Chapter 15

Ilay there as aftershocks wracked my body. I felt electrified as if bolts of lightning lit me up from the inside. Every inch of me felt boneless and yet tense at the same time. I knew the pleasure that had made me delirious with ecstasy was only the beginning.

Valen shifted off the bed while I continued to lie, panting and breathless, as my heart pounded inside of my chest with anticipation. I wanted to look at him, to see him in all his naked glory, but my nerves kept me from taking a peek. I felt foolish for worrying. I knew there was nothing to be scared of, but I’d heard other women talk about sex, and some of their stories had been awful.

There was talk about size, of course, but there had also been stories from the girls in high school about how disappointing sex had been. The women at the strip club, surprisingly, didn’t talk about sex much at all. I had wondered if they had become desensitized to the whole act.

Curiosity finally got the better of me after I heard his heavy boots thump to the floor, and I finally lifted my head to look down my naked body to see Valen bent over, shoving his jeans down his thighs. After he lifted each foot, removing the denim completely, he straightened back up and placed a knee on the bed. The angle didn’t allow me to catch more than a quick glimpse as he stroked himself.

The look in his eyes is what had me mesmerized, though. The green was fighting with the blackness that seemed to want to take over. It was fascinating to watch both halves of him fighting for dominance.

“Show me,” I whispered as I fell into his gaze. I wasn’t talking about his nakedness anymore. I needed to see the darkness that lay coiled inside of him, wanting to be set free. I wasn’t scared of the dark anymore. As much as my parents tried to force me, as much as I had grown to hate the dark, I craved it from him. He was my light in the dark, the one that I had searched for.

He seemed to intuitively know what I meant because, even though he did remove his hand from his cock, revealing a size that had me swallowing in equal parts anticipation and trepidation, he allowed his demon complete control.

Dark wings swirling with shadows exploded from his back, and horns that curled up and back from the sides of his head appeared. Wisps of shadows danced around his body, and as he lowered himself over me, they seemed to lick playfully at my skin.

I felt movement, then a firm grasp on my thigh as his tail wrapped around my leg and lifted it, pulling my thigh back and widening my legs to allow him to settle his hips firmly against mine. I glanced down my body to see his heavy length settled on top of my mound and swallowed convulsively at the sheer size of him. The magnitude of what we were about to do had another shiver of anticipation racing up my spine.

I opened my thighs wider, welcoming him closer, and wrapped my arms around his back. I traced my fingertips over his wings and watched as he closed those black eyes, relishing my touch.

“Please, Valen. Make me yours.”

At my whispered encouragement, Valen growled and shifted, aligning himself with my opening. We both held our breaths as his beautiful cock breached my entrance and slowly sank inside. I was more than ready for him, my wetness allowing him an easy glide forward, though he seemed to be struggling with himself.

“So tight. So hot.” His words were guttural, spoken between clenched teeth. With a snarl, he pushed the last few inches fast and hard until our pelvises were flush together, and he threw his head back with a roar. “Mine!”

After a brief pause, he stilled, attempting to gain control. He lowered his head and stared at me, his black gaze fixated on my face. “My mate.”

“Yours,” I agreed, feeling him pulsing inside me, aching but needing more. So much more.

His lip lifted in another snarl as he withdrew before thrusting forward again, making my entire body jolt with the movement. He hit something inside of me that made liquid fire dance across my nerve endings.

“More,” I breathed, desperately clawing at his back. “I need more.”

“I’ll give you everything and more, Mate.”

There were no more slow withdrawals. Instead, Valen thrust hard and deep, jolting me each time until he wrapped an arm under my back, gripping onto my shoulder to hold me in place with one arm. His other hand was fisted next to my head, bracing his body as he knelt above me, giving himself full access to drive into me with each powerful thrust of his hips.

I watched his magnificent physique, each muscle rippling with his movements until I couldn’t see anymore, my eyesight going hazy and my ears ringing with the pounding of my heartbeat. It took several moments before I realized the ringing in my ears was from my own screams as I called out his name over and over, sobbing from the unimaginable pleasure.

“Mine. My mate. Mine.” Valen’s growls filled the room, mingling with my cries. When my body began to stiffen, and that electric tingling feeling began dancing across my nerve endings again, I knew I was about to break apart. I was scared at the overwhelming sensations, not knowing if I would ever be the same again.

I threw back my head, my fingernails scrabbling at his back, needing to anchor myself before I flew apart into a million pieces. At my final scream, I vaguely heard Valen roar, and his hips stuttered in a final thrust before he pressed deep. A warmth unlike anything else filled me to overflowing as I lay there breathless and sobbing.

Warm lips pressed to my face, kissing away my tears and soothing me with softly spoken promises. It took several long moments until I was able to open my eyes again. Valen’s handsome face loomed over me with a concerned expression. I gave him a tired, tremulous smile.

“Hi,” I whispered huskily, my throat scratchy from overuse.

Valen leaned down and ran his nose along mine, then pressed a gentle kiss on my lips. The kiss turned into a lazy tangling of tongues, a new intimacy blooming between us that hadn’t been there before. It was enough to make tears threaten again behind my eyelids. I willed them away, not wanting to appear like an emotional wreck, even though what we had just experienced seemed to destroy me and rebuild me in such a short span of time.

Valen pulled back, but not before dropping another soft kiss on my lips. “Stay right where you are, Mate.” He slowly, carefully withdrew his semi-hard cock from my opening, and I did my best to hide my wince as he glided over newly awakened nerve endings.

He quickly climbed off the bed, and I heard him pad into the bathroom. The water turned on in the shower, and then he returned to walk back over to me. In one swift move, he scooped me into his arms and held me firmly against his broad chest.

His wings and horns were gone, and I ran my fingers over his naked back where they had been just a moment before. I was sorry to see them go, but I knew he would show me again whenever I asked. I snuggled my face into his neck and breathed him in. He smelled like leather and spice, with a hint of smoke. I decided it was my new favorite scent.

He carried me into the small shower stall. When I tried to loosen my grip on him so I could slide to my feet, he tightened his hold and tsked at me.

“It’s my privilege to care for my mate,” he said in his low, gravelly voice, making me melt back into his embrace. I didn’t know how he would accomplish his task, but I was here for it. Any time he wanted to take care of me, I was more than willing to let him.

He held me under the hot shower spray, letting the heat soothe my raw nerves. Then, using his 3-in-1 shampoo and body wash, he cleaned away the evidence of our joining. It took several minutes before I noticed his wrist.

At the sight of the changed brand on his wrist, I lifted my own, pulling my arm from where I’d held his back, nearly making him drop me at my sudden movements. He grunted, then readjusted his hold, allowing me to get a good look at my arm.

What was once a dark red brand was now pitch black, the symbol there clearly displaying beautiful swirls and lines. Without me asking, he brought his own wrist to rest next to mine. I ran my gaze back and forth between our brands, marveling at how they were a perfectly matched pair.

“I wonder if it means anything? Like, is it a word? It almost looks ancient.” My tone was full of wonder as I studied the markings, unable to get enough of them. I was fascinated by them, especially knowing how deep the meaning was. It was magical, being marked by Fate.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I feel like a fool for keeping myself away from my own kind all this time. If I hadn’t, I would have known what it meant when I was marked the first time. I could have looked for you.”

I couldn’t help but laugh softly at his words. “I was a baby. I’m not sure that you would have wanted to find me back then.”

He was silent for a long time. When he spoke again, it was with a serious expression. “I think it’s time we get to know each other better. I need to know what your life was like.”

I stiffened in his arms before I could control my reaction. He was right; we did need to learn more about each other, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to tell him about my parents. It wasn’t a pretty story, and I didn’t know how he would react to it.

He ran a soothing hand over my body, attempting to calm me. “I understand if you would rather not tell me about it. But it’s probably best if you do. We can wait awhile, though.”

I appreciated his words and turned to place a kiss on his jaw. “Thank you,” I sighed gratefully. “But you should know. Just in case…” I let my words trail off and shuddered. He should know that I am not safe, and being with me meant he wasn’t safe either. Not that I doubted he could take care of himself, but we could be so easily torn apart. Just the thought of it had a heavy weight settling into the pit of my stomach.

Valen reached out and turned the shower off, then grabbed the towel slung over the glass door. He patted me dry as best as he could without setting me down, then draped the towel over me. He carried me out of the bathroom and back over to the bed before tucking me in under the blankets. I watched as he quickly ran the towel over his body, and then I frowned as he tossed the towel to the floor. He slid under the covers, pulling my body snugly against his.

“Don’t worry,” he chuckled, seeing my disapproving look. “I’ll pick it up later. Right now, I need to hold you.”

I sighed and rested my head against his shoulder. I didn’t know where to begin my story, so I thought of how I used to stare into my closet, knowing that there was nothing to be afraid of—not until later.

Then I started speaking.