The Sun Would Rise
Raiden
“Can you hear me, my ice queen?”I spoke through the bond.
I was sitting in a chair out front of the house they’d been holding me prisoner in. I knew the sun would rise soon, and I was trying to focus on the bond to find my female, but I was having a hard time concentrating. I could still feel some of the venom in my system and there were quite a few malesguardingme.
Twelve, to be exact. Clearly, that wasn’t enough.
The house was shockingly ordinary. A small two-bedroom with the basement where I was being kept. There was wood paneling on the outside that looked like logs created the outer walls. It would be warm and inviting, if not for the fact that I’d been stuck there for some unknown length of time.
I’d left Viktor tied up in the basement, trying and failing to escape my shadows. It would be funny if I had more energy to laugh at him.
“Raiden?”a soft voice came back to me.
My heart squeezed at the sound of her voice, nervous and unsure. I simultaneously hated the tone of it and loved to hear it.
“Hello, darling. Do you think the bond is clear enough for you to use it and find me?”I looked around the landscape in front of me, noting the small amount of snow sticking to the ground and the scattered tall pine trees.“I think I’m in the Court of Ravens, maybe at the edge of the Court of Ice? Not completely sure,”I told her.
The bond was quiet for a moment before her voice came back through. This time sounding more like herself. The sureness and fire coming back to life.
“Absolutely, I’ll make it work. Just… don’t stop talking to me, please. I’m on my way.”The sound of her voice made my cock twitch, which was a feat given how worn down I felt at the moment.
“For you? Absolutely. Anything in particular you want to hear about? My cock aches to be buried inside of you again—this time for real, and not just in the dream landscape. Viktor is currently stuck in the basement of this place, patiently waiting to watch us fuck in a puddle of his blood.”I continued talking, my eyes closed, and my head leaned back in the chair. Rambling about nothing and everything. How I missed the way her eyes glowed when she was angry with me. The way I’d had dreams about her while I was asleep. How I couldn’t wait to smack her ass. The normal things.
I felt her before I was able to see her. Her magic ran up my arms, leaving goosebumps behind in its wake. Then she was there, standing in the middle of two overreaching trees. She looked so small compared to the nature she was surrounded by. Her eyes met mine, and I felt like the world around us could implode and neither of us would care.
Before I could rise from the chair I was seated in, she was in my lap. Arms wrapped tightly around me, and her face buried in my neck. I wrapped my arms around her back and just held her. Inhaling the fresh raspberry and honey scent that was all her own.
“Tell me this is real,” she whispered against my neck before pulling away and looking me in the eye. Her hands ran through my hair and tears lined the crystal blue peering back at me. I reached up, running my thumb under her eye to catch the tears before licking the salty liquid from my finger.
“It’s always been real, Silvana, and it always will be,” I replied softly. I wrapped my hand around the base of her neck and pulled her lips to mine in a bruising kiss. Our lips fought for the dominance and assurance we both desperately needed after so much time apart. Truly not knowing when I’d have her back in my arms again to finally having her there had me feral with the need to claim her again. To remind her exactly who she belonged to. To remind her that no one and nothing could keep me from her. But I knew I couldn’t—not yet. I had so much to tell her, things she needed to know as soon as possible.
A grunt from nearby broke the moment. Silvana pulled away enough to look down at me, a small smile curving her lips.
“You’re really here,” she whispered as she ran her fingers over her swollen lips. “I started feeling your shadows before, but I couldn’t get a clear read until you called for me.”
“Yes, he’s here. Now, are we torching this place or staying? Because the sun is getting closer and closer to crisping us all up,” Cedar said from behind her.
I tilted my head to the side to peer around my female to see both Cedar and Bastian standing at the base of the steps staring up at us. Instant relief hit me to see Bastian standing and seemingly okay. I dipped my chin at him.
“Happy to see you up and well, brother,” I said.
Bastian frowned. “Thank you, My Lord.”
Confused, I looked over to Silvana for help and she shook her head slightly, as if telling me to wait till later to speak to him. I could wait.
“I’d like to stay here for the day, we can take shifts keeping an eye out and I’ll cover the windows easily enough. Viktor is downstairs waiting, which is where he’ll remain for now,” I told the three of them.
Bastian and Cedar nodded in agreement, but Silvana frowned.
“You need to rest,” she stated.
“I need to be buried to the hilt inside of you, feasting on your blood, and ensuring I never leave your side again. All of which can be done from here, My Queen,” I said.
A deep blush overtook her face and Bastian snickered.
“Well, that’s more than I needed to hear. Bastian, want to take a crack at the piece of shit downstairs while these two… yeah?” Cedar asked.