The heat starts at the point of contact and spreads outward like wildfire. It races up my arm, across my chest, and settles low in my gut. My personal crystal blazes in my pocket, so brightthat it illuminates the surrounding mist around us in a soft white glow.
“Bayzon,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “I can feel... something. What is this?”
“The bond,” I manage to say, though speech is becoming difficult. “It’s confirming what I already knew.”
Her pupils are dilated, her breathing rapid. The scent of her arousal spikes sharply, mixing with the strange metallic tang of the mist. The heat at the location where skin meets skin is already spreading. My personal crystal continues to glow in my pocket, brighter than ever before.
I squeeze her hand, then reach up and gently remove her mask because I want to see all her beautiful features. “I’m sorry, female. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“Does this mean that we are…?”
“Yes. I thought you were still wearing gloves. We only just met and I meant to wait and give you time. I was going to court you in the proper human tradition first, but now that I am touching you with bare skin... the claiming...” my voice deepens, “the need for the claiming is coming on fast.”
The shock of desire and need rockets throughout my body.
A moan of need escapes my lips.
Naomi leans in close. “Don’t worry, I don’t consider this a bad thing in the least.”
And then I pull her into my arms and onto my lap and kiss her with all the passion I’ve never had in my life until this exact moment. It’s my first kiss. Therefore, I’m running on pure instinct. My lips move against hers and my tongue sweeps inside her mouth.
She melts into my arms and kisses me back with equal passion. I quickly learn that my female is an expert at kissing. Her hands cup my cheeks and she’s schooling me on how this is done. My body continues to flash with the heat of desire. Naomitastes amazing. Her pheromones rush through my veins and I want more and more.
She tastes like the bubbly drink she was sipping earlier, sweet with a hint of tartness. I chase that taste, deepening the kiss, pulling her closer until there’s no space left between us. Her fingers slide into my hair, tugging at the braids, and I growl into her mouth at the sensation. No one has ever touched me like this. No one has ever been allowed this close. And now I understand why my mated brothers walk around with those ridiculous smiles on their faces. This feeling, this connection, is worth everything.
When we finally break apart, we’re both gasping for air. Her lips are swollen from my kisses, her hair disheveled from my hands. She looks thoroughly claimed already, and we haven’t even begun. My thick cock is hard as rock and leaking. It is an amazing sensation. I am ready to breed my female. Naomi grinds her ass on my crotch. She pants with need, also enflamed now due to the rush of our mingled pheromones. I need her and she needs me too.
“Scar?” I bellow.
“Here,” a voice responds through the thick white mist.
“Cannibal?” I pant.
“Here, we’re all here, including Brides.”
“And we’re the only ones awake in this entire cavern,” Scar comments. “Everyone else has passed out and is asleep on the floor. I’ve heard of this before, but it hasn’t happened in our lifetimes. Illibrium gas will become charged and escape during the Dark Moon and flood the cavern. It isn’t deadly and is already retreating, so that’s good.”
“Why aren’t we asleep too?” I ask, barely able to speak and think. I still can’t see any of them, only hear their words.
“Maybe we’re protected from reacting to it for the same reason that we can all scent our Brides? And the Brides are protected by having shared our pheromones.”
Meanwhile, the heat between our clasped hands continues to flame. And my cock throbs with need. Naomi’s arousal is thicker than ever. I let out a roar of desperation. All I want is to chase this female to the ground and plunge my cock inside of her welcoming heat.
“Bayzon? Where are you?”
Suddenly a trio of personal crystals shine in my face. My brothers and their Brides are all there nearby, staring in shock.
“Bayzon, what’s happening?” Trunk questions. “Why are you and Leah’s friend sitting together like that?”
“Oh gods, look at them, they’ve lost their gloves and they’re clasping hands.”
“I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Of course it’s happening,” Rook mutters. “Chief finally finds a female he likes and within hours he’s accidentally clasped hands with her in the middle of a mist event. This is exactly the type of chaos that follows our family.”
“Shut up, Rook,” Scar snaps.
The mist is thinning now, I realize. I can make out more shapes, the sprawled bodies of sleeping Xylan scattered across the dance floor like fallen soldiers. The elaborate decorations hang askew. Somewhere, a candelabra has toppled over, its candles extinguished. The grand cavern that was so magnificent hours ago now looks like the aftermath of a battle.
