At first, everything is uncomfortable, and tight heat blooms in my core as he pushes through my barrier.
He grits his teeth. “So tight,” he rasps.
After a moment, my body begins to adjust and relax around him, and when he rolls his hips against mine, everything changes from slight pain to pleasure. My mouth falls open, and a soft moan escapes me as he thrusts long and deep.
I trail my hands down his back, feeling the flex of his muscles as he thrusts up into me. The delicious friction of his cock as he strokes in and out makes my toes curl with pleasure. I’m so close to the edge. I wrap my legs around him, loving the feel of his weight over me, pinning me to the bed with each powerful movement of his body.
“Cael,” I barely manage to breathe through my desire. “More.”
He slants his mouth over mine in a searing kiss and moves faster.
“Tell me you are mine,” he growls.
He quickens his pace as he stares down at me, his gaze fiery and possessive as his thrusts become stronger, more forceful, and deeper.
“I’m yours. Only yours, Cael.”
His teal eyes stare deep into mine as he wraps his strong hand around my hip, holding me in place as he pumps into me.
I open my mouth and a low moan escapes my lips. My entire body goes tense and then I’m falling over the edge. Wave after wave of pleasure moves through me as I cry out his name.
My release triggers his own. He cries out my name as his hard length pulses deep inside me, flooding me with delicious warmth as he fills me with his seed.
Panting heavily, he collapses on top of me. I hold him close, loving the feel of him covering me completely. He carefully rolls us onto our sides, then cups my cheek, kissing me tenderly.
“I love you so much, Kyra,” he breathes between kisses. “You are mine.”
“Yours,” I agree.
Chapter 40
Cael
When we wake in the morning, Lynx and Astra greet us. I’m a little disturbed they’re on the bed with us while we’re still naked and wrapped up in each other, but I think I’ll have to get over it. It’s not as if they don’t already know everything about us when they join themselves to us. They’re a part of who and what we are.
Kyra turns in my arms to face them as she looks at Astra.
“What is it?”
“The royal crown,” Astra says, gesturing to it on the nightstand. “You must put the fire gemstone in the setting.” She lowers her eyes. “I’m sorry, Kyra, but we must begin searching for the other four guards.”
Kyra jerks up in bed, pulling the sheet around her to cover her naked form.
“Why?”
Lynx steps forward, his eyes meeting mine reluctantly.
“Because we need them to help us find the other gems—water, earth, wind, and spirit.”
I clench my jaw as I pull Kyra back into my arms.
“It’s all right, my love. We talked about this.”
“No, it’s not!” Her eyes meet mine, burning with indignation. “We’ll find them and ask them to help us, but I’m not taking any of them as my lovers or husbands.”
“Kyra—”
“No!” she states firmly and then drops her forehead to mine. Her blue eyes stare deep into mine. “You and no other, my love.”
With a heavy sigh, I nod. I’m not going to argue with her now, but I will have to find a way to convince her. She needs a harem to protect her. I will not repeat the mistakes of our past and put her in danger.
Chapter 41
Kyra
As we stand before the mirror, the crown begins to glow even brighter. Astra touches the mirror’s surface, and it begins to glow as well. Cael takes my hand, and we watch as our image ripples and distorts before showing us the interior of his apartment.
Aris walks in front of it, then stops, his eyes going wide as he stares back at us.
“Cael? Kyra?” he says, blinking in disbelief. “What are you doing in the mirror?”
A beautiful peacock moves behind him, staring at us curiously. It’s long blue, gold, and green feathers spreading wide at its back in a lovely display.
“Stand back, Aris,” it tells him, and I smile because I realize this is Fin, Aris’s familiar that Cael told me about. “They have to come through.”
His head whips back to Fin. “What are you talking about?” he asks, even as he steps away.
Together, Cael, Astra, Lynx, and I step through. Everything goes dark for a moment, then we’re standing in Cael’s bedroom.
Aris’s jaw drops as he stares at us a moment before stepping forward and pulling Cael into a warm embrace.
“Thank god you’re back! I was so worried about you, brother.”
From the relief on Aris’s face, it’s easy to see how much he cares for Cael. Cael says they’re as close as brothers, and I can only imagine how worried Aris was while we were gone.
“What happened to you?” He pulls back, then looks at me. “To both of you? When I got here, everything was a mess. I—I called the police, and they thought someone may have broken in and taken you both, and I… I didn’t know what to think.” He shakes his head. “I’m just so glad you’re both all right.”
He steps forward and pulls me into a hug as well. The moment his bare skin touches my own, warmth travels over my body, and images of my nightmare flash through my mind. I stare up at the man holding me as I lay dying, but this time, the face I see is Aris.
I inhale sharply and pull back as I meet his eyes evenly.
“It’s you,” I barely manage. “But how is that possible?”
He stares at me in disbelief. “You are the woman I’ve dreamed about all this
