Page 120 of Mates: Posy

Thank the Goddess, I at least managed to make her come before I did.

Afterward, when I saw all the blood, I freaked out. In a panic, I commanded Kestrel to heal her, and she assured me that it was natural and there was nothing to heal. Onyx screamed at me to take care of our mate, so I pulled on my boxers, then ran her a hot bath with a ton of bubbles. She sank into them with a giggle, which made me smile, and I sat on the edge of the tub when she asked me to.

She chatted away about anything and everything, telling me about growing up with Luke as a father figure after their parents passed in the sickness, and I told her about growing up in a male-dominated household after Grandma and Mom died the same way. Then, while she was getting out and drying off, I stripped the bed, remade it, and threw away the blood-stained sheets.

Add another expense to my tab.

When I returned to the bathroom, I found her staring at her towel-wrapped figure in the mirror over the sink. She had her head tilted and her mismatched eyes fixed on her neck, specifically the mate mark I'd put there.

Leaning one shoulder against the wall, I folded my arms and watched her. She touched it gingerly with her fingertips, then her eyes flicked to mine in the mirror.

"I didn't expect it to be so beautiful."

I pushed away from the wall and went over to her, glancing at the tattoo of Nyx's portrait with my crown on his head. If she graced me with her mark, I wondered if it’d be Kestrel wearing the royal tiara.

"Of course it's beautiful, darling. It's on you."

Taking her hips in my mands, I stood against her back and lowered my head to nuzzle her neck with my nose. Watching her in the mirror, I smirked to see her eyes roll back in pleasure. I brushed my beard over her mark, and she shuddered as her nipples hardened under the towel.

"Do we need this?" I tugged at the knot between her breasts.

"I suppose not."

I pulled the towel away and nearly came in my boxers just from looking at her lovely body, so petite and delicate against my larger, heavier frame.

"Julian."

Her heavy-lidded eyes met mine in the mirror, and I grew even harder.

With a soft growl, I carried her back to the bed, opened her legs, and devoured her until she came, then did it again. Once she was sated and limp, she fell asleep with my name on her lips, and I headed for the shower to clean up - and take care of my problem down south.

In the morning, I woke up surrounded by the fragrance of almonds. My queen lay beside me, her lovely red hair spilled across her pillow and her freckled skin glimmering in the bright morning sun. Deep satisfaction filled me.

Mine. All mine. I skimmed my fingers down her waist to her hip.Mine forever.

Her gorgeous eyes fluttered open, and a blush spread from her cheeks to cover her whole face. As my hand slid to her thigh, the color flooded down her neck to her upper chest, and I couldn't keep my hands off of her. Her mouth opened under mine and I dove in, loving the soft, shy noises she made. I trailed kisses down her throat to her chest, then enjoyed her breasts with my teeth and tongue and lips.

Her moans turned me into solid steel, and I tugged her leg over my hip.

"I want to be inside you again, baby. May I?"

Her response was hesitant at first, but she agreed after I told her it wouldn't hurt again.

"You're sure, sweetheart?" I stopped suckling her nipple to ask. "We don't have to. I can survive with blue balls until you're ready."

"No, I want you." She squirmed against me and whimpered with need. "Please, Julian. Please!"

Her begging dissolved the last of my guilt and concern. My hand left her leg to cup her mound and rub it slowly, and her breath caught as I bit down on her mate mark. When my fingers delved into her soft folds, they found her wet and ready. My thumb rubbed her rigid jewel, and she tipped her head back with a gasp.

"I want you, Julian. I want you now! Bury yourself deep inside me and make me see stars again."

"Yes, ma'am." I grinned as I rolled on top of her. "Who am I to deny the queen what she desires?"

#

Twenty minutes later, as we lay panting and sweaty in a tangle of limbs, Ranger tapped on the mind link.

With a quiet curse, I cracked it open.

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