11. Chapter 11

Chapter eleven

" I 'm sorry."

It was about the nineteenth time Storm had apologized since they'd left the disastrous dinner party. Maybe it would have been more believable if he knew what he was atoning for, but it just seemed like he didn't want King to be mad at him.

In which case, he could stop feeling bad because King couldn't remember ever being happier. Sure, he'd been scared shitless when the big cat had first burst into the kitchen. His mate had been spitting mad—literally—and he really had worried Storm might attack his mother.

After the initial shock had worn off, however, he hadn't been able to stop smiling. It had felt good to see Daniella Mathers put in her place for once, instead of the other way around. The incident also had the unintended side-effect of showcasing his siblings in a much different light.

The way they had rushed to his defense had been surprising, especially when Reina had told their mother to shut up. The look on Daniella's face had been priceless, and he wished to hell he had thought to capture it in 4K.

According to Storm, his siblings had been concerned for him as soon as he'd left the patio. Another surprising revelation. Now, he was reconsidering everything he thought he knew about them. Had he really been misreading them this whole time? The way they had surrounded him to make sure he was unhurt kind of made it seem that way.

"Stop apologizing," he said, also for the nineteenth time, as he unlocked the door to Storm's suite and pushed it open. "No one was hurt, and Royal is so happy he's going to be insufferable for at least a week."

Despite what he'd said in back in his mother's kitchen, King had allowed his mate to shift back and dress for the ride home. Mostly because he didn't know how to explain a mountain lion in his passenger seat, nor how he would get Storm back into the castle without everyone losing their shit.

"But your mom—"

"Deserved it."

He couldn't count the number of times he'd wanted to tell her to back the fuck off and leave him alone. He'd simply never had the courage. Like most bullies, though, she was all bark and no bite. When push came to shove, she'd been the first to retreat.

It could be argued that anyone would react similarly when faced with an angry mountain lion, but she had also been cowed by Reina's verbal reprimand. It was kind of sad when he really stopped to think about it.

"I shouldn't have lost my temper like that. I ruined dinner. You didn't even get to eat."

Tossing the brass key onto the side table, King turned with a warm smile. "We'll order something."

"That's not the point. I shouldn't have—"

King quieted him by placing two fingers to his lips. "Thank you. Really." Yeah, it might have been an overreaction, but knowing Storm would fight for him was the best feeling in the world. "No one has ever stood up for me like that. No one has ever put me first. You have no idea how much that means to me."

Encircling his wrist with his long fingers, Storm pushed his hand down but kept a loose hold on his arm. "I will always put you first. I love you."

King shook his head. "Don't say that."

Not because he didn't want to hear it. Not because he didn't feel the same way. If Storm woke up from this spell to find it had all been a fever dream, however, it would kill him.

"I mean it."

"You don't know what you're saying."

Storm's brow creased, and a muscle in his jaw ticked angrily. "I might not remember who I am. At least, not all of it, but I know how I feel."

"What if you don't?" King asked sadly. "What if you only feel this way because of the hex?"

"Bullshit," Storm spat. "I love you. I'm always going to love you."

King wanted to believe that, but the risk to his heart terrified him.

"Do you love me?" Storm asked.

"That's not fair."

His mate dragged him closer and cupped his cheek. "Answer the question, darlin'. Do you love me?"

Self-preservation be damned, he couldn't lie. Especially not when Storm looked at him that way.

"Yes."

"Then let that be enough for now."

His other hand came up to cradle King's face, and he leaned in, slanting their mouths together. It wasn't at all like the first time. There was no hesitation, no slow and gentle buildup. The shifter kissed him like he owned him, and with enough passion to set the whole damn castle on fire.

Without releasing his claim to King's mouth, he lifted him from the floor, holding him securely with both hands clasped around his backside. Scrambling for purchase, King wrapped his arms around his mate's neck and encircled Storm's narrow waist with his legs.

He didn't have any experience, but some things were purely instinctual. For once in his life, his mind was blissfully blank. No overthinking. No second-guessing. He just felt, and damn, did he feel it all.

His heart thundered against his ribs, pounding out a heavy drum in his ears. Adrenaline seared through his veins, and his muscles coiled with anticipation. Hard and throbbing, his cock pressed against his zipper in a bid for freedom, and his balls ached with the desperate need for relief.

Carrying him to the bedroom, Storm bounced off the wall, knocking down one of the ugly floral paintings, then stumbled into the small table by the balcony doors. Still clinging to each other, they laughed as Storm finally made it into the bedroom and tumbled them both onto the mattress.

Their laughter faded away as their mouths met in another hungry, searching kiss. Tongues dueled, danced, sliding together in an intimate caress, breaking apart only long enough for them to quickly undress each other.

Storm fell into the cradle of his thighs, and they both groaned as their hard lengths rubbed together. Trembling with desire, and maybe a bit of nerves, King stroked his mate's handsome face, simply marveling that his amazing person belonged to him.

"Are you okay?" Storm asked. "Do we need to slow down?"

Too overcome with emotion, he shook his head and grabbed Storm's shoulders, pulling him into another desperate kiss. His breath caught, exiting on a quiet moan as he was pressed into the mattress by Storm's weight. Rather than heavy or suffocating, being surrounded like that felt safe, secure.

"There's lube in the top drawer of the nightstand."

His cheeks heated at the admission, but technically, it belonged to Storm anyway. He wasn't so na?ve that he hadn't known its purpose, but he admitted to a small amount of trepidation when he'd first encountered it while looking for his mate's phone charger.

God, that seemed like a lifetime ago.

Storm stretched over him, reaching his long arms across the bed for the nightstand. After a bit of rummaging, he returned with a small, clear bottle with a purple cap. King hadn't been sure how much of this particular dance Storm would remember, but thankfully, he appeared to know exactly what to do next.

Which was a damn good thing because despite a generous amount of slick to ease the way, the invasion of a single digit ached like hell.

"Relax, darlin'. Breathe."

King did as instructed, taking several deep breaths as he focused on unwinding the tight muscles in his body. It worked a little, but the tension returned tenfold when Storm added a second finger.

Instead of continuing to coach him through the process, Storm apparently decided a distraction was in order. Kissing a wet path down his quivering stomach, his mate nuzzled and teased the crease of his thighs, sending electric currents rippling through him.

When the silky heat of Storm's mouth closed around the head of his cock, he nearly lost his fucking mind. He whipped his head back and forth against the comforter as sounds he was sure he'd never made before echoed around the room. His stomach clenched, the pressure in his balls built to unbearable levels, and the flames of impending release licked at his skin.

Screwing his eyes closed and gritting his teeth, he summoned every scrap of self-control he possessed so he didn't go off like a bottle rocket. As such, he barely noticed when Storm breached him with a third finger, but when his mate eventually eased out of him, he felt oddly empty and bereft.

Storm released his cock with a naughty slurp and positioned himself between King's spread legs once more. Capturing his mouth in a branding kiss, he rocked forward, nudging the crown of his erection against King's entrance. The cool gel that coated the length felt like a balm to his overheated skin, and he was too overwhelmed to be anxious any longer.

Storm took his time, invading his depths in increments that stretched and filled him, causing an unfamiliar ache in his lower belly. He clung to the shifter's broad shoulders, trying to anchor himself as Storm flexed his hips in a slow, gentle rhythm.

His skin flushed and burned. Every breath seared his lungs. His cock throbbed with the erratic pounding of his pulse. He was lost, drowning in a sea of new sensations that he never wanted to emerge from.

When the need became too much, when neither of them could leash their control any longer, Storm increased his pace, driving into him faster and more forcefully. King panted, struggling to draw in breath, and his muscles clenched, his inner walls gripping, squeezing.

They moved as one, bodies writhing together, and they raced toward a crescendo that King knew would likely shatter him. When Storm buried his face against the side of his neck, he wasn't sure what to make of it at first. Then soft lips closed over a sensitive spot right below his ear, and sharp canines pierced the skin.

The sting of pain lasted for less than a heartbeat before it was replaced with the most indescribable pleasure. Just as he'd predicted, King shattered into thousands of shiny, sparkling pieces, calling Storm's name again and again in hushed tones as he erupted to fill the space between them with volleys of pearly cream.

Then Storm claimed his mouth again, thrusting his tongue between King's panting lips. The taste of copper was subtle but unmistakable, and he groaned as radiant sunlight filled the deepest recesses of his soul.

Above him, Storm shuddered and growled, a deep, resonating sound that vibrated through his entire being. One last hard plunge, and he stilled, the cords in his neck straining as he emptied himself into King's convulsing channel.

"Are you okay, darlin'?" he asked long moments later as he gently eased from King's sated body.

A contended smile curved the corner of his lips at the sound of his mate's voice inside his head. Some humans were freaked out by the thought of telepathic communication, but King had been looking forward to it since the day they'd met.

"Sleepy." Fuck, he felt like he'd been run over by an armored tank.

"Rest. I'll get you cleaned up."

King hummed his gratitude, but he was too tired to open his eyes. In his daze, he heard water running in the en suite, and he felt the mattress dip when Storm returned. The warm, wet cloth that caressed his skin felt nice, but even that couldn't pull him from the edge of sleep.

"King?"

It took an extraordinary amount of effort, but he finally managed to pry his eyes open. "Yeah?"

"My sisters' names are Bridget and Bailey."

His heart skipped a beat, but he still couldn't do more than widen his eyes slightly. "You remember?"

The smile that lit the shifter's face could have charmed the stars right from the sky. "I do, and guess what."

"What?" he asked, sleep already beckoning him back into its embrace.

"I still love you."

"Good. That's good," he slurred. "Love you, too."

"Sleep now, darlin'."

King sighed when strong arms gathered him up, and his mate's warm body molded down his back. And that was the last thing he registered before the darkness finally claimed him.