Five
He stood up and swung me up into his arms. His arms tightened around my waist as he carried me up the stairs using the wind. What a horrible show off. I loved that power of his. He could move so fast—nearly undetectable—like the Flash. But it was more than that. He could manipulate the wind around us and speed communication. The air itself bent to his wishes in breezes and eddies.
In a blink, we were at the threshold to our bedroom and then across. I didn’t want to dwell on the significance of that. The Fost didn’t have that tradition so the tightness in my chest eased. Marin didn’t press the issue of the bands. But he would soon. He wouldn’t be Marin if he didn’t.
Marin gave me a half smile and laid me down on the covers he’d given me, his first gift. “I believe this is later.”
“Why so it is.” A goofy grin spread across my face. It was so unfair how sexy I found him, this man who saved me from the E’mani and myself.
He took his time while he crawled on top of me. His hips swiveled as he stalked up the bed on all fours, peeking at me from between his lashes. That look, it got me every time, naughty, playful, piercing. And Lands, his smooth hairless chest led down to tight, six pack abs, and thick, muscular thighs.
My breath rasped out. Damn, I was a lucky girl.
Marin braced his right hand next to my head, fingers trailing through my curls. His hair swung down to cocoon us in darkness. His lips slid across mine setting me ablaze. A single spark leapt between us, lightening the shadows of his face. His expression remained intent and focused on me.
Marin sat back on his haunches and studied my dress. I saw his hand shaking as he slipped the sleeves down, alternating kissing and licking the skin he exposed. I felt the swipe of his tongue on the edge of my jaw, the puff of his breath near my ear. His lips trailed down my neck. Each touch a tease. And his lips, soft, and firm, and tender, all at the same time.
I shivered and tightened my hands on his shoulders. The muscles flowed smoothly underneath my fingers as he braced himself above me. My skin tingled all over, I felt energized, my insides ached.
“Do you want me?” Marin demanded.
“You know I do.”
Marin’s eyes had this uncertain gleam beneath the lust like he didn’t know if I still wanted him. I’d tried to kiss it away, but it still stared back at me.
Forget this. I couldn’t see his marks and I needed to. Determined, I tugged at his shirt. “Time to take your clothes off.”
“If you insist.” Marin crawled backward off the bed. He’d decided to make a game out of stripping months ago. It fast became one of my favorites.
I scooted up and put my back to the wall to watch.
Marin pulled his shirt off and turned to wink at me over his shoulder. A red rose stood out on the side of his neck. Waves of gray vines grew down his left arm to a single spiky thorn. On his right arm, lines of golden rope flowed to his elbow. A single flower grew among the strands, scattered drops of dew dripped down his bicep, my mark upon him. Seeing it there made my tension ease. Mine.
His hips gyrated as he tugged off his pants. I laughed, breathless. Watching him, I couldn’t get over how lucky I was that this determined man wanted to keep me happy, safe. That he was so set on loving me. My skin grew tight. The hair rose on the back of my neck, wind stirring in the air.
Marin smiled, a twist of his lips, eyes glimmering. His hands slid down his sides to grip his shaft. My eyes followed the motion, helpless. I licked my lips. We’d been together countless times and each was better than the last.
Marin groaned and climbed onto the bed. “You like what you see?”
I could only nod in response.
“You want it?” he continued. “Use your words.” His legs straddled mine.
“Yes, I want it,” I murmured.
“Prove it,” he said.
He yanked my hand so I slid down the bed and under him. His body caged mine. Our powers combined and sparked. Mist and magic formed in the air and grew thick. It smelled of sweat and heat. More and more, we pulled on our power during sex. Not sure if that was smart. If we lost control, that would be bad, but it felt so good. A breeze drifted over my body and lifted my hair.
Lightning flashed in the dark of his eyes, holding me tight. Those frighteningly fierce slit eyes that held back nothing. I treasured the spark when we touched. Literal sparks if we weren’t careful like earlier. A tingle grew under my skin.
He tugged my dress the rest of the way off and appeared satisfied at me spread before him in only my panties. His smile grew as I shifted underneath him. His fingers slid down my sides, light. Enough to raise the hair on the back of my neck. My nipples pebbled. He dug in his fingers just a little. Ha. A breathless laugh slipped out. “No.”
I pulled my arms tight to my body.
“What do you mean, no?” A light danced in his eyes. His fingers trailed my sides again, and I squirmed.
“No tickling.”
The corner of his mouth lifted and he dropped his lashes. A mischievous gleam danced in his eyes.
“Marin.” I wagged my finger.
“Elizabeth.” He drew my name out one syllable at a time. Never Beta. Always Elizabeth in that loving tone. He drew my finger into his mouth.
One touch. One word. My name and no more play.
He dropped his lower body down on top of mine. His hands pushed my shoulders into the mattress, his mouth devouring mine. Male, Marin, mine.
He whispered, “Be good now.” Oh, I’ll be good.
Anticipation thrummed through me. His erection stabbed me in the belly. He adjusted so he knelt, his legs restricting my movements, both of my shoulders still pressed hard against the bed.
“Stay still.”
Again with the orders. I loved it.
A tug and I was bare before him. He spread my arms out wide on the dark green velvet spread. The possession in his eyes seared me.
The wind whispered the words in my ears, intimate and loving.”Mine.”
“Yours,” I replied the same way, with the wind.
He lowered his head, keeping his eyes on mine until he got close to my breast. He licked my nipple, then blew on it. I moaned and bucked against his hold. “Stay still, I said.”
He smirked and alternated his attention between my breasts. Sucking and biting until I felt sore and swollen and wet. Even the rub of the velvet against my skin turned me on. Jesus.
He put my hands together and continued to hold them above my head. His other hand reached to skim my waist. I felt his hand slip up my thigh, light, so light, and a soft touch along my seam. Heat pooled between my thighs and soaked his palm. I tried to move my legs, but I was caught in his arms and in his spell.
Once, I tried to move my hands. Marin stopped his ministrations and just stared at me. That look. I learned my lesson and left them where they lay.
One finger slipped inside me.
Damn.
Goose bumps spread along my arms, fire in my gut. “Marin.” I groaned.
“Elizabeth.” He smiled, quite satisfied.
Then he placed a second finger, stretching me a bit more. A shudder racked me. He rubbed harder, his thumb flicking over my sex with each push inside. Too much. I pulled a hand free and ran it through his hair. The texture was thicker than mine, rough. I liked it. And for a second, I was lost to the sensation. Marin’s laugh drew me back.
I forced his gaze to mine. “Enough teasing.”
“More,” he said as his mouth claimed mine. His hips rocked into mine.
“Please Marin, stop. I want to feel you inside me, not your fingers. Please, baby.”
His pupils blew wide, his eyelids dropped. “More begging.”
Knew that would get him. “I love what you do to me. I can’t get enough. Please, baby.” My voice broke.
His eyes gleamed. His fingers kept up their teasing rhythm in my folds. “More.”
“Gah,” I screamed and pulled his hair. “No more. Give me what I need.”
He grabbed my hands and forced them onto the mattress.
“Stay.”
“No—” I protested weakly, struck by the sight of his chest. A drop of sweat from our play, our magic, dripped down his chest. I ached to lick. But it wasn’t my turn.
“Stay,” Marin repeated.
I watched his hands drift across his abs. He pushed his hand down until it grazed his balls. “You want me?”
“Yes,” I moaned.
“You sure?” He grabbed his penis and started to stroke it along my entrance. “You want this?”
“Yes,” I pleaded. “Please!”
“Tell me you love me. Make me think you mean it,” he demanded with glittering eyes.
“I do mean it. I love you, you asshole. Now do it.”
I pulled him down on top of me.
He let me, his happiness evident as he adjusted his hips and slid into me with one heavy stroke. A cry escaped me, the stretch just how I liked it. My nails clawed his back. I’d never get enough of this man.
He slipped deeper with each thrust, a grunt slipping out. His mouth teased mine, his tongue mimicked down below. We spun ever closer to completion. The wind gusted across us. The bed thumped against the wall.
I came with a rush, him deep inside me, just where I wanted him. “Mine. You’re mine.”
He groaned, “Yours.”
Our breaths were harsh in the silence of the bedroom. He rolled onto his side, pulling me to face him.
I let my mouth drift along his jaw. His scent filled my senses. Man, Marin, Mine. My right hand trailed down his face.
His hands flattened on my back. “I love you.”
“Ditto.”
“What is ditto?”
“Never mind.” I smiled.
“Do you know how the bands work?”
And my smiled died. I knew he was going to push. “Marin.”
“Do you know how the bands work?”
I sighed and dropped my gaze. “Not really.”
“Well, first the male presents the female with the bands. In most cases, this is not a surprise.”
I raised my eyebrows.
He grinned. “To show his intent, the male places the band on his own wrist...” Marin glanced around the room as if he was about to do it. My heart kicked up until I remembered we’d left them in the dining room. “He then offers the other to the female of his choice. She has a little bit of time to decide. She will take the band and place it on her wrist; or she will not. If she does not then a few weeks later his band will drop off.”
“Is that common?”
He focused on his hand drifting down my cheek. “Is what common?”
“For the female to refuse.”
Marin’s gaze met mine. “It has happened but it is rare.”
“Mating as a whole is rare here.”
“Yes.”
“And nothing bad happens?” I covered his hand on my cheek with my own.
He shrugged. “No, nothing bad happens if the band is refused, but the bond cannot form, even if the female says yes later.”
“What bond?”
“The lyrci.”
“What is that?” I’d settled onto my side, my legs twined with his.
“Know how we can talk sometimes?”
“That is an air ability.”
“Yes, but not everyone has magic like that. The lyrci allows that, a connection between those true-mated. It is hard to explain.”
I had more questions, but his face was drawn and determined. I needed to take his mind off the bands. Hmm, how to distract him?
I grabbed his hand and ran it down my body. “I think the time for talk is over.”
He smiled and watched the path of his hand down my chest and then there were no more words.
When we fell asleep, neither of our arms were decorated with a mating band.