Late that night, while lying in each other’s arms, her cheek against his chest, the steady beat of his heart thudding in her ear while she ran her fingers lightly across his rippled abdomen. She couldn’t get the meeting out of her mind.

Ram had been quiet on the walk home and the rest of the evening, except while giving Cierra a bath when her baby giggles had mixed with his rich laughter and echoed from the room. It had become his favorite time of the day, and she enjoyed listening to them together.

Afterward, when their precious girl had gone down for the night, he’d grown pensive again. When they’d climbed into bed, he didn’t pull her into his arms, hunger gleaming bright in his eyes. Instead, he settled on his back, staring at the ceiling.

She rolled onto her side, taking in his brooding profile. “I shouldn’t have mentioned it,” she blurted into the silence, unable to stand it anymore. “He’s your kin. I don’t know him or how you all interact. I spoke out of turn, Ram.”

His arm reached for her and hauled her against him. When she laid half-across his chest, his gaze dropped to hers. “You may speak freely to me about anything. Especially something as serious as this. We’ve been digging for months and are no closer to an answer. I never considered it might be someone in the family.”

She pushed up on his chest to see him better. “Did you discuss it with Kerr?”

His arm around her waist tensed. “Not yet. Not without proof.”

“What will you do?”

“I’ll talk to Trask, and we’ll extend our vigilance to the family, including Aylan, who had the most to gain.”

“Such intrigue,” she whispered, settling again with her head resting on his shoulder.

They lay there, each lost in thought for a long time. Her hand which had been idly stroking his chest, found its way lower to the fascinating washboard cut muscles of his belly. As she breathed in her mate’s scent, her fingers dipped below the sheet at his waist.

“It’s late,” he warned, as she began to explore. “Keep stroking me, galita, and you’ll be bleary-eyed in the morning.”

Lifting her head, she met his gaze. A spark of interest had replaced the distance. Not caring the least what time it was, she curled her hand around the growing length of his cock, intending to fan the small spark into a five-alarm blaze.

“I’m okay with bleary-eyed. In fact, I’ve become so used to you loving me into exhaustion, I don’t know how I’d go through the day any other way.”

His dimple flashed, which set off a shiver of awareness.

“Let me close the door so your cries don’t wake Cierra.”

“Only mine?”

“Yes. If I haven’t mentioned it before, you’re a screamer.”

“I am?” Heat rose to her cheeks, but not from arousal. “How mortifying.”

“Nonsense. I enjoy every moan, groan, and throaty cry. It arouses me to know you find such pleasure in our mating.” He kissed the pulsing hollow at the base of her throat, licking upward, until he touched his mouth to hers. “Tonight, I want to see how loud you scream when I taste you. Then, I’ll put you on top for a ride, backwards—”

“Backwards,” she echoed, liquid heat pooling between her legs. This was new, but Ram had always been very creative.

“Yes, I’m going to enjoy watching your pretty, heart-shaped bottom while you ride me, and after I’ve made you climax at least three times, I plan to finish us both off with you on all fours.”

“Sounds like I will be bleary-eyed tomorrow regardless.” Embarrassment forgotten after hearing the menu of sexual delights he had planned, she grinned up at him, her voice husky as she added, “I’m up for three to one orgasms any time, so bring it on, big boy.”

He kissed her through his laughter, hard and quick then rolled out of the bed to get the door.

Eryn propped her head in her hand to enjoy the show, taking in his mussed hair with the inconceivable red streak, his broad shoulders, long muscular back, and, one of her favorite parts, his gorgeous tight ass, the flex of his muscles fascinating her as he walked away.

Noticing something red on his cheek, but not quite sure what, she squinted in the low light. Before she could get a good look, he turned, making his way back, distracting her with the spectacular view of his front in all his naked, erect glory.

My, oh my!

She’d almost forgotten to ask about it when he climbed in bed and spread her legs, settling between them, eager to start his tasting.

Although when his big hands slid beneath her bottom and squeezed, it came back to her. She gazed down her body to where his face hovered over her auburn curls, nearly distracted again by his rapt attention as he gazed at the V of her thighs, but her curiosity and concern prompted her. “Were you injured during the Denastrian raid?”

His gaze popped up and met hers. “Not that I’m aware of. Why? And what are you doing thinking about the raid when my mouth is a fraction away from making you scream?”

“There’s a red mark on your butt. Square in the middle of your right cheek.”

Ram, big badass that he was, shrugged it off. “I hadn’t noticed. Must be nothing.” He returned his focus to the matter at hand, feasting on her pussy. “Now, where did I leave off?”

“But it might need to be seen to.”

“I’m sure it’s fine, Eryn.” A thread of impatience invaded his tone.

But this bugged her. “Please, let me see, or I’ll worry and won’t be able to concentrate on other things.”

She drew out the last two words, so he couldn’t misconstrue what she meant. She bluffed; once he got started, cannon fire couldn’t distract her from his hands, lips, and tongue.

He gazed up at her a moment then, sighing, moved to her side and dropped on his belly. “All right. If it will ease your mind so you aren’t distracted… Besides, I can’t say no to you—”

She snorted at this whopper. “You tell me no all the time.”

His cocky grin said he knew as much. Without addressing it further, he twisted, first one way then the other. “I can’t see anything. You’ll have to check for yourself. Maybe, while you’re down there, you can kiss it and make it all better.”

“Perhaps I’ll smack it and see if I can get you to be serious.”

“I wouldn’t advise it, mate.” His veiled threat came out muffled because, while on his stomach, he’d buried half of his face in the pillow.

Eryn leaned over his back and smoothed her fingers over the red, raised area. She frowned, moving closer. It looked just like…

“Uh-oh.”

His head whipped around. “What is it?”

“Um, Ram. You won’t be pleased, but at least it won’t show like your hair does.”

His body shifted abruptly, sending her back to her side of the bed with an oomph when he sat up.

“What are you going on about?”

She rolled her lips inward, hesitant to tell him.

He growled, and the next second stalked to the mirror in the corner of the room. Bracing for his reaction, she waited while he twisted and craned his head trying to see. When he froze, she knew he’d located the red spot, and closed her eyes, preparing for the worst.

“Faex!” he shouted, making her jump. “You’ve marked me!”

“I did not. At least not intentionally.” While she rubbed his skin, she peeked through her lashes, noting his affronted expression. “Why is this happening to you, and not me?”

“They keep saying these matings are unpredictable.” His eyes met hers in the mirror. “My head and ass are proof positive of that.”

A little laugh bubbled up out of her, which he ignored, still staring at the reflection of his bare cheek with its thumbprint-sized, upside-down heart—the exact duplicate of her birthmark.

“You’ll have to report it.”

He whirled on her. “I’ll do no such thing, and neither will you.”

“But, Ram, your physics and Juna have asked us to report all irregularities so they can track the—”

“I’m not telling Jarlan I have acquired a mate’s mark.”

“It’s my heart on your ass, and I think it’s rather cute.”

This time, he responded to her giggles by prowling back to the bed like a menacing cat, with all his jet-black hair, a giant panther.

“Sexy, I meant to say.”

He didn’t stop, only grunted.

“I mean manly, very manly!” She tried again when he kept stalking her way. “Masculine, and hot.” But her attempts at backtracking the cute remark didn’t help.

He stood at the edge of the bed, powerful and commanding, every bit the Master Warrior.

“Ram, be reasonable,” she cajoled, inching away. “It’s hardly my fault.”

With a knee in the mattress, he grabbed her ankles and pulled her until she lay flat on her back. Next, he spread her feet wide and crawled onto the bed in between them until he caged her body with his huge frame.

As her gaze roamed his handsome face, she slid her hand up his side and caught the length of his hair where it fell over one shoulder. Sifting through the strands, she located several transformed lengths and held them up between them, the red glinting with gold despite the faint light.

“I love seeing your stamp on me every morning in my mirror. You aren’t really angry about having a little piece of me on you, are you?”

He dipped his head, his breath brushing over her lips. “No, mate. Although, the ribbing I’ll take from my men won’t be easy and I expect it will include a lot of the same kind of grinning and snickering I’m getting from you.”

Her amusement faded, not liking the notion of him being teased because of her. All his lectures on a warrior’s pride seemed to have penetrated.

“I’m sorry. We can keep the heart a secret between us. I don’t mind. But your hair…”

“Eryn,” he replied in a husky murmur, lightly touching his mouth to hers. “I was playing; I’m not angry. These little pieces of you I will claim proudly.”

“That’s sweet.” Yet she couldn’t let this go, warmed by his sentiment although not buying it. “You could dye it. It’s underneath, so no one would ever know.”

His head reared back. “Never. It’s part of you, and I’m not covering it up, nor am I ashamed of it. Startled, yes, but never ashamed.”

“Are you sure?” Still uncertain, she began worrying her bottom lip. “After a while, you’ll get used to it, and so will everyone else.”

“Are you accustomed to seeing my gold eyes every morning in the mirror?”

Using her own words against her, darn him. He had her, and she could only shake her head.

“Mm…” he hummed then lowered his head and kissed his way from her collarbone, up her neck, to her ear. “I’ve grown to like the red streak, so I’m sure seeing your heart on my ass every day won’t be a hardship.”

He was angling his mouth just so, when something else dawned on her. “Does the mark on you mean we’re fated mates?”

Ram groaned, his eyes blazing down at her. “Galita, we’ve been over this. Even though it doesn’t matter to me, sick as we became after two days apart, and after all we’ve been through and still came together, and with our beautiful girl in the room down the hall, do you have to ask?”

He rolled them, aligning them with her in the top spot, his hand in her hair, angling her head to take her mouth again, or he tried because she thought of something else.

“You gave me the magic words.”

“What?” He pulled her back a fraction.

“The first time, when we, I mean I…” She couldn’t hold his gaze, closing her eyes tight. “Did the breaching.”

A rumbling sound came from his chest as his fingers tightened, his other hand capturing her chin. “Look at me.”

Doing as told for once, she opened her eyes.

One of his black brows arched. “I might have been bound, mate, but we both know it was I who did the breaching.”

Unable to pull away from the intensity of his gaze, her insides were a roiling pot of guilt. “How can you say that when I drugged you, tied you to your own bed, and then—”

“You did what?”

“I tied you to the bed and—”

“Not that, the part before. You mentioned you drugged me.”

When she tried to turn away, he rolled them again. On top of her, he used his weight to hold her still, his big hands cupping her cheeks not allowing her to look away.

Her inner torment erupted in a small sob. “I can’t believe I went through with it and had the nerve to climb on top of you, and…” Her voice broke, and a hot tear overflowed, rolling down her cheek. Unable to stop them, her lids lowered again. “You forgave me, but I can’t even say it.”

“Because you didn’t do it.” He caught the drop on his thumb, whisking it way. “Seduction is not this rape you imply.”

“If you’re drugged, it is!”

A long pause followed her impassioned declaration. So long she stole a quick glance to see why, and found him staring at her, his face gone slack, appearing baffled.

“I wasn’t drugged, galita. What makes you think I was?”

“The vilo. I spiked it with a sleeping potion Lorkin gave me.”

His dark brows drew together. “If I’d been given a sleeping drug, don’t you think I would know?”

“But you were so groggy the next morning.”

“Because of the business Kerr sent me to take care of. A skirmish in a nearby village with broken windows, other property damage, and an errant blaster shot started a fire. When we arrived, several buildings were engulfed and the wind had picked up. It got out of control quickly. By the time we contained it and located the miscreants responsible—youngsters in need of firm discipline, believe me—it was near dawn. What you saw as drugged was me waking hard after about two hours of sleep.”

“You mean I didn’t?”

He shook his head. “I’ve long since finished the dregs of that bottle with no ill effects.”

“Maybe it was a dream.” Or perhaps her actions had changed destiny. Either way, she wasn’t a reprehensible person as well as a rapist. She breathed a huge sigh of relief. “At least that’s one sin I won’t carry to my grave.”

“There is another?”

“Ram!” She gaped at him. How could he not know? “I mounted you after you said no.”

“Sweet mate,” he murmured, running his nose alongside hers. “When I said no, I meant I didn’t want our first time and your breaching to occur with my hands bound, with me unable to touch you. Not that I didn’t want it at all.” He drew back again and caught her troubled gaze. “You may have noticed I like to be in control.”

She blinked at him, somehow keeping from snorting at the oversimplification of his statement.

He chuckled. “I’ll assume from your silence you have. If I hadn’t wanted you as badly as you did me, do you think I couldn’t have stopped you? My legs were free, a tactical error on your part, little rebel. You’re half my size, short of a knife to my balls, which believe me would have made the breaching impossible, no way could you have taken me against my will. Further, you had changed your mind. I took the choice away when I drove up inside you. If anyone is guilty, it’s me.”

“That’s insane. I wasn’t the one tied to the bed.”

“No, but I baited you. Surely you recognized my strategy. For two weeks, I’d been suffering, knowing how wet you got from my kisses and teasing touches, but stubbornly denying yourself, and me. When you climbed on top, and brought me within an inch of paradise, I wasn’t about to let you take it away.”

She averted her eyes, still unconvinced.

“I can’t believe you’re still hung up on this after all this time, and me having repeatedly given you my forgiveness. Is it so hard to believe I got off on it?” He moved suddenly, flipping her on her back, his knee parting her legs, at the same time he gripped her wrists in an iron hold as he pinned them above her head. Completely immobilized, with his hard body holding her down, her heart slammed against her chest. “Maybe I should prove how hot it is. Imagine being restrained right here on this bed, arms stretched taut, helpless to resist, while I caress whatever I like with my hands and my mouth, spreading wet kisses all over your delectable body. Then, when I have you wound as tight as a bow string and ready to fuck, I withdraw and leave you wanting. What would you do?”

“Kill you!” The images he painted so erotic, her nipples drew up tight, and her pussy grew wet from wanting him.

“It’s a heady feeling, Eryn, to wake and find my mate, the woman predestined to be mine, had bound me to my bed, so ready for me I could taste her desire.” His fingers flexed as he rocked his body, pressing the hard length of his shaft between her legs, letting it glide the length of her slit. “That’s why I fucked you hard, as hard as you rode me, until we both couldn’t think straight. The seduction, if you must call it something, was mutual. Are we finally clear on this, mate?”

She didn’t get to answer because his mouth came down hard and demanding, sending shivers of desire racing through her. Yet she couldn’t shake her long-held self-loathing and remorse.

“My regret about your breaching is not being able to touch you like I wanted. But having you above me, drenched and squeezing me tight as you rode me to climax, was a fantasy come to life.”

“Ram, you were furious.”

“I was angry at you for being hardheaded, infuriatingly so,” he insisted with resurging impatience. “And for denying we were mates, but most of all for leaving me. Not for the breaching. I’d have to be dead not to want you, Eryn.”

Holy crap, Lana had called it.

“You said maes eternium, the magic words,” she repeated in awe. “Despite your anger, you knew.”

“Yes, and do you know what it proves?”

“That we were meant to be?”

“Always, little rebel, but it also means in the future, you must listen to your mate because, like in this nearly catastrophic instance, he’s always right.”

Just as she’d always claimed, and just as exasperating. She made a face at the supreme arrogance of his remark.

“Eryn.”

She lifted her gaze to him, meeting gold, gleaming with intensity.

“You should also listen when he tells you to hush, so he can kiss you like he’s been trying to do for what seems like an eternity.”

Eryn couldn’t have said more if she’d wanted to. With his hand cupping her chin and holding her still, his mouth covered hers, his tongue delving inside to swirl, caress, and rob her of speech. Without hesitation, she gave herself up to his passion.

Moments later, Ram paused. “The day in the forest, when the Maker brought you to me—my mate, my love, my perfect match from clear across the universe who would be forever mine—that was the real magic, little rebel.”

Neither spoke further, no more words were necessary. As the air in the room filled with moans of pleasure, breathy sighs, and cries of fulfillment, they renewed the bond that would keep them forever together, as loving, devoted fated mates.

---

The End