Page 97 of Sealed By Fire (The Nature Hunters Academy 2)

“Josie said we’re mates.”

“Yes.”

“She said you’d never want anyone else.” She didn’t sound like it could possibly be true.

“How I feel for you, Tara, is raw and intense. It rips the breath from me when you walk into a room, luv. My hands practically shake to touch you like I’m a bloody addict and you’re my drug.”

Tears swam in her eyes. Damn, he wasn’t trying to make her cry. “You’re killing me, luv. Tell me what to do. How can I make this better?”

“I feel so stupid. But I’m scared.”

“What are you scared of?” He pulled her over to the bed and sat down. He drew her between his legs, putting his hands on her hips.

“If I give you everything and you decide at some point it’s not enough, or the spark is gone, or whatever the hell people say when they bail, it will destroy me. I can feel it, Elias.” She pressed a hand to her heart. “My heart beats for you. Every breath I take is for you. You’re in my blood. I crave you. I long for you until my stomach physically hurts. And that’s with you right here,” she yelled. “What the bloody hell would I feel if you left?”

“Tara.” Elias shook her a little to get her attention. “Remember what Josie said. Much of that is because the bond isn’t complete. It’s like a defense mechanism to push us together because the only way we’re safe is bound tightly together. My soul is yours, baby. You need me and I need you. What did Josie say? Tell me.” He already knew what the other woman had said, but he wanted Tara to say it so she could hear the message again.

“She said that once the soul bond is complete, the crazy shit gets much better.” Tara’s lips turned up as she remembered how blunt Josie was. She liked the other woman, and Elias had been glad that Josie and Miles had been so down to earth.

“Tell me what you want and it’s yours,” Elias said, meaning it with every cell in his body.

“I want you. I want the crazy stuff gone. I want the world to not freeze. I want to know what the crap is going on with Shelly and Ra. I want you.”

“You already said that,” he said as he ran his hands down her thighs and back up to her hips.

“I’m pretty sure all you can handle right now is the first two,” she said as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

“For now,” he agreed. “I can give you myself. Together, we can make the crazy stuff go away.”

Elias pulled her to him and pressed his lips to hers. “I know words don’t always mean much, but they’re said at weddings for a reason, right? Vows, promises, covenants made between people who love each other.” He kissed her again and grabbed the bottom of her shirt as he slowly drew it up. “I promise you, Tara, that I will always be faithful to you in thought, word, and deed.” She lifted her arms so he could pull the material up and over her head. Elias tossed it to the floor and kept his eyes on hers. “I’ll love you until I’m no longer breathing and probably after that. I’ll protect you. I’ll give you everything that I can. I’ll do my best to be what you need. I’ll never let you go. That’s more of a warning, I guess.”

“Creeper,” she whispered as his hands reached around to undo the clasp of her bra.

“You can’t say you didn’t know,” he teased.

“True,” she said breathlessly as Elias pulled the straps down her arms until the garment was forgotten at her feet.

She tugged at his shirt, and he smiled as he quickly pulled it off.

Elias pulled her close. “I’ll never leave you.” He wiped away the tears rolling down her cheeks and then stood.

He turned her and layed her across his bed. When his hands settled on the clasp of her cargo pants, he met her eyes. She nodded as she said, “I love you, too.”

Elias felt his heart soar as he finished undressing them both. As he laid over her, she wrapped her hand around his neck and pulled him down to her face as her lips sought his.

Tara gaspedas Elias brushed his tongue against hers. She ran her hands through his hair and down his back. His muscles bunched and rippled as he moved over her.

His hands ran down her side, skimming the sides of her breasts. Heat and electricity danced over her, and she knew Elias was using his magic on her. Suddenly, he was everywhere. One hand gripped her hip while the other wrapped around her wrist and lifted her arm, but she could feel heat on her calves and thighs like he was running his hands over them even though he wasn’t touching her there.

“Let me in,” he whispered as he bit her neck.

She wasn’t sure what he was demanding because her brain was scrambled.

“Open your end of the bond, luv. Let our magic bind.”

She started to respond, but it turned into a moan as Elias did something illegal with his hips. At least, she was pretty sure it was illegal.

“Tara,” he growled.

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