Raye blinked, because — how did Svein know that? She’d tried to keep him out of all those conversations, and surely Kalfr and Gaelfr wouldn’t have told him either, would they?
But no, they hadn’t, based on that brief exchanged glance between them, and now Gaelfr grasped Svein’s other shoulder, too. “You have no need to fear this, son,” he said. “I shall never allow our enemies to touch Kalfr again, and he shall not, either. We are strong, brave Bautul, and together we shall overcome any danger, or any foe.”
Svein’s grip on Mr. Snuggles slightly loosened, and he nodded, though he kept searching Kalfr’s face. “But can’t the bad lady scent you?” he asked. “Won’t she be able to hunt you down, like she did before? And get you when you’re not expecting it?”
Kalfr and Gaelfr exchanged another uneasy glance, but Kalfr shook his head. “The only reason she could do this, before,” he replied, “was because of these bands of mercenaries she hired to follow my scent. But we will surprise them with this meeting, so they will not expect us to be heading straight toward them, ach? Nor will they wish to waylay this meeting she has been asking for. And throughout all this, we will scent and scout for any danger, also.”
Svein didn’t immediately reply, still chewing at his lip, and worriedly studying Kalfr’s face. And in a jerky movement, Kalfr leaned forward, and drew Svein into a tight hug. “We shall come back for you, son,” he rasped. “We shall be safe, and keep you safe, also. I swear this.”
Svein sagged into Kalfr’s embrace, his eyes closing, and he didn’t attempt to argue again. But once Raye had kissed Svein goodnight and followed Kalfr and Gaelfr back upstairs for more plans and discussions, she couldn’t stop circling it, picking at the threads. This was so risky, so dangerous, she and Svein would be left behind alone, what if Kalfr and Gaelfr never came back…
“Ach,sæta,” Gaelfr finally muttered, under his breath. “You must needs cease your vexing, and rest.”
Raye tried to wave it away, but Gaelfr harrumphed, and promptly drew her to her feet, and herded her back downstairs to their bedroom. Where he rapidly undressed her and tucked her into bed, before kicking off his own clothes, dousing the lamp, and slipping in beside her.
For a jolting, delirious instant, Raye thought he would shift himself atop her, cover her with his safety, fill her with his thick, dizzying strength — but no, he only settled in closer against her side, stroking his hand up and down her bare torso. A touch that ought to have been reassuring, but Raye couldn’t deny a raw, rising discontent, a desperate craving almost too strong to bear. Why couldn’t he give her this, even now? When he was about to leave her, maybe forever? Did he just want the son to be Kalfr’s that much? Or was it that she hadn’t kept her vow enough? Hadn’t yet gotten pregnant with that son?
If we had another son, I would stay, he’d told her.If. If.
He was still stroking her, his touch so gentle, his hand so warm. And she could feel his hardness flexing against her side, could feel that fluid streaking against her bare skin. Saying he wanted it, he did — and Raye wanted to trust him. Wanted to be honest. Especially if this might be… it could be…
She swallowed over the tightness in her throat, and slipped her hand to his arm, stopping its movement against her. “Gael,” she whispered. “I know things haven’t always been… perfect, between us. And I haven’t fully… kept my vow. But” — shehauled in a breath — “do you think, even just tonight, we could —”
She twitched at the sound of the door opening, the flicker of shadow across the room. Kalfr, surely, and yes, she could smell the rich scent of him as he came closer. “Forgive my delay,” came his low voice, and oh, that was the feel of him settling into the bed on Raye’s other side, his long body bare and silken against hers. “Is aught amiss?”
There was an instant’s too-heavy silence, but then Gaelfr cleared his throat. “Our mate only needs some tending, so she can rest,” he said gruffly. “Help me offer her this?”
As he spoke, he reached across Raye, and tugged Kalfr over on top of her. And though it wasn’t Gaelfr himself, it was still so good, enough that Raye could have sobbed with it. All Kalfr’s warm, fluid strength above her, covering her, protecting her, making her his. And in this moment, as his legs gently guided hers apart, Raye could forget tomorrow, forget Sybil, forget that he would ever leave her behind again. He was here, he was hers, and his hungry, slippery crown was nestling into her wet, quivering heat with such gentle, familiar willingness. Just like it had all those years ago, when doing this together had felt like the easiest, most natural thing in the world. When it had felt as though they’d always belonged together, and always would.
And as he slowly slid all the way inside, filling her with his strength, Raye clung to him as tightly as she could, drinking up the truth of him here, now, with her. Her mate. Hers. And even if he left tomorrow, left her forever, in this moment it was real, it was beautiful, it was everything she’d longed for, all these years. Kalfr in her arms again, inside her again, his mouth kissing so sweetly against hers, binding them together — and then his kisses slid warm and hungry down her cheek to her jaw, her throat. Finding his place again, amidst all her scars, just as heshould. And Raye’s hand curved against the back of his head, drawing him further downwards. Meeting him. Trusting him.
And as his teeth bit down, and the pleasure shot and sang between them, swirling out in hot, dreamlike pulses, Raye sank into it, drowning in it, as if it was the goddess’ own voice, her own will. She could trust Kalfr. They would be brave and strong Bautul together, and find a way through this. For them, for Gaelfr, for their band, for Svein. A family.
“And you, Gael?” Raye heard Kalfr murmur, once he’d kissed at the bite in her throat until it felt smooth again. “Shall you grant our mate a turn, also?”
Raye’s hazy, floating attention snapped back again, focusing intently on Gaelfr, waiting for his answer. But she could almost feel him shaking his head, and letting out a sound that might have been a chuckle.
“Ach, but she is already so content upon you,” Gaelfr murmured, and Raye could feel him stroking Kalfr’s back, leaning in to kiss at his throat. “I ken she may even sleep thus, with you inside her.”
And amidst the whispering disappointment, Raye could admit that yes, it did still feel lovely like this, with Kalfr’s weight upon her, Kalfr’s softened strength still tucked inside her, keeping his seed safely behind it. And when she curled her arms tighter around him, she could feel his nod, his body sinking heavier against hers, his head ducking close into its place against her throat.
After that, she did sleep, her thoughts twisting into soft, shimmering dreams. Dreams of Kalfr and Gaelfr and Svein, playing and laughing together in the moonlit garden, while Raye followed a quiet shadow between the trees. Catching glimpses of it, here and there, of wild curly hair, a soft rounded body, a gentle, tender smile. And when Raye found her, clasping her cool hands beside the altar, it was pure light and magic,twinkling and dancing all around them, shining all the way to Raye’s heart.
You are a great blessing, daughter, said the light.May you bear great blessings, also.
When Raye awoke, what felt like some time later, she could still almost see that light, could scent it in the air. Could taste that quivering, shimmering power of it, all above her, around her, inside her…
Inside her.
Her hand snapped to her belly, fingers trembling, spreading wide. And though it felt the same, that whisper of awareness kept rising, shining, because —
Kalfr must have slipped out of her at some point during the night, but his warm body was still heavy against her side, and she could feel his head lifting, could almost see the glitter of his eyes. “What is it,sæta?” he murmured, his voice thick with sleep. “Are you well?”
Raye rapidly nodded, blinking back the water suddenly pooling behind her eyes, while on her other side, Gaelfr shifted too, reaching to light the lamp. Revealing both their bemused faces now looking down toward her, but then Gaelfr’s gaze narrowed, flicked down her front, as if maybe he felt it, too…
“I had… a dream,” Raye whispered. “Such a lovely dream. And in it, I saw the goddess, and she… she blessed me. And it felt so real, I thought…”
She couldn’t make herself say it, because it would sound so foolish, wouldn’t it? So presumptuous. To think the goddess would speak that way to her, or offer her such blessings…
