14. Darcy

Chapter 14

Darcy

L yndon was kissing me. Or maybe I was kissing him. I was the one who'd started it, I guessed. But Lyndon was the one who'd taken it to the next level.

Leaning in hadn't even been a conscious decision. Before I'd realized it, my scaly skin had been against his soft lips. I'd wondered if it bothered him that I had scales? I'd started to back off after the tiny brush, doubt filling me, but Lyndon had wrapped a hand around my neck and taken over.

The kiss was soft, tentative, like he was just testing it out to see how it felt. I didn't push. Lyndon was willingly touching me! I'd take whatever I could get.

My insides hummed as the bond reveled in the connection. I had been doing some research, aka drilling Lyndon's cousins and aunt about everything they knew about the mating bond. There wasn't anything similar with my kind, so I wanted to make sure I understood. Aunt Belinda had lent me a few books too. I hadn't had a chance to look at them, my focus on Lyndon, but I was looking forward to it.

What I already knew was that it needed intimacy to fully take effect and settle. Though, in our case, it seemed to be more of the goddess meddling than anything else. That was one thing we couldn't figure out. Why had their goddess taken so much of an interest in us? Lyndon's coven had never heard of anything like it before.

It had something to do with the visions. I was sure of it. I just needed Lyndon to open up about them. Then maybe we could figure everything out.

But Lyndon was kissing me again, and I lost all train of thought.

When he finally pulled away, his eyes were hazy. "I, um . . . That was . . ."

He was still in his head. "Kiss me again, Lyndon. Sssstop thinking and kiss me."

Lyndon huffed, but his eyes shined with amusement. "Bossy," he muttered, but he kissed me again.

My humming quieted, and the dirt, grass, and plants, that had all been swaying with Lyndon's magic, stopped moving. There was nothing but Lyndon and me. Nothing else existed.

"Really, Darc? This one?" Lyndon shot me an amused look as we stood in front of a large Victorian house that, I admitted, had seen better days.

"It needs some work, but that'll be part of the fun. Usss working together to build it. There are five bedrooms, so plenty of space for all the little onesss and any others. There's a shed in the back that can easily be converted into a workroom for you, a huge backyard, and enough space for town meetings and events. It'sss perfect for us, Lyn. Just . . . use your imagination."

The baby that Lyndon had strapped on his chest started to stir, so he bounced up and down, trying to settle him. "Is it safe to bring the boys inside? I feel like the place is condemned."

I rolled my eyes. A little boy about three years old tugged on my hand. I looked down, smiling at the silver-eyed child. "Can we go inside, Papa? Please?"

"Sssure, Aeli. Just stay close to Dad or me, okay? No running away." I used my best stern tone, which was laughable. Lyndon was the strict parent. But Aeli nodded excitedly.

"I will, Papa. I promise!"

Lyndon sighed heavily, exasperated, but took my hand. "I guess we've done crazier things, haven't we?"

I laughed. "I think thisss is low on the level of crazy for us, honestly. C'mon, bright eyes, are you ready for our next adventure?"

Lyndon smiled. "With you, always."

The world started again. I felt the breeze against my face as I opened my eyes, Lyndon's lips still brushing against mine.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, looking panicked.

I grabbed his hands before he could dart away. "What wassss that? Wasss that a vision?"

"I-I think so, yeah. They're so vivid. Aria and Ambrose said they're usually open for interpretation. That seemed more like a glimpse of the future."

"The one you saw of me, was it the same?" I was desperate to understand.

"Not completely. We were, um, standing in front of a sign for a town. Hearts Haven?"

"Heartsss Haven? I've never heard of it."

Lyndon pushed to his feet and started to brush dirt off his pants. "No, me either."

I followed suit and got up. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know. It felt like I discovered it, or created it? I have no idea. I've never founded a town before."

Hmmm. I needed more information, but it was like pulling teeth to get anything from Lyndon. He started to walk back to the cabin, but I stopped him.

"Lyndon, we're in thisss together, okay? I know you'd rather that wasn't the case, but like it or not, here we are. So please, will you let me help figure this out? Together?"

"It's not that simple, Darcy. I want to—I want to accept this. I do. I-I like you. I tried not to, but you got under my skin. Even when I was fighting it, I couldn't stop wanting you. You're like the sun, Darcy. I just want to be around you. I'm . . . just not sure how."

I cupped his face. "Ssstop thinking so much and just let it be. You don't need to have all the answers right now."

Lyndon frowned. "What happens when Ambrose figures out how to get you home and you leave me here all alone? If I give in to this, I don't think I could survive that. The way it is now, I might have a chance of protecting myself."

My heart ached. Did he really think there was a chance in all the realms I'd leave him if he wanted me to stay?

"I don't know how to get thisssss through your thick ssskull, but I'm not going anywhere. If, and that'sss a big if, Ambrose findsss a way to open the portal, then I'd like to visit my friendssss, let them know I'm fine, maybe introduce them to you, but I'd come back to you."

"How can you be sure? When I told you I wanted to break the bond, you agreed so quickly. You only accepted it to save me. I don't want you forced into something."

I laughed harshly. "I didn't accept it, you idiot. I just tried a different ssstrategy."

Lyndon's nose scrunched adorably. "What strategy?"

"The one where you fell in love with me before you even realized what wasss happening."

I didn't give Lyndon a chance to think and analyze that. It wouldn't lead to anything good if he did. Instead, I held him in place and kissed him, hoping to show everything I was feeling in that kiss.

When I finally pulled us apart, we were both gasping for air, and Lyndon's lips were swollen and spit slicked.

"Goddess, Darcy. What the fuck are you doing to me?"

I smiled. "Sssame thing that you're doing to me, probably."

Lyndon looked up at the sky and muttered to himself, but I couldn't make out what he was saying. Finally, he looked back at me, some of that fear and uncertainty wiped from his expression.

"I might regret this, but let's go to my room. I want you, and I don't think I can fight it anymore."

"Good, it's about time."

I took his hand and dragged him toward his cabin before he could change his mind.

As soon as we were both inside, Lyndon pushed me against the wall. He ran his hands down my bare torso. "Your skin is so smooth. I thought it would be rough."

"It is if you go the other way, like a—like a sssnake." My brain short-circuited, making it hard to finish my thought, when Lyndon's lips grazed my nipple. "Ohhh!"

Lyndon grinned, a bit of an evil glint in his eyes. "Do you like that, sunshine? Does my tongue feel good against your skin?"

Had Lyndon been body snatched when we'd been in the vision? Was this really the same man who'd avoided touching me at all costs? Wait, why was I complaining? Whatever had happened for this 180 to occur, I'd take it. I didn't need to know the reason.

Lyndon's fingers tweaked my other nipple as his teeth grazed the one he had his mouth on.

"Lyndon!" I half-shouted, half-moaned. Gods, this felt so good. I never played with my nipples before, and I was clearly missing. This was amazing. Or maybe it was just because it was Lyndon playing with them.

Lyndon's hand slid from my nipple, and he ran it down my torso until he got to my waistband. His eyes flicked to mine. I nodded. He could do whatever he wanted. His hand went under the band until he was cupping my cocks.

"Goddess. You really are a girthy motherfucker, aren't you? I bet it feels so good to be filled by you."

I whined. "Y-you'd want that? I know it'sss a lot. It'sss okay if you don't . . ." I thought back to the vision I'd witnessed. I'd love nothing more than for that to be reality.

Lyndon shut me up but putting his mouth on my other nipple, the one he hadn't touched yet. "Shh, Darcy. Trust me when I tell you I want nothing more than to feel both those dicks inside me. We might need to work up to it, but I want it, sunshine. It was never you or my attraction to you that stopped me. Please believe that."

How could I not when I felt Lyndon everywhere? His mouth, his hands, his magic, he surrounded me. All that I had space for in my brain was Lyndon.

"Lyndon, please . . ." His thumb grazed my balls, and I almost lost it.

"What is it, sunshine? Tell me what you need."

"You, Lyn. Complete the bond. Make me yours."