“Fine, you impatient omega.” He dragged a finger down my chest. “Remember how we shared a magic pool when we were creating the Stoneheartbarrier?”
How could I forget the sensation of my magic blooming and exploding with thatforce? “Yes.”
“Well,” he said slowly. “There’s a way we can do that with our life force,aswell.”
Igasped. “What?”
“You could live longer. You wouldn’t have the lifespan of a normal wolf shifter,” Dante explained. His eyes shimmered with anticipation. “I want this for you. Please,Gabriel.”
“What’s the catch?” I askedcautiously.
“It will reduce my own lifespan. I won’t be immortal, for lack of a better term.” He paused. “Basically, when you die,Idie.”
“Absolutely not,” Igrowled.
Dante frowned. “Gabriel. Listen to me. I don’t want to live in a world without you. Youhearme?”
I paused, then bit my lip. “What about ourchild?”
He smiled softly. “You don’t have to worry about that. Our baby will be half-dragon, so they will have a naturally longlifespan.”
He stroked my cheek gently. “Please, Gabriel. It hurts me too much to think about my life without you, when it’s entirely possible tochangethat.”
“What do I have to do?” Iasked.
“You might have heard of it before,” Dante said. “It’s the fated mates’ claim. A bite to the shoulder. But it’s not the same version you might have in your wolf pack. In dragon culture, the alpha doesn’t only bite the omega - but you have to bite me back. It’s a mutual claim,forever.”
I swallowed hard. Dante was offering me a longer life - to spend with him and our child. The opportunity to live longer than my normal lifespan. Part of me - the old, suspicious Stoneheart piece nagging in the back of my mind - wanted to say no. To reject anything I didn’t know. But my heart and soul yearned for Dante. I knew he wouldn’t -could not- live in a world where I wasn’t alive with him. It would destroy him. And I knew that because if we were in the reverse situation, being without him would eat mealive.
“Yes,” I said finally. “Iwantto.”
Relief washed over Dante’s face. He embraced me tight, burying his face in my neck. “Thank you, Gabe. I love yousomuch.”
I hugged him back. His scent smelled heavenly. “I loveyou,too.”
He gestured to the spot to the crook where his neck met his shoulder. “Here. Sink your fangs into me, as I’ll do to you. Claim me,Gabriel.”
“Okay,” I said, my voiceshaking.
Dante leaned in, kissed my neck down to the spot, and sunk his fangs into me. At the same time, I did the same thingtohim.
But no pain came. No pain, and no blood. Instead, the warm electric sensation of magic flowed through our bodies. That yearning ache I felt earlier - where it seemed like our bodies would never be physically close enough - finally was sated. This was it. This was as close as two people couldeverbe.
The moment passed, and we pulled away from each other. But the longing was gone. I was connected to Dante on an entirely different level, now, and Ifeltit. He belonged to me, and I belonged to him. We were fated to be together - and we would be together now,forever.
Dante’s smile was genuine and warm. He hugged me again. “Thank you, Gabe. Forsayingyes.”
“Of course,” I replied. “Now… Wherewerewe?”
He chuckled. “Oh, yes. We were about togetbusy.”
He launched himself at me, crushing our mouths together. It was all tongue and wet heat, us clamoring for each other until the lack of air broke us apart, just long enough to breathe and kiss again. Dante’s hands roamed. He’d memorized my body and followed the trails, thumbing my nipples and caressing my sides. He knew exactly what I liked, and how to make me cry outforhim.
His hands lazily snaked down until reaching my underwear, which was promptly discarded. Dante licked his lips and took my cock in his hand, makingmeyelp.
“I missed this,” he muttered before licking me base to tip. I barely contained a gasp. He wasn’t playing around anymore. Dante knew exactly what he wanted, and he was going to take it. Without another word, his lips enveloped my cock. I shuddered and went limp, my limbs splaying across thesheets.
He gestured with his other hand to the dresser. Struggling not to drop it in my dazed state, I tossed him the lube. He expertly popped the lid, coated his fingers, and pressed one gently to my hole. With the lube and the fact that I was already slick from arousal, his finger entered me easily. I shivered from cold andpleasure.
