She swung down and I met her blade with my own, forcing her back as I surged upwards. A flurry of strikes came next, and neither of us bothered to suppress the wide smiles forming on our faces.
Fighting her was as thrilling as fucking her.
The next series of moves I put more force into, and she panted as she was forced to retreat and defend herself. “Come on, my réalta, show me what you can really do.”
She narrowed her eyes, and I saw that glorious rage light up her eyes. She rushed me, and I raised my blade to meet each of her strikes. Our eyes were locked, and it began to feel like we could almost anticipate every strike and move as it came. I spun away just as she swung her blade to come at me from the side. She blinked in surprise, and we both paused for a moment, taking in what had just happened.
That wasn’t an almost—Ihadanticipated her move before she’d even started it. It had to be the mate bond. I didn’t know many mates, and my father had died too young to ask, so I didn’t know all the ins and outs. I didn’t wish to bring up Titan’s painful memories with him, so Asteria and I would have to figure out the bond together.
What we’d accomplish together would undoubtedly be the stuff of legend.
Lost in thought, I wasn’t paying enough attention. Suddenly, Asteria flew at me, and I fell backward to the ground, huffing out a laugh. She was now straddling me, and I raised my brows at her, “If you wanted to get me horizontal, you should have just asked.”
She blinked, before smirking slowly, her blade forgotten as she reached a hand up, caressing down my face gently. I closed my eyes, relishing the touch, but I opened them quickly as she continued her motion, running her hand down my neck and to my chest, over my armor. She leaned in to whisper in my ear, pressing those glorious breasts against my chest, her hips pressing down until she could grind herself over my cock.
“Don’t be so boring, my dorchadas,” she purred in my ear, making me shiver. “I can think of much more exciting positions to get you in.”
My hands grabbed her hips, abandoning my sword altogether. I dug my fingers in, and the slight moan she let out was music to my ears. I could feel myself growing harder as she rocked against me, and the scent of her arousal, which had been a low buzz since we started fighting, grew heavier in turn.
I growled directly in her ear before flipping us over in a whirl of movement, so she was underneath me. She bucked up, trying to fight me off, but I sunk my hips down into hers, preventing her from bucking again but more so to feel the press of her against me. I grabbed her wrists in mine, bringing them over her head and holding them with one hand. My other went to her throat, pressing my fingers into the skin of her neck and slowly tightening them.
“Well, now that you’re Fae, I can show you what I’m truly capable of,” I rumbled, delighted to feel her shiver. “If you think you’re truly up for it?—”
A dull training blade was suddenly pressing on my neck.
“If you two are quite done?” Titan drawled, annoyance lining every word.
I let my head collapse into her neck, and Asteria let out a muffled laugh, pressing her own face into my long hair. I lifted myself up to look down at her, thrilled to see her smile up at me, desire still swirling with the starlight in her eyes. Even as Titan removed the blade and I helped her stand, she didn’t run, she didn’t try to pull away. She just picked her blade back up and got back to the fight.
It was certainly encouraging progress.
Chapter Seventeen
Asteria
After getting caughtup flirting with Calix while sparring, Titan made us start from the top so he could jump in without issue. We managed to behave ourselves this time, letting them teach me how to handle two opponents at once. But my mind stayed on the interaction that had just occurred between us.
It was getting harder and harder to keep myself separated from Calix. I just… didn’t want to.
I wanted him,desperately.
Even if I didn’t think I was ready for a mate bond and everything that came with it, my body called out for him, wanting him close and touching me at every opportunity.
Even as we headed over to the Dragon Cliffs, we snuck heated looks at one another. I tried to get a handle on myself, especially as we met Ndrita there. Being aroused in front of his sister was definitely not something I wanted to experience.
“I’m so excited to help you train! We haven’t really had a chance to get to know each other since you arrived. And I need to scope out my big brother’s mate.” Ndrita greeted me cheerfully, sending me a wink as Calix groaned her name.
“You’re right.” I nodded, laughing lightly. “I’d love to get to know you better. Calix clearly adores you, and I want us to get along.”
Calix gave me a look I couldn’t quite decipher, something warm and astounded in his eyes. But Ndrita distracted me, grabbing my hand and pulling me along, her white hair flying behind her.
The grassy cliff was open to the sky and the sea, leaving us with nothing to hit should my magic go haywire. I was thankful for the forethought. Even with access to it now, I wasn’t really in control of it.
It rankled badly. I’d always wanted control over my life, and just when I was beginning to gain some, it was all ripped away. Leaving me more out of control than ever.
The fate of the damn world was at stake, and I was failing to be of any use whatsoever.
“Okay, Asteria, I want you to focus on your magic.” Ndrita began, standing before me, blue eyes with the slightest purple tint locked on mine. “Focus on the connection you feel to it.”
