11. Kaia

I inhale sharply, sitting up and away from Thoren’s body. I need space — I need to breathe . But that action only makes things worse because my throbbing clit is now pressing roughly against the saddle. My nails dig into the handle-thing he’s had me holding on to this entire time, and I’m worried they’ll break off with the force.

Wow, was I wrong when I thought fooling around a little might make things easier between us. Nope. It has most definitely made it worse. I remember going through a puzzle phase in high school, and when I got to the end, I’d have maybe a handful left. And it was hard for a minute as I tried to figure out which puzzle piece fit into which slot and in what direction.

Well, that pretty much explained my love life. I was constantly searching for someone who could make all the puzzle pieces fit together — and make me come. Well, folks, Thoren threw that fucker together so fast I saw stars behind my eyelids. I’ve never had someone make me come that hard. And that was just with his fingers. I saw what he was doing with that tongue as he licked my juices off his knuckles.

That tongue would put me in a coma.

And the most disturbing part about that whole encounter? The puzzle piece didn’t just slide in sexually , if you know what I mean. It felt like something else slid into place as well. The bond was somehow stronger now, more insistent, because I couldn’t stop the heat flowing through my veins. It was like my entire body sang for him. I wanted him to touch me again and again.

And I wanted to touch him.

“Kaia?” His voice is tender and gentle, quiet amid the horse’s hooves on the packed dirt. One of his large arms reaches around me to grab hold of the reins again. I’m impressed that the horse didn’t veer off the path.

“Yeah, sorry.”

“You apologize a lot. Too much.”

“I shouldn’t have let that happen,” I tell him, ignoring that he’s probably right. I do apologize too much. “You told us it was a bad idea, that once we started, we wouldn’t be able to stop.”

“You don’t want to stop?” His hot breath is suddenly on my neck, sending shivers down my spine. God, his voice is sexy.

“No, of course I don’t!” I groan. “I want you to do all the filthy things to me. And I want to do them right back to you.”

A warm chuckle escapes his mouth, which is now kissing down the side of my throat. “You wish to fuck and breed me?”

“Breed?” I screech. “Who said anything about breeding?”

“You did,” he answers, his lips and teeth never stopping their assault on my flesh. My head falls to the side, and my cunt clenches around nothing. Breeding sounds awfully good right now, and that’s how I know that’s the mating bond talking. Because no sane human woman would want to breed with a gargoyle she met a week ago. That’s insane. That would be insane… right?

“I did not,” I say through the haze clouding my thoughts.

“You said you wished to do everything to me that I wished to do to you. And I wish to fuck and breed that tight little cunt until you’re swollen with my child.”

“Oh, god.” I can’t believe that voice is mine. I sound incredibly turned on, like I’ve blacked out and only cock can save me.

“But I will leave you be for now,” he says, the heat from his body leaving me feeling needy and cold. I shiver as a cold breeze blows through the trees. I don’t even think about it; I just lie back against him. I know I can’t see his face, but I can feel him smile at my nearness. Maybe it’s the bond, but it’s like I know he’s happy. His free arm digs around in his pack, and then he brandishes a blanket in front of me in a flurry of motion.

“You’re like a magician pulling ribbons out of his sleeve.” I laugh, curling up between his hard body and the soft fabric of the quilt.

“I don’t know what a magician is.” He rights himself back on the saddle. “But I hope it is something you like.”

“Sure.” I shrug. “I like magicians.” I bite my lip and smile.

My ass is screaming at me as we roll into Echo Bluff. I’m pretty sure all the fat around it has worn down, and I’m now just sitting on bone. Thoren kisses me on the back of my head as I readjust for the millionth time in the past hour. He must be a saint to be putting up with me right now. The stories never tell you about just how chapped your ass gets if you’re not a horse rider.

“Equestrian,” Thoren corrects.

“Oh.” I turn back to look at him. “Didn’t realize I said that out loud.”

“You murmur,” he states. “We will stop right up here.” He gestures to a multistory wooden building that looks like it could fall over at any minute. It’s hanging over the road as we trot up at a leisurely pace.

“This place looks like it will fall over at any second.”

“Yes, it does.” He laughs. “But it is safe. Magic.” He winks before kissing my cheek roughly. His beard scratches in the best way. “Hold on, Kaia. I am going to get us down, okay?”

“Thank you for warning me this time.” I let him wrap his strong arms around my torso, my own hands holding on to them as tightly as I can. I hear his wings unfurl behind him, and then I’m lifted off the saddle, and my feet are placed softly on the ground.

My knees give out immediately. Thoren holds me against him, a delighted little chuckle rolling through him.

“You are so lucky you have me.” I let it go, honestly, because he’s right. I am. Who knows where I would be if it hadn’t been him that caught me naked in the lake. It could’ve been someone that couldn’t swim. I could’ve drowned someone.

After grabbing both of our bags from the horse, he leads me through the door of the inn. Inside is alight with conversation and candlelight. I realize the downstairs is the most quintessential pub I’ve ever seen. It’s cozy and warm, the people not paying us any mind but a small smile as we walk toward the bar.

“Thoren!” The bartender throws a rag over her tattooed shoulder and runs around the side of the bar. “You didn’t tell me you were coming!”

She’s gorgeous. She has purple hair the color of an eggplant, with eyes the color of honey. Her skin is a deep brown and covered in black and white tattoos. Her arms wrap around Thoren’s neck as she greets him with a warm smile.

And I am jealous . I won’t even beat around the bush about it. I am writhing in a hatred so deep in my heart I fear it might suffocate me.

“I wanted to surprise him,” Thoren says, putting her back down on the ground. “Natalie, this is Kaia.” Thoren gestures between us, and I’m still struggling to breathe. “Kaia, this is my sister-in-law Natalie. She’s mated to one of my brothers.”

The jealousy dissipates and leaves me with embarrassment that has my skin flushing a deep red. And I know it’s glaringly obvious that I’m embarrassed by something, but they both just ignore it.

“Lovely to meet you, Kaia.” Natalie holds out her hand toward me. I take it because I’m not an asshole and limply shake her hand. If this was a job interview, I just tanked it.

“She is my mate,” Thoren announces. He announces it so loudly he might as well have asked for a goddamn megaphone.

“Oh, Thoren!” Natalie now looks like she’s going to cry, and then there’s a huge gray man running out of the back of the pub. He cries out, an excited scream that has the entire bar hushed. In a few short strides — along with some very precarious wing movements — he’s tackling Thoren to the ground in a playfulness normally reserved for toddlers.

I jump out of the way at the last minute, and Natalie tugs me over beside her. She’s smiling down at them as they both try to untangle themselves.

“It’s lovely to meet you,” Natalie says, hugging me by her side. “He’s been alone so long. We worried about him.”

“We truly did,” the other gargoyle says, standing to his full height.

“Kaia, this is my brother,” Thoren explains as he tries to fix his hair. “Erik, this is my mate.”

“Incredible to meet you.” Erik’s arms are around me in a blink, and then I’m being lifted several feet off the floor. This place is going to give me permanent vertigo.

“Enough,” Thoren growls, and I realize I’m not the only one who can feel jealousy. “Put her down. We need to get her a hot bath. She’s never ridden before.”

My mind is permanently in the gutter, and I struggle not to laugh.

“Of course,” Natalie chimes in. “Erik, get them the key to a room and light a fire. I’ll bring you guys some food. No sense in sitting down here to eat on uncomfortable barstools. Get comfy and enjoy the evening.”

“That sounds amazing. Thank you so much.” I want to kiss her for getting me out of coming back down here to interact with people. I am exhausted from the trip, and while I would love to find out more about Thoren’s family, I just know I wouldn’t be able to keep my eyes open.

“Of course. Anything for the family.” She smiles at me. “Follow Erik, and I’ll come back to take you up to the room momentarily.”