Fenrys pressed claiming kisses to Nascha's neck, nipping at her skin hard enough to leave a few faint marks. He continued to grind into her with rough strokes. Nascha tilted her head back, a breathless moan escaping her.
Fenrys turned her head towards him and kissed her, but she was the one who deepened the kiss. She was the one who kissed him until he could think of nothing but her lips on his. Nascha rolled her hips and Fenrys groaned, adding more force to his own thrusts.
Hot pleasure coursed through him. Nascha's aroused scent was intoxicating. Her moans rang through his ears and his pleasure was accompanied by a sense of pride. Fenrys grinned, dropping his forehead onto her shoulder. This was his mate, and he was the one coaxing such sounds from her lips.
His mate. His mate. His mate. Mate. Mate. Mate. The thoughts kept repeating themselves and he made no effort to silence them. They both knew now. They were mates. They were Bonded to one another so completely that not even death could tear them apart. She was his mate, and he didn't have to fear what that meant. Not like he once would've.
Maeve was gone and he didn't have to lie awake at night, terrified that Nascha would be murdered while she slept. He didn't have to fear Cairn mutilating her beyond recognition. He didn't have to fear her being subjected to the same horrors he had lived through for over a century. They had time.
Nascha gasped as Fenrys pulled out and flipped her beneath him. He caressed her cheek with his palm and kissed her softly. Nascha wrapped her arms around him, lifting her legs to his hips. "What's wrong?" She rasped.
"Nothing," he replied, tracing the curve of her jaw with his lips. "We have time."
"Fenrys..."
He kissed her neck and buried his face in her hair. "I will give you what you want, but I'm going to take my time doing it. I don't want to rush. We have time. I want to savor every moment I have with you."
Fenrys met her gaze. Nascha's hickory eyes shone with understanding. She pulled him down for another kiss and dragged her nails over his shoulders. Fenrys shivered against her. Nascha kissed the twin scars on his face while threading her fingers through his hair.
Fenrys curved his hand over her thigh, pressing her more firmly against himself. Nascha whimpered, lifting her hips to his. He captured her lips in another kiss as he thrust into her. They fell into a steady rhythm, moving at a hard, even pace.
Nascha moaned into Fenrys' mouth and he grinned. She gazed at him through half lidded eyes, a coy smile illuminating her features. Nascha bowed her back and her body tightened around him. Fenrys' limbs shook as he groaned.
"Rutting hell," Nascha breathed. "You are..." She was interrupted by a moan.
"I am what?" Fenrys let his canines graze her throat. Nascha shivered, tightening her arms around his neck.
"You are the most beautiful male I've ever seen," she whispered. "And you are mine."
Mine. Maeve had loved to use that word. She loved to remind him who he belonged to. Whose property he was. Seraphina had used it too. She had asked him to be hers. So many times he'd been called that. By her. By Maeve. By others. It hadn't been true. Not really. But with Nascha...
Fenrys touched his forehead to hers, closing his eyes. "I am yours." Nascha kissed him as he moved harder, driving himself deeper inside her with every thrust.
"I love you," Nascha murmured. She shivered against him, moaning with pleasure.
"And I love you."
Nascha matched his movements, rocking her hips into his. She smiled when she drew hoarse groans and small growls of pleasure from him. Fenrys could sense her delight at being able to do so. He could feel the rapid beating of her heart within her chest, matching the uneven pattern of his own.
"Fenrys!" Nascha gasped. She laid claiming kisses on his throat.
"Nascha," he echoed. Aching heat swelled through him, burning hotter with every passing moment.
Nascha tightened her shaking legs around his hips, grinding against him eagerly. Fenrys chuckled, brushing hair out of her face. Her braid had come loose and her crimson locks mingled with his blonde ones. He kissed her, then brought their foreheads together again.
"Fenrys," Nascha panted. "Fenrys!" She moaned, digging her nails into his back. "Fenrys!"
She trembled violently as she climaxed. Fenrys was right there with her, repeating her name reverently. He thrust into her still, wringing every ounce of pleasure that he could from both of them. Nascha's skin was warm and flushed and soft against his own. He was damp with sweat when he finally pulled out. Somehow, he managed to support himself on weak limbs. Nascha sucked in deep breaths, still shaking uncontrollably.
Fenrys pulled her into a tight embrace, rubbing soothing circles on her back. After a few minutes, Nascha returned his embrace. She kissed his cheek and buried her face in his neck. Fenrys drank in her scent, closing his eyes with a contented sigh.
◦ ~ ❘ ☼ ❘ ~ ◦
Nascha didn't know how long they lay there. Long enough that she thought she might soon fall asleep if they didn't get up. Fenrys' arms were still around her, though his grip was loose. His head rested on her chest while she toyed with his hair.
"We should get up," she said. "Someone will definitely be coming to check on you when they've noticed the room is quiet."
Her cheeks warmed at the thought of the others having heard her moans. Fenrys lifted his head and laughed, spying her blush. He hooked a finger beneath her chin and kissed her softly. "Don't be embarrassed, Sweetheart."
"That's easy for you to say."
"So modest," he teased.
Nascha rolled her eyes and shoved him off of her. She stood and stumbled to the bathroom, ignoring the pleasant ache between her legs and the stiffness that accompanied it. Fenrys soon followed her, combing his fingers through his tangled hair. She switched the shower on and stepped in.
The water was warm against her skin and Nascha leaned her head back with a smile. Strong arms encircled her waist. Fenrys guided her back against his chest and took a washcloth, dabbing some soap onto it. He gently wiped her body clean, kissing her hair in the process.
"Do you do this for every female you ravish?" She asked when he began scrubbing her hair.
"No," Fenrys replied. "Only you. I never even bathed with Seraphina. Like you, she had a ridiculous sense of modesty." She could hear the smirk in his voice as he added, "And...I ravished you?"
"Didn't you?"
"Sweetheart," he turned her around and tipped her head back. Fenrys held her gaze while the water rinsed the soap out of her hair. "You'll know when I ravish you. That was just a sample."
"Ravish me at home then," she laughed. "I hate thinking that we're going to go out there after they heard...all of that. I couldn't bear it if they heard anything more."
"I wouldn't want them to hear anything more. Just enough that they know to stay away."
"We seem to have accomplished that," Nascha giggled.
They switched places so that Fenrys was the one standing under the water. Nascha took another washcloth and began to scrub his bronze skin clean. She rested a hand on his shoulder as she did so, and Fenrys covered her hand with his own. He lowered his head with a sigh as she worked. Nascha brushed a kiss across his forehead. The corners of his mouth tilted up.
She perked up, hearing a muffled creak from outside the bathroom. "Fenrys?" Rowan called.
"Not this again," he groaned. "What?"
"Aelin said you were awake. Lorcan wants to talk to you."
"Lorcan can wait his turn."
Nascha snorted and Fenrys shot her a confused look. "He can wait his turn," she repeated. "Do you intend to ravish him next?"
Fenrys rolled his eyes. "Not unless I was blackout drunk and he was the only person I could find." She smothered a laugh.
"He's been waiting." There was a hint of laughter in Rowan's voice too. "Everyone has been. Several floors down."
"Then what are you doing up here?"
"We drew straws to decide who had to come up and see if you were...finished."
"And he drew the short straw," Nascha cackled. Fenrys grinned in return.
"Well, obviously I'm still occupied," Fenrys called. "Come back again later."
"Or don't," Nascha added.
"Is your dick small enough that she can talk plainly around it?" Rowan retorted.
Fenrys rolled his eyes. "You've seen it. Answer that question yourself."
"Yes."
Fenrys shot Nascha a sideways glance and a sly grin. "He's jealous. He always has been."
Nascha bit her lip, letting her gaze fall just below his hips. "Who can blame him?" She lowered herself to her knees. "Since he can't take a hint, maybe we should give him a reason to leave." Fenrys' shoulders rose and fell with an uneven breath. "Just enough that he knows to stay away," she murmured.
"I love you," Fenrys said. There was a hint of laughter in his tone. "Go away, Rowan," he added, a little louder. "Lorcan can wait until I'm done spending time with..." He hesitated, then continued. "With my mate."
Nascha smiled and wrapped her hand around him. Fenrys' breath caught. "Are you going to tell the others?" Rowan asked.
Nascha stroked Fenrys firmly. He clenched his jaw and replied, "Can we discuss this later?"
"I'm having too much fun irritating you, Pup."
Nascha took her time, stroking and squeezing until it was all Fenrys could do to hold back his moans. "You're supposed to be encouraging him to leave," she said.
"I..." She took him in her mouth and his words shifted to a loud groan.
"Really?" Rowan hollered.
"I told you I was occupied!" Fenrys fisted his hand in Nascha's hair. "Fuck, Sweetheart!"
"Sweetheart?"
"If I was standing outside your door while your dick was in Aelin's mouth, you would skin me alive, Rowan. I am not afraid to do the same to you!" Fenrys thrust deeper into her mouth and Nascha grunted, but kept going.
"All right, I'm going." Rowan's laugh echoed before Nascha heard the bedroom door close.
"Nascha..." Fenrys gritted his teeth. Nascha let her tongue glide over him and he thrust again. "Fuck!" His breaths grew more haggard with each stroke of her tongue. Nascha smiled to herself and continued to elicit louder moans from him. "Rutting, fucking hell! Remind me to shower with you more often." She couldn't answer. Her mouth was full.