Page 176 of The War and Deceit Series omnibus

“Vae,” I call out, my voice breathy, feeling like I’m about to implode if he doesn’t stop soon. I sit up and pull away, shuffling until I’m kneeling in front of him. I press my lips against his, tasting my own desire on his lips. Reaching down, I grasp his hardening cock, enjoying the feel of the soft skin as I stroke it a few times, smiling at his resulting growl. This doesn’t last long before he’s throwing me back on the bed and crawling overme. Grabbing his cock, he places it against me, but instead of entering me, he rubs it up and down my slit, covering it in my slick. Groaning, I reach up and grip his shoulders, my nails biting into his skin. “Don’t tease,” I demand, my voice huskier than usual.

His eyes flash in pleasure as he lowers his head to rest his forehead against mine. “Yes, mate.” The words do something to me, and as he pushes his cock inside me, everything changes.

Pleasure like nothing I’ve ever known fills every pore, and I feel the exact moment the bond snaps into place, both of us crying out. Every nerve is alive, and I realise I’ve shut my eyes, and when I open them, I see Vaeril’s just above me, his expression filled with wonderment. Slowly, he thrusts into me, and we both groan in pleasure, and when he leans down, our lips meet in a tangle of tongues and teeth as he fucks me. The bond between us glows brightly, and I lose myself in the bliss as we become one.

Higher and higher he brings me, our breaths mingling as he bites down on my lip, and I throw my head back, so close now. I run my hand through his hair, my finger brushing against his pointed ear the moment my climax hits me. I cry out as waves of pleasure surge through me, and Vaeril roars as his release seconds after. Arms locked around each other, we hold each other, riding out the intensity of our coupling.

I’m not sure how long we stay that way for, but Vaeril reaches up and softly brushes the hair from my face. “My mate.” The pride in his voice brings a smile to my lips.

“My mate,” I reply, joy blooming in my chest at his returning smile.

The lazy movements of someone drawing patterns against my skin makes me smile into my pillow as I wake. “Morning,” I murmur, rolling over to see a sleepy looking Vaeril.

“Good morning, mate.”

As soon as he says the words, desire bolts through me, and his smug smile tells me that he knows the effect he’s having on me. “Is that permanent?” I actually like that I feel that way when he calls me mate. It’s so different to how it felt before, but it could become awkward if he calls me mate in public like he usually does. Vaeril obviously thinks the same because he chuckles, his eyes tracking my movements as I sit upright and the covers pool around my waist.

“No, it will fade over time.” He smiles, but his eyes dim a little as he frowns, staring at my shoulder. “Did I hurt you?”

Frowning, I raise my hand to my neck and realise he’s talking about where he bit me last night. It’s a little tender, but as soon as I touch it, desire shoots through me again. Why is everything making me so aroused? “No, but it looks like I hurt you.” I wince as I see the large bruise at the base of his neck. “I’m sorry. I’m not quite sure what came over me.” Reaching out, I gently caress my fingers against it, and with a growl, Vaeril surges up and wraps his arms around me, pulling me on top of him. Laughing, I look down at his large smile and assume he’s not in pain from the heated gleam in his eyes.

“It’s part of the mating process, a visible symbol of the mating bond.” He makes that purring noise I’m starting to love.

Tilting my head, I smile slightly as I look at the mark again with a new appreciation. “So if they see this mark, everyone will know you’re mine?”

“Yes,” he answers with a grin.

“Good.” I’ve never been a possessive person before, but the idea that other elves might look at Vaeril suddenly makes me angry. The thought that he’s now marked, that he’smine, settles a new part of me that I didn’t know I possessed.

“That’s the mating bond. It’s awakened some of your fae instincts. The possessiveness will fade,” he promises, which helps calm me. It’s strange, I was able to feel him before, but it’s like he was really far away, like I could hear him but not well, muffled. Now I can feel his thoughts easily.

“Vaeril! Clarissa! I’m coming in, so cover up anything you don’t want me to see,” Naril calls out, and although he’s trying to joke, his voice sounds off. Something is wrong. Vaeril senses it too and helps me off him, passing me the bedsheets so I can cover myself.

I just manage to pull them up when I hear the main door slam open. Vaeril slips out of bed and pulls on his leggings as Naril bursts through the bedroom door. His eyes instantly fall on me, half naked in the bed, and then lock onto the bite mark on Vaeril’s neck. His expression is stark, his eyes shadowed, but realising what’s happened, he pushes it away with obvious effort and grins at us.

“About fucking time!” he exclaims, striding in and clasping hands with Vaeril in a gesture of appreciation.

“Naril, what’s wrong?” I ask, a sense of dread settling over me.

Glancing at me, he sighs, and his face drops as he rubs his hand over his face. “I’m sorry, I wish I didn’t have to tell you this,” he replies, looking away from me to face his friend. “You deserve to have happiness this morning, like a newly mated couple should.”

Vaeril is frowning now, picking up on my fear through our connection. “Stop stalling. What’s wrong?”

Taking a deep breath, he nods his head, his expression firm. “Something happened at Galandell. It was a slaughter, they didn’t stand a chance,” he explains, as nausea fills me. I know what he’s going to say next. “The queen is blaming Clarissa. She’s ordered her to be captured and executed.”

Ihastily pull on a simple wrap dress. It was waiting for me on the edge of the bed once I returned from the bathroom, and I assumed Vaeril had put it out for me. I hadn’t paid attention to it at all as I pulled it on, but now as I look in the mirror, my heart clenches painfully as I see what I’m wearing. It’s a deep forest green colour and dotted with small golden glittering leaves.

“That’s a beautiful gift,” Vaeril remarks from the other side of the room, trying to lift my spirits and confirming my suspicions all in one. Closing my eyes tightly, I take a deep breath. The wood elves gifted me with this, claiming me as one of their own just as I have to leave them. Vaeril must feel my grief through our bond, because he comes over to me and pulls me against his chest. “We will return, this isn’t goodbye forever,” he whispers, but he can’t promise me that. The queen has declared me a traitor to her people, and that includes the wood elves.

“We need to leave quickly,” I say, changing the subject. Pulling away from his embrace, I glance over and see my bag is packed and ready to go. Vaeril is wearing his travel clothing, andI so desperately want to just stay here in his arms and trace the mark on his neck, my mating instincts pushing at me. However, the dread and nausea from Naril’s words override it.

Looking solemn, Vaeril nods his head. “I know. Are you ready?”

I hum my assent and walk through the house and straight out to the platform it’s built on, not looking back. I make my way down the twisting staircase built into the tree, my eyes widening as I reach the bottom and see the small group of people waiting for me.

Naril is standing with Speaker Hawthorn and the female speaker with the delicate antlers. There are a couple of elves tying wrapped packages to the horses’ saddles behind them, but it’s the person at the front talking with the speakers who makes me freeze in place.

“Tor?” The tribesman instantly looks up, his eyes locking onto me. Striding forward, he pulls me into his arms, wrapping them around me tightly. I inhale his fresh scent and return his embrace, not realising how worried I was about him until I saw him.

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