Page 35 of Eclipse of Fate
“The only thoughts you should be having right now are those of marking me withyourscent, because I'm starved for it, Dax. I need it. I need you.” I grind my teeth because my body wants to give her just that, but the way that my mind is spinning with the thoughts of Alaric’s hands on her. Why would I smell his scent on her as though his lips touched her skin? My magic vibrates through me, causing a tremble in my arms where I brace myself over her.
Her words don’t ease my mind either. She is not denying the fact that his scent is there. She defends him at every turn, and the furious jealousy that I’ve felt since I saw his hand on her is only growing. Her eyes widen, and I don’t know why until I notice the tendrils of shadow that are whipping around us as though they are bleeding from my pores.“No.”I release her hair in an instant. Fear replaces everything as I look down at the woman I am fated to. My queen. But the look on her face surprises me again, because my fear is not reflected in her eyes. Instead, an overwhelming look of amazement rounds them at the corners.
She pushes hard at my chest as she moves into a sitting position. The force knocks me into a kneel between her legs. Within thenext moment, her bright white wings are gracefully unfurling at her back, and the glow from her eyes extending over her body. Her skin lights up from underneath, like a star is trapped there. Rising to stand, her wings brush the top of the tent as she flips my fear into awe at the beauty of the goddess before me.
She runs her hands across my shoulders and into my hair, gripping and pulling it at the root. She forces my head to snap back as she looks around us. Both of our magic reaching for each other. Darkness and light play together in a dance of ethereal, swirling beauty. I’ve never seen my shadows so docile, like she controls them.
Tames them.
Pushing further, Raelle knocks me to my back as she lowers herself over me. The look in her eyes is pure sin as she slides her wetness over my hard length. A groan leaves my throat as her heat soaks me.
“Look at me, Dax.” She demands. “I learned something while you were gone…” Her voice is thick with need, and she grinds her hips over me, putting more pressure this time.
“What did you learn, love?”
“I learnedsomuch. About you, about myself, about mypower.” As though the word commands it, the glow in her eyes flares and with it, my shadows darken the edges of my vision so I can only see her. The tent that surrounds us is no longer there at all. We create our own globe of darkness, and she’s the only source of light. I grip her hips, pulling her back and forth, demanding her slick core to slide along my length again. “I remember everything, Dax.” She rolls her hips, grinding along my cock. “Every painful and beautiful piece of our beginning.” My grip on her hips tightens to bruising as I push myself against her. The friction causing both of us to groan. “I don’t know how I denied it before. You were what brought me to Ravendene. There was no other reason. I see that now.”
She presses the tip of my cock to her entrance, lowering only enough to take just that. “You set my soul on fire, and when you were taken from me I was cold. So cold.” A deep moan builds as her breathing becomes deeper as she reaches between us and runs her fingers over her clit, she locks her eyes with mine. “Do you feel the heat, Dax? My soul is burning again.” As if to punctuate her sentence, she drops slowly down my entire length and rocks her hips sending me deep. Her inner walls grip me tight, sending prickling heat to course through my entire body.
“Mmmm. Burn me with that fire, love. I want it all.” She does exactly what I say and stokes the fire in my soul.
The morning sun warms the tent, waking me. I'm not used to the warmth after being in the dungeons below the castle for so long. I realize I’m holding my breath, waiting for this to be some sort of cruel delusion, and I'm not actually wrapped up in her arms. Circling patterns into the exposed skin of her thigh that’s hitched over my hip, I let the breath free and inhale our mingled scents.
The shifter nature in me is satisfied that she no longer smells of him. I smile as I notice the smile that pulls up on her lips even before she opens her eyes.
“I missed this.” She strokes her hand up my bare chest. Over the scars that are old, and the ones that are new from my time in the dungeons. “They hurt you.” It’s not a question, and I watch her eyes as they trail over my body. “I will kill them for this.” I grab her wrist, to stop her movements.
“You will not kill on my behalf.”
“You aren’t the only one that can go to drastic lengths in this relationship, Dax.” She pulls on my grip to bring her hand up to my face, and my eyes snag on herarm.
“What the fuck?” I twist her arm to get a better look at the inside of her forearm. My lips part as I take in the black blade marking her skin. Raelle doesn't say anything. She doesn’t really have to. I know what this is, and the shock at seeing it on her has me acting abruptly. She hisses with the pain of my grip, and I relent, shaking my head. “Do you know what this is, Raelle? Who has the other mark?”
“Dax,”
“Tell me…No…” My head is spinning; my blood heating with the fire of my name. “You bonded—Alaric?” She’s shaking her head in refusal, but the mark is clear on her skin. I drop her hand and sit up, suddenly needing fresh air.
“Wait, Dax… It’s not what you think, Dax. It's not the same as ours. It feels different. It’s… it’s…”
“It’s what, Raelle? Please explain to me how it means nothing.”
“It’s not the only one…” She turns her other wrist up, and then I see the mark of a war maiden on her wrist. My brow furrows as I try to understand what is happening. All the knowledge I have ofbond marks and what they mean starts swirling together. I had to learn about them in my training, but I never thought I’d be king. I never thought that royal bond marks would have any meaning to me.
“Who?” I ask her, swiping my thumb over the mark on her wrist but still eyeing the blade striking through our bond bands.
“Ambriel.” I nod, thinking that over, but I can’t seem to look away from the blade.
“What mark did he receive in return, Raelle?” Her eyes are round as they look between mine. She worries her lip between her teeth, and she reaches for me, but I back up. “What was he marked with?!” She flinches at the volume of my voice.
“A shield—over his heart. Two blades crossing the center.” My stomach drops. She must see it on my face because she backs away, leaving me in a state of shock. She keeps her eyes trained on me as she pulls a tunic over her head. Then she reaches down, rolling her leggings over each leg and slipping into her boots. I watch as she does all of this. The blade on her arm is covered by the tunic she wears, but the one that is in my heart is twisting. She doesn’t understand what this means to me, she can’t. It’s my fault because of the secrets I’ve kept. She places my clothing in front of me. Crouching down to meet me at eye level, she places her hands on either side of my face, and I allow her to angle my head up.
“It’s not a bad thing, Dax. I trust him. I’m not going to apologize for this. I may not know the entire meaning behind it, but my magic willed it. It’s one thing I’ve learned since ascending. I need to trust the magic I was blessed with. When I do, I will be able to protect those I love. When I ignore the feelings I get from it, the outcome has been tragic. Like losing you.” She kisses me softly.
“Trusting your magic? You didn't answer before. Is that how you managed to take down the barriers?”
“Alaric and I did it together. Our magic blended. Melded into one force.” My brows furrow deeper as I think on that. Even with the bonds, I don’t recall anything like that. But every time magic is passed on to the next in line, it can change. Perhaps Raelles magic has something to do with this ability… “We have to trust our magic, Dax. Trust me.” She kisses me again, and I bend to her will, parting my lips and inviting her tongue into my mouth.
“I trust you have good intentions—It’s him I don’t trust, and now you are connected.”
