Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

WE CAN'T STOP NOW THAT WE'VE STARTED.

T he air crackled with unspoken desire as Rhiot and I now sat mere inches apart. My breath hitched, my heart pounded wildly against my ribcage, and my inner demon roared for me to claim my Tsigo. Rhiot's eyes glowed a fierce golden color instead of their normal dark, almost black. They reflected his own struggle to keep it together.

"Bad idea," I whispered, our lips so close that my words brushed against his warm skin. At some point, we'd leaned closer to each other until we were almost touching and I hadn't noticed.

"Terrible idea," Rhiot agreed, yet he made no move to lean away from me. Instead, he closed the gap between us, his body now pressing up against mine. I felt the heat radiating off him, enveloping me in a cocoon of raw, primal need.

"Rhiot... We can't..."

I knew we couldn't give in to our urges, but it was so hard to resist when he looked at me like that, his gaze filled with hunger and longing.

"We shouldn't do this." I choked out, even though every fiber of my being screamed for me to surrender to the mating call threatening to engulf us both. "It might now go well."

"Then tell me to stop, Parker." Rhiot murmured, his voice a low, seductive growl that sent shivers down my spine. He moved closer still, his muscular arms encircling me, trapping me in his embrace. "Tell me to move away and leave this room."

"Rhiot, please..." My voice cracked, my throat tightening as I tried to remain strong. But deep down, I knew I couldn't deny what I truly wanted... him. Or any of my Tsigos.

"Say the word, Parker, and I'll leave you be. Just say it."

"Stop..." I whispered, but my resolve crumbled as I leaned into his touch, my body possessed by the need to claim him. It wasn't fair... why was this so difficult for us?

"Say it like you mean it." Rhiot urged, his teeth grazing my earlobe as he nipped at it gently. In a fluid movement, he pulled me into his lap with my legs straddling his hips.

"I can't." I admitted, and the words felt like a confession, a surrender to the inevitable.

"I refuse to try." Rhiot admitted, his breath hot against my neck. "The urge to bond will grow stronger until we can't resist."

"Resist anyway." I bit out, even though every nerve in my body screamed otherwise. And with that word, I tried to pull away from Rhiot's embrace, to put some distance between us. But Rhiot held me tight, unwilling to let go.

"Please, Rhiot." I begged, the expression on Ryker's face after the bond failed to form haunting my memory. My heart ached, and my soul felt like it was being ripped apart. "I can't ruin you, too."

"Never." Rhiot growled, his voice filled with determination. "I will never let you go, Parker. Not now, not ever."

"I don't want to hurt you the way I hurt Ryker."

"Enough about Ryker!" Rhiot's voice was firm but not unkind. His eyes softened as he continued, "I'm not him, Parker. I know the risks, and I'm willing to take them because I believe in us."

"Rhiot... I can't." My voice broke with the weight of my emotions.

He brushed his knuckles over my cheek, wiping away more of my resistance. Then, his lips met mine in a tender kiss that sent warmth cascading through me. I felt my heart melting, even as my mind screamed at me not to give in.

"Let go, Parker," he whispered against my lips. "Trust me."

"Rhiot, I..." In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to surrender to him completely. But the fear of hurting him held me back.

"Remember when we first met?" Rhiot asked, pulling back just enough to look into my eyes. "You were so afraid, so lost. And yet, here you are now. Strong. Resilient. You've come so far, and I'll be damned if I will let anything stand in the way of our happiness."

"Rhiot, I—" The words caught in my throat, but I couldn't deny the longing in my heart.

"Ever since I laid eyes on you, I knew you were meant for me... for all of us." He confessed, his voice thick with emotion. "We can't stop now that we've started. You must claim all of us, or the Hesolga will take each one of us. And I refuse to let fear win."

"But…" My voice trembled, my inner conflict raging like a storm within me. I shouldn't have claimed Trux... or Seph. If I hadn't, then all of them wouldn't be facing a death sentence.

My pulse raced as Rhiot's lips moved against mine, the intensity of our kiss growing with each passing moment. My hands explored the contours of his muscular back, feeling the strength that lay beneath his skin. I could sense the spark of desire within him, amplified by my own demonic nature. But amidst the heat and passion, doubt began to gnaw at me.

"Rhiot," I whispered, breaking away from his embrace. "I... I'm sorry for getting us into this mess." My hands fell to my sides, and I stared at the floor, unable to meet his gaze.

"Us?" he asked, confusion painting his features. His brow furrowed, and he tilted his head, trying to figure out what I meant. "What are you talking about, Parker?"

"I didn't truly know what I was getting us into," I admitted, my voice cracking with regret.

Rhiot reached out, placing a finger under my chin and tilting my face up so that our eyes met. The warmth in his touch sent shivers down my spine. "Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault."

"Isn't it though?" I countered, my words thick with emotion. "I've brought nothing but chaos and danger to everyone around me."

"Hey," he said gently. "That's not true. You've done everything you can to protect those you care about, even when it's been at great cost to yourself."

"But it's never enough." I whispered, my heart aching from years of guilt and pain. "No matter how hard I try, I just keep making things worse."

"Listen to me." Rhiot said firmly, his eyes locked on mine. "We're in this together, and I'm not giving up on you, Parker. You're stronger than you think, and you'll learn to control this power inside you. You didn't ask for this, but you will survive this hardship."

His words were like a balm to my soul, soothing the turmoil that raged within me. The gentle touch of his hand on my cheek made it impossible to resist the temptation to lean into him.

"Thank you." I breathed, my heart swelling with gratitude for his unwavering faith in me.

"Always." He murmured before his lips claimed mine once more. Our kiss didn't last nearly long enough. "We'll figure out what prevented you from claiming Ryker. The mating bond will get sorted. We'll always be here for you."

"Rhiot, I didn't mean that I never wanted us together." My voice shook as I tried to find the words to explain my fears. "I just... I should've waited longer before starting the mating ritual. I didn't understand what it really meant for all of us."

His eyes searched mine, his expression softening as he seemed to understand the weight of my confession. "Parker, we all knew the risks when we chose to be with you. We accepted them because we love you, and we believe in our bond."

"Even so..." The guilt gnawed at me. "I can't bear the thought of hurting any of you."

"Listen to me," Rhiot implored, his hands gently cupping my face. "You won't hurt me, or any of us. There's a reason we were brought together. And I'm willing to fight for our bond, no matter what it takes."

Rhiot captured my lips once more in a tender, reassuring kiss. As his warmth enveloped me, I felt the last of my resistance crumbling away. He was right. I couldn't deny the truth any longer.

My lust demon urges mixed with the overwhelming need to claim Rhiot, and I took over the kiss, growing dominant in our passion. My hands gripped his shoulders, pulling him closer.

Rhiot sensed my change and allowed me to take control, his hands roaming over my body, stoking the flames of desire within me. The sensation of his touch awakened a primal hunger, and I knew I could no longer resist what I truly wanted.

When I pressed against his chest, Rhiot laid on his back as I followed him. Our bodies pressed together, the heat between us growing hotter by the second.

"Claim me." Rhiot urged, his voice husky with need.

As I looked into his eyes, my resolve solidified. No matter the consequences, I would not let fear or doubt stand in our way.

"Rhiot, you're mine." I whispered, sealing my promise with a searing kiss. In that moment, I felt the full weight of responsibility settle upon my shoulders, but I welcomed it. For the sake of my team, for the sake of our love, I would do whatever it took to protect them all.

No longer would I deny the mating bond. They were all mine.