“What?” he grumbled.
“Still in a bad mood, I see?”
“And it’s getting worse. What is it?”
Madenn gave a small smile. “She’s back and—oh!”
Ailean kissed her forehead and ran off toward the castle. He was up the stairs and heading toward his room when the twins stumbled out, laughing hysterically. But when they saw him, they immediately stopped, which had his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
“What have you done?”
Kyna and Kennis passed him, both patting his shoulders.
“Just helping,” Kyna said on a giggle.
“But you better get in there,” Kennis added.
“Before she tears the walls down around us.”
Then they took off running.
Ailean walked to the door and opened it. His first thought was, When did I get a headboard?
Shalin heard the door open again, but when she looked over her shoulder, it wasn’t the twins.
“Oh, gods,” she groaned, then again desperately tried to get loose of the leather bonds the twins had tied around her wrists and to the headboard that, according to the twins, had only been put up that afternoon while Ailean was away.
And she thought the North dragons had laid in wait for her.
“Well, well, well,” Ailean said jovially, closing the door behind him. “Look what we have here. A gift for Ailean!”
“I’m going to kill all of you. It will be my mission in life.”
Bad enough they’d tied her up at all, but they’d bound her wrists so close to the wood headboard that she faced the wall. And although they’d tossed a fur over her, she still had her ass sticking out to the world—and to Ailean!
“Now, now, my sweet, innocent Shalin. No need to get so testy.”
Shalin closed her eyes as Ailean slowly pulled the fur off her body.
“I do have the best family,” he groaned.
“Ailean—”
“Do you know why the ancestors began marking each other while human?”
“I—I never really thought…” Ailean’s hand brushed down her back to her thigh. “I have no bloody idea,” she laughed, reveling in his touch. The way his fingers stroked her.
“Damn.” And he laughed with her. “I was hoping one of us would know.”
The bed dipped as Ailean moved in behind her. He brushed his head against her back, his hair trailing along her skin like the finest silk, his lips against her spine.
“Where should I mark you, Shalin?”
He’d already stripped and the heat from his naked body nearly seared hers. His hands landed on either side of her own, his big body braced over hers.
Ailean pressed his hips forward and Shalin groaned at the contact.
“Tell me.”
“I don’t care,” she finally admitted.
“The breast?” One rough fingertip circled her nipple, toying with it. “Or perhaps the neck.” He kissed her on the back of her neck while his hand moved lower. “Perhaps your belly or something lower…”
Shalin pushed back against him. “I don’t care where, Ailean,” she panted out. “Just make me yours.”
Ailean briefly buried his face between Shalin’s shoulder blades and let what she’d said wash over him. She wanted him as her own. She wanted him until their ancestors called them home.
“And Ailean?” she said softly. “I do love you.”
That was more than he could stand. More than he could ever hope to handle.
Rising up, he dug his hand into her hair, turning her head so he could kiss her, plundering her mouth with his own. Their tongues tangled and stroked until Shalin pulled back.
“Don’t make me wait. Not a second longer.”
He didn’t. Kissing his way down her back, Ailean gripped her breasts with both hands. He massaged them and toyed with the nipples, loving how hard they were against his fingers.
Ailean kissed her lower back where her hips met her ass. He released one breast and used that hand to stroke her pussy, already wet and hot and all his.
Then, when he had her writhing, had her begging, he dragged his tongue across her lower back. Shalin gasped and groaned in pain even as her body shook under his, even as her pussy gripped his fingers. He stroked her clit while his tongue continued its journey across her lower back.
“Gods,” she moaned desperately, her body shaking. “Ailean…”
“I love you, Shalin,” he told her as he pushed her over the edge, the mark of his Claiming burned into her flesh. “I’ll always love you.”
“I know,” she sobbed before she came all over his hand.
Then Shalin was his.
Reaching up, he untied her bonds, determined to keep the leather thongs for later. Ailean grabbed Shalin’s hips and flipped her over while pulling her down on the bed and under him. He kissed her and pushed his cock inside her, gasping at how hot and tight she was.
He wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs and rested his forehead against hers. “I love you.”
She smiled, her hands cupping his face. “Finish it, Ailean.”
Ailean started off slow, taking his time so he could enjoy every second. He kissed her as he drove into her, wanting to touch every part of her. Shalin’s legs wrapped around his waist, her grip on him near-painful.
“Gods, Shalin,” he told her, “you feel so good.”
He took her harder, deeper, until Shalin climaxed again. He came with her, his head thrown back, his own body shaking in release.
Gasping, exhausted, Ailean collapsed on top of her. He grinned when he heard her grunt, laughed when she started hitting him.
He rolled onto his back, bringing her with him. “I only needed a moment to relax.”
“You’re as big as an ox,” she growled at him.
“I was recovering,” he said before he pulled her close and started kissing her throat.
Shalin giggled and pushed at his shoulders. “I thought you were recovering!” she squealed desperately.
Grinning, Ailean pushed her to her back, “I recover quickly.”
“I don’t.”
“Guess we’ll have to work on that,” he sighed as he sunk into her again.
Shalin stared up at the ceiling in the dark bedroom and wondered how late it was. She’d lost track of time hours ago. Ailean simply didn’t give her time to think about anything but him.
“Ravenous beast,” she
