Chapter Twenty-Eight

"What is going on with you?" I ask Lumen.

"What do you mean?"

"That," I say, pointing toward the door. "Why are you being so aggressive toward him?"

"I don't know," he says defensively, shrugging his shoulders. He's tense. Maybe looks a little guilty. Or maybe he's just pouting.

I move in front of him, planting my hands on my hips. "Is something wrong?"

"No." He scratches the back of his neck, then throws his arms up. "I don't know."

"What does that mean?" I ask more gently.

He sighs, then rests his head against the back of the couch. "I'm just… frustrated. Yeah, I'll go with frustrated."

"Frustrated… over?"

"Everything," he mutters, then closes his eyes.

"Lumen, talk to me."

He grits his teeth, working his jaw, but doesn't open his eyes.

"Just drop it, darling."

Using my nickname makes me think he isn't mad at me, and that's good, but something is bothering him. The moment that grey showed up, Lumen turned into someone I don't recognize. Sure, he and Ves give each other crap, but it's always been kind of playful. Never aggressive the way Lumen was toward the grey, like he was about to pummel him.

"Ves, could you give us a few minutes to talk alone?" I ask, turning his way.

"Of course, my love," he answers. "I'd like to experience the shower again anyway. It was delightful." He kisses me on the cheek before heading upstairs and disappearing down the hallway. I shake my head as I watch him go. He's like a toddler experiencing things for the first time. It's adorable.

"Lumen," I try again, crouching in front of him and planting my palms on his thighs. The same way he did to me that first night I met him. It helped me, so maybe it'll help him too. "We're alone. It's just us."

I watch him carefully, wanting to give him time to think about his words.

"This mate stuff is a lot," he finally says, so softly I almost don't hear him. But I do, and my stomach drops.

"A lot h-how?"

Is he going to tell me he doesn't want to be part of this? I just did all I could to keep the grey involved. Now I have to worry about Lumen leaving?

His eyes flick open, and he brings his sharp gaze to mine. After a moment, he sighs, shakes his head, and looks away.

"Lumen," I beg. "Please, tell me what's going on. What are you mad about? Is it me?"

"Of course not."

"Then what? Who?"

"I don't like him," he blurts.

I can only assume he's talking about the grey.

"You don't even know him."

"He was looking at you like he wanted to have you for a snack!" Lumen barks.

I roll my lips between my teeth, trying to hide the laugh.

"I don't think he was," I say. Proud that the words came out more serious than not.

"Oh, he was alright. And I know how those greys are."

"So, you're upset that my mate was loo—"

"No," he snaps. "I'm mad that a grey you don't even know was looking at you like that."

"You looked at me like that when we first met." I keep my tone light, so he knows I'm not angry but trying to prove a point.

"Did not."

"You did, and I also recall a comment. Something along the lines of… ‘if you ever threaten me with a knife, it better be in the bedroom?'"

He chews on the inside of his cheek for a moment, then brings his golden eyes to me. "I did say that, didn't I?" The corner of his lips turns up in a smile.

"You did," I say with a smile.

"I meant it."

My eyes widen. "You—"

He grips me under the arms and tugs me onto his lap, resting his hands on my ass and thrusting against me. His abruptness throws me off—my head is spinning.

"You and Ves fuck everywhere in this house, at all hours of the day and night." My eyes widen and I suck in a breath. Where is this coming from? He keeps going. "I've walked in on it more times than I can count. And not that it's an issue, because I'm glad you are having a grand old time, but damn, Lexia, it's like dangling a steak in front of a starving lion."

"Lumen—"

"I want you, darling. Badly." He accentuates his words with another thrust up, his hard erection pressing against my core. I bite back a whimper. "It's overwhelming, this need I have to be buried inside you."

"You never said anything," I whisper.

"I know."

"But you… I… we haven't even talked about the mate thing."

"Do you think we're not mates?" he asks softly, his hands running up my back.

"Well, no, but—"

"So, you think we are, then?"

"Maybe. I don't know, but—"

"You could fuck me anyway."

He grinds his hips, this time letting out a low moan, his eyes fluttering shut.

The man is sexy normally, never mind when those sounds are leaving his beautiful lips.

My breathing increases. "I can?" I breathe out.

"You want to."

"I do."

"Is that a question?" He smirks.

Is it? No. Not at all. I want to have sex with him. Even if mates weren't a thing, I'd totally want to have sex with this guy. Deep down, I know we are mates. Something about him just feels right. Has since the first moment I saw him.

I shake my head. "Not a question."

He growls, then brings his mouth to my neck, where he bites me. I gasp, rolling my hips into him.

"Tell me you want me to fuck you," he says against my neck.

"I…" A moan leaves me when he sucks on the spot right beneath my ear. His cock pulses beneath me.

"Tell me," he rasps, kissing along my jaw.

"I want you to fuck me," I say.

I press my palms to his chest and run them down, loving the way his body feels. He's bigger than Ves, but not by much. Just a little thicker, a little more muscular. No less powerful though. They both radiate alpha male energy, no matter what they're doing.

I bite my bottom lip, then say, "I've never had sex on a couch before."

"Never?" His eyes shine with mischief.

"Never."

"I will gladly be your first," he says, then slides his hands beneath my shirt, lifting it over my head. His eyes rake over my body, taking in my full breasts and the curve of my hips. "Gorgeous," he murmurs, dragging his nose along my breasts before nipping at my skin. I groan, rocking my hips against him. "You wanna ride me?" he asks when his mouth is at my neck.

"Yes," I breathe out.

He stands, planting my feet on the floor and pulls my pants down, staying crouched to help me out of them, one foot at a time. I close my eyes, sucking in a breath when his warmth radiates against my core. I have no panties on, and I'm bare for him to see. His fingers run up my legs, starting at my ankles. As he stands, he drags them higher until he slides them around my back to unclasp my bra.

Then I'm naked. Completely naked.

He steps back, running his thumb along his bottom lip as he looks over every inch of my body.

My heart thunders in my chest, and I try my best to stay relaxed. It's obvious he likes what he sees. Not only by the thick bulge in his jeans, but by the look in his eyes. I don't want him to know how vulnerable I feel because of it. This isn't for me, it's for him. I'm not standing here naked for my pleasure, it's for his.

I love the way Lumen looks at me. There's a primal look in his eye, like nothing will stop him from getting to me.

He crosses his arms and grips the hem of his shirt and tugs it off, dropping it to the ground. Now it's my turn to look over his body. Tattoos everywhere. Swirls, waves, symbols… everywhere. The largest piece of blank skin I see can't be bigger than a quarter.

"Each one stands for a mission I've completed as an agent." I look up to meet his eyes, then back to his stomach where I trail my fingers along his abs.

"How do you tell them apart?"

"I know what they mean, so it's easy for me. Like reading a book for you." He grips my wrist, maneuvering my fingers so the pointer is out, the others are curled against my palm. He drags it around a symbol that looks like a star drawn by a drunk person. It's on his ribs, right below his left breast. "This was my first."

"Why here?" I ask, looking up at him.

He shrugs. "Felt right."

I nod, then he drags my hand up and around his neck while grabbing the other and doing the same. He steps closer and my nipples brush his chest, sending little zaps of pleasure through me. I clasp my hands together, craning my head to look up at him.

"Like this feels right," he whispers.

"It does," I agree.

We stand there together for a few seconds, just staring at each other, before his mouth finds my neck. He nips at my skin, then kisses me until my heart is beating rapidly and I think I'm going to pass out.

He reaches between us, undoing his pants and shoving them down.

Lumen sits on the couch and looks up at me with the most devilish smile I've seen on him yet. I drag my tongue along my bottom lip as I take him in, focusing on the glistening drop of pre-cum at the slit of his cock.

These monstrous men are nothing like human males. I'm not so na?ve to think sex with Lumen, though he looks human, will be anything like that. He isn't a human. He's a light-being. A radiant. A creature from another realm. A monster.

Ves has more cum than I know what to do with, and he tells me his dick can change into all sorts of things. Is it the same with Lumen? Part of me wants to ask. Part of me wants to be surprised.

"You like what you see?" he asks with a cocky smirk, dropping his hands so I can see every bit of him.

I don't answer him. Instead, I say, "Do you?"

He nods slowly, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip as his gaze goes to my pussy. "Very much."

Lumen sits forward, using his foot to spread my legs apart, then slides two fingers through my folds, grazing my clit. My knees tremble as my head falls back.

"I knew you'd be wet for me."

I can't even respond to that. He strokes my clit so gently I barely feel it, but I definitely feel it at the same time. I lean forward, grasping onto his shoulders in case my legs give out. After a moment, he wraps his arm around my waist and tugs me onto his lap. He thrusts his hips up, the crown of his cock flicking my clit. I notice immediately how hot his cock is. Almost too hot to bear. He grinds me on him carefully, hitting my clit with perfect precision each time. My orgasm builds quickly, but before I can reach it, he stops. And before I can argue, he's lining up with my hole and all I care about is every inch of him that sinks inside me.

"You're so w-warm," I gasp.

"Yeah… should I have warned you about that?" he asks smugly.

I shake my head, then rise up and slide back down, causing him to groan deeply. His dick burns, but not in a weird way. It enhances the sensation of him, really allowing me to feel every inch of his length.

He bands his arm around my back while his other hand grasps my ass cheek, holding me tight and thrusting into me from below. I said I wanted to ride him, but he's doing the fucking and I'm totally okay with it. He's hitting things inside of me I didn't know a dick could reach.

"Gods, you feel so damn good," he growls. "So tight, so fucking wet."

Our bodies are pressed together, sweat beading between us. He's growing hotter, his cheeks flushing, and between the work out and his body heat, I'm getting hot too. Soon enough, we're both dripping with sweat and panting. His fingers dig into me, holding me so tight to him I don't think anything in this world could pry me from his grasp.

His chin is against my breasts, breathing and grunting heavily, his gaze up toward me. I hold tight to his shoulders, moving along with him so I can give him pleasure the same way he's giving me. He's not letting me ride him the way I wanted to… but that just means I'll have to do it again.

Being on top is so freeing, so empowering. I feel in control up here, especially with him looking at me like I'm some sort of queen. He shifts me, spreading his legs wider, hitting a new spot inside me.

"Oh my stars," I groan, throwing my head back.

Lumen chuckles, latching around my nipple and flicking it with his tongue that feels like a flame, teasing me and scorching my skin. I move against him harder as he strokes the most perfect place inside me, my orgasm right on the cusp.

"Lumen, I—" I can't finish my sentence. My words cut off and I moan as my pussy pulses around him, the orgasm taking me by complete surprise. He keeps fucking me, keeps pulling the pleasure from me, and when it subsides, I suck in a sharp breath and fall forward. But I don't fall onto him because he's already standing and turning me around so I'm facing the back of the couch, lifted on my knees. His hand presses flat on the top of my back while the other holds my hip, and he slams back into me without warning.

I cry out, this position much different from the last. I feel him so much deeper this way; I swear I feel his heat in my stomach.

The wet slaps of his sweat-slicked skin hitting mine echo around the room, and I don't care how loud we're being. I just want him to keep fucking me. I want him to come, then I want him to come again.

"Lexi, fuck—" He grunts, a tremor wracking his body, and he slams into me one last time before grinding his hips against me. I feel every pulse of his dick, every bit of cum, because it's so damn hot. So hot it has me writhing, on the border of it being too painful.

But then that same thing that happened with Ves happens now, pulling me from the pain. This small bit of warmth starts in the center of my chest, spreading out like an explosion through every part of my body, and it physically feels like something in my soul snaps like a button. It's the mate bond setting into place, which is crazy to imagine. This isn't just a mental thing, not just a figure of speech. It's actually there, a real thing, like the air we breathe. The air we need to survive. This mate bond is something we need if we're going to get through this.

Lumen rests his forehead between my shoulder blades, and our panting is all I can hear. I'm so sweaty and sticky and hot. Hair is stuck to my face, and I brush it away, then glance at him over my shoulder. He gives me this adorable drunken smile, causing me to smile back.

Something catches my attention from the second landing.

Ves is standing there, watching us. He smirks, then slowly turns and walks into the bedroom.

"I think you're in for a long night," Lumen mutters before peppering kisses down my spine.

I think he's right.