Page 40 of Eternal Mate

Sariel's lips found the sensitive spot just below my earlobe, and a shiver raced down my spine. I turned to face him, our eyes locking in a passionate gaze.

There was an intensity in his eyes, a hunger that mirrored my own. Without words, we communicated our desires, our bodies speaking a language only we understood.

In one fluid motion, Sariel lowered himself onto the bed beside me, his lips claiming mine in a searing kiss. Our bodies melded together, the heat between us igniting like wildfire. His hands roamed my body, exploring every curve, every dip, as if he were trying to memorize every inch of me.

As the kiss deepened, there was only him and me. The outside world faded away, leaving only the raw, primal need between us.

With every caress, every whisper, we surrendered to the overwhelming sensation of pleasure, tied together by our unbreakable bond.

In the aftermath, our bodies lay entangled, covered in a sheen of sweat, our breaths slowly returning to normal. I traced patterns on his chest slowly as Sariel wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer.

I nestled against his chest, enjoying the steady rhythm of his heartbeat until sleep finally claimed us both.

15

OF LOVE AND LEGACY

SARIEL

Jack had been radio silent for weeks before we finally started hunting for him, only to come up empty with each new lead.

There were several messages being delivered from his contacts, but none of them could tell us where he’d gone after speaking with them, so the whole thing had turned into a game of cat-and-mouse.

Elias was growing more and more worried with each passing day, his anxiety ratcheting up by the hour, and none of us were sure how to help him through it. There were no guarantees that the man was even still alive, seeing as the messages were all late coming in due to how remote we were out in the trees.

Aria was all over the internet as per usual, and even she hadn’t come across anything involving him. Her working theory was that if he’d been picked up and charged, the news would spread like wildfire since that's how every other altercation had gone so far, but she hadn’t had any luck either.

The days stretched on, each one filled with hope and trepidation. We clung to the belief that Jack was resilient, resourceful, and capable of taking care of himself.

As time wore on, though, doubts started to creep in, accompanied by a nagging fear that we might never see our friend again.

Just when we were ready to throw in the towel, the universe decided to toss the answer into our lap.

The meeting room's door swung open, and several people at the table turned towards the entrance. I wasn’t one of them, too focused on the news article I was reading through.

That was, until my bond thrummed in my chest.

"Sariel," Aria whispered, her voice trembling with excitement. "Look!"

My breath caught in my throat when I finally turned to the door and saw who’d arrived.

As if a mirage had materialized before me, Lucy and Credence were standing there silently.

A surge of shock and disbelief washed over me, leaving me momentarily speechless.

I blinked, my mind struggling to process the reality before me. It had been months since I’d last seen my mom and grandma. Their sudden appearance was a shock to my system, and emotions surged within me, threatening to overwhelm my senses.

Aria wasted no time rushing forward, a brilliant smile gracing her face.

"Oh, thank God!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with unrestrained joy as she dragged both women into a hug, then swiftly moved to Harry, who’d been lagging behind. "You're all here! How did you find us?"

Lucy's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she stepped forward, her voice filled with warmth and relief.

"We heard about what happened at your compound and came looking for you," she explained, her words carrying a hint of urgency. "Jack was there—he saved us from Azazel and sent us in this direction about… a week ago, now? We had to find you to make sure you really were safe."

The room seemed to come alive with renewed energy as the others realized what was happening.

Elias looked up with a glimmer of hope in his eyes, darting over the trio when they were all hurried into chairs. Lucy and Credence all but collapsed into them, the wear on their bodies obvious, while Harry just hovered, eyes darting around anxiously.

---