Page 25 of Fate Promised
She closed the distance between them, letting her fingers trail over his ribs as she ran her hand up and down his side. This was Juri. All these years she’d wondered what he looked like as a vulk. What he felt like. And here he was in her bed. A bed she hated sharing because it was her private nook, but not tonight. Tonight, he belonged here too.
His skin was smooth under her fingertips, taut over defined muscles. His cedar scent washed over her every time she inhaled. Something shifted deep inside her like she’d been starving for something she hadn’t known she needed, and finally, she had it. Here. In her bed.
She felt like she was floating. Or in a dream.
His purring smoothed. Became silkier. She gasped and rubbed against him. He rolled, flipping her to her back, settling partially on top of her. But he remained on his forearms, keeping distance between them. “I overheard your friend say you have a suitor.”
“What? No, I don’t. Someone my father works with is interested, but I’m not.” She put her hand on his cheek. “I wouldn’t have invited you up here if I was.”
His golden eyes darkened. “Good. Otherwise, I’d have to go find him and tell him you’re already betrothed.”
Even though he must be joking, her chest warmed at his words. “Is that so?”
One of his hands stroked through her hair and gathered it at the nape of her neck, tilting her head back slightly. “I want to taste you.”
Her pulse jumped. Her hands went to his shoulders, and her nails bit in. “Yes.”
Whatever leash held him back, snapped. He growled low in his throat and closed the distance between them. His tongue dragged up her neck, and she groaned, tilting her head farther back to give him better access. She mewled a soft, strangled note and didn’t recognize the sound.
Heaven above, Juri was touching her. He was both a wild, powerful vulk and her childhood friend, and she couldn’t believe he was here.
She ran her hands over his back and his shoulders, trying to memorize every swoop of muscle, touch every inch of his skin. This wasn’t a dream.
She trembled as he nibbled along her jaw then nuzzled over the pulse leaping in the hollow of her throat. His teeth grazed up her neck. A tease. She arched, trying to get as close to him as possible. Juri’s tongue was a touch rougher than a man’s, his lips, his teeth, skated over her skin in a mix of hard and soft. He couldn’t exactly kiss her, but what he did with his mouth was divine.
She kissed along the sharp angle of his cheek, let her lips slide along his jaw in a way similar to what he was doing. The bulge in his pants pressed against her. Much larger than before. He rumbled out a half purr, half groan, and wove one hand in her hair, gently tilting her head to the side as he feasted up her neck.
The room faded. Juri was sweeping her away. Carrying her on waves somewhere she hadn’t known she needed to go. “I feel like if I don’t touch you, I might die,” she whispered. She’d never felt this before. It was lust layered with something potent. Something she didn’t understand. “Is it the rune magic?”
His gaze dropped to her mouth. He ran his thumb over her lower lip, and she quivered, then opened her mouth and ran her lower teeth over the pad. He tilted her head up farther until they locked gazes. “No. There’s no magic working in this room right now, I’d sense it. This is you and me.”
She couldn’t hold his gaze. “We both know there can’t be a you and me. I remember what your letter said about the vulk.” No mates. And even if it was a possibility for him, it wasn’t for her. Pain streaked through her chest.
While the vulk couldn’t take mates, she wouldn’t ever take a mate.
Earlier, she’d considered telling Juri about what lay inside the small chest buried at the back of her closet. About how someday, she’d open it, unable to resist its pull any longer. But she’d decided against it. No need to ruin their pleasant evening with unpleasant things.
He settled back onto his side, putting distance between them. “Aye.”
She lowered her gaze to his chest. They should stop, but damn it was hard. He was right here. He could still be touching her right now with his massive hands. Using his skilled tongue. “I still want you to sleep next to me, though.”
“I might have to build a pillow wall between us to keep my hands off you. Heaven knows you have enough of them.” He gestured toward the wall of pillows near their heads.
She turned so she faced away from him, then snuggled back into the lee of his arms. “What about this? Is this better?”
He circled her with his arm, and drew her snug against his chest. “For a vulk, this position is … enticing.” He purred, low and choppy.
She sucked in a breath, warmth pooling in her lower stomach. “All right.” She rolled over to face him.
He traced his thumb over her cheek. “Besides, this way, I can look at your face. I’ve wondered about what you looked like for ages.” He stroked the back of his knuckles up the side of her face, then ran his fingers through her hair. Her eyes closed, and she pressed closer.
“Do I look like what you expect?”
“I knew you’d be the most beautiful woman who walked Ulterra. And I was right.” He tucked her close, and she fell asleep to his purr vibrating in soft notes against her.
When Triska woke up, the first thing she did was reach for Juri—and he wasn’t there. A brief flare of panic zipped in her chest, her heart thumping hard, and she sat up.
Her heart rate leveled as she sensed through their bond he remained close. He hadn’t gone out hunting for necromancers yet. Since the rune reappeared last night, she’d felt a faint link to Juri. Like she had an added awareness of him.