“I’m going to die.” Dakota’s head fell back against the couch. “Actually die if you don’t put your mouth on me right now.”
Kivani smiled against Dakota’s skin then finally gave his mate what he wanted. His tongue traced the length of Dakota’s cock from base to tip, and Dakota’s entire body went rigid. The taste of him was perfect, salt and musk and arousal, and Kivani wanted more.
He wrapped his lips around the head and sucked, his tongue working the sensitive underside. Dakota cried out, his hand tightening in Kivani’s hair, and his hips tried to thrust up despite Kivani’s hand holding him down.
“Kivani.” His name came out broken, desperate. “God, that feels so good.”
Kivani took him deeper, relaxing his throat the way Dakota had tried to do. His mate’s cock wasn't as thick as his own, and Kivani could take him all the way down without difficulty. He did, his nose pressing against Dakota’s pelvis, and the sound his mate made was almost enough to make Kivani come without a single touch.
“I’m not going to last.” Dakota’s thighs trembled on either side of Kivani’s head. “I’m already so close.”
Kivani pulled off just enough to speak. “Then don’t. Come for me.”
He swallowed Dakota down again, hollowing his cheeks and sucking hard. His hand moved from Dakota’s hip to between his own legs, gripping his cock and stroking in time with the movement of his mouth. His tiger purred, the vibration traveling through his throat, and Dakota’s entire body went taut.
“Kivani, I’m—fuck, I’m going to—”
Dakota came with a shout, his release hitting the back of Kivani’s throat. Kivani swallowed it down, his own hand working faster on his cock. The taste of his mate, the sounds he made, the way his body shook with pleasure was all too much. Kivani’s orgasm hit him hard, his hips jerking as he spilled over his hand.
He kept his mouth on Dakota until his mate went soft, until the overstimulation made Dakota push at Kivani’s head weakly. Then Kivani pulled off and rested his forehead against Dakota’s thigh, breathing hard and trying to get his tiger back under control.
“Holy fuck.” Dakota’s voice was wrecked, barely above a whisper. “That was...”
“Good?” Kivani pressed a kiss to Dakota’s thigh then another higher up.
“Understatement of the century.” Dakota’s hand was still in Kivani’s hair, petting now instead of gripping. “I think you broke me.”
Kivani smiled against his mate’s skin, satisfaction warm in his stomach. “Good broken or bad broken?”
“Definitely good.” Dakota tugged at Kivani’s hair gently. “Come up here.”
Kivani climbed back up, settling beside Dakota on the couch. His mate immediately curled into him, face pressed against Kivani’s throat, and his tiger purred so loudly that Kivani was sure it echoed in every corner of the building.
“You’re doing that thing again.” Dakota’s breath was warm against Kivani’s skin. “The purring thing.”
“Can’t help it.” Kivani’s arm wrapped around Dakota’s shoulders, pulling him closer. “My tiger is very pleased right now.”
“Because we had sex?”
“Because you’re here. Safe. Happy.” His hand moved to Dakota’s back, rubbing slow circles. “The sex was just a bonus.”
His mate laughed, the sound soft and genuine. “A really good bonus though.”
“Definitely.” Kivani pressed a kiss to the top of Dakota’s head, breathing in his scent. His mate smelled like sex and satisfaction and Kivani, and his tiger rumbled approval at the combination. “How are you feeling? About everything?”
Dakota was quiet for a moment, his fingers tracing patterns on Kivani’s stomach. “Honestly? Still kind of freaked out. The vampire thing, the shifter thing, the mate-bond thing… It’s all a lot to process.”
“That’s fair.” Kivani kept his hand moving on Dakota’s back, the motion soothing for both of them. “You don’t have to process it all at once.”
“I keep thinking about what Bennett said.” Dakota’s voice went quieter. “About you wanting something from me. And I know you said the mate bond doesn't control how you feel, but what if it does? What if you only like me because some cosmic force decided we're supposed to be together?”
The fear in Dakota’s voice made Kivani’s tiger growl low. “The bond doesn't work like that. I told you it doesn't create feelings that aren't real.”
“How do you know?” Dakota tilted his head up to look at Kivani. “How can you be sure what you feel is real and not just the bond making you think it is?”
“Because I’ve lived three hundred years without feeling this.” Kivani met his mate’s eyes, willing him to understand. “I’ve met thousands of people. Been attracted to plenty of them. Had relationships that lasted decades. But none of it felt like this. None of them made my tiger settle the way you do.”
Dakota’s expression softened, something vulnerable crossing his features. “Really?”
