Chapter 9

JOSHUA'S EYES GLEAMED in the dim light, filled with a predatory hunger that sent shivers down Keri's spine. The thick, corded veins on his arms stood out, pulsing with the power that thrummed beneath his skin. Keri's breath hitched in her throat as she took in the sight of him. She was acutely aware of the intoxicating scent of their mingled desire that permeated the air.

"Once we begin, there's no going back. We'll be bound for eternity."

Keri met his gaze, seeing her own certainty reflected there. "Eternity with you? Sounds perfect to me."

He reached out to gently trace the curve of her cheek with the back of his hand. Keri's breath caught in her throat as she felt the rough pad of his thumb brush across her bottom lip. Her body trembled with anticipation.

"You're mine," Joshua growled, his voice a deep, guttural rumble that made her so very wet. "And I'm going to make you remember that, over and over again."

With a swift, fluid motion, he crushed his lips to Keri's in a fierce, demanding kiss. Her lips parted in a gasp as she felt his tongue delve into her mouth, exploring every inch of her with a ravenous hunger that left her dizzy and disoriented.

Keri gasped as she felt the first tendrils of Joshua's emotions seeping into her mind. It wasn't just lust and love she felt from him, but a complex tapestry of feelings – admiration, protectiveness, joy, and a depth of commitment that took her breath away.

She responded in kind, her tongue twining with his, teasing against his fangs. She surrendered herself to the onslaught of sensation that threatened to overwhelm her.

Joshua's hands roamed her body, his fingers tracing patterns of fire across her skin as they explored every curve and hollow. Their clothes were just in the way, and they mindlessly ripped them off so they were skin to skin.

Keri gasped as Joshua cupped her breasts, his thumbs brushing across her hard, aching nipples in a way that sent waves of pleasure crashing through her.

A sudden urge overcame her, primal and undeniable. "I need..." she started, unsure how to articulate the craving.

But he understood. "I know," he said, his eyes darkening with shared hunger. "I feel it, too."

Slowly, reverently, he tilted his head, exposing the smooth column of his throat. Keri didn't hesitate. Her fangs extended, and she sank them into Joshua's neck with a soft moan of pleasure. The taste of his blood exploded across her tongue, richer and more intoxicating than anything she'd ever experienced. But it was more than just taste – with each swallow, flashes of Joshua's memories and emotions flooded her mind. She saw his centuries of loneliness and understood with perfect clarity the depth of his love for her and for his clan.

After a moment that could have been seconds or hours, Keri withdrew her fangs. Joshua's eyes were hazy with pleasure as he looked at her, a drop of blood clinging to his throat. Keri leaned in, licking it away before offering her own neck.

The moment Joshua's fangs pierced her skin, her world exploded into sensation. She felt everything Joshua felt, his pleasure amplifying her own in an endless feedback loop. More than that, she felt as if her very soul was merging with his, two halves becoming an indivisible whole. As he drank from her, Keri’s head fell back. This was nothing like the forced haze of madness Vasile had tried to recreate. It had been a poor imitation of this earth-shattering bliss and deep connection of spirit.

Wave after wave of ecstasy crashed over her. Joshua shuddered against her, his arms tightening almost painfully around her waist. He licked the spot where he had sucked and then traced a line of fire down the valley between her breasts. She gasped as she felt his hot breath against her nipple, her body trembling with need as she waited for the inevitable.

And then he was there, his tongue swirling around her hard, aching nipple in slow, deliberate circles that left her breathless and gasping for air. Keri's fingers tightened in his hair, her hips grinding against his as she sought to ease the ache that burned within her.

But Joshua was relentless, his lips and tongue working their magic on her breasts as he teased and tormented her with every touch. Keri felt herself spiraling out of control. Her fangs elongated, and she tugged him up so she could rain bites all over his throat and chest.

With a growl, Joshua lifted her into his arms, carrying her to the nearby bed with an ease that left her breathless. He laid her down gently, his eyes blazing with a fierce, primal hunger.

"Mate," he said. “This time, no one will be able to break this bond.”

Keri's response was lost in a gasp as she felt his hand brush against the apex of her thighs, his fingers tracing patterns of fire across her sensitive flesh. She writhed beneath him, her hips bucking as she sought to get closer, to feel more of him against her.

Joshua's fingers moved with a maddening slowness, teasing and tormenting her with every touch. Keri writhed, needing him to ease the ache that burned within her. His fingers slid inside her, fucking her relentlessly. Keri's back arched off the bed, her body trembling with pleasure as she felt him stroke her in steady, purposeful circles that left her dizzy and disoriented.

She gasped as she felt him curl his fingers inside her, hitting a spot that sent waves of pleasure crashing through her. Keri's fingers clenched in the sheets, her body trembling with need as she felt herself race towards the edge.

But Joshua wasn't done with her yet. With a growl, he withdrew his fingers, replacing them with his tongue as he lapped at her in long, slow strokes that stole her breath as the pleasure built within her. She screamed out Joshua's name as his tongue continued to stroke her through the aftershocks, and she shuddered beneath him.

When the last wave of pleasure had passed, Joshua crawled up her body, his lips finding hers in a deep, passionate kiss. Keri could taste herself on his lips, the scent and flavor of her own desire sending a fresh wave of arousal through her.

With a growl, Joshua entered her in one swift motion, burying himself deep inside her. Keri gasped, her body arching off the bed as she felt him fill her, stretching her in the most delicious way.

Joshua began to move, his hips thrusting in slow, measured strokes that left Keri moaning. She wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer as she met him thrust for thrust. Their lovemaking was fierce and primal, a raw, unbridled expression of the bond that was weaving their souls together. Keri could feel the power that thrummed beneath Joshua's skin being transferred to hers.

As her climax approached, she lost control when he pounded into her faster and harder. His body slammed into hers with an intensity that, had she still been human, Keri didn’t think she would have survived it. The pleasure shattered her into a million pieces as Joshua came with a roar of triumph.

As they lay there, spent and panting, they were more than just two souls. They were one, a connection that spanned the ages, a love that would endure for all time.

"My mate," Joshua murmured, his thumb tracing the curve of her cheek. "My love. My eternity."

"Yours," Keri breathed. "As you are mine."