Page 215 of The War and Deceit Series omnibus

“Thank you.” I don’t explain why I’m thanking him, I don’t need to, he can feel it through our connection.

Pulling his gaze from the trees, he meets mine with an unusually serious expression. “I will always help you where I can, Clarissa. Always, never doubt that.” If I hadn’t already loved him, that would have changed my mind. His eyes stay locked with mine for a second longer, then he looks ahead, scouring the forest for any potential threats once again. He leaves me speechless, but thankfully, he isn’t waiting for me to respond. “He’s your mate,” he states, and it takes my brain a few seconds to realise he’s talking about Grayson. “He obviously needs to seeyou alone for some reason, and the elves weren’t going to let you go by yourself.” I hum my agreement but don’t say anything, not wanting to open conversation about ‘the elves,’ or more specifically, one elf in particular. I know we will have to have this conversation at some point, but now is not the time.

We fall into a companionable silence as we walk deeper into the forest. It’s almost completely dark now, so we’ve had to slow down, but just ahead, the orange glow of a small fire comes into view. Reaching for Grayson’s bond in my chest, I gently stroke it, gasping at the jolt of feeling that’s sent back to me in return. Tor curses next to me, feeling it second-hand through his connection.

“Clarissa?” Grayson calls out in the distance, and I see a figure move in front of the orange glow.

“Grayson!” I cry in delight, immediately starting forward, but I stop when I remember Tor. Torn, I turn to look up at him, but he smirks and gestures for me to go. Grinning, I jump forward and press a kiss to his lips, pushing my love and thankfulness for him through our connection, then I pull away with a laugh.

Facing the orange glow, I tug at the bond between Grayson and me, and I begin running towards him. As soon as he sees me, a joyful smile spreads across his face, and he leaps over a fallen tree, racing towards me. His arms wrap around me, lifting me from the ground and holding me close. The tightness that’s been constricting my chest since he left me last time lifts, and it feels like I can finally breathe freely. Happiness fills me, and for those few precious seconds, we just hold each other, breathing in each other’s scents. At the back of my mind, there’s a dark thought hovering, reminding me he’ll have to leave again soon, that he’s only here for a short time, for a specific reason.He will never be able to stay with you. This is all you will ever get, these fleeting moments.These thoughts are toxic, so I push them awayand make the most of this time with him. After all, any time with him is better than nothing at all.

Slowly, he lowers me to the ground, presses his forehead against mine, and gazes into my eyes. “Clarissa,” he whispers, saying my name like a prayer. “I have so much to tell you.” Pulling away, he smiles at me and takes my hand, leading me over to the fire he’s started. He has a small tent erected, and there’s a pot set over the fire, so it looks like he’s been waiting for a little while.

My heart sinks, and I take a seat on the fallen log, facing the fire for something to do. I knew he sought me out because he had news. Why else would he be here? But I hoped to spend some more time with just the two of us, knowing he would probably have to leave soon.

“Oh.” I try to keep the disappointment from my voice, but I know I don’t manage it when he glances up from where he’s tending the fire. “Yes, I suppose you will have to return to the guild soon, they will be expecting you,” I reason, looking down at my hands in my lap. The journey from the guild to here is long, having to travel the whole width of Morrowmer.

Grayson laughs quietly. “Clarissa, that’s what I need to tell you.” He stands up and walks over to me, kneeling in front of me and placing his hands on my knees. “I’m not going back.” I stop breathing, not quite believing what he’s saying, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. When I don’t react, he smiles. “I’m staying withyou.” He puts emphasis on the last word, his eyes glowing in the firelight. “The guild—”

I don’t let him finish his sentence. Surging forward, I wrap my arms around him and press my lips against his. He groans into my mouth, returning my kisses with a frenzy I’ve not experienced from Grayson before. His hands slide along my legs to my lower back, picking me up in one swift motion. Circlingmy legs around his waist, I shamelessly grind myself against him and bite down on his lower lip.

“Mother above,” he curses, looking down at me with a heat in his eyes that has my core clenching, aching for him. I nuzzle his neck as he walks us to his tent, ducks through the opening, and lowers me onto the padded bedding. He wants to say something, that much is clear by his torn expression, but as I shift up onto my knees and undo the clasp that holds my cloak in place, lust seems to win over. Leaning back, he closes the tent flaps behind him and turns his full attention back to me, shuffling closer until I can feel the heat of his body against mine.

We stare into each other’s eyes, and by some unspoken signal, we start to undress. We don’t touch, but the heat from his gaze is practically scalding, my skin flushing under his regard. He looks regal in his high mage uniform—the thick dark blue fabric with golden epaulettes, trim, and buttons. As he removes it, he carefully folds the uniform, taking his time with unhurried movements, making my mouth water. His chest is bare now, and I follow the slight trail of hair down to his hands, which are removing his trousers. My mouth goes dry as his cock springs free, the head glistening with pre-cum. Now totally naked, we meet each other’s eyes, and the calm barrier between us snaps, our bodies colliding in a mass of limbs, tongues, and teeth.

Kissing down his neck, I press my teeth gently against his pulse point, feeling him shudder under me as his hand skims down my body and slides between us, cupping my core. His finger finds my clit, and he starts to gently circle it, making me gasp. My head falls back, and I arch against him, pressing my breasts up against his chest. I feel him laugh, and as I lift my head to look at him, his expression changes. He looks astonished, like he has no idea how he ended up here, but the soft smile that’s spreading across his face tells a different story.

“What are you thinking?” I ask softly, needing to know what’s caused such a reaction.

His smile widens, his confidence returning as his clever fingers resume their movements on my clit, while his other hand on my lower back holds me close. He leans forward and presses a tender, lingering kiss against my lips before pulling away. “I was thinking that I am the luckiest man in the world.” His words make me blush, but he smiles and presses a kiss against each flushed cheek. “That you are the most beautiful creature in existence,” he continues, his fingers travelling down from my clit until he finds my entrance, already wet with arousal. His eyes light up, and he carefully watches my face as he gently presses a finger into me, my eyes rolling back with pleasure. “And that I love you.” His declaration makes me feel warm and safe, and honestly, like Iamthe most beautiful creature. At least, I do with the way he’s looking at me right now. Reaching up, I wrap my arms around his neck and press long, passionate kisses against his lips, relearning the taste of him.

Moaning into my mouth, he breaks our kiss, removing his fingers from my core in the process. I bare my teeth and hiss as he moves away, my fae nature making its displeasure known.I’ve been spending too much time around territorial fae males,a little part of my mind chides, wondering how my human mate will take this very elvish display. Grayson raises an eyebrow at the behaviour, but if I had been worried at how he would react, I shouldn’t have been, because I see his cock bob slightly. “Lie back,” he instructs. “I want to try something.” There’s a promise in his eyes, so I clamp down on the need to climb on him and demand that he just fuck me.

Doing as he commands, I lie on the bedding and look up at him, wondering what he has planned. That look of hungry admiration appears in his eyes again as he lowers himself next to me, tangling his legs with mine. He raises his hand, and alook of concentration furrows his brow, then he smiles as the tip of his forefinger begins to glow. Magic tingles on the air. Eyes widening, I look closer and see tiny blue jolts of what look like miniature lightning bolts dancing across the surface of his skin.

A flash of concern goes through me. Is he going to use that on me?I examine his face and realise something. This is Grayson. He wouldneverdo anything to hurt me.

“Do you trust me?” he queries softly, the magic causing a strange blue light to fill the tent.

I don’t need time to think, I simply smile and repeat his answer from earlier. “Always.”

His answering smile is completely worth it, his happiness making our bond practically glow in my chest as he leans forward and kisses me. I don’t see him lower his hand, but I feel the moment his magic touches me, a light buzzing running over the skin of my arm, tingling everywhere he touches. For a second, I feel my body try to break the spell, but he lifts his finger, and the urge passes as he moves across my chest. He seems to know exactly how long to tease me with the pressure. Lifting and pressing. Every time my body starts to react and tries to break the spell, he pulls away and moves on to another untouched part of my body. When his finger touches my nipple, it’s like a jolt of electricity goes directly from the bud to my clit, and I gasp into his mouth, gripping his shoulders tightly. He grunts slightly, and I try to loosen my hold, aware my fae strength could hurt him.

“Sorry,” I murmur against his lips, but he just laughs and shakes his head.

“It’s my fault for teasing you,” he whispers, skimming his hand lower over my stomach. The little jolts make me squirm. “I know what you need.” With those promised words, he finally presses his finger against my clit, and I can’t contain my cry of pleasure. He whispers something in a language I don’tunderstand, and the tang of magic is heavy in the air. Both of his hands are now free, but the magic is still pulsing against me. Somehow, he’s managed to control the magic in a way that doesn’t cause my body to try to break it, but my mind is too pleasure addled to comprehend that right now.

Just when I think it can’t get any better, I feel his finger stroke my entrance, gathering up my arousal before slowly pushing inside me. Moaning, I slide my hands down his back, encouraging him. He adds a second, then a third. The steady motion of his fingers and the on and off pressure of his magic against my clit is a heady feeling. It’salmosttoo much, and just as I think I can’t handle any more, he presses his thumb against my sensitive nub, sending me spiralling into an intense orgasm. Once he’s fully wrung every ounce of pleasure from me, he slowly removes his fingers, the magic disappearing, and pulls me flush against him, pressing soft kisses against my forehead.

Humming with pleasure, I snuggle up against him, running my hands up and down his back, enjoying the feeling of his cock twitching against my hip. We lie together in comfortable silence for a little while longer, until I realise he has no intention of sating his own desires.Well, that’s not happening, I think to myself, pushing up onto my knees and pressing on his shoulders so he rolls onto his back.

“Wha—” Cutting him off, I press my mouth against his as I straddle him. “Clarissa!” He laughs into my mouth and pulls back, cupping my cheek. “I thought you might be too tired after the magic… I just wanted you to feel good. I wasn’t expecting anything in return. I don’t need sex tonight, I get to spend every day with you. We have plenty of time for that.”

Even if I hadn’t been determined before, I’m even more so now. Our next kiss is slow and passionate, and I push all my love and gratitude for him down our bond—all of the things I struggle to say out loud, my thoughts of inadequacy he saw past, and allof the feelings I had about him after he rescued me but I didn’t think I could act on. In return, he shows me how he views me, how as soon as his eyes landed on me in that chapel at Arhaven, his life changed forever. His eyes were opened that day, and he’s viewed the world differently ever since, but his thoughts never stray far from me. Our thoughts mingle until we are one mind, our breathing synchronised.

Reaching between us, I wrap my hand around his hard cock. I squeeze gently and start to stroke, knowing from our joint minds exactly how fast and hard to go. He groans into my mouth, his hand sliding around my body and cupping my breast, tweaking my nipples until I’m gasping. We don’t talk, we don’t need to. Raising onto my knees, I position myself over him. I rub him over my entrance, using my arousal to lubricate the head of his cock, and then I slowly slide down onto his length. Throwing my head back, I moan as I savour the feeling of fullness, while Grayson hisses his own pleasure. I rock my hips, meeting his lust-filled gaze. Suddenly, he’s shifting his weight and sitting up, and if it wasn’t for his arms wrapped around my lower back, he might have thrown me off. I groan as he pulls me closer to him, kissing me deeply. He’s much deeper in this position, and with us pressed together like this, it’s far more intimate. Staring into my eyes, he uses my hips to guide my motions. I bounce up and down on his cock, and together, we move, our gasps and sounds of pleasure loud in the small tent.

My orgasm starts to build until I’m calling out his name and bliss fills my body. His release follows close after mine, and he clutches me close as my body trembles with aftershocks.

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