Page 20 of Beyond the Mountain (Fae's Captive 4)

“Try and stop me.” She snaps her teeth at him.

The Phalanx rises, battle-worn but victorious.

“Hey.” I turn to Leander. “The prophecy came true.”

“How so?” He pulls me close.

“‘She alone can start the war, and be victorious, win or lose.’” I press my cheek to his chest. “I struck the first blow against Shathinor. I started the war. And then I lost. I … died. But here we are.”

“Victorious.” Leander rests his chin on my crown. “Because of you.”

I snuggle against his chest. “I mean, I totally flew us out of danger. I’m kind of a big deal. Hey.” I turn to look into his dark eyes. “If I remember correctly, you mentioned something about worshiping ‘this body as it deserves’ if I got us down to the ground safely?”

His low purr rumbles through me as he lifts me in his arms and stalks through the scrub brush and stone at the base of the still-crumbling mountain.

Gareth clears his throat. “Leander, we should go now before—”

“Wait for us.” Leander’s command leaves no question.

I press my lips to his throat. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“Don’t be?” I grip him tighter as he jumps a ravine. “I betrayed you, had you locked in a cage, let your friends get captured and hurt. Of course I’m sorry.”

He smirks. “I rather like the feral side of you.”

“What?” I’m certain my eyes are wider than they’ve ever been in my life.

“The betrayal wasn’t my favorite, I admit. But treachery aside—” He shrugs. “I’m eager to learn every bit of you, no matter the form. And the wings?” He makes a whistling sound as he sits me on a rock ledge. “Undeniably sexy.” He runs his hand down one, and a shiver courses through me. Pressing his forehead to mine, he says, “I’ll take you however I can get you, little one.”

A purr rolls through my chest. “Is that—”

He mauls me with a kiss that is as rough as it is welcome. I grip his shoulders as he spreads my thighs on either side of his hips. His hands go to my bottom and squeeze as his tongue does deliciously wicked things to mine. By the time he pulls back, I’m panting. And when he drops to his knees and presses his wide open mouth to my core, I moan and grip his hair. He thrusts his tongue inside me, and I strain to open my legs even farther. He doesn’t need encouragement, his wide palms splaying me as his mouth owns every bit of my flesh.

Gripping his hair, I grind my hips against his face, unabashedly chasing my release as he licks my clit, grazing me with his fangs. He doesn’t stop, and it’s as if he knows just what I like.

“I do.” His voice is inside me, the bond bright and alive. As if to prove his point, he runs the broadside of his tongue along that nub of sensation, and my back arches.

“Leander,” I moan his name.

But then the perfection of his mouth recedes. He stands and yanks down the top of my dress, his mouth going to one nipple as his cock presses against my entrance.

I run my hands down his back, my nails digging in and drawing blood. His purr escalates, and mine matches it. His cock rubs against my clit, up and down, coils of delicious arousal winding tight inside me.

“My mate.” He growls and thrusts hard.

My toes curl as he pumps hard, his hands on my ass making sure I take every inch. I crane my head back and moan to the dark sky as he sucks my breasts, feasting on me as he makes me his again and again. I draw my knees up, spreading so that I get every bit of friction between us.

“My perfect mate.” He kisses to my mouth, heightening the pleasure of his hard thrusting, his hands, and the feel of him against me.

I lean back and catch his gaze, then run my fingers down his throat. “I want to mark you.”

His cock gets impossibly harder, his rough strokes verging on animal. “An honor.” He pulls me close and grinds into me so perfectly I think I might pass out before I finish.

Some deep, dark instinct drives me, and I strike at his throat, burying my fangs in him as he roars to the top of the mountain. Our bond, already so strong, seems to go supernova, obliterating all that came before and promising love eternal.

He lifts me up and pounds harder as I hold on, the taste of his blood like wine on my tongue as my wet core tightens. When my release hits me, I cling to him, relishing each wave of bliss, each moment spent with him inside me. I cry against his throat, the pleasure overwhelming me and taking me deeper, melding me with him and letting me feel his fast-approaching release. When he lets go, I come again, my walls clamping down on him as he spends inside me with another primal yell that sends more rock crashing down the side of the mountain. Flashes of his feelings and love shoot down the bond, flickering like fairy lights. I bask in them, letting his soul envelop mine and hold it tight.

“Leander.” I retract my fangs and rest my forehead on his chest.

“My love.” He kisses my crown and wraps his arms around me.

“I never want to leave your side again.”

“You’ll never have to.” His low purr resumes, comforting me like the softest blanket.

He holds me for a long time, the two of us linked on every level. I want to live in this moment.

All too soon, he rubs my back and pulls away. “If we don’t return to camp, Gareth may explode from pure worry.”

“You’re not wrong.”

He tips my chin up until I meet his gaze. “Do you feel worshipped, little one?”

I bat my lashes and run a finger down his chest. “I mean, I do, but maybe you should do a little more glorification, just to be sure.”

He smirks, the sexiest fae I’ve ever seen, and pushes his hardening length deeper inside me. “As you wish, my goddess.”

20

Leander

“You’re staring at me again.” She casts me a glance.

“No.” I shrug, but don’t look away.

“You are.” She laughs. “Do you want me to change back?”

“Definitely not.” I kiss her little rounded ear. “I love you like this.”

“Okay.” She shrugs. “It’s just that I’ve been in this form for so long, you know?” She looks down at her changeling body. “I feel more comfortable than in the feral. But if you prefer the feral, then I—”

I stop her words with a kiss and send my thoughts down the bond. “I prefer you as you. Whatever makes you most comfortable. You taste the same either way. Honey on my tongue.” I run a hand up her thigh.

“Hey!” She playfully smacks my hand.

Does she have any idea what that does to me? I want to put her on all fours and mount her.

“I heard that.” She arches a brow at me.

“So, is that a yes?” I drag my fingers higher, almost to her panties.

“No.” She grabs my hand and laces her fingers through mine, then casts a pointed glance at the soldiers surrounding us as we enter Cold Comfort.

“I’d tell them not to look.”

“You’re bad.”

I kiss the back of her hand. “Yes.”

The wide wooden doors swing inward as we enter on foot, and the entire town lines the main road for us. A roar goes up as we set foot onto the Ice Road, priceless petals from the greenhouse flowers strewn along our path.

“It’s beautiful.” She stares at the granite buildings with marble doors, each one decorated in ribbons of Gladion gray and white.

I can feel her wonder filtering through the bond, and I squeeze her hand.

Children run up and hand her flowers, bunches of frost tulips—the emblem of the winter realm. A light snow falls on her brown hair, and her fur cloak ripples in the cold breeze. So much pride wells inside me that I fear I might burst.

She kneels down and takes a bunch of tulips from a lesser fae girl with little white horns. “Thank you. What’s your name?”

“Calendila.” She smiles, her front teeth missing.

“What a beautiful name.”

“Are y

ou a princess?” She reaches up and touches Taylor’s hair.

“Sort of?” Taylor laughs. “But really I’m just a regular person like you.”

“Really?” The girl searches Taylor’s face.

“Yes.”

More children approach, each of them handing her flowers until she has an arm full. I motion for Gareth, and he takes them as we continue down the Ice Road, the peoples of the winter realm getting their first look at my chosen queen. She receives several bunches of blooms, the dark fae of Cold Comfort giving their best.

The wonder in their eyes matches the love in my heart, and the cheers of approval echo down the wyvernstone streets as we finish our procession.

“Wow.” She leans against me. “That was kind of intense.”

“You’re a natural.” My soldiers surround us as a carriage approaches to take us up to High Mountain.

“You’re pretty much a celebrity now.” Beth prances past, a wide grin on her face. “Like Queen Aurentia but not as mean.”

“Thanks, I think?” Taylor sighs. “I hope I did all right.”

“You are the jewel of my crown, little one.”

Her eyes lift to my actual crown. “That diamond is bigger than my fist. I’m still not over it.”

“It’s yours if you want it.” I kiss her forehead. “Of course, we have a crown in the treasury for you, but you are welcome to choose whichever jewels you like.”

“I’ll leave that to you. Crowns are pretty much way beyond my area of expertise.”

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