his body heat radiating across the small space between us.
“Ready?” His voice is low in the dark.
“Just do it.”
He presses against my back, and then he’s pouring inside. I sigh at the sliding, melting sensation as he dissolves into me. He settles into place like he belongs there, and I feel him everywhere – in my chest, my limbs, my head. His consciousness presses against mine.
“Good night, Wren,”he whispers in my mind.
“Good night,”I whisper back.
I expect to lie awake for hours, hyper-aware of him inside me. But instead, comfort settles over me like a weighted blanket. I feel safe and protected. Not alone. My eyes grow heavy, and I sink into sleep faster than I have in years.
***
The dream starts innocently. I’m back in the shower, but something is different this time. I touch myself again, my fingers between my legs, circling and pressing. I need more, so much more, and I pump two fingers inside, then three, but it’s not enough.
I whimper with frustration and press my forehead against the shower wall. Then I sense him behind me. I don’t know when he slipped into the shower with me, but he’s here, his massive body blocking out everything else. His arms come around me and pull me back against his chest, and I feel his cock pressing against my lower back. It’s hard, huge, and ready for me. It would be a sin not to take it.
“Do you need more?” His voice is low and rough in my ear.
