Page 59 of Bound in Flames

I pulled his fingers into my mouth, my tongue tracing along the tips, nipping and sucking with s deliberate slowness, never once breaking eye contact. His hungry eyes devoured me as I spasmed around him. I guided his hand down my jaw, dragging it over my throat, my collarbone, before pressing it firmly to my breast. He groaned as his fingers grasped my flesh on reflex, his grip tightening when I pressed his palm harder against me.

A wicked smile curled my lips as I circled his wrist, tugging him lower, dragging his touch down my soft stomach. His breath shuddered out as his fingers brushed over my tight curls. The heat that pooled between my thighs made me arch into him with a needy sigh.

"Touch me, Dex. Make me cum again while I fuck you."

His eyes flashed, his grip tightening possessively as his fingers found my aching clit, circling it with a desperation that made my legs shake. I shifted my weight, bringing my hands behind me to brace against his thighs. I used my knees to rise and drop down onto his cock, pushing him deeper. Sparks of pleasure exploded behind my eyes as he slammed into that devastatingly perfect spot with every thrust.

Dex's chest heaved as his thumb rubbed tight circles against my clit. His eyes were pleading, begging for mercy. I wanted to hear him say it, to break him down completely. I rode him fastermy back arching, my head falling back as I lost myself in the feeling of him.

"Please, Cleo!Please, please, please—" His body shook with the effort of holding himself still beneath me.

I rolled my head forward and drank in the sight of him. His cheeks flushed a deep crimson, sweat glistening on his brow, his eyes swimming with complete submission. The vision of my powerful mate unraveling beneath me sent a fresh surge of arousal crashing through me.Oh, we finally had found the edge.

"Doing such a good job for me," I moaned. My voice trembled with my own impending release, each word punctuated by the lewd slap of our bodies meeting. "Do you think you deserve it?"

His broken whine was my undoing. My fingers curled into his thighs as my core fluttered.

"Please—"

"Cum with me!"

My cry tore from my throat as he finally broke, thrusting up into me with a desperate, punishing rhythm. His cock pulsing as my orgasm ripped through me and I felt myself quiver and tighten around him, the wetness between us flooding out, coating his thighs in a slick sheen of my arousal.

He rolled forward to sit, burying his face in my chest, panting heavily as I collapsed bonelessly against him, my fingers carding through his sweat-damp hair.

I pressed a lingering kiss to his forehead, feeling his ragged breath against my skin. "Mine," I whispered. Satisfaction curled through me as I ran my fingers down his trembling back, "Always mine. My perfect mate."

For a long moment, we stayed like that, our bodies still entwined, our breathing slowing as the intensity of the moment ebbed, showering his face with soft kisses, my body still humming with aftershocks.

Dex’s hand slid up, tangling in my hair, his claws scratching against my scalp just the way I liked it. Our bond went beyond anything I’d imagined, woven into the essence of who we were becoming together. This wasn’t like our previous moments together. I felt him through the bond deep in my chest, in my very being. It was as if he had become part of me.

After a while, I shifted away from his body with soft groan of discomfort, our fluids sticky between my thighs as I collapsed beside him on the bed, spent. Dex turned onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow, his fingers tracing idle patterns on my shoulder.

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” I said, uncertainty taking over as I took in all the feral scratches I had left on his body. His chest bore the worst of them, blood pebbling in the deeper gouges, where I had dug in my nails.

“No. That was like an out of body experience. I didn’t know I would be into that, it was incredible. You’re incredible.” He murmured shyly, continuing to trace patterns up onto my collarbone.

My cheeks pulled up into a shy smile as I held his gaze, and I ran my hands lazily through his hair, gently scraping my nails against his scalp. Dex was preening under my attention, the rumble of his voice reminding me of a very large cat purring in satisfaction.

“We are destined for great things together. I can feel it. We’ll lead the clan into a new age.”

I smiled at him, but doubt coiled like a shadow in the corner of my mind as he spoke. I closed my eyes, letting his words wash over me. I wanted to believe him, to believe in myself, the uncertainty gnawed at me, eating away my confidence.

I let out a shaky breath and looked away. “I hope so… but I can’t help but worry. If I pull on our bond, I might open you up to my power. I’m afraid to pull you into this darkness with me.”

Dex’s hand settled gently on my arm, his touch a quiet reassurance against the swirling storm of doubts. “You won’t hurt me. You’ve already done more for this clan than anyone ever imagined possible. You healed our warriors. You’ve protected us in ways no one else could. The prophecy may say you’re the shaman who will lead us back to the valley, but this isn’t just about the prophecy. Who you are is rooted in our destiny as much as in me, and our bond.” His voice was a soft whisper.

“I’ve only ever been able to control my healing magic. The rest is like trying to hold water in my hands. I can feel it, but the moment I try to grasp it, it flares and slips away.”

His hands cradled my face, his thumb brushing my cheek in a soft, steady rhythm. I leaned into his touch, allowing the warmth to send a wave of reassurance through my frayed nerves. “You’re doing the best you can. That’s all anyone can ask. I believe in you, Cleo. And so does the clan.”

I closed my eyes, letting his words wrap around me like a shield, anchoring me in the safety of his presence. I breathed him in, the scent of leather, earth, and something uniquely Dex filling my senses. Here, in the quiet moments between battles and burdens, I allowed myself to believe. Even if only for tonight.

Chapter 31

Cleo

As the morning passed, I wandered through the stronghold, my steps slower than usual as I took in the daily life of the orcs around me. There was a rhythm to it all, one I’d grown accustomed to, though I still didn’t feel like I fully belonged. The warriors were hard at work, their grunts and the clash of weapons filling the air as they trained in the courtyard. The children’s laughter rang out along the halls, a light sound that contrasted with the tension that pulsed within the keep, each day drawing the looming darkness closer.

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