Page 175 of The War and Deceit Series omnibus

Knowing I can’t put it off any longer, I close my eyes and drop my hand to my side as I let my head fall forward so it’s resting against his chest, unable to look at him. “Vaeril…” My words trail off. I have no idea how I’m going to tell him about the others without sounding like a greedy whore.

Vaeril shifts his weight as the silence stretches between us. “I guess I deserve that with how I’ve treated you—”

“No! That’s not what I meant…” Cutting him off, I lift my head from his chest to look up at him. Although he tried to hide it, to brush it off, I could hear the pain in his voice. I cradle his face in my hands, holding his head in place so he has to look at me. The wariness in his countenance wounds me, and I know I have to be honest with him and not keep anything back. “I would be honoured to be your mate.” My voice breaks as I say it, and I’m unable to hide my smile at the thought, but it’s short lived as I think about what I’m going to say next. “But there’s something I need to tell you.”

His face doesn’t give much away as he digests what I said, wearing the blank mask the elves seem to favour. But I can feel him through our connection. With him being this close to me, it’s much easier for me to sense his emotions—frustration, jubilation, confusion, and finally, acceptance.

“The tribesman,” he says before I have the chance to explain. It’s not a question, and his voice is sure, like he’s known for a while. His tone is…neutral, like we’re discussing the weather and not the fact I have feelings for another. “Are you going to complete your bond?”

I’m amazing at how calmly he’s taking this information, but then Tor made himself clear that day in my room. He wouldn’t make me choose. “We haven’t discussed it yet, but…yes.” Taking a deep breath, I drop my hands from his face and clasp them together, feeling nauseous. “There’s more.” My voice is shaky. I have no idea how he’s going to take this information. Tor was a more obvious choice. He hasn’t exactly been subtle, but the only time Vaeril met Grayson was when the magician almost killed him in the underground forge back in Arhaven. Vaeril knows the story of how I became blessed, so he knows Grayson saved me and is the reason I’m still alive today, but as a magician,Grayson has been trained to use magic to kill his enemies on the battlefield—elves. He’s a killer of Vaeril’s kind.

Vaeril winces. “The magician too?”

“Yes.” My reply is breathy. This conversation is going much calmer than I thought it would. In my dreams, he turns on me, accusing me of being selfish before shouting and ordering me to choose. Even thinking of the dreams makes me sick, my hands trembling. “I won’t choose, Vaeril, I can’t. I’m just as connected to them as I am to you.” I sound like I’m begging, and I hate it, but I need him to understand that it’s not a simple action of just picking one of them. My soul is tied to each of them, the Mother has made that clear to me now. Somehow, each one of them offers me something unique that’s helped me get to where I am today.

Vaeril flinches as my voice breaks, and I don’t miss his hands balling into fists at his side. Is it out of anger or to stop himself from reaching out to me? “It is completely against my nature to share.” His voice is low, predatory, as he narrows his eyes, and I know his fae instincts are kicking in. “Not to mention you’re asking me to share with a magician.” His voice trails off into a low growl, and there must be something wrong with me, because instead of scaring me, it stokes desire within me.

“I know.” My cheeks flush as I try to push those feelings away and focus. “I’m sorry—”

“Don’t apologise, this is the gods’ doing.” He cuts me off with a low growl again, watching as my cheeks redden. His head tilts, and I realise he’s listening to something—my fluttering heartbeat. He looks every inch the predator, and it only stirs my desire more. With bated breath, I wait for his answer. “I won’t make you choose, but know this is not going to be easy.”

“I know.” My reply is quick and honest. I can barely believe he’s even considering it. “And I know I’m asking a lot.” Nothing about my feelings towards the three men is easy. Tor, I know,will accept it if it means he can be with me. Grayson, however, will be the one who will cause more waves. An image flashes into my mind of a golden mane of hair and a scarred face, watching me from afar. Shaking my head, I try to push that thought away. I’m not connected to Eldrin, at least not through any doings of the Great Mother. My relationships are complicated enough without trying to work out my feelings for him too.

He’s still watching me, and I know I need to shove aside thoughts of all others right now and show him how much it means to me that he’s ready to accept the bond.

But are you ready to accept the bond?my thoughts demand, and it doesn’t take long for me to realise that answer.Yes.

Slowly, I raise my arms and drape them over his shoulders, pulling his chest closer to mine until we’re pressed together. I slide my fingers into his hair, gently using it to pull his face down to mine. He doesn’t put up any resistance, his lips meeting my own. Groaning into my mouth, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me closer. My desire fully ignites, and I want to see how far I can push him. Something within me has awakened and is now taking the lead, and frankly, I love it. I bite his lower lip, and he growls low in his throat in response, his hands tightening as he pushes me back until my legs smack against the dressing table. Dropping his hands to my ass, he lifts me so I’m sitting on it, and a gasp escapes me before his lips find mine again. I wrap my legs around his waist. My fingers trail through his hair, tugging lightly on his braids, and to my surprise and pleasure, he leans his head back, following the movement and exposing his throat in response. I’m not using any strength, and he could easily pull away from me, but his eyes are on fire and a feral smile displays his pointed incisors.

Moving along his jaw, I kiss and nip with my teeth, working my way along his neck until I reach his pulse point. A strange humming sound fills the room as I place my lips against it,feeling the flutter of his heart. Feeling like I’m in a trance, I open my mouth and bite down on the delicate skin of his throat, not hard enough to break the skin, but enough to leave a mark. Vaeril jerks beneath me, his hands gripping my back as he utters something in elvish. Removing my teeth, I lick a long line up from the marked skin and press my cheek against his. Untangling my hands from his hair, I trail them down until I reach his ears. As soon as I touch them, he shudders, and a wicked smile spreads across my lips as an idea comes to mind.

Using the tip of my index finger, I gently trace his ear, stopping as I reach the pointed tip. A low growl emits from his chest, and he drops his head to my shoulder, kissing along the exposed skin to my neck. Taking that as a sign I should continue, I make sure to stroke the tip of his ear with one hand as I used the other to run my fingers through his hair, enjoying the texture of the silky silver strands.

“Clarissa,” he gasps, his tone low and breathy. “If you keep doing that, this will be over very quickly.” His words are muffled against my skin, sending a shock of desire and pleasure through my body. Something scrapes across the base of my neck before I feel a flash of pain as he bites down, mimicking what I’d done to him not long ago. Except, the pain disappears almost immediately, replaced by an intense wave of arousal.

“Mine,” he growls, that purring rattle starting up in his chest again as he kisses the bite mark on my neck. Usually I would have issues with someone claiming me as theirs, but here and now, it only turns me on even more, my body shuddering.

Placing my hands on his chest, I push gently, and he steps back, putting some space between us with a slight frown on his face. He’s strong enough that if he didn’t want to move, he wouldn’t have, but the fact that he did because I asked him to proves I’ve made the right decision. Sliding down from thedressing table, I smile at him as I walk past, reaching out and catching his hand.

I stop before the bed, drop his hand, and turn to face him. When he realises what I’m doing, his frown disappears and is replaced by an intense, possessive look as his eyes run over me. His body tenses, and I know he wants to close the gap between us, but he pauses. “Are you sure this is what you want? Once the bond is sealed, it can’t be broken.”

“Yes,” I reply simply, and even though I’m terrified, my voice is steady and sure.

He growls low in response, and a feline grin appears on his face. “Turn around,” he orders softly. Taking a deep breath, I do as instructed, my senses heightened at the prospect of not being able to see him. The heat of his body reaches me, and I know he’s close. A finger touches my neck and gently traces a line from just below my ear to the curve of my shoulder, my body erupting in goosebumps as he touches the mark on my neck. A moan escapes me, and his chest rumbles in approval. “This needs to come off,” he whispers, pressing a kiss against my neck as his fingers trail along the back of my dress. Reaching across, I detach the fabric affixed to the cuffs on my wrists, letting it fall behind me. His fingers work quickly with the fastenings on the back of the dress, and before I know it, it’s in a puddle of fabric at my feet. “Turn around,” he demands, and I do as he says.

If I was feeling self-conscious before, that sentiment completely disappears as I take in Vaeril’s expression. He looks like a starving man who’s just come across a cornucopia of food and isn’t quite sure if it’s real or not. The undergarments the elves wear are very different from those of the humans, and I’d been embarrassed by them at first, since the light lace does little to conceal my chest or between my thighs. Instead, the garments seem to enhance what I have, like the body is meant to be seen.

His eyes skim over my figure, and I can feel his desire for me through our connection. It’s so strong, I don’t know how he’s able to hold himself back, but he just stands there, viewing me, his tongue flicking out and licking his lips. “You look…” He trails off, and my mouth twitches up into a smile as I realise what he’s doing. He wants me to make the first move.

Taking a deep breath, I step out of my dress and cross the short distance between us. I place my hands on his chest and glide them up the fabric of his jacket. The top couple of buttons are undone, so I can see some of his smooth chest, but he’s wearing entirely too much clothing for my liking. “These need to come off,” I purr, and a wicked gleam flashes in his eyes as a sultry smile curves his lips, making my knees weak.

“Yes,Alina,” he replies, his hands replacing mine as he slowly undresses. It’s my turn to watch with heated eyes as his tanned skin becomes exposed. His chiselled chest is speckled with a few silver hairs, but it’s so fine I almost can’t see it. My gaze lowers, drawn to his abs. His low, masculine chuckle makes me flick my eyes up to see he’s watching me with an amused smile. Hands on his hips, he pushes his leggings down, and I notice he’s completely nude beneath them. I’m suddenly glad I didn’t know that earlier. It would have been difficult to concentrate on the speaker’s stories if I’d known Vaeril had been going commando. My eyes land on his stiffening cock, and my nerves relight as I suddenly become anxious. This isn’t new to me, I’ve had sex before, but never with someone who means something to me.

“Stop,” he commands, and as I look up, I see him frowning at me, obviously feeling my nerves through our bond. He pulls me closer until our bodies are pressed together, and I rest my head against his chest. “Can you hear that?” he asks, and I realise he’s talking about his heartbeat. I nod as his hands stroke myhair. “That beats for you. I would never hurt you, you know that, right?”

Pulling away so I can look up at him, I read the honesty on his face, and I know he’s right. I lean up to meet his kiss halfway. It’s a slow, passionate kiss that grows as his hands trace patterns on my back, stoking my desire again. I moan against his lips as he lifts me, and I automatically wrap my legs around his waist as he carries me to the bed, placing me down gently in the center. Crawling onto the bed, he moves to my legs and slides a hand down to my underwear. He pulls at the silky lace, sliding it along my legs until I’m completely bare. I should feel shy being so exposed, but the heated, starving expression on Vaeril’s face makes me feel sexy and powerful.

He parts my thighs and moves closer, pressing kisses against the inside of my leg, getting nearer to my center. My breathing hitches when he finally presses a kiss against my clit before gliding his tongue over it. “Mine,” he growls, pressing another kiss against my nub, the vibrations making me cry out. I fist my hands in the bedsheets, needing something to hold onto as he continues kissing and licking. A movement catches my eye, and as I look down, I see him watching me as he slowly slides a finger inside me. I moan, hear a tearing sound, and when I glance over, I see I’ve ripped the sheets where I’ve been gripping so tightly. Vaeril chuckles against my clit, enjoying seeing me fall apart as he adds another finger, slowly moving inside me as he fuels my desire.

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