Chapter Eighteen

 

 

“Hike,” Declyn called out. The ball was up in the air. Xander was running backward to catch it. Caden was up in the air tackling Xander bringing him down. Ven jumped over both of them and caught the ball. He stumbled found his feet and started towards his goal line.

Enzo broke away and went after Ven. He leaped and caught Ven by his legs bringing him down.

Saffron was standing on the other side of the field laughing. Mia ran out and grabbed the ball and started running down the field. Xander was up blocking her. She jumped at him. He caught her and fell to the ground.

“The mighty force of Mia takes me down.” She giggled getting up and made the touchdown.

“We win,” Saffron yelled. A simple game of flag football had become a contact sport unless one of the females had the ball.

Xander stood up and made an elegant bow to Cait proving that his heart was in great shape. She shook her head and returned the bow.

“Hey, why is that Sage and I are cooking the steaks?”

Cole turned to look at his mate. “We have to understand all the rules of this game. It’s important. Saffron said it will soon be on the television.”

Jessie laughed. “Deja you’re responsible for the red beer.”

She had been working on combining different drinks and discovered red beer a combination of a red Kur’ik drink and beer, the guys loved it.

“I’ve got it, who has the hot wings.”

“I got them, don’t worry.” Fire called out.

“We better get to those steaks before Jessie and Sage over cook them,” Enzo called out. Declyn was already on his way.

“I hope that steak is for one of the females, there’s no way we are eating that.” He growled at them, and they laughed.

“I demand respect.” He picked up Mia and blew bubbles in her stomach. Her giggles were bouncing around the yard.

“We never thought this was possible.” Xander came up behind her placing his arms around her waist.

“I never thought I would be here either. This is the home I always dreamed about.” She turned around and kissed him.

“I see Cait has decided you're well enough to play football.”

“I’m well. It may have something to do with you watching over me.”

“I’m always going to take care of you.”

“I’m well enough to see your cherry red panties.”

“Then we better eat fast.” She took his hand and led him over to the table where everyone was beginning to gather.

“Help?” Ven was standing next to the fire pit. Saffron and Sage lifted a hand and pointed towards it. Twin currants flew entwining and lighting the fire.

“You’re learning control.” He told them. He took a seat and started making a plate.

“We all are.” Sage was serious about working on their talents. Safire was already getting the females together, so they joined in. The hard work was paying off, and they were mastering their skills.

“I can do this.” Mia disappeared.

“Mia,” Cole said. “How many times have I told you not to do that? It frightens your mother.”

She showed up standing by her father’s leg. “I’m sorry mommy.”

Cole picked her up and held her close. The wild look in his eyes put Saffron on alert.

Xander leaned over, he outstretched his arms to see if Cole would give her up.

“Mia’s special,” He said sitting back down with her in his arms. “She can go invisible without us being able to sense her. That may be an advantage when she’s older, but not now.”

“That would scare me,” Saffron told her.

“Why? I’m just playing.”

“Come with me.” Xander put her down and watched as Mia followed Saffron to the space they played football in.

Saffron bent down and picked up something and showed it to Mia but there was nothing there.

“I want to play kickball.”

“Yeah,” she clapped and looked for the ball.

“The ball is right here.”

“Where?”

“In my hand.”

“I don’t see it.”

“It’s still there.” She threw it out. “First person to get it over the goal line wins.

Mia ran around kicking at the air trying to find the ball. Saffron laughed and kicked it hard making it go over the goal.

“I won.”

“That’s not fair I couldn’t see the ball.” She wrapped her arms around herself and stuck her lips out. “Was there really a ball?”

Saffron went and picked the ball up. She sent a slight current through it so Mia could see it and touch it.

“Did you have fun?”

“No.”

“That’s why your parents don’t have fun when you disappear. It’s not playing if no one can see you.”

She looked up with her blue eyes shimmering like she might cry any time before she nodded her head and ran to her father.

She jumped up into his arms. “I’m sorry daddy.” She gave him lots of kisses before wiggling down and running to her mom.

“I’m sorry mommy.”

“I know darling.” They hugged it out until she set her down and said it was time for her to eat.

Xander took Saffron’s hand and squeezed it when she sat down. This is what a big family felt like, she loved it.

“We’re going to turn in early,” Xander told them after dinner was over.

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay awhile? Ven and Enzo have fireworks for Mia. Jade is also coming.”

“Not tonight, but I’m sure I’ll see them from my room.”

Saffron blushed and pushed at his shoulders. They all gave her smiles while saying goodnight.

“Did you have to be that obvious?” She whispered when she was far enough away they couldn’t hear.

“Yes, because if I tried to hide it, they would have kept going on just to mess with us.”

“I can’t wait to Christmas.”

“Do you want one of those green trees?”

“I do with mistletoe and Christmas dinner and presents under the tree. We’ll watch movies and drink eggnog and hot chocolate. And we’ll do it all with a large family. It’ll be like a dream come true.”

“We’ll invite your parents to spend it with us.”

She stopped at the door to their bedroom. “We will?”

“Yes, they are part of the family.”

She jumped on him throwing her arms around his neck. He caught her and carried her into the room closing the door with his foot.

“You’re the best mate ever.”

“We’re not mates yet.”

“We could be.” He kissed her standing by the bed still holding her. His tongue demanded entry, and she let him in as he teased her, bringing back memories of his kisses earlier in the day.

“I love the way you kiss.” Her body was sliding down against his until her feet touched the floor.

He broke off and stood back a little. “I love kissing you.”

She went to the closet and took off her shoes. Then she rubbed her hands on her jeans. Should she take them off or let him take them off?

“Maybe we should talk first.” Hell, she was nervous. What was wrong with her?

“We should talk.” He came up silently behind her. His hands were on the hem of her shirt slowly pulling it up. “What do you want to talk about?”

She could feel the front of his body scorching her back with every inch of her shirt that was lifted. He wasn’t wearing one, so it was only fair that hers came off.

“Saffron? Are we talking?”

“How long do you live and will I stay alive with you?”

“We have no idea what our new life expectancy is. When you are no longer here, I will follow you. I never want to live without you.”

She turned around her eyes were warring within her. “If something happens to me, you will go on and find a new mate.”

“It doesn’t work like that for us. You’re my one and only. When we mate, we will become one. That’s how you will be able to talk to me. If something were to happen to you, half of me would be dead.”

Her throat worked, but no words came out. Instead, she held him tight before standing back to show him her bra.

“Beautiful.” He traced the edge of it against her skin making her sensitive.

“The way you touch me heats me up. I find myself wanting to dive into your touch.”

Her hands went to his jeans and undid the button. When the zipper came down, she gave him a smile of triumph before hooking her finger in the belt loop and pulling them down.

“I’m thinking of what I can get into down here.”

She nuzzled her face against his boxers. His body shook as his hand clutched her hair.

“Saffron, only you knock me off balance. Today I want to become one with you.”

If she wanted to suck him down like she was starving for sausage, he wouldn’t deny her. What he wanted to do was claim her. How could she want anything different? Her life wasn’t guaranteed, and she wanted to know what it was like to be his, hopefully for the rest of her life. She rose. Soon she would learn what he tasted like.

Tonight, she would learn what it meant to become his mate.

“You’re wearing too many clothes.”

She quickly took off her jeans and kicked them aside. So much for being a seductress but by the smile on his lips and the shine in his eyes. He didn’t seem to care.

He led her to the bed where he sat, she stood between his legs.

“I like these.” His fingers slid over her panties making sure to press over her slit.

“I thought you would.” Her voice came out a little breathless.

“I want to make love to you Saffron, and I want to claim you as my mate.”

“I love you, Xander. It didn’t come out as pretty as I wanted, but I knew I loved you when Richard kidnapped me, and I realized I may never see you again. That was nothing compared to the realization that you might die on me. The pain of living without you almost ripped me in half.”

She leaned in and kissed him gently, lips to lips. He pulled her onto his lap. The kiss became more intense until she was opening her mouth in a sigh of pleasure he took advantage of. His tongue slipped in dueling with hers.

His fingers went to her chest pulling on one of her nipples making her cry out even louder. He laid her on the bed and knelt beside it to get closer to her. His hands started at her cheeks caressing them until he traveled down her throat. He leaned over and nipped her making her hips thrust in the air. His tongue came out and bathed her flesh making her gasp as the rough side of it drew erotic circles on her skin.

“You like to play.” She would almost laugh at the thickness of her voice if she weren't drowning in a pool of desire. Her hand went to his head caressing his scalp before her fingers traced the line of his neck.

She could feel his pulse beating as his blood flowed through his veins. The thought that soon a little of his blood would flow through her was exciting.

“How will I become a part of you?” Her body arched when he nipped her at the base of her throat before he kissed the top of her chest.

“We’ll exchange blood.” He spoke into the deep ‘vee’ of her chest, but she heard every word.

His hands slid around her back undoing the catch on her bra. He used his teeth to bring the straps down.

She couldn’t help the big smile of satisfaction she was wearing. No one ever treated her like this in the past.

He placed his nose against her chest and breathed in deep. “I love your scent it makes me want to roll around in it.”

She moaned understanding because his scent was like cat nip to her. She always needed to be a little on guard when he was around not to attack him, especially lately. These last two weeks had been torture, but every minute of it reminded her of what she already knew. She loved Xander.

He edged her bra down until her nipples were sitting above it looking ripe and ready to be pluck. He caught one between his teeth and pulled.

His name came from her along with a word she didn’t usually say as she clutched his hair and tried to pull him closer to her aching nipple.

“Harder.”

He bit harder before he took his tongue and soothed it.

“Again.”

He choked on his groan and switched nipples. His fingers went to the other one playing with it as he bit and sucked on this one. Her fingers dug into her shoulder as she body tried to make love to the air above her.

He got on the bed lying between her legs.

“Fuck,” was drawn out as she moved against his hard dick.

He gathered her breasts together and started sucking on one nipple then switching to the other until her head was rocking back and forth. Then he took both into his mouth making her convulse with mini orgasms.

She was swimming in the pleasure he was giving her. Her hands were running up and down his arms and shoulder as she tried to find a safe place in the storm he was causing inside of her. Her idea of pleasure was being rearranged. This is what she wanted for the rest of her life, a minute, an hour, hopefully forever to be with the man she loved.

It still terrified her to know she loved him. It was scary to give herself to another being heart and soul. She believed that her welfare would always be his primary goal. The way he took the current from her body, she knew she was right. Even so, knowing she was willing becoming his mate still had the power to startle her.

He gave her nipples one last bite before he started kissing down her body. His hands followed caressing every inch of her. She looked down to see his erection thick and heavy. There was no doubt what he wanted, needed. Still, he was taking his time to make slow love to her.

She licked her lips before she reached between their bodies to stroke his dick.

“You’re playing with fire.” His voice sounded like gravel, which made her pussy convulse even more.

“We need him now.”

The different voices in her head were screaming at her. She ignored them; they would have to wait and suffer the glorious torture along with her.

He stopped at her belly button fascinated by what it meant. He circled it with his tongue before he stuck it there. She laughed and wiggled her body.

“It amazes me that you are born, and yet you love me.”

Rage took hold of her for a minute. If ever she met any of the women who rejected him, she would light their asses up.

The feel of his tongue on her clit took her right back into the land of the extremely excited. She brought her hips up a little to encourage him to suck harder.

“You like that wild cat.” He licked her clit then blew on it before he took it between his fingers and pinched.

Words came out that made no sense, but she didn’t care. His fingers went to her pussy pressing hard against her slit before they finally penetrated her. One finger went in deep moving so slowly that she wanted to yell at him when a second finger joined the first.

“I need more.” She was leaning up as her hands played down his back.

“You have to tell me you want this Saffron.” That gravel sound was back making her pussy clench in desperation.

“I want you inside of me, close to me. I need you to never let me go. Make love to me, Xander. I want to be your mate, make us one in this life and the next.”

His eyes sparked before he nodded unable to say anything. He lifted positioning himself over her while he stared into her eyes.

He moved over her taking his time as he made her wait while he parted her going deeper. She clenched at him making him hiss, but he kept up his slow place until he was seated deep within her.

He withdrew pounding back into her making her scream with the pleasure pouring through her. He took her hard and deep, and she welcomed every stroke as she clenched around his dick trying to keep him inside of her.

His green eyes started glowing as her legs started shaking. She looked at him, but he was holding on even as his teeth started to lengthen. Her throat worked, and she wasn’t sure if it was to try to control the wild sounds coming from her or the desire to beg that he do it right now.

She felt the avalanche of ecstasy coming for her. The minute it hit he struck biting her deep. The cry that came from her lips couldn’t be stopped as he kept pounding into her. She could feel herself rearrange as if the atoms in her body were taking on a new form, and still, she was falling into a volcano that was burning her up and making her new at the same time.

Xander withdrew his teeth and roared as his body started to shake. She put her arms around him and held him tight until finally, he collapsed on her.

He was hers, and she was his. She closed her eyes to rest. She was mated now.