Chapter 27

It was anticlimactic.I took a step forward, into the sky, and I landed on the ground outside the first archway we had walked through. We all did.

Laila and Jeremy were already embracing one another, as were Connor and Naomi. Amara and Iliantha already found a few benches to sit on.

And all three of my guys pummeled me.

I didn't know if it was exhaustion or the drugs, but I couldn't tell who was who at first. Warren's arms were cold this time, so I knew they belonged to him. Ezra's were no different, and Graham's skin was hot against my own. All six of their hands traveled over me, checking me for injuries.

Ezra landed on my wrist, pulling it out to inspect. "What happened here?"

"I killed a kelpie," I said. "A couple kelpies, actually."

"Really?" Graham asked, cocking his head to the side. "Was it hard?"

It wasn't easy, but I wouldn't admit that. Not after he had made me feel so small, so incapable, earlier.

"No, it was pretty routine." A careless shrug, one that I hoped came off genuine. I gestured to the blood and muck all over me. "This is the worst part. I feel disgusting."

"But you're alright?" Warren asked, trailing a finger down the torn flesh.

"It's healing, so?—"

"At a bizarre rate, for a Witch," Caeda said.

I hadn't realized she was nearby. Granted, I had just been happy to see my guys and be out of that place. But she was only a few feet away and drawing closer, eyes glued to that slice up my arm.

"A Fae didn't heal you. Otherwise, it would've mended entirely." She grabbed my arm, studying it. With squinted, focused eyes, she cocked her head to the side. "I didn't think much of it before, but I don't feel an energy signature coming off of you. Almost as if you're disguising it."

I looked at Laila. She gave a short nod. I said, "Because I am."

"And why would you do that?"

"Because I came here to stop the air an tagadh," I said. "Since they kill for power, and I have a lot of it, it made sense to disguise it."

Releasing my arm, she studied me a moment longer. Eventually, she broke the silence. "Wise indeed. We'll speak more about it once you have rested." She turned to the group. "You did well. The sun hasn't risen, and you have made it out of the maze. All while intoxicated, hungry, and depending only on the women beside you." Smiling, she lifted her hands and clapped slowly. "Quite a challenge, and you thrived. Congratulations. You've earned my respect.

"Now, as an apology for that torment, I've prepared you all rooms. Your army has been stationed in my army's sleeping quarters for the night. Most of my men and women stay home between training and missions, so there's plenty of room. Those of you present now will all stay in the castle throughout the day. In your rooms, you will find meals and drinks. None of them contain any substances, in case you are worried about that.

"Our agreement is intact. I will give you all the information I have on the air an tagadh. But only once you've settled into your rooms and gotten rest. There's no need to discuss battles and politics when your energy is so spent. I will not argue about it, so don't attempt to. Either you take the room and get your rest for the night, or you leave now and return tomorrow. That is when we will discuss what I know and what you know." She gestured to a woman atop the staircase at the rear castle doors. "Alecia, show them all to their rooms. Two people per room, so make your decisions now."

"I think I've gotten two hours of sleep in—What? Seventy-two?" Warren asked. "If anyone wants to stay up and talk for a while, I prefer they not be with me tonight. Or today." He looked up at the dawning sky. "You know what I mean."

"I'm quite tired as well," Ezra said, looking between me and Graham. "I will need to feed later today, if you don't mind, Rain, but for now, I just need rest."

I saw what they were doing, and I wasn't sure if I was annoyed by it or appreciated it.

Graham tucked an arm around my waist. "You and me then, my dear?"

I supposed so.

The room was spectacular.

Not that I had expected anything less than that from Caeda.

In the center, a king-size bed took up most of the walking space. Four spindles stood tall at its corners, holding up crimson drapes. What felt like a thousand pillows were piled up at the top, adorned with a deep purple comforter and several throw blankets.

To the left, two glass doors let in light from the outside. A little balcony perched beyond them, overflowing with greenery. Several more windows lined the walls, leading to a door on the far right. It was wooden, adorned with sparkling gems of a thousand hues. Inside, the room resembled the bathroom in our cabin at Iliantha's castle. Two streams ran through it, one heading straight for the deep bowl carved into the Elvan ore ground.

I had never been so excited for a bath in my life.

I took it alone. Also basked in the size of it. It was what we would consider a small hot tub on Earth. I never realized I needed so much space, but now that I'd had it, I made a mental note to ask Warren about getting one installed at Copperfield House. I could practically swim in the thing.

Graham must have used a neighboring room's bathroom, because when I came out, he was already laying in bed. Damp hair resting against the pillow, smelling of flowers and honey, he smiled at me. "There she is. I swore you drowned in there."

"I could have. Almost fell asleep in the tub." My tone wasn't as playful as his. Climbing in the bed beside him, I continued. "I don't know why I thought it would be less relaxing in there, because that was the best bath of my life."

"Aye, the tubs at home have nothing on these." Pushing some hair from my face, his smile dissipated. "You mad at me, lass?"

"No." That was a lie, and we both knew it.

He frowned.

"Okay, yeah. A little bit." I pulled one of the throw blankets over my body. Caeda had left us nightgowns in the bathroom, but this thing was sheer. I may as well have been naked. "And at your stupid friend. And at you for not telling me she was a lesbian."

He snorted a laugh. "Why did I need to tell you she was a lesbian?"

"Because I thought she was in love with you the whole time we've been here. And part of me worried that you were in love with her too. So I've been walking around feeling insecure over nothing. But it wasn't nothing. Because she's mean. She hates me. She's mean for no fucking reason. No, she does have a reason. But it's not a good reason. And it's the same reason that I'm mad at you."

The barest hint of a smile teased the corners of his lips.

"Fine. Laugh at me. Laugh at me, and figure out why I'm mad at you on your own." I started to roll over, but he caught my arm.

Gently, he rolled me back to face him. "I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you. You're just cute when you're mad."

"I'm not cute. I'm beautiful, or I'm gorgeous, or I'm sexy, but I'm not fucking cute, damn it."

He softened his eyes. There was no humor in his voice nor his expression as he reached out for my cheek. Gingerly stroking a piece of hair behind my ear, he said, "You are beautiful." He came in for a kiss. "And gorgeous." He kissed my cheek. "And sexy." He kissed my neck. "But I have the feeling this isn't about cuteness."

For a man who could read minds, he sure was clueless.

"It's about the way you've treated me since we got here." I pulled back to look at him, resting a hand on his waist. "Like I don't have any idea what I'm doing. Like I'm a little kid, and I need someone to rescue me. I don't, Graham. I love you, I love you with everything I have, but ever since Jake has been around again, you're treating me like I'm a kid. You're acting the way you did when we were teenagers. It's like he's encouraging you to do it, and I feel like I'm going to lose my shit. Between you, him, and Amara, I just —" I cut myself off with a sharp inhale. Shaking my head, I released it slowly. "I just need you on my team."

"I'm always on your team, mo stoirín." Voice soft, he cupped my cheek in his hand. "I know you're not a little kid, but I'm sorry if I've made you feel immature or incompetent. But yesterday, at the cave, I told you how proud I was. I didn't think that that would bother you."

"That didn't. But the way you talked about things when we first got here, and then again when Amara said that I shouldn't go in, and you agreed with her." Searching for the words, I shook my head. "I get that she is a colonel in the army here. I get that you guys have tons of history that I never will with you. But I'm your soulmate. If she's talking down on me, you should stand up for me. Same goes for Jake. My opinion should come above theirs when it is something that concerns me. I'm not saying we can't disagree, on stupid things, and even important ones, but this was about me, and you agreed with them."

"I didn't—" He stopped himself. Holding my gaze for a moment, he nodded slowly. "I didn't mean to, but I get what you're saying. You're right. I just… There's something about Jake. He's around, and then I feel like I did back then. He was never a good leader, but he did. He led our little group. Led us straight into chaos, and I know that I shouldn't let him influence me, but it's not that simple. I'll make more of a conscious effort, though. I promise I will."

"I appreciate that." Finding his hand, I twined our fingers together. "But I need you to acknowledge the other half of this. The fact that I don't need you to protect me constantly. I know you did, many times, but I'm not that girl anymore."

"It feels to me like what you really want is for me to make sure that I don't belittle you." He brought our hands to his lips and kissed the back of my knuckles. "And even though I never meant to, I'll make sure that I don't ever again. But if you want me to stop protecting you, you'll have to kill me. I'm always going to be behind you, Rain. I'm always going to do my best to keep you safe. But I'll try to make sure I don't do it in a way that makes you feel incapable."

I didn't realize that could have been phrased any better, but he hit the nail on the head.

It was never that I didn't want his help. It was just that I needed him to understand that I was capable of more than he believed I was.

After untangling our fingers, I held out my pinky. "Promise?"

He smiled, leaned in, and kissed me slowly. "Promise."

When that kiss softened, he kissed me again, stronger than the last. It wasn't a rough, aggressive kiss, but the way his hand drifted down my waist told me everything. He wanted to make it up to me.

And I wasn't opposed to it. Most of the time, I wasn't opposed to sex. But it was always special with Graham in a unique way. Even when it was hungry, filthy, it was never aggressive or rough.

As his fingers traced over my body, lifting up my skirt, a current of comfort and safety trickled over me. It was like every place he touched—my thigh, my breast, even my clit—was consecrated with familiarity. Like his fingers contained a spell that carried a net of coziness.

Eyes open, meeting his, our breaths quickened. His eyes glowed like stars in the sky when he danced a finger from my opening to my clit. Ever so slightly, he raised the temperature of his flesh.

I gasped at the change, coiling closer into him.

He smiled.

He sped up, moving his fingertips faster, applying more pressure. When I gasped and moaned, he chuckled, but he didn't stop.

That was the thing about us. No matter how familiar, it was never boring. The safety, the comfort of his touch, may have been one I'd felt a thousand times, but it almost felt like coming home.

I'd always heard people say that sex was so much better in the beginning and it got worse with time in a relationship. In a few of mine, that had been true. But not with Graham. Not with Warren and Ezra either.

Love, romance, sex—they weren't so wonderful because of the excitement, the rush, that came in the beginning. Until finding this man before me, and the other ones I had now, I hadn't understood that. I thought they were right. That no matter what, as time went on, so did the quality of the sex you had with someone.

But as Graham played with that temperature against my clit, rubbing faster, harder, he whispered, "How's that feel, mo stoirín?"

And the truth was… "Amazing."

Because it was. Because the passion in the beginning could never compare to this. The bond, the familiarity, and the sanctuary his hands provided.

This was the true meaning of romance. Not to only share your body with someone, but to trust them with it completely. To know that they never wish to harm you, to know that your well-being was their well-being and vice versa.

I reached down to his flowy pants, but he shook his head, smiling.

"This is for you," he said, replacing his fingertips with his thumb. He dropped his finger into me, grasped a hold of my front wall, and massaged at the most impeccable pace.

My head rolled back, overtaken with bliss. It had only been a couple minutes, and I was already approaching my brink.

"I want to watch you come for me," he whispered, straightening so he could see better. We'd been on our sides, facing one another, and somewhere along the way, he'd rolled me onto my back. Knees up, legs spread, he had the perfect view of everything he was doing to me. "I want to make you feel as good as I do just knowing that you could grant me the privilege of touching you here."

"Oh my gods," I murmured, trying desperately to keep my voice low. At home, I screamed as loud as I wanted, but that didn't feel like the appropriate thing to do in a castle that wasn't mine. "That feels so good."

"Yeah?" He kept the exact same pace, massaging my front wall so hard, so fast, that I swore I was going to explode. "You're such a good girl, you deserve it."

And there it was.

My vision blackened around the edges. Stars shined against my eyes. It was so intense, so hard, that my head even throbbed a bit. In the best way, of course.

A flood of pleasure seeped from me, perhaps in a wave of the most intense sensations I'd ever felt. I grasped a hold of his forearm for stability, biting my lip to keep the squeals of satisfaction inside.

As the contractions slowed, so did his pace. He smiled down at me, came in for a kiss, and stayed there a while. Trailing his tongue along my bottom lip, his hand found my breast. He squeezed, but his touch was soft. Even when he grabbed my nipple, pinching it lightly between his thumb and forefinger, twisting slightly.

"That was so sexy," he murmured against my lips. "Not at all cute."

Quietly, I laughed. "Oh, not at—" I gasped.

I hadn't even realized he'd taken his pants off, but now he was thrusting into me, and I couldn't think straight.

"Stunning." He kissed my cheek. "Gorgeous." A kiss on my neck. "Sexy." He slammed into me so hard that I swore I felt him in my stomach. A bit of pain mixed into that pleasure, but I was not complaining. "I've gotta see it again."

"Jesus Christ," I said between heaving gasps.

"It's my favorite thing in the world, you know," he whispered, grinding his pelvis against my clit. "In all the worlds, truly." Graham's lips trailed from my neck to my breast. He kissed my nipple, whispering against it, "Watching you so turned on, coming all over the place…" A low growl sounded in the back of his throat. He took my nipple into his mouth, flicking his tongue up and down at the perfect rhythm, synchronized with his thrusts deep into me. "My gods, the way your pussy looks with my cock in it?" He ground in harder, faster, moaning as he licked and sucked. "There's only one thing sexier."

Fuck, I wished I was better at the dirty talk. Hearing him give a lunch order in that accent of his was hotter than hell already, but when he used it to tease me? I was all but tongue-tied. All I could manage was, "W-what's that?"

He straightened up, lifting my leg as he did. When it was flush with his chest, foot by his head, he dropped his unusually warm thumb to my clit. Massaging me there, he thrust it in so hard, so deep, that I couldn't help the squeals that escaped my lips. The biggest smile came to his. "Watching you come on it."

"Fuck," was all I could say.

Smiling with his hand on my breast, those green eyes glowed even brighter. "You going to do it again for me, aren't you, mo stoirín?"

Trying desperately to keep my moans inside, I pressed my lips together and nodded quickly.

"You know what I'd like?" Still thrusting, his eyes settled on my cunt. With each pump into me, I swear his eyes grew brighter. "You know what I'd like to do together?"

A sigh escaped my lips. If I tried to speak, I knew I would only scream with pleasure. So I only shook my head, grasping hold of the blankets on either side of me.

"I want us to come at the same time," he murmured, rubbing my clit faster, harder. "You think you can do that for me? Climax exactly when I tell you to?"

"Yes," I said quickly. "Fuck yes."

Chuckling, he brought the temperature higher on my clit. "Oh, you like that idea too?"

"Mhmm," I murmured.

"You love when I come inside your little cunt, don't you?" He thrusted faster, harder, growing winded with each pump.

"Gods, yes," I said, arching closer into him. "I love it so much."

"Yeah? You want me to fill your little pussy with my cum, don't you?" When I moaned in answer, he thrusted in harder. "Say it."

"Come inside me," I said, trying desperately not to scream. "Please. Please, baby. Fill my pussy with your cum."

"‘Atta lass," he said between panting breaths. "You're such a good girl."

"Please, baby." I was fighting with every bit of strength in my body to keep from exploding. "Can I come?"

"Fuck yes," he groaned. "Fuck yes, come with me, Rain."

And like that, all the anticipation exploded. The pleasure spread over every inch of me, just like that spell that his touch radiated. So much bliss, so much wonder, and so much strength. If he weren't on top, I would've fallen over. The blood rushed from my head to every other part of my body, paired with the contractions in a buzzing sense of electricity.

Graham just wouldn't let it stop. Just when I thought that the orgasm was almost over, he moaned and thrusted in harder, rubbing my clit faster, whispering, "Fuck yes," and "such a good fucking girl."

He finished it all off with one final, intense series of contractions, smiling down at me and rubbing the head of his dripping cock against my clit, saying, "‘Atta lass."

Winded, barely able to see straight, I laughed as he dropped to the bed beside me. "Jesus Christ."

Curling his arms around my waist, he kissed my cheek. "Nope. Graham Wynson."