Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

W alking into the tower to find Touron and the twins waiting for us was the epitome of coming home.

Touron squeezed me tightly, his heart beating hard against my chest. "We thought we lost you. I'm so fucking happy we didn't."

Palia and Ginia sandwiched us in a swaying hug that made my eyes warm with emotion.

"We love you," Palia said.

"Yeah, but we'll love you more once you've showered," Ginia added.

"Ginia!" Palia admonished.

"What? She's all muddy."

I stepped out of the hug with a chuckle. "I know. I know." I'd had to dirty myself up in the caves, smearing mud over my clothes and a little on my face, because unlike the others, I'd showered at the graynite complex.

"We should all get cleaned up," Orix said. "Grab a bite, then take a breather; sleep if you need to. I doubt you've had much rest since the attack."

Derek materialized by the kitchen island and stood there, looking lost for a moment, before blinking slowly in our direction. "Home…" he said with a sigh. "Is anyone hungry? I can make eggs."

Curi's stomach growled, and he glared at his torso, shaking his head. "Yeah, you know what? Why the hell not? Showering can wait."

"I'll take eggs," Levi said. "But let me do the toast."

"I'll make coffee," Shar said.

"Oooh, can we have pancakes?" Ginia asked, looking over at Touron.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. But you're helping."

"I'll set the table." Palia hurried across the room to grab plates.

And for a moment, the kitchen was bustling with life and normality, but one glance at Serath, standing silently by the dining table, eyes glazed, knocked the wind from my sails. He looked far from at ease, as if normality was an illusion for him.

"Serath? You want eggs?" Derek asked.

He blinked sharply. "No. I should go see Willowman. Fill him in on what's happened. He's usually up with the sun so…" He trailed off, probably registering the sudden deep silence and the look of horror on my face because he didn't know.

No one had told him about Willowman. With everything else going on, it had been the last thing on the agenda.

"What?" he asked. "What's happened?"

"Willowman's gone," Orix said. "Sit down, and I'll tell you everything."

Serath was silent, lost in his thoughts as we went back to my room. Our room now. Lionel had given me a phone with his number preprogrammed into it for emergencies, which I stashed in the bedside drawer.

I gave Serath a hug. "You okay?"

"Yes. It's just a shock. Willowman and Varsa…I should have been here."

"You weren't given a choice."

He kissed the top of my head. "No. I suppose not. And after everything we know about Willowman, how the council tied him in a contract to stay here…He deserves to be free."

What we both needed was a distraction. "I'm going to shower." I stepped back and peeled off my top. "Care to join me?"

His eyes lit up, slow burn and hungry. "The answer to that question will never be no."

He scooped me off my feet and carried me into the washroom, which with him in it seemed way too small. He set me down to fiddle with the water temperature, and when he turned back to me, I was already naked.

His eyes flared, his breathing quickening.

"Well…" I raked him over. "Take it off. I want to see you."

He peeled off his lastonflex, and I took my time taking in every deliciously muscled plane and dip of his body. I ran my fingers down his abdomen, and he sucked in a breath, muscles tensing beneath my fingers. I traced his Adonis belt, then lightly gripped his cock, running my fingers over the ridges to elicit a moan, then swept a thumb over the thick head, wet with precum.

"Shower, now," he growled, snagging me around the waist and carrying me into the cubicle.

We were immediately wreathed in steam, water hammering against my skin and heightening my arousal. Serath grabbed my throat and hauled me in for a hard kiss before turning me away from him. "Brace on the wall."

I placed my palms to the tile and squealed when something cold and wet ran up my spine.

Serath chuckled. "It's the sponge. Relax."

But it was impossible to relax with him making circles on my body with a soapy sponge. He washed my back and my shoulders, then moved to my front, taking care of my breasts until my nipples ached and my pussy throbbed hungrily. He soaped my legs, running his hand up my inner thigh, then dropped the sponge to use his hand on my pussy.

"Ah!" My knees buckled, and I caught myself, biting on my bottom lip as he circled my clit. "Serath…I need you inside me."

He pulled me back against his chest, leaning in to nip at my earlobe. "You have to wash me first," he said, deep and rumbling against my back.

I spun in his arms. "Give me the damn sponge."

He dropped to his knees to get the sponge but grabbed my ass instead and pressed his face to my pussy, delivering a firm lick that parted me and flicking my clit.

"Fuck!"

"Soon." He stood and handed me the sponge. I lathered it up and set to work on him, intent on driving him as crazy as he'd driven me.

I spent time on his cock and balls until he was quivering, his eyes so dark there was barely any iris visible.

"Enough!" He scooped me up, carried me into the bedroom still dripping wet, and threw me on the bed, face down.

His weight landed on my back, pressing me onto the mattress, mouth on my damp skin, hands kneading and touching until I was writhing beneath him, so wet and swollen it hurt.

"Please…" The hunger inside me born of my fae nature awoke. "Serath, I need it. I need it now."

He hooked an arm around my waist and lifted my hips. "Bite down on the pillow."

I gasped as his cock pressed against my entrance, trying desperately to reach for a pillow.

"Too late." He slammed into me, stretching, burning, ridges activating every fucking synapse and pleasure receptor my pussy had. I screamed, but it morphed to a thick moan.

"Tell me how much you want this."

"I want it. I want it so fucking much. Please give it to me."

He stroked my back and squeezed my ass. "This is mine."

"Yes, yes, yes, now fuck it. Please."

He pulled out, and I couldn't help but sob at the loss of him, and when he filled me again, it shattered my mind.

SERATH

She owns me with every gasp and every sob. She owns me with every bounce of her hips and every utterance of my name. She fucking owns me, and she's mine.

My mate.

My love.

My everything.

She weeps for me, coating me in her arousal. I will never tire of watching her take all of me. Never tire of the wet slap of flesh on flesh or the way she stretches to accommodate me, because she was made for me. Mine. Every fucking inch.

My fingers flex on her. Tight. Bruising. She cries out and slams her hips back against me, taking more of me as she comes around me, squeezing me so tightly that I lose my fucking mind and fill her with my seed.

We rock together until her sobs of release quiet to whimpers. Only then do I withdraw from her, dripping and still semihard.

I kiss her back and her nape, then climb off the bed to grab a washcloth to clean up.

She follows me into the bathroom and hugs me from behind. "I love you so fucking much."

"I love you more, Cameron." I turn to wrap her in my arms and just hold her.

"You know what would make this night perfect?" she asks.

I reach between her thighs to wipe her gently. "What?" I know I was rough. Know she might be tender now.

She sighs and parts her thighs for me. "Ice cream. There's some in the lounge mini fridge."

I finish cleaning her and drop a kiss on the tip of her nose. "I can get it."

"Nope. You need to rest after that epic orgasm you just gave me." She grabs a robe and pulls it on. "I'll be right back."

I wrap a towel around my waist and trail her to the door. She opens it, and I grab her around the waist, spinning her back to me and kissing her again.

There's a crash and Cameron jolts, breaking the kiss. I spot Curi over her head, a glass of water smashed on the ground at his feet, shards of glass everywhere. But it's his expression that stabs me in the heart.

Pure, utter devastation.

"Curi?" Cameron slips out of my arms.

He turns on his heel and strides out of the lounge.

She looks up at me, imploring me to understand with her beautiful gray eyes. "Serath, I have to…"

I force a smile. "Go."