Page 73 of Oath of War
‘Bring the armoury register, contracted suppliers record, and the up-to-date storage reports to my room,’ I finally said. After a moment of hesitation, I added, ‘and ask Ian to send his strongest mead there.’
When he acknowledged my order, I turned and left for the bath chamber. I was filthy after the long flight, but my first glance at the billowing steam reminded me of the beautiful moment we’d had at the manor in Truso.
‘I hope you are safe, Ari. I miss you ... and I feel so lost without you,’ I said, whispering a short prayer to the All-Father to protect him before entering the bath. I didn’t have time to indulge myself, nor did I want to. So, I focused on washing quickly and planning what I should do next.
Something woke me.
I shook my head, trying to remember where I was and what I was doing. With an annoyed grumble, I removed the piece of paper that had gotten stuck to my cheek. It took me a moment to remember I was in my bedroom, and apparently, I’d fallen asleep at the desk. All that was left of the candles I’d used to read by were sputtering stubs, drowning in their own wax, the smell nearly obscuring the scent of Ian’s apple cider.
I looked around, wondering what had pulled me out of my slumber, blinking at the sight of my visitor. Annika stood by the door in a white nightgown, hesitance written all over her face.
‘Come, join me, sweet Nivale,’ I murmured, welcoming her. She crossed the room and stood in front of my chair. Still half asleep, I reached out and pulled her onto my lap, inhaling the gentle scent of verbena lingering on her skin.
She didn’t resist. Instead, she straddled my legs, wrapping her arms around my neck. Her loose chestnut hair fell against my cheek, melting away the tension I’d carried all day. I stroked her back, pressing my face into her bosom, allowing the newfound peace to seep in.
We were both people of few words, but she had come to me, and that was all that mattered. We could talk when she was ready. Right now, I just wanted to hold her, to feel her breath on my neck, to be with the woman whose presence made everything better.
She rocked her hips, kissing my neck, nipping the skin hard enough to leave a mark. ‘Ani, what are you...?’ I asked. For a moment, I thought I had misunderstood her intention, but then she repeated her movement, and I felt my trousers tighten against my rising erection.
‘Make me forget,’ she whispered, sliding her hands under the collar of my shirt. I pressed them to my chest, searching her facefor answers. Ani opened her mouth as if to say something, only to shake her head.
I knew the feeling all too well, the struggle to find the words when you needed them most. But she found a way, the Anchor bond flaring to life, a maelstrom of emotion hitting me like a hammer, choking me with its intensity.
‘Please, my Ursus. I’m drowning,’ Ani whispered. ‘The images ... they keep coming. I can’t—’ She leaned in for a kiss, her heart racing under my hand.
‘It’s alright, sweetheart. Whatever you need, I’m here for you, but guide this clueless bear. Show me how to make it better for you.’
She came to me . . .
If my touch could help her survive the night, I wouldn’t deny her. I let her pull at my shirt, lifting my arms so she could remove it, and when her soft lips trailed over my bare skin, I grasped her gown, pulling it up to reach between her legs.
Annika was soft, wet, and ready for me. Finally, I could do something to soothe my mate.
1.Bury them, give them peace.
2.Draugr /pron:drow-gar/— a revenant awakened in his grave that retains some mental capabilities. Their primal reason for existence is to protect their treasures, but they can be tethered to the necromancer’s will.
Ormond’s hands on my hips felt right, mollifying the sense of dread that had been my constant companion since Alaric had told me his plans.
I craved more of his strength, his ferocity, of the love that knew no boundaries. He was the embodiment of all that was good and honourable in this world, and Ineededto feel it. I needed my beast to tear me apart so I could put myself back together again.
‘Harder,’ I rasped as his grip tightened on my thighs, and he groaned in response.
‘I will hurt you if I do as you ask,’ he said. Despite the hesitation in his voice, his hands flexed, holding me just a little tighter while the yellow glow of his eyes grew brighter.
He needed this as much as I did.
My fear for Ari had blinded me, and I’d lashed out at Orm, pushing him away before the fates could take him, too. I’d seen the pain in his eyes, but I couldn’t bring myself to reach out. It wasn’t until Zalesie and the loss of everyone there that I sawthe fragility of human life and realised the foolishness of my behaviour.
‘I don’t care if it hurts,’ I groaned, sliding my hand down to grasp his member through the fabric. His hips jerked, and he threw his head back.
‘Fuck, Nivale, you’re strangling the life out of me ...’ he growled. ‘Fine, whatever you wish, whatever makes you happy again.’
He grew harder, working against my hand, holding me possessively against his body.
My Ursus, my big protective bear, would stand by me through my rage and tears, bearing the brunt of the power that scared even me. He was my rock, sheltering me from the storm, the man whose strength lifted me when everything came crashing down. I loved my broken fae and cherished my bonded dragon, but it was Ormond’s steadfast love that had healed me.
He took hold of his belt, undoing it, and I rose just enough for him to free himself. His cock sprang out, making me moan in delight as I rocked against it.
