Chapter 579: Where I End and You Begin
Chapter 579: Where I End and You Begin
I reached up. My hand found her hip. The silk was cool against my palm. Her skin was warm underneath.
"Because you’re the one who screamed my name and tore reality apart to save me. You’re the one who carries white streaks in your hair because our souls touched. You’re the one who kissed me on national television because you couldn’t stand the thought of anyone doubting who I belong to."
Her breath caught.
"That’s not—"
"It is. You know it is."
She stood frozen for a long moment. The fire crackled. The house creaked. My hand remained on her hip.
Then she moved.
She straddled my lap. Her nightgown rode up her thighs. Her hands found my shoulders. Her face lowered until our foreheads touched.
"I hate that you’re right."
"I’m always right."
"You’re insufferable."
"Also always."
She kissed me. Soft at first. Then harder. Her tongue pushed past my lips. Her hands tangled in my hair. Her body pressed against mine until I couldn’t tell where I ended and she began.
The Covenant bond hummed between us. The Nectar of Devotion pulsed through the contact. Every emotion she felt flooded into me. Love and anger and fear and desire.
She broke the kiss. Her breathing was ragged. Her purple eyes had darkened with want.
"You’re sleeping in my bed tonight."
"I thought I was sleeping on the floor."
"I changed my mind."
"That’s twice today."
"I’m a complicated woman."
"You’re the most complicated woman I’ve ever met."
"Good. You need someone who keeps you guessing."
She stood. Grabbed my hand. Pulled me to my feet despite my muscles’ protests.
"Come."
"My body hates me right now."
"Your body will cooperate."
"What if it doesn’t?"
"Then I’ll carry you."
"That’s embarrassing."
"You carried me out of a Gate once. Consider it repayment."
She led me through the darkened house. Past closed doors and sleeping teammates. Up the stairs that creaked under our combined weight. Through her door that she locked behind us.
Her room was exactly as I remembered. Neat and organized and slightly too cold from her Aspect’s passive influence. Frost had formed on the window glass. The bed was made with military precision.
She pushed me onto the mattress. I landed with a grunt of pain. My ribs complained loudly.
"Sorry."
"No you’re not."
"I’m really not."
She climbed onto the bed. Straddled me again. Her nightgown pooled around her waist. Her thighs pressed against my hips.
"I should make you suffer."
"Aren’t you already?"
"This isn’t suffering."
"My ribs would disagree."
Her hands found the hem of my shirt. Pulled it over my head. Her fingers traced the bandages wrapped around my torso.
"These need to be changed."
"Emi changed them before dinner."
"They’re already stained."
"I had a long day."
She leaned down. Her lips brushed my collarbone. Her tongue traced the line of my clavicle.
"You terrified me today."
"That wasn’t the intention."
"I know. That makes it worse."
Her mouth moved lower. Her teeth grazed my nipple. Her hands worked at the waistband of my pants.
"The things you did. The abilities you showed. That wasn’t a C-Rank fighting."
"No."
"You’re something else. Something more."
"Yes."
"Are you ever going to tell me what?"
Her hand slipped beneath my waistband. Her fingers wrapped around me with familiar confidence.
"Eventually."
"When?"
"When I understand it myself."
She stroked slowly. Her grip was perfect. Not too tight. Not too loose. Just enough pressure to make my thoughts scatter.
"That’s not good enough."
"It’s all I have."
"Then I’ll wait."
She released me. Pulled her nightgown over her head. Dropped it beside the bed.
My breath caught.
She was perfect. Always perfect. The kind of body that launched wars in ancient times. Full breasts with pink nipples already hard from the cold. A slender waist that flared into hips made for grabbing. Long legs that seemed to go on forever.
She reached for my pants. Pulled them down with my boxers. Left me naked on her bed.
"You’re staring."
"Can you blame me?"
"I suppose not."
She lowered herself onto me. Slowly. Inch by inch. Her warmth enveloped me until I couldn’t think about anything else.
"Oh god."
"Not god. Just me."
"Same thing right now."
She began to move. Slow rolls of her hips that drove me deeper with each motion. Her hands pressed against my chest for leverage. Her purple eyes never left mine.
"I love you."
The words escaped before I could stop them. The Covenant bond pulsed with the truth of them.
Her rhythm faltered. Her eyes widened.
"What?"
"You heard me."
"Say it again."
"I love you."
She collapsed against my chest. Her hips kept moving but her face buried in my neck. Her body trembled with something that wasn’t just physical pleasure.
"I love you too."
The words were muffled against my skin. But I heard them. Felt them through the bond.
We moved together. Slowly at first. Then faster as the need built. Her nails dug into my shoulders. Her teeth found my neck. Her moans vibrated against my throat.
"Harder."
I grabbed her hips. Thrust up to meet her downward motion. The sound of skin against skin filled the room. The bed creaked dangerously.
"Yes. Like that. Don’t stop."
I had no intention of stopping. Not when she felt like this. Not when she looked like this. Not when every fiber of my being screamed that this was exactly where I was supposed to be.
She came first. Her body arched. Her walls clenched around me. Her cry filled the room and probably leaked through the walls.
I followed moments later. Emptied myself inside her while she collapsed boneless against my chest.
We lay tangled together. Breathing hard. Sweating despite the cold room.
"That was intense."
"That was necessary."
"Same thing."
She lifted her head. Kissed me softly.
"Tomorrow we deal with Veronica. And Reyna. And whatever other complications your tournament victory created."
"Tomorrow."
"Tonight you’re mine. No one else’s. Just mine."
"Always."