He opened his eyes and stared at me in awe. “Selena…”
A rush of emotions bubbled in, coursing through my body. As if by instinct, I smashed my mouth on his, pressing my body against his. He moaned as he leaned back, allowing me to climb onto his lap. His cool hands lightly traveled along my legs, leaving a tickling sensation behind. He cupped my ass, pressing me harder into him if that was possible.
I broke the kiss, taking in a deep breath.
I slid my hand from his cheek to his hair and gripped it hard, feeling its gel-like strands squish between my fingers as I exposed my mark on his neck. A hiss broke from his lips as his hands tightened on my ass.
Placing my lips behind his ear-fin, I started kissing along his jaw, working my way down to my mark at the junction of his neck. Odelm shivered when my lips met their destination.
“Odelm. You are mine. This mark here proves it.” I scraped my teeth along his neck. “I will make sure you remember that.”
Something slightly tangy filled the top of my mouth right before I closed my eyes and bit him hard. Blood flooded my mouth as a purr awakened from within. I sucked his blood, enjoying his unique flavor. Somehow, I felt more connected to him, as if I needed to do this.
After more draws, Odelm’s body started to shiver.
The trembling slowly transformed into shaking.
Releasing his neck, I let go of his hair and gripped his arms, trying to get a good hold on him.
“Odelm?”
His chest was heaving quickly as his body shook. Light blue blood flowed from the fresh mark on his neck, overlapping my old one, the shower’s water washing it quickly away. His fingers adjusted themselves as I watched his tentacles slowly unwind themselves from his torso.
“Selena…” Odelm said, confused… and pained?
He stood up, releasing his hold on me. I fell backward onto the tiled floor and gazed up at him in confusion.
Odelm’s body no longer shook, but his tentacles were spread out and alive, weaving around in random directions. The purple speckles of his body glowed along with my white mark on his neck.
My eyes traveled to his. I gasped. They were radiating light green.
“Selena… Run…”
I shook my head in confusion. “What is wrong?”
He closed his eyes with a pained expression as a hiss escaped his lips.
A tremble traveled down his body. I followed it and gasped.
At the juncture of his legs were three appendages dancing wildly among each other. Two were the same shape, both long and thin. The third was shorter and had a large suction cup ending. They were dark purple with bright glowing white tips that glistened.
“I thought…”
His eyes jerked open, their intense hunger silencing me. I swallowed and licked my lips, attempting to get rid of my sudden nervousness.
His tentacles scooped me up from the floor, securing my limbs in their grasp.
Flipping us around, he pinned my body against the wall. The cool hardness of the tile counteracted the heat from the steam surrounding us as the shower continued to pour hot water.
“What did you do to me?” he panted, his voice still rumbling deeply.
“I don’t know,” I breathed as my eyes traced his lean body and zoomed to his very much alive manhood. A great need washed over me, clouding my thoughts.
I needed him—wanted him—inside me, filling my depths to their limits.
He was mine. Why did he deny me?
“I would never deny you,” he swore, pulling my lower half closer.
His three appendages went wild against my slit, heightening my arousal. I met his gaze, which was focused on me as if on a mission.
“You are my nestqueen. I will fulfill all your wishes and prove I am worthy of siring your next offspring.”
Chapter Eighteen Xylo
Something was wrong.
A sudden wave of lust flooded Xylo. Gripping the back of the couch, he winced as both bond thread connections bombarded him with arousal, sending his thoughts into a spiral.
What was his? What was theirs?
He closed his eyes and removed himself from the present, focusing on what was happening to his nestbrother and nestqueen. Through his connection with Odelm, thoughts that were demanding him to breed Selena overpowered the few hidden in the background that were both alarmed and confused about his arousal and concerned about Selena’s wellbeing. He wanted—and needed—to prove himself worthy enough to be chosen.
His raw emotions overpowered all his thoughts.
Xylo yanked himself away and sucked in a deep breath he hadn’t known he was holding.
How was Odelm able to feel such things?
Xylo glanced at his shoulders and inspected his moss. They were still dark emerald and void of any tiny teal buddings, which meant Selena wasn’t near her ovulating period. Only a nestqueen near her heat cycle could trigger their Circuli nestmates’ bodies to prepare themselves for their one chance to breed per cycle.
Odelm shouldn’t be capable of being aroused. How was his manhood active? It should be in its dormant state, waiting for Selena’s body to project the signals needed to allow her nestmates’ manhoods to prepare themselves to mate.
Such strong and aggressive thoughts were unheard of by nestmates—even if they were Favored and picked to present themselves to mate by their nestqueen.
Selena’s thoughts were clouded with only one goal—to have Odelm quench her need to mate. Somehow, Odelm was projecting his own wants and needs onto her—whether or not he knew it—as its echo screamed to Xylo.
“What is wrong?” Z’fir asked, his voice laced with concern.
“I don’t know.” Xylo’s face scrunched up in confusion. “I need to go check on our nestqueen.”
Xylo didn’t
