I know more of his history now, know about how he was trapped in gargoyle form for so long because of a cruel, evil person.
And yet, despite everything he went through, Raven is still willing to take on his gargoyle shape. He’s still willing to let me see that part of him, to trust me with it. To make himself vulnerable like that with me.
“You’re so beautiful,” I murmur. Maybe that’s not the right thing to say to a guy during a round of intense sex, but it’s all I can think of in this moment. He’s fucking gorgeous, like a demon and an angel all mixed into one.
A swell of possessive heat rises inside me, and I wrap my arms tighter around him, kissing him as if my life depends on it as my pussy tightens around his cock. I can feel the orgasm building to a crescendo inside me, pleasure flooding my veins and making me feel like I could float away if Raven’s strong body wasn’t here to keep me grounded.
My legs wrap around his waist, and I hold on to him as the climax finally crests, tearing a ragged cry from my throat.
“Fuck! Raven!”
“Yes, Kiara. Yes. Oh god.”
He rasps the words as he pulses inside me, his cock hard as granite. He finally goes still, dropping his head to my neck as little aftershocks ripple through us both. The rhythmic jerks of his cock slow as he empties the last bit of himself into me, and I can’t help the contented sigh that slips out of my mouth.
I didn’t see that coming when I followed after him, but I can’t even pretend I’m sorry it happened. I think we both needed it.
As if to prove that point, Raven gathers me into his arms and rolls onto his back, pulling me against his body. He’s shifted out of his half-gargoyle form and looks fully human, his skin back to its usual color, and his tattoos covering his body again.
His cock slips out of me as we move, and a gush of warm cum slides down my thigh, but I’m not in any hurry to get cleaned up. I’ve gotten messier than this during sex with my mates, and I don’t want to leave the peaceful comfort of his arms.
I snuggle a little closer to Raven, resting my head on his chest. I can hear his heart beating, which makes sense. After all, my ear is right up against his chest.
But then I realize that I can’t just hear his heart.
I canfeelit.
It’s like an echo of my own heart, but one I can’t just hear in my ears but feel in my chest. Like raising my hand up in front of a mirror and watching my hand move in the reflection.
Huh.Raven seems content, and I don’t want to alarm him, but—
No. Wait.
It’s not just that he seems content. It’s that hefeelscontent. Like I can feel his happiness. I can’t even fully explain it. I just know somewhere deep inside of me how he’s feeling. I can sense his emotions.
Holy shit, what is this?
CHAPTER12
Iblink, going still in Raven’s embrace as his emotions wash over me like a wave.
I’ve never felt anything like this before. I didn’t know it was evenpossibleto feel this way. And it’s just so warm and happy. It’s reassuring. I’ve spent so much of my life alone, and now I can literally feel someone. I’m not ever going to be alone again so long as I can feel this. We’re bound together.
All of my panic and fear about the bond seems sort of ridiculous now. Why would I be so scared of something that feels like home? That feels so comforting, that makes me happy?
It’s like the feeling of family that I lost when I lost my parents, only different, because it’s not just my parents, as much as I love them. It’s my lovers.
I nestle against Raven, kissing his chest where his heart beats strong and steady. Raven’s staring at me with his eyes warm, almost worshipful, and I wonder if he can feel it too. I want to ask, but at the same time I feel like I already have the answer.
We smile at each other for a moment, and then I relax against him, closing my eyes. We breathe together for a moment. It’s lovely. In fact, I even feel a bit empowered. It makes me feel powerful to know that I’m not alone. That I’ll never again be alone and that I have people backing me up.
When was the last time I breathed with someone and just enjoyed existing with them? Never.
Of course, as much as I appreciate this moment, it can’t last forever. And there’s a reason that I followed Raven in here. As much as I care about him, it wasn’t just about his trauma and our bond. It was also about the issue at hand. And we don’t have a lot of time left to figure out what to do.
“Raven?” I keep my voice soft and easy. I don’t want to upset him again.
“Hmm?”