Page 97 of Fated or Knot

Stars, he was as untouched as I was. I didn’t really know where to put my hands either, but they ended up on his chest, feeling the ridges of muscle through his shirt. We kissed all the while, until he gasped from the brush of my fingertips on his skin. I’d inched up the hem to expose a bit of his belly and thehard V leading to his groin, and even a little tease had coaxed out a tremble.

Maybe he’s a little touch starved too.

“Touch me,” he demanded in an insistent whisper. “I need you.”

I was starting to explore his body with my fingertips when there was an insistent knock on the door. “Marius, what the fuck,” Fal said through it, speaking Serian. “Your emotions have been going crazy over the pack bond. Why haven’t you been responding? What’s going on?”

The kelpie took a deep breath and released it in a frustrated groan. “It’s like we’re back on that fucking train,” he muttered. He got up and opened the door, switching languages as he said, “Everything’s fine.”

Fal scented the air before spotting me. He blew me a kiss with a flourish of his hand. “You took Lark to the book nerd loft. That didn’t take long,” he remarked.

“I’d prefer to have her here rather than anywhere near court.”

“Indeed.”

“She forgave me.” He sounded like he was in a daze.

Fal smirked. “Oh. That explains why I thought you might be dying. You wereapologizing.”

I started to fidget and glance around, feeling weird about eavesdropping on their conversation.

“Shut the fuck up,” Marius grumbled.

“She’s far too sweet. I would’ve drawn out your suffering a lot longer,” the dark elf remarked.

Marius sighed tensely. “She said she wants the old me back. The one she was friends with before…everything,” the kelpie said with a vague wave of his hand. It seemed that request was going to weigh on him.

Fal glanced in my direction, something like appreciation in the way he nodded toward me. “Hmm, a complete personality change from being perpetually unkind. Think you can handle it?” he challenged.

The kelpie began to snarl.

“What are you two talking about?” I interjected to cover for myself and also to hopefully stop another aggressive encounter between them.

As always, Fal had a quick, smooth nonanswer. “I’m wondering if I’ll be labeled a book nerd for staying with you here. Most of the time, I’m not even allowed through the door. I talk too much, allegedly.” He rolled his eyes and rattled his earrings with a toss of his hair. “Shall I pluck you from this nest and return you to yours,mo stór?”

28

LARK

Since I hadn’t wanted to return to my rooms yet, Fal stayed in the “book nerd loft” with us. I opted to lie down in the pile of blankets and cushions on the omega side of the nest, meaning to read there. However, my thoughts were way too loud, and Fal was far too distracting. He promised not to talk too much but made himself comfortable next to me, ever so slowly inching his arm under my back and his lips across the curve of my neck once we were pressed together.

He’d encouraged me to nap when I’d yawned one too many times. “I’m not tired,” I’d murmured.

And he’d responded by purring slow and deep.Oh, he’s been practicing…

Next thing I knew, I was stirring in a post-nap haze of tingling warmth, sandwiched between two heavier presences. For as little as Fal and Marius seemed to get along, their scents were perfectly harmonious, like an outdoorsy, sunshine-drenched day. I inhaled with my own purr at the pleasant wakeup.

I cracked my eyes open to find Fal resting his, our faces close enough for a kiss. The cold caress of Serian’s winter sun brought out the gray tones in his sharp cheekbones and the navy strands in his glossy black hair. His lips were quirked, though closed. A rare moment indeed. I admired him openly while he wasn’t looking, wondering what fate felt it owed me to have such a handsome and clever male be my scent match.

Marius had his face buried in my hair again, nuzzling occasionally. His arm was draped over my middle, his fingertips curled over my hip in a possessive hold I felt through the blanket I’d burrowed into. I wondered if anything about him would really change now that we’d talked through how far back our connection went. I could try to gentle the beast when he got snarly, as long as he didn’t trigger my omega instincts with too much aggression.

Well, we would just have to see. There was no urgency to leave this comfortable pile right now. I was cozy, safe, and inching ever so slowly to the moment I would be rid of this cast and able to walk on my own.

“Tormund was right.” Marius spoke in a low voice. “Your purr is the best sound.”

I turned my head. He was molded to my side, his face also close enough to kiss. This time, I instigated, though my lips were a little tender from his bruising intensity earlier. He matched the pressure I used, loosing a contented sigh and not pressing for more as we kissed and kissed.

Fal got my attention with a quick tap on my cheek. The kelpie parted from our lip lock with a genuine smile, big enough for a hint of that lopsided charm. Maybe hewouldbe a different male now. He undoubtedly saw the hope that thought gave me before I turned to kiss Fal, too. Their tastes mingled on my tongue in a perfect blend.

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