Page 94 of Mates: Posy

His nostrils flared as a magnificent scowl twisted his face.

"How dare you insult my mate by calling her perfect face a mess!"

I rolled my eyes.

Yep. Rolled my eyes at theking. If Kestrel were awake, she would have died of shame.

"Iam your mate," I told him. "I can insult myself and call my own face a mess if I want to."

"No, you cannot. I forbid it." He put a little alpha bass in his voice, and I shivered as heat pooled in my belly. "Your little nose is perfect. Your pink lips are perfect. This gorgeous red hair is perfect. Your unique eyes are perfect. Every freckle is perfect. In fact, I’m going to kiss each one of them someday very soon."

Well, if that didn’t make my heart speed up.

"And now I’m going to mark you. I don’t want you to be in pain any longer."

I blinked rapidly.

"What? Right here? In front of everyone?" I squeaked.

"Everyone?" He chuckled. "They all left."

I looked and saw he was right. We were alone in the living room, and I could hear talking from the dining room.

My stomach rumbled on cue, reminding me of why I’d woken up in the first place.

"You’re hungry? Okay, I’ll make this fast."

"Make what—"

His hands were on my hips and his face was in my throat before I could finish. His lips explored my neck until they found the little spot of sensitivity just above my collar bone. Then his canines sank in with a sharp sting that made me grimace before pleasure exploded through my veins.

"Julian."

"Moan my name like that again when we’re alone, darling." His voice was husky and full of promise.

Then his tongue rasped against my new mark, and my brain shut down all unnecessary functions. I knew he was only cleaning up the blood, but each lick was a bolt of lightning shocking my whole body.

"There. Didn’t even get a drop on your shirt." He raised his head and smirked. "Nyx, can you feel the bond?"

Yes.His wolf’s voice was like the darkness at the bottom of a deep well.Mate is pretty. So pretty. Pretty, pretty mate.

"Can you heal her now and flirt later?" Julian grumbled.

Quiet, Jul!Nyxtalk to mate now. Where is mate’s wolf?

"Kestrel’s asleep," I told him.

"If you heal her, Kestrel might wake up sooner," Julian told him.

In a heartbeat, power - so much power! - crashed into me like an ocean wave, and I staggered. Thankfully, my mate still held my hips and kept me steady.

"Gently, Nyx," Julian scolded him.

The intense power dimmed to soft pinches all over my body. Some injuries hurt more than others, and I whined a little.

"Almost over, darling," Julian whispered in my ear. "You're doing so well."

Only my ribs were left. I gripped his biceps and nodded, and my torsoburnedas Onyx mended the bones. Clenching my teeth, I closed my eyes and knotted my fingers in Julian's sleeves.

---