Chapter Thirty-Seven

I closed the door and took a deep breath. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, my love." Ara held up his wrists. "Perhaps you could remove one manacle?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. The two are unnecessary, as is the chain."

"Good. That will make this easier." I took the key out of my pocket and unlocked one manacle, watching Ara for any sign of Death retaking him. When all seemed well, I tucked the key away. Then I just stood before him. "This is so awkward."

Ara unwrapped his outer robe and let it fall to the floor. His inner robe clung to his body in places, giving me delicious glimpses. In the case of his erection, a bit more than a glimpse.

"That took care of it," I murmured and started flinging my clothing off.

Ara chuckled softly and undid his inner robe. My hands hovered over my trouser buttons as I watched the silk slither off his shoulders and fall, clinging to him as it went. All that was left was a thin pair of shorts. Ara stepped free of them and then came to me, the manacle dangling from his wrist.

"Fuck, why is that chain so sexy?" I whispered.

With a smile, Ara undid my trousers, then pushed them down. He followed them to the floor and into a kneel. Then, as he stared up at me, he eased my undershorts down, over my straining cock. It bobbed past the waistband eagerly, and Ara licked his lips.

"Oh, Goddess!" I exclaimed as he sucked me into his mouth. "Ara." I slid my hands through his hair. "I was afraid I'd never see you again, not the real you. And now, here you are . . . right . . . before . . . me," I moaned the last word.

Aranren sucked at me and licked, taking his time to savor every inch and even tongue the hole at the tip of my shaft. My balls lifted and my muscles clenched, including those in my hands. Ara sensed every inch of my erotic climb and drew back when I got too close to the top. Nuzzling my balls and the base of my shaft, he grinned up at me. Then he licked his finger and found my entrance.

"Oh, fuck!" My head went back as Ara massaged the ring of muscles back there.

Gently, Aranren pushed, sliding only an inch in before retreating. As he stood, he drew his hand back up, under my balls, then along my dick. Holding out his hand—the one without the manacle—he said, "I will take you after you have bound us in love."

Shivering, I stared into his icy eyes. They weren't cold anymore. Now, they were more like Xae's—pale yet full of heat. But Ara was as different from Xae as he could get. He gave me something none of my lovers did. I loved being inside him. But could I form the bond like that? Or did he need to be inside me? The answer shivered in my chest. This wasn't about sex. It was about love.

And I loved Aranren no matter how we had sex.

"As you wish, Ara." I let him lead me to the massive, four-poster bed, draped in indigo silk.

That dark silk was the perfect backdrop for Aranren's beauty, making him shine. He drew down the covers, then climbed atop the mattress, getting onto his hands and knees. The wealth of his hair slid to either side of him and puddled on the bed.

"No," I said as I joined him. "We don't have to rush. Come here, Ara."

Aranren rose to his knees, and I moved to kneel before him, hands already reaching for his sleek body. He was so slender compared to my other lovers, and I adored that. He was delicate and strong all at once. Our lips met, groans vibrating through our sensitive flesh, and love surged between us. I could feel my magic rising already, eager to make him mine. But I didn't want to rush this. I should have. I should have been desperate to get him protected, but my heart said to take it slow. And I always followed my heart.

As we kissed, my hands sank into Ara's glorious hair, and we fell sideways together onto the pillows. Bodies writhing in beautiful pleasure, we gloried in the feel of each other's skin, hands, and cocks. I found his ass and squeezed. Kneaded. Slid a finger over his entrance. Felt the puckered ring. Ara shuddered.

Breathless, I eased out of our kiss to look at Ara, "I love you. Whatever happens, know that I want this. I want to be with you forever."

Aranren's eyes went glossy, but he blinked away the tears. "No one has . . . Ember, I've longed for a love like ours, one that could survive Death."

"And keep you safe from him." I stroked his hair. "I will, Ara. I promise. Once you're mine, you won't have to be afraid anymore."

"Take me away from him, Ember. Make me yours." Ara kissed me, pouring all of his love through his lips and tongue. Through the undulations of his body and sweeping motions of his hands.

I felt it come from every inch of him. And I couldn't resist it. It was time.

Easing back slowly, drawing away from Aranren's lush lips, I kissed my way across his chest and pushed him onto his back. Ara smiled at me serenely as he spread his legs around me. I rolled my body, moving my stomach against his cock, feeling the moisture atop it spread. As if I were starving, I sucked at the pink bead of his nipple. Having him in my mouth made my cock mimic his and weep for him. I needed to get inside him, needed it like air, and it was such an unusual sensation. Only Ara brought this out of me.

"Ember," Ara whispered and grabbed the back of his legs to pull them out to the sides, opening himself for me. "I love you. Make us one."

I rose to my knees and stared down at the erotic picture he made. Those slim legs pulled open in need. That cock, long and hard, blushed at the tip. The heavy sacs beneath, dusted in golden hair. His beautiful face with that pale gaze locked on mine. And there, down below, his pink entrance.

I dove between his cheeks and lapped at it, getting it sloppy-wet. So wet that it dripped. When Ara groaned and pulled his legs even further back, I slid my tongue inside him. Thrust it as deep as I could.

"Ember!" Ara cried.

With a moan, I drew my tongue up him, under his pale, pretty balls, then over his shaft. I sucked that glorious length into my mouth, tonguing the tip before bobbing down it. All the while, Ara held himself open and shuddered, his head rolling and hair sweeping around him. By the time I had my fill of his cock, I needed to wet his entrance again.

"No need, my love," Ara said as if reading my mind. "I'll prepare myself." But then he frowned. "Oh. Yes, I forgot. I don't have magic."

"Not that kind of magic," I said softly. Then I crouched to nestle between his lower cheeks again.

As I licked him into readiness, Ara pulled on his legs and wriggled. Finally, he cried, "Stop teasing me and take me!"

As if my body belonged to him, I shot to my knees, positioned myself at Ara's opening, and slid into him without hesitation. We cried out together, but I pulled back immediately so I could thrust again, getting deeper. Only when I was fully lodged inside Ara did I lean down, taking his legs over my arms as I'd seen my lovers do to me. The weight was more than I expected, but I settled into the lean and began to pump.

"Ara," I murmured and brushed my lips over his. "I love you."

"I love you, my Ember." He wrapped his arms around me. "I've been waiting so long for you."

Aranren's words summoned the memory of my arrival at his fortress. When I was under Death's control. When we both were. But he had fought free to protect me. He said those words to me then, or something similar, but he didn't mean them. Or maybe he did. He just didn't know how true they were. Neither of us could have known what we'd become to each other in such a short time.

"I think I've been waiting for you too," I said.

Ara's body squeezed me, wrestling my cock into such pleasure that my eyes closed to feel it more fully. I kept thrusting, kept seeking that apex. That climax. And as I did, Spirit rose to shine through my skin.

"Oh, Ember," Ara whispered. "You're so beautiful."

I opened my eyes just as my white wraith flew free of my body, launching itself into Ara. There was nothing between us this time. No Death to stop me from claiming my lover. Aranren gasped, his eyes closing, and instantly came, spurting hot seed over our bellies. His bliss echoed back to me as my wraith—that small, shining piece of my soul—settled inside him, connecting us with an invisible cord. But it was so much more than that. I felt Aranren, touched his soul through mine. Saw the beauty of it unhindered by Death's bone cage.

But I also saw the damage that Death had done. The cuts and abrasions from centuries of abuse and bondage. The bond between Ara and me wasn't like Death's cage. It wasn't a cage at all. It was a cord that stretched between us—a stream that flowed in both directions. Death had only taken. Even when he had made Ara powerful, it was only to do his bidding. And where Death's control cut deep, Ara's connection to me would heal him. I sent my love down that cord and watched it seep into Ara's spiritual wounds. I felt them knit together slowly. It would take time, but he would be whole again. I would pour love into him until he was. And even then, I would keep pouring.

"Ember!" Ara shrieked as he came again and connected to me.

I knew Ara felt me too, that bliss came from finally knowing me fully. We were a part of each other now. He was still a separate person, and I couldn't share the wards in my mind with him, but I had just given him access to Spirit. It was that magic that had bound us. Spirit was latched onto his soul now, making Ara mine. No longer did he belong to Death.

The thought sent me over, and I locked up against Ara, my body jettisoning pieces of myself into him. Feeling the bond from this perspective was eye-opening. I understood Xae's need to possess now. His and Taroc's. At that moment, as I filled my lover's body with my desire, I felt powerful and dominant. I felt like a conqueror.

And the fact that I had just saved the world didn't hurt either.

"Ara!" I cried, hips jerking forward once, twice, and then a final time.

"Is this what Spirit is?" Ara whispered. "Is this the magic of the Goddess?"

I slid free of him, and we turned together onto our sides to embrace. Our bodies knew instinctively where to move and how to cling. We just fit.

"Yes," I said and kissed him. "Yes, this is what Spirit feels like. And this is what we feel like together."

Ara couldn't blink away his tears this time. They streamed down his cheeks even as he smiled and cupped my face. "You have saved me. You've saved us all, my Ember."

"You helped a little," I teased.

"Don't make light of this. I need to thank you. Thank you for loving me."

"Thank you for loving me back." I kissed him, reveling in our love and celebrating our triumph.

It was over. The war had ended with a single act of love. Our enemy was now our ally. The Wraith Lords could live normal lives now. No more fighting. No more training. Oh, sweet Goddess, no more sword training! It was over at last.

Something cold hit my leg. I looked down to see the chain attached to Ara's manacle. "We can remove this now," I said.

Ara froze.

"Ara." I set my hand over his heart. "I'm here with you. Guarding you. You're safe."

"Ember, if Death still has even the smallest shard of bone in me, he will use me to enter this place. We'll be giving him access to the Emperor."

"The Emperor can take care of himself," I said firmly. "And I will take care of you. If you start to lose yourself, I will know, and I will replace this manacle faster than Death can take you. But Ara, if you don't, if you are truly free, this will prove that the war is over."

He hesitated a few more seconds, then whispered, "All right."

I slipped away from Ara and found the key in my discarded pants. When I got back to bed, he was sitting up, biting his lower lip.

"Don't be afraid," I said and unlocked the manacle.

Despite my words, my hand tightened on the manacle as I drew it away from him, ready to replace it. Ara went tense, staring at me. We waited. And waited. And waited a few minutes more. Nothing happened.

"Ember," Ara whispered at last. "Ember, I think I'm safe."

"Yes, you are." I tossed the manacles aside and went into his arms.

We hugged jubilantly, but that quickly shifted into something more amorous. Our hands started roaming and then our lips. Cocks rising, we rolled across the mattress, trading positions every few minutes. At last, we couldn't take it anymore. I shifted onto my hands and knees. With a sharp, delighted inhale, Ara got up and moved behind me. I expected him to lick me as I had him, but the manacles were off, and Ara had his magic back.

Still, he paused.

I looked at him over my shoulder.

Ara stared back, a little lost. "I haven't used only the elements in so long. I don't know which would best prepare you."

In a husky timbre, I suggested, "Why don't you try your tongue?"

Ara's body jerked in arousal, and then he grinned. "What a wonderful idea, my love."

Spreading my cheeks wide, Ara bent his head between them and licked. Then moaned. And lapped. The wet sounds combined with his groaning pleasure and the divine feeling of his tongue to make my cock twitch.

"Ara," I groaned. "Oh, fuck. Yeah, just like that. Get me real wet."

He made a happy sound, then lifted his head. "Yes, I think I shall claim you now, my Ember."

With that, Aranren slipped into me. My back arched, and I pushed onto his thrusts, taking him as deep as I could. He was fully sheathed in three seconds. And then came the sound of flesh hitting flesh. My favorite sound. I felt so full, so complete, and our bond rose to shimmer in the air around us. It was settled, I knew that, and yet it felt as if this were the final step. As if it wasn't complete until Ara had given me what I had given him.

"Ember," Ara growled, his hips moving faster. "My Ember. My light. I love you." And then he cried out without words and filled me.

Aranren's pleasure summoned mine. As he gave me what I craved, I emptied myself on the bed, muscles tight and back arched. We shuddered violently and then fell onto our sides together, him still inside me. Ara curled around me from behind and gathered me in against his chest, my head tucked below his chin.

"I love you," he said again. "And it's finally untainted by Death."

"Death is over." I snuggled in deeper and sighed.