31. Your Roots and Petals

thirty-one

Your Roots and Petals

Rainer

F ecking hell. She chose me. She finally chose me.

After everything we’ve been through. Even though it’s been only half a year, it’s felt like much longer. And I never want to go another season without her by my side.

After I attacked those men to protect her, she didn’t shy away from me. There was no fear or disgust or resentment. She sees me, and she accepts me.

Perhaps I won’t let her down. Maybe we can truly do this—become one—and I won’t ruin it.

“I will always belong to you,” I say quietly, my voice overflowing with need.

I storm toward her, pulling her flush to me. I work my fingers into the back of her hair, cupping her head and directing her gaze to me.

She bites her lip and then looks away. “I need to bathe first.”

My grip on her tightens, and a tiny, surprised gasp escapes her.

“Rainer,” she whispers breathlessly. “We’ve been traveling for two days now and—”

“I don’t care.” I lean down, scraping my teeth against her neck solely to make her shudder. The natural scent of her turns me on, and I press my erection against her, letting her feel how badly I want her .

“Come with me.” She pulls free and tugs me along as she heads to the bathroom. “We can talk while we bathe,” she teases.

She opens the bathroom door, revealing a toilet, shower, and expansive counter that spans the entire wall to our left. Another oil lamp sits there, casting an orange glow around the room.

“I suppose we can talk while we shower ,” I amend, opening the glass door. I reach for the faucet and turn the shower on. The pipes rattle as the water makes its way through the ceiling and out of the showerhead.

She watches as the water shoots out, causing steam to rise. “I’ve never taken a shower before. Up north, the pipes freeze in winter, so they rarely install them for bathing needs.”

“I’m honored to be your first,” I say, smirking at her. Holding open the shower door, I gesture for her to enter.

My eyes linger on her arse as she passes, mesmerized by the curves there. Her backside is textured with scars, and her legs are covered in fresh bruises from the journey, but it only deepens my attraction to her. Unblemished flesh doesn’t tell stories like textured, bruised, and scarred skin does.

I loathe the fact she has scars—if the man responsible wasn't already dead, I’d kill him myself—but it’s a reminder of her survival. She made it out.

“You’re strong,” I say, nestling my body against hers in the shower. “But I hate that you’ve had to be.”

I can’t see her response because she faces the spray, her skin pebbling as the water hits her. But the way she becomes soft against me is all the response I need. She trusts me. She is strong as hell, but she knows she doesn’t always have to be with me.

That’s the best compliment a male could receive .

“I’ll always protect you,” I murmur. I trace a line down her spine, loving how her body responds to my touch.

She spins to face me, and her breasts brush my chest. I groan as need floods every fiber of my being. Vulnerability shimmers in her grey eyes, and I eat it up like the starved beast I am.

The water washes over her hair, the ashy-blonde darkening and the curls straightening as it becomes wet.

“Turn back around,” I order in a clipped tone, wanting more than just her hair wet. My resolve hangs on by a thread.

The way she nods and immediately obliges has my cock hard as iron, nudging against her bare arse. She wiggles slightly, rubbing against me. I groan, tipping my head back. Steam rises around us, and I’m lost to the heat of her . Wrapping my arms around the front of her waist, I pull her flush against me, nestling my hardness between her cheeks. She gasps, leaning her head back on my shoulder and allowing the water spray to hit her chest.

I keep one arm locked around her, reaching for her rosy little nipple with my free hand. I caress it gently. It hardens beneath my touch, and her breath stutters.

“You need me as badly as I need you, don't you?” I whisper in her ear. Her eyes flutter shut and she nods. “I’ll take care of you, baby.”

Reluctantly, I release her, reaching for the soap on the shower’s ledge. She pouts, batting her long lashes at me. The way she immediately searched for me the moment I stepped away from her has my cock jerking with need.

Her eyes trail down, filling with heat when they land on my erection. She reaches for me, gently caressing my tip with her thumb. When she licks her lips, I read the intention on her face .

“Don’t you dare,” I command. “Stay where you’re at.”

“But I want to—”

“No. Right now, you are mine to take care of.”

Her cheeks turn pink, and she nods, putting her back into the water spray and continuing to face me. I use the clean rag beside the soap, lathering it up nicely. Then, I begin at her neck, rubbing small circles against her flesh and slowly moving down.

She tilts her head back, letting the water run through her hair as she gives into my touch, letting me explore her body. One hand works to clean her skin, but the other is a greedy bastard, memorizing every piece of her bare flesh.

I avoid using soap on her most delicate area, not wanting to irritate it. Plus, the savage I am wants her to smell like her— not like flowery soap.

When I reach her feet, I gently lift one, placing it on my thigh and scrubbing her delicate toes.

She flinches, giggling when I get to the sole. I repeat on the other foot.

I finish, steadying her as I plant her foot back on the slippery basin. Then, I toss the rag to the side and tap her thigh.

“Open for me,” I murmur, kneeling before her like the beggar I am.

Hesitantly, she widens her stance. But it’s not enough.

I growl as my vision darkens and my gums ache. “Let me see you.” This time, my voice is dark and commanding, leaving no room for negotiation.

Her breath hitches as if she didn’t expect the order, but she moves quicker this time, widening her stance so I can gaze up at her tempting center. Gently, I reach up, caressing her.

“You listen so well, baby,” I say. I smirk up at her as I lean in, placing a kiss on her thigh. Ghosting my lips over her skin, I continue ascending until I find what I seek.

The way she gasps, practically choking on her breath as I trail my tongue upward, has me almost coming right then and there. It wouldn’t be the first time. But I sure as hell don’t want to come until I’m done with her.

I ache with the need to bury myself inside of her. But I steady myself and continue to move slowly, trailing kisses up and down her inner thighs.

“You can bite me,” she says breathlessly. “If that’s what you need.” Her fingers work their way into my hair, gripping onto me.

“Oh, I will,” I say with a dark chuckle. Then I lean up, swiping my tongue across her wetness. She jerks, her hands gripping tighter. When I’m sure she has her balance and is prepared, I bury my face in her center, flicking my tongue against her clit.

The hot water trickles over her body, soaking us both as I work her to climax. She detonates, tugging my hair so hard my scalp burns. Her hips jerk up, meeting me lick for lick, and she yells out my name.

I chuckle against her, finding satisfaction in the symphony of her pleasure.

We finish cleaning up, then I turn off the shower and scoop Alessia up. Throwing open the shower door, I step out. Water drips from us, leaving a trail to the bed, where I toss her down. She gasps as she lands, her breasts bouncing with the movement. My vision flickers as I take in her dark, rosy nipples.

“The bed—” Alessia glances down at the quilt beneath her. “Rainer, I’m all wet.”

I give her a devious grin, gripping her thighs and parting them so I can lick a trail up her delicious flesh. “Just the way I like you.”

She shudders, tilting her head back and gripping the blanket as I flick my tongue against her clit. It doesn’t take long until she’s bucking beneath me, one hand working into my hair to hold me in place.

Her pleasure floods my mouth as she reaches another climax, screaming out my name. I rise to my knees, gripping my thick cock in my fist and smirking down at her.

She’s so painfully beautiful. It mesmerizes me. The way her wet hair fans out around her, and those big grey eyes stare up at me with trust and vulnerability.

I open my mouth to tell her how deeply I feel about her, to pour my heart out to her, but the door thunders open behind me, slamming into the wall.

Alessia gasps, jolting at the intrusion. Then she sighs, and annoyance crosses her features. I throw my body over her, covering her with my own.

“Nice arse, brother,” Tynan booms out. “I don’t mean to spoil your sport and ice your balls, but can you tell me why the scrawny wind prince stormed my room and stole the sorceress?”

“Stole?” Alessia asks, chuckling beneath me. The feel of her bare skin against mine does little to quell my need despite the fact my brother is standing in the room.

Feckin Tynan.

“Turn around,” I yell, seeing red.

After a beat, I peer over my shoulder. He faces the doorway, obliging the command. I kiss Alessia’s cheek, giving her a look of apology before pushing myself off her. I pull the quilt out from under her, throwing it on her body to cover her. Then, I grab a pillow, holding it over my nudity.

“Should’ve locked that,” I mutter, viciously annoyed. “What’s your problem?” I bark at Tynan.

“Can I turn around?”

I glance at Alessia, confirming she’s covered. She shrugs, her bare shoulders and collarbone peeking out from the quilt.

I turn back to my brother. “No.”

He turns around anyway. I glower at him.

“The pretentious little prick burst into my room and—”

“The way you’re doing now?”

“No not the way—” He groans, running a hand over his sheared hair. “He took Seraphina.”

“What do you mean took?” Alessia asks, her voice laced with concern.

“Did she go willingly?” I ask.

“Yes, but—”

“Then you should be relieved.” I narrow my eyes, seeing through his bullshite. “It’s one less burden on your shoulders. Now you get a room entirely to yourself.”

“Yeah, well…” His features pinch together as he scratches the back of his neck. “Just don’t want him meddling. I don’t trust the two of them running off together.”

Alessia makes a contemplative noise behind me. I glance at her, and she fights a smile, her eyes crinkling at the corner. Meanwhile, I roll my eyes at Tynan’s dramatics.

“Question,” Alessia says, humor lacing her tone. “Does your room have one or two beds? ”

He pauses, considering the question, picking at a piece of splintered wood on the doorframe. “One, but what does that have to do with anything?”

Alessia giggles harder, and Tynan’s brow furrows as he tries to understand the joke. I sigh. He’s an oaf if he can’t see it himself.

“Ezamae is trustworthy, and I’m incredibly unbothered by Seraphina's departure,” I say, striding toward him. One hand holds the pillow firmly in front of my now soft penis, and the other ushers him out of the room.

“But you don’t trust anyone.” He stays rooted in place.

“Exactly.” I don’t trust just anyone—it should be enough proof for him to follow my lead.

I plant my free hand on his beefy chest, shoving harder until his feet move, and he stumbles backward. “You’re a fool, Tynan.”

His brows dip low. “So she’s not coming back?”

I frown at him, removing the pillow from my manhood and shoving it in his face. He yells, but I’m too busy slamming the door on him. Moving quickly, I lock the doorknob and slide the chain in place. He bangs on the door.

“Kindly feck yourself,” I yell.

“Really? Even after I cleaned up your mess.”

I groan, and part of me feels guilty for my dismissal. But for fae’s sake, the timing is horrendous. “We’ll talk at literally any other time. Now go .”

He chuckles darkly from the other side of the door. “This is payback, by the way, little brother.”

I rub my forehead as if I can work away the wrinkle Tynan has permanently induced. He’s not wrong. I suppose it is my payback for barging in on him previously.

Alessia giggles adorably. “Your brother likes Sera.”

Rubbing my brow, I shake my head. “He likes anything with a pulse.” Perhaps even that’s generous.

“He’s not so bad,” Alessia says admonishingly.

“I don’t want to talk about him.” And as angry as I am with him, now that the adrenaline, lust, and subsequent fury are dissipating, I can think clearly. I see what I was blind to a moment ago—that I was about to put Alessia at risk by solidifying the soul-bond. “I want to talk about us , Alessia.”

“Talk?” She lets the quilt fall, baring her breasts to me again.

Instantly, the blood shoots south, and I groan, bringing a knuckle to my mouth and biting down on it to keep from reaching for her.

“Are you sure you want to talk ?” she teases.

I blow out a heavy breath. “We almost went too far, mo róisín.”

She groans, throwing herself back onto the bed. “Not this again.”

“We can’t yet—not now. Not like this.” I glance around the dingy room, taking it in with clear eyes. This isn’t our safe space. It isn’t meaningful to us. We’re in the middle of a potentially dangerous journey, and the time isn’t right. No matter what Ezamae says.

Alessia deserves better than that for our first time, especially with what it means for us.

I stride over to her, slipping beneath the damp blanket. My hand finds her face, cupping it and tilting her head to look at me. Frustration brims in her gaze.

“It’s not a matter of if anymore, Rainer. It’s when .” Despite the annoyance, she still gazes at me with the moon and stars in her eyes. “I’m sick of letting fear run our relationship. ”

I chuckle at the irony—I live and breathe fear ; it will always be a part of our relationship, my life—but she’s not wrong.

“I promise you, my little rose, my fear is not stopping me this time.” My thumb traces the zigzag ink, softly working its way up and down the left side of her face. “You deserve better than this.” I wave my hand around the space. “Better than an inn shower and raggedy quilts that smell like powder, with my brother and best friend just a wall away.”

She purses her lips, and then a sigh of defeat escapes her. “I don’t care about any of this.” She reaches up, cupping my face. “I care about you .”

I lean forward, covering her mouth with my own, whispering, “I know,” before kissing her softly. I pull back, keeping my weight on my elbows as I hover over her, giving her a look of apology. “But this means more to me than pleasure. It’s a bond for eternity. One I take very seriously.”

The light sparks back up in her eyes. “I respect that. I hope you know I feel the same way.”

“Then we agree—we shall wait?”

“Not too long, I hope,” she says playfully, threading her arms around my neck.

“Once we finish what we came for and return home,” I say confidently. “I shall wine and dine you properly, Alessia Lírshadow, and then I shall thoroughly ravage you.”

She gives me a coy smile. “You better, Rainer Iorworth. You owe me. And—”

“Iorworths always pay their debts,” I finish with a chuckle. “You’re not mad?”

“How could I possibly be mad? There’s something beautiful about getting lost in pleasure and falling wholly into someone without thinking of repercussions, but it’s way sexier to have self-control and be able to stop.”

Her words hit me right in the chest, meaning even more than I think she intended. Since the moment I met her, I’ve second-guessed my self-control and doubted my ability to keep her safe. Not only was I able to control myself through regular lust, but my bloodlust didn’t take over—it didn’t consume me.

I haven’t even bitten her yet, despite her offering herself up to me.

Suddenly, the room is too small, and the emotions are too big. Sweat beads on the back of my neck, and I’m nervous .

Fecking hell. What is happening to me?

Pushing off of her, I run a hand through my hair and work to keep my expression neutral so I don’t freak her out.

“The blankets are soaked,” she says, kicking the blanket off her.

“And whose fault is that?” I smirk, the light playfulness returning.

I reach for her bare foot, tickling the sole. She squeals, trying to squirm out of my hold. I grip her tight enough to keep her in place but careful not to hurt her. Breathless laughter pours from her as she gasps my name, flailing around. Finally, I relent, giving her a smug smile.

I expect her to chastise me or throw some sass, but a dark tendril shoots out from her palm, lurching toward the pillows. Before I can register what’s happening, a firm but soft pressure slams into my face, whacking me off the bed .

I land with a thump and gaze up, stunned. Alessia crawls to the edge of the bed, her eyes wide.

“Oh my gods,” she says quickly. “Are you okay?”

I quirk a brow at her. “Playing dirty again are we?”

She reaches a hand out for me, and I accept it. But I yank her down into my arms, catching her gracefully before she hits the floor.

Her lip quivers nervously. “I let down my guard, and it just came out and—”

“And it hit me with a pillow,” I deadpan. It’s intriguing that her shadow, once filled with aggression, has mellowed into a playful companion. I tickle her underarms and make her cry out again. “I can handle your shadow, mo róisín. In fact, I think it likes me.”

“Sto-stop!” Tears of laughter stream down her face as she swats my hand away. Her chest rises and falls rapidly as she pants, trying to catch her breath. “It might come back out.”

“Let it,” I encourage.

“I don’t—don’t know—if I can control it.”

“You can. I believe in you.” Just like she believed in me.

“What if you don’t like me anymore because of it?”

“It’s part of you,” I tell her. “I love every part of you—your light and dark, your roots and petals.”