Chapter 151 – Always & Forever  - Cage's POV

I kissed the top of Raine's head, tasting her wet hair on my lips. It was sweet, like the finest nectar. I struggled to grasp the concept that we had been apart for five months. For me, it felt like no time had passed since I told her goodbye.

Memories of that terrible day crashed over me, causing my heart to twist painfully. My body had been so cold as it edged closer and closer to the kiss of death. Raine had hovered over me, her crystal blue eyes filled with panic and fear, screaming at me that I would be okay, begging me not to leave her.

But I had known my end was near.

And I was faced with the impossible task of telling her all that was in my heart. Everything she meant to me. Everything I had foolishly thought I had a lifetime to share. But I didn't have a lifetime, or days or even minutes.

All I had were a few breaths left...

As I laid on the cold, hard ground, images of her flooded through my brain. Memories. Frozen snapshots in time. The first time I laid eyes on her. How foolish I had been. Thinking I was the bloodthirsty predator and she was my frail prey, when in reality, she stole my heart and made me hers with just one look.

The first time she gave herself to me. Trusting me to teach her. Exploring my body without reservation. The taste of her, the feel of her against my flesh. Our bodies joined together, me deep inside of her.

The moment our souls became one during our mating ceremony. The utter love and devotion that swirled in her lake-colored eyes. Happiness. Joy. Mischievous. Playful lust.

My sweet tiger...with so much fire.

I couldn't let her go. I couldn't say goodbye. I couldn't.

But the choice had been ripped away from me.

And in those final moments, before the darkness took me, I promised her the one steadfast truth in my heart—I promised to love her forever.

But I hadn't died. And she had found me. Instinctively, I tightened my grip around her. She looked up at my face, concern creasing her forehead. I forced myself to relax and kissed her lightly on the lips. She laid her head against my chest, contentment thrumming through her.

I looked at the odd assortment of people assembled around us. Felaern, Talon and Brialle weren't too much of a surprise, but I bristled with anger when I saw Killian and the other two Fae from Marku's jail. I lifted Raine off of my lap and set her carefully on the ground. In the next second, I was on my feet, standing protectively in front of her.

Without conscious thought, I clasped my hands together, feeling power spark between my fingertips, and raised them in the air, my glowing palms facing toward the Fae. I didn't occur to me, in the moment, that I had never had, or accessed, such skills before. I just reacted on instinct—what my body demanded I do, in order to eliminate the threat against her. A growl ripped from my chest.

Killian repositioned his weight, taking on a fighting stance, and eyed me warily. Raine quickly scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide as she stared at my glowing hands. She grasped my arm and spoke hurriedly, "No, they won't hurt me! He helped us. Lady Sofielle is his mother."

"What?!" A hiss came from my throat and my head snapped in her direction. First I found out the insane revelation that the bitch who attacked me, was actually Felaern's lost mate. And now she was also Killian's mother?! How was that possible?

Brialle interjected, "It's true. They helped us find you, risking their own lives in the process."

I relaxed my stance, but I still didn't fully trust them and demanded, "What about Marku?"

Raine flinched.

Her reaction caused fury to crash through me. I remembered Marku's vendetta against her, his sole desire to cause her pain. I curled my hands into fists to keep from lashing out and spoke through clenched teeth, "What did he do to you? I swear, I will end him if he hurt you."

She stepped closer and wrapped her body around mine. I couldn't help but release some of the pent up tension and relaxed into her. She spoke softly, "He didn't hurt me. He saved my life."

I stared down at her in surprise. There was emotion swirling in her eyes, I wasn't exactly sure what it was. "We have much to talk about," she repeated my earlier words.

I nodded and let it drop. It was clearly a discussion for when we were alone. I inclined my head toward the last three people and asked, "Who are the two naked guys standing with Queen Ileana?"

Ileana cringed.

The larger of the two males stopped looking at me, his attention riveted to her as he murmured in surprise, "Queen?"

She refused to look at him or reply.

Okay, clearly a lot had happened while I was gone.

Felaern made the introductions, "King Morenth, may I introduce King Micage of the Esteemed Raine Bloodline and the Tremidael Empire." Felaern took a breath and looked at me as he continued, "King Micage, this is King Morenth of the Dragon Realm and Dragon Lord Tavian, third in line for the crown."

Dragons?

I hadn't expected that answer. Their nudity made sense now. I inclined my head and they both reciprocated in kind, however the king barely looked in my direction, his attention still firmly fixed on the side of Ileana's face.

Raine interjected, "King Morenth, could we beg your hospitality for one more day, to give Cage time to regain his strength before we leave?"

The king glanced at us and then his eyes changed to one of calculation before replying, "I'm sorry, but our agreement was only until you located your mate."

Ileana turned to face him with a glare and opened her mouth to speak. Before she could utter a word, he purred, "However I might be inclined to reconsider...for the right inducement."

She narrowed her eyes and snapped, "What do you want?"

"Answers," he replied pointedly.

She ground her teeth together. "One...answer."

He smiled with an air of innocence and added, "Of my choosing."

She glared a moment longer and finally hissed, "Fine."

His smile widened. "Excellent. Then you shall be my guests for one more day. If you are done here, I would advise we take our leave."

With that, he walked a safe distance from Ileana. His shape blurred and grew. Wings and a tale sprouted, the sound of tendons and bones realigning. I watched with great interest as he shifted. I had heard of Dragon Lords, but had never met one and certainly hadn't ever witnessed their startling transformation. It was fascinating to behold.

The large dragon peered down at Ileana expectantly. With a huff, she walked to him and crawled onto his back. The other dragon also shifted. Raine took my hand and pulled me forward. Talon joined us as we climbed up the creature's hind leg. He sat in the center of the dragon's shoulders, Raine slid in behind him and me behind her.

Talon's haggard appearance hadn't escaped my attention. I'd never seen him with facial hair. It was un-kept and there were dark circles under his eyes. It must not have missed Raine's either because once we were settled, she whispered, "Talon?"

He turned around to face her, unable to contain the sadness and emotion in his eyes. She lifted to her knees and wrapped both arms around his shoulders. He dropped his head against neck and clung to her. She murmured quietly, "I'm sorry for leaving you for two months."

He just nodded and held her tighter. I clasped his shoulder. He looked up at me from their embrace. She pulled back a little and wiped the pads of her thumbs across his cheeks to catch his tears. He stared at me, relief evident in his eyes, and spoke gruffly, "It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back." I gave him a warm smile and reassured him quietly, "Neither of us is going anywhere without you, anytime soon."

He nodded silently and dropped his head back into Raine's shoulder. I added my arms around both of them and held tightly. "I'm glad she had you while I was away. You are a part of our family. I think of you like a son." I tried to convey how much he meant to me and how important he was to both of us.

Raine gasped. I couldn't see her face because I was behind her and her head was buried against his neck, but I felt her body shake with silent sobs. The force of her reaction surprised me. I held them tighter and murmured, "Shh...It's going to be okay now."

We stayed in the embrace for several more minutes while Raine's tears slowed and finally stopped.

So wrapped up in our reunion, I had barely realized Tavian was in flight. I took a moment to look at the ground far beneath us, and sucked in a sharp breath. The view from this height was amazing.

Within minutes, a vast castle came into view. Tavian circled around to the side and landed in front of two massive sized doors. It only took a quick moment for us to leap down and follow the again-naked dragons through the doors.

.........

Raine and I were finally alone.

King Morenth had ensured our thirst was managed first.  And not a moment too soon. We hadn't felt the hunger pains immediately when we came out of the Pool, because our systems were riddled with adrenaline. But shortly after we arrived at the castle, both of our eyes were gleaming crimson.  We had quickly been ushered into a side room and a group of humans joined us moments later. Not sure why he had humans on hand, or why they were all female, but with minimal coaxing, they seemed happy to do whatever the Dragon Lords requested...even letting vampires bite into them.

After several humans each, our thirst was finally satiated, and we continued deeper into the castle to a luxury suite for us to spend the day recuperating together. Even by my standards, the opulence of the rooms, and the castle in general, was vast. Dragons certainly did enjoy their wealth.

We had much to talk about, but first...

With Raine's hand tucked into mine, we made our way into the bathroom. Reaching the ridiculously large walk-in shower, I turned to face her and placed my hands at her waist, stroking the soft skin under her shirt with my fingertips. 

Instantly, the scent of her arousal filled the room. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. Fuck, she smelled good. I wanted to bend her over right then and there...but all in good time. I opened my eyes to find her staring up at me, lust and desire swirling in her crystal blue orbs.

I lifted her shirt over her head, dropping it behind her, and reached around to unclasp her bra. She pulled her arms out of the straps and tossed it near her discarded shirt.  Her pants were next. Never taking my eyes off of hers, I unbuttoned her pants, and slid the zipper down slowly. She trembled with anticipation. Pushing the garment and her panties together, over her hips, I let them both fall to the floor. She took a small step out, leaving her bare before me.

I dropped my eyes so that I could savor her. Her breasts were full and rounded, the curve of her hip pronounced as it swayed from her trim waist. Her pussy was covered with a triangle of tiny blonde curls. I wrapped a ringlet around my finger, intrigued. I had never seen her with hair before. It was so soft. At my touch, her taut pink nipples tightened even more, standing at attention, begging for my mouth. I looked at them approvingly.

Soon...

I released the curl and let my hand drop lower, stroking one finger lightly through her folds to collect her arousal. "Always so wet for me," I murmured as I brought my finger to my lips. It tasted like her and the sweet nectar of the lake.

"Cage," she moaned, letting her eyes flutter shut and back open.

Now it was her turn to stare as I freed myself from my own clothing.  And her eyes were riveted to just one place...my hard cock. She licked her lips when I dropped my pants and it sprang free. She reached a hand toward me, but I caught her wrist. Her eyes snapped up to mine.

I couldn't help the wicked glint in my eye. My voice was just a purr, "Not yet."

Her gaze widened in surprise, and then she gave me a little nod with a smirk of her own. The game was on. One, I would win. I intended to worship her body, enjoy what was mine, and make her wait, through our shower until we reached the gorgeous bed, before I fucked her senseless and let her come. Given the calculated look in her eyes, her plan was to have me inside of her, sooner rather than later, multiple orgasms on her mind. Oh, I would give her that, she would come again and again, just not until I brought her right to the edge of her sanity first.

I stepped into the shower and turned on three of the plentiful shower heads, keeping my body out of the initially cold spray. Water rained down from the ceiling and the walls. Within less than a minute, steam filled the room as the temperature rose. She followed me in, closing the door behind her.

"Turn around," I spoke gruffly. She obeyed, giving me her back. I lathered her hair with shampoo, my fingers massaging her scalp. She exhaled in contentment, and rested against my chest.

But I had no intention of letting her relax. By the time I was done, she would be strung so tight, she would shatter apart with just one touch to her clit. I gripped her hip with one sudsy hand, holding her steady, and slid my hard manhood up and down between her ass cheeks and lower spine, heightening her focus, promising what was to come, the same rocking motion of our bodies I would use later, but it wouldn't be calm.

I growled, "When I'm finished with you, that sweet little pussy is going to be raw.  You're going to feel me between your legs for days." I need her, and wanted her, and planned to take her sweet sex savagely.  Those were the images I wanted in her head. I wanted her to think of nothing else.

She gasped, another hit of arousal releasing from her body. She arched her back and eagerly tilted her ass up, giving me easy access, encouraging me to enter her pussy. But I had no intention of doing that...yet.  I stopped moving against her and resumed washing her hair.

She whined in frustration.

I chuckled low.

She glanced over her shoulder at me with her pink lips turned down in a pout. Her eyes narrowed as she studied my expression. She knew what I was doing. "Turn back around," I ordered her.  She hesitated, but something in my eyes must have made her realize I wouldn't relent, and then she obeyed. With a little huff.

My smile widened. I rinsed the soap from her hair and reached for the body wash. No need for a washcloth, my hands would work perfectly. I poured a generous amount into my palms and began at her feet, building a lather, as I moved up her legs. She trembled the closer I got to her pussy.

But my touch was feather light as I cleaned her folds, just barely brushing against her skin. Nothing that would come close to giving her release. She tried to grind against my hand, but I kept control of her hip, limiting her movement.  She let out a growl of discontent and actually stomped her foot a little. I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. I continued my slow progression to her belly and arms, even her neck. Massaging her flesh. I wanted her to feel my touch on every inch of her body.

"Cage...," she whined and panted.

"Yes, Tigru?"

"I want you," she whispered, her voice low and needy.

"Not yet," I replied huskily. She wasn't nearly ready. It would take time and skill to get her where I wanted her to be. I was perfectly willing to put in the time. And I had the skill to make her body do exactly what I wanted. I kept her back tight against my chest, and reached for her breasts, rubbing and tugging on her nipples.

"Oh..." Her head fell back and she let out a moan. She squirmed, rubbing her ass against my dick, a subtle movement, a slow grind,  and pressed her chest forward into my hands.  I squeezed both breasts, pushing them together, and rolled her nipples roughly through my fingertips, pinching hard.

"Cage...!" She gasped at the force I was using. Her grind against me lost it's subtlety as she pushed her ass into me hard, stroking up and down my shaft.

I groaned and grabbed her hips to stop her movement.  "Patience, Tigru," I breathed on her neck, smiling to myself, she wasn't a patient person. "We need to get clean first."

Abruptly she spun in my arms. She tilted her head up to me. "You're right. Why don't I help you with that?" Her eyes danced with determination and confidence. Okay, her turn.

Exactly as I had done to her, she washed my hair and ran her hands on my body to clean it, leaving no skin untouched. She paid particular attention to my balls and swollen coçk, spending extra amount of time rolling them between her fingers and gripping me tightly, almost painfully, running her hand up and down my shaft.

I growled and thrust into her hand. She smirked and released me, letting the water rinse away all of the soap. I reached for her, but she slipped through my fingers, dropping to her knees in front of me. She looked up at me through her eyelashes, a devilish grin on her face, as she clutched my manhood in her hand and wrapped her lips around one of my balls, pulling it into her mouth, twirling her tongue while she sucked on it.

Fuck. Me. My breathing became shallow. I placed a palm against the wet tiled wall to steady myself, and watched her. After thoroughly pleasuring one nut, she released it and gathered the other one into her mouth, giving it equal attention. I groaned. She was playing the game brilliantly.

She pulled back and purred, "Do you like that?"

"You know I do," I gritted out.

"Uh huh," she affirmed almost to herself, and then sank her hot, wet mouth, down around my cock, angling her neck to push me deeper into her throat.  She closed her eyes and groaned with her own pleasure of having me in her mouth. The sound was sexy as fuck. The vibration from her mewling, reverberated against my dick.  She loved it as much as I did. It was one of her favorite ways to wake me up in the mornings, wrapping her lips around my cock,  enjoying the way I felt against her tongue, licking and playing to her hearts content. Of course, I never argued.  She was fucking fantastic with her mouth, the best head I've ever had. She had killer instincts and no inhibitions...the combination was almost deadly.

And every time, I would explode with abandon. But not this time.  This time something edgier was brewing inside of me. A need to dominate her, the predator very close to the surface. I tangled my fingers into her hair to keep her head in position and thrust farther down her throat.

Her eyes flew open as she looked up at me. But she didn't pull away. I gave her a moment and did it again, pushing deeper than she had ever taken me. She gagged a little but recovered quickly. "All of me, Tigru," I grunted, letting her know what I wanted.

Her eyes darkened with lust, she was ready to try again.

"Relax your throat," I murmured, still pumping in and out of her shallowly.

She gave me a little nod.  I rolled my hips forward, pushing deeply. No gag this time.  It took a few more strokes, progressively going deeper each time, but finally I was there, her lips coming flush against my balls. Fuçk it felt amazing. I shuddered hard, forcing back my release.

I didn't miss the triumphant gleam in her eyes. She was proud of herself. And I loved her that much more, for submitting to what I wanted, even when it was difficult for her. 

But I also didn't miss her hand slipping between her thighs to play with her clit.  Under normal circumstances, I'd have been turned on as fuck. Watching her take my cock completely, while she got herself off. But she wasn't going to come, not until I allowed it. 

"Oh no, you don't" I pulled her off of my dick and into a standing position.

"Cage!" she gasped in surprise, confused by our radical change in positioning, and confused why  I hadn't let her finish me off.  Again, coming deep in her throat was a sexy as fuck image. But if I was going to make her wait, I would wait with her. I had no intention of climaxing before her. She was always first.

I flipped her around so she was facing away from me again, and pulled her tight against my chest. Instantly, she writhed against me, desperate for friction on her body. I whispered in her ear, "I haven't forgotten your request."

"What request?" she asked breathily, her chest heaving.

I pushed my knee between her thighs, forcing her legs further apart. She eagerly accommodated me, widening her stance. Her ass tilted up again, another invitation of what she wanted...me inside of her pussy.

I leaned to whisper in her ear, "For me to take you in every way I know how."

She moaned, low and long, in understanding.

"Hands on the wall, Tigru." I ordered, pressing on the top of her spine to make her bend forward a little. She let out a whine of anticipation, vocalizing her lust, and did as she was told, bending forward even further, and placed her palms against the slick wall.

Gripping her hips firmly, I let my thumbs rub small circles on her round globes, thoroughly enjoying the view, the way she was spread open for me. Her sex was swollen and glistening with arousal. And her ass was presented as through it was on a platter. Truly stunning. I couldn't help myself and firmly flicked the tight little puckered hole with my fingers, causing her to startle and gasp. Her arousal released, sweet and strong, a bead escaping and rolling down her inner thigh.

I chuckled huskily. "Did you enjoy that?"

She panted and nodded her head, trembling.

"I'm not going to be gentle," I warned again, as I drew a line with my fingertips down to her sweet heat and slipped them inside, coating them with her lubrication. Coming back out, I swirled her wetness around the rim of her ass and flicked her again, harder.

Both little holes clenched and unclenched. She gasped loudly, "Cage...!"

Coating my fingers again with her slick arousal, I made my way back and slowly pushed a finger into her ass. "Oh!" She cried out and rocked back against me, forcing me deeper, wanting more. I gave her more, carefully adding a second finger, stretching her body. She writhed and moaned.

I kept a steady pace, moving them in and out of her and spoke gruffly, "Not here...but when we get home...this little ass is mine." It was a promise.

A hard shudder went through her body.  I could do it now. She would let me. But I preferred to be at home with a vibrator and additional lubricant on hand if needed...as well as a hell of a lot more time.  I had no intention of rushing. Once I was inside her tight hot hole, I planned to do it again and again.

I stared, transfixed, and murmured, "You are fucking beautiful with my fingers  going in and out of you. The  only thing better would be watching my cock work your ass."

Said cock tightened painfully at the vivid images racing through my head. Little did she know, if she begged for that, I wouldn't be able to say no. Her whines and whimpers to penetrate her pussy, those I could withstand. But if she begged me to fill her ass, I would toss my plan to seduce her right out the window and give her what she wanted, how she wanted it...I would be hers to command.

But she didn't beg me and continued whining loudly, wriggling and panting for more. With my fingers still deep in her ass, I gripped my cock with my free hand and rubbed the head through her folds and around her slit, just barely pushing inside. Even that little bit of penetration was tight, her body being forced to accept the wide girth of me.

She cried out frantically, "Cage...I can't take it anymore, please!"

Hmm...we were getting there. "Can't take what?" I purred as if I didn't know.

She growled. "Fuçk me!"

"Soon...," I replied with a dark chuckle of anticipation.  I reluctantly pulled my fingers out of her ass, washed them off and reached to turn off the water. We stepped out and dried off quickly, both eager to continue where we left off.

Several potential ideas, images of what I wanted to do to her, crashed through my mind. There were so many ways I wanted to contort her beautiful body and pleasure her. But at the top of my list, my innate need to dominate her was strong, almost unbearable. We had been through too much, too many obstacles that kept us apart, circumstances beyond our control, hell even 'death'.  The predator inside demanded that I possess her, he demanded a physical demonstration on her part that she knew and acknowledged the truth, she belonged to me. She would always belong to me. We were irrevocably tied together.

I gathered her in my arms and carried her to the massive sized bed. I laid her down, climbed on the bed and knelt between her legs. My voice was husky and deep, "Only good little girls get fucked. Can you be a good little girl?"

She inhaled sharply, always turned on by my dominance and nodded. I frowned. "I'm going to need answers when I ask you a question."

Her brows rose in surprise and she breathed, "Yes! I can be your good little girl."

The smile returned to my face. I purred huskily, "And obedient...can you be obedient?"

"Yes," she answered quickly with another nod. I frowned again. And she hastily added, "Yes...I can obey you!"

A rumble of approval reverberated from my chest. "Open your legs wider for me."

She accommodated my wish, bending her legs at the knee and spreading her feet wide apart. I teased her two holes lazily with my fingers and grunted my approval.

She arched her back and tried to push herself into my hand. I smacked her on her pussy, causing her to yelp and freeze. Her chest heaved.

"Not obedient," I growled. I gave her no permission to assert herself. Clearly she didn't understand what I meant by obedience. But she would.

Her eyes were wide with shock, but her arousal flared strong, almost violently. Of course...I should have known. My lips curled into a sly grin. "So, not only do you like it when I spank your ass, but you also like it when I spank your pussy, don't you?"

She flushed pink.

I waited for an answer.

"I...uh," she mumbled. I shook my head. My hand came down on her sex, once again, harder.

Her entire body jolted and she cried out, "Yes!"

Another shake of my head. When will she learn? My hand came down again, her sensitive flesh turning a beautiful shade of red from my strikes. At least she knew enough to not break eye contact with me. Her bright blue orbs burned dark with her lust. Her entire body trembled. She panted hard and finally answered in the fashion expected. "Yes! I like it when you spank my pussy!"

I rubbed her heated flesh. "I'm not going to go easy when I take you, and yet you are still so disobedient...Do you want your little pussy to burn while I fuck you?" I tried to help her grasp the reality of the situation. I meant every word. If she kept this up, my slamming into her would feel like another spank each time, against her raw skin.

I expected her to answer the question.  She knew that. But I also felt my question was rhetorical. I assumed I already knew her answer, she just needed to be obedient and respond.

I was wrong.

She bit her lip, her cheeks turning even more red. A clear sign she was reluctant to reply because the truth embarrassed her.

Fuçk. Me.

She did want it to burn.

I had no idea she was such a masochist. When we got home, I clearly needed to thoroughly delve into her submissive desires. But for right now, her answer had my dick throbbing. I was going to have to take her soon.

She still hadn't replied, forcing me to spank her again. She was going to tell me. She was going to say the words.

"Oh!" She cried out, flinching. It had to sting, but her arousal flared out even stronger. "Yes!" She gasped, panting between breaths, "I want to...feel it burn...while you fuck me."

I heard her answer, but my attention was suddenly riveted to what I hadn't noticed before. She had faced away from me in the shower or been on her knees. And when I laid her on the bed, my sole focus had been between her legs. But now, something else had my complete attention.  As much as I wanted to continue this seduction, as much as I had felt we could talk after I made love to her, this...whatever this was...was more important. I studied the pattern of scars on her shins, straight lines that were not there before. Many of them.

She noticed my intense stare, and abruptly, she scooted back away from me and sat up, so she could close her legs. I let her. Nothing else mattered. All of my need for dominance dissolved as I looked at the pain in her eyes. Deep and heart wrenching pain. I would do anything to take away that pain.

I lightly traced one of the scars with my fingertips, still studying their pattern, and whispered, "Tigru?"

Her eyes filled with tears and she bit her quivering lip. She wrapped her arms around her bent knees protectively and tried to cover up the scars with her hands.

I was still kneeling on the bed and moved forward, opening my legs as I repositioned myself around her, my thighs on either side of her hips.  

I didn't try to straighten her from the protective ball she had curled into. Instead, I reached my arms around her body, and pulled her tight, her knees against my chest. Her head fell to my shoulder and her chest heaved with her sobs.

"Who did this to you?" I whispered.  I was pretty sure I already knew the answer and it made me sick to my stomach. The pattern and location suggested they were self-inflicted. By why? Why would she mutilate her own body like that?

After a moment, her tears slowed. She mumbled into my shoulder, "I missed you."

I thought about her response. Was she just telling me that, or was that her answer to my question?  I spoke softly, "What happened?"

"I'm sorry," she choked out, another fresh wave of tears.

I held her and waited for her to calm down again. My voice soothed, "Just walk me through what happened."

She hiccupped. "Tobias..."

Shit, I had been right. I knew immediately what she was going to tell me. And I knew why. She had tried to medicate the pain of our broken bond.  It was what Tobias had done. I whispered, "You did this to yourself, didn't you?"

She nodded into my chest.

"And you used silver?" I guessed.  She wouldn't have had scars if she had used a regular blade.

She nodded again, her sobs coming hard and fast. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry!" she wailed.

"Shh...it's okay. You don't have to be sorry to me. I understand why you did it. I can't tell you I know the pain you went through, but I might have very well done the same thing.  You did what you had to, to survive. I would never blame you for that, and I will always see your body as beautiful.  These scars just make you look a little more savage...dangerous, like the warrior you are. They give off a definite 'don't fuck with me or else' vibe," I whispered, trying to lighten her anguish. I spoke the truth. They did make her look even more bad-ass than she already was.  And she would always be beautiful and sexy to me.

She snorted through her tears at my description, almost a laugh.  I pulled back and smoothed my thumbs over her cheeks. "Okay, now that we're talking, let's talk about all of it."

She flinched just slightly. That reaction had me on edge and I suspected I knew the cause—the discussion we had dropped earlier. I readied myself and said, "Tell me what happened with Marku."

"I'm not sure where to begin," she mumbled.

Fuck, this was going to be bad. I slid back away from her slightly, to give her some room and so I could look at her face when she spoke.  I waited. After a moment, she began haltingly, "He found me...right after you died..." her words trailed off.

"And then?"

She looked down and twisted her hands together. "His men, they fought Acheron so we could escape. He brought me back to his kingdom."

I ground my teeth together. I was reminded of her earlier comment and asked, "And he didn't try to hurt you?"  I found that hard to believe. Even with as much as he lusted after her, his predator side would have demanded retribution for the wrongs he believed she had committed against him.

"He was...going to," she began. "But then...he changed his mind."

"Why did he change his mind?"

"Because, I...I tried to kill myself," she whispered, barely audible, still avoiding my eyes.

"What?!" I hissed. Well, her comment about him saving her life was becoming clearer. I just never imaged he had to save it from herself. 

"I didn't want to live..." Her eyes came up to mine, her agony raw, as she relived those moments. "I couldn't live...not without you."

Fuck, my heart broke hearing the depth of her struggle. I gathered her once again in my arms, trying hard to keep my own tears at bay. I spoke gruffly, "I'm sorry for leaving you. I'm so fucking sorry...this is all my fault. I never should have left you."

Her head snapped up and she grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at her. Her expression was fierce. "Stop that! You did not leave me. You were torn from my arms. You would never leave me!"

My heart burst with the passion with which she spoke.  There was absolutely no doubt in her mind of my love and devotion for her. If I had ever done anything right in my life, it was that—to convince her how very much she meant to me.  I murmured, "So much fire, Tigru..."

She knew what I meant. And gave me a soft smile.

"Okay, so after he rescued you, and didn't hurt you, what happened?" I was still surprised at the revelation that he hadn't punished her in some physical fashion. Even with her suicide attempt. I had never known him to relent when he felt punishment was due. 

Her eyes flashed down again, her moment of humor gone. "He...he took care of me."

Dread filled my heart. Fuck, she had given in to him. That was why he hadn't punished her. She gave him what he wanted. My voice was hard, "Do you have feelings for him?"  I could deal with just about anything else, but if she loved him, I couldn't handle that.

She bit her lip. "I thought you were dead." Her eyes begged me to understand.

Her answer wasn't good enough. She was going to have be more clear...a hell of a lot more clear. I demanded, "What exactly does that mean?"

She flinched at my anger and whispered, "I thought...you were gone.  He took care of me, did everything for me...even when I didn't want his care. He forced me to eat...forced me to live. Every moment of his time was spent caring for my needs. He isn't just the person everyone sees him as. He's different with me."

Oh fuck, she did have feelings for him, strong feelings. I pulled away. I needed some space. Her face fell at my distance, but I couldn't help my response, not now.   I ground out, "Were you together physically?"

"Yes and no," came her reply.

Anger and fury flooded through me. I growled, "Stop giving me vague answers! Just be clear. After everything we have been through, I deserve that much! Did you fuck him?!"

"No!" she cried out.

No?  "Then what do you mean?!"  I demanded. "I'm done with your non-answers and riddles. Speak clearly. You didn't fuck...but were somehow physical...and obviously you care for him. Just say what you have to say!"

Her lip quivered. "We didn't do anything sexual, but...but I slept with him naked." And then interjected quickly, "But he wore underwear. He gave me baths every night because the healers felt it would help with my pain."

He wore underwear?  What the hell?  In all of the time he had been happy to throw his cock out and bang someone publically, I had never known that man to wear underwear.

"But I...I did kiss him...goodbye." She continued, her eyes dropping again.

"You kissed him goodbye?  Like an intimate kiss?" I clarified.

She continued to stare at her hands, refusing to look at me and whispered, "Yes."

"So, you were only intimate once?  In all of the three months you were together...and it was when you said goodbye, which meant you had to know I was alive at that point?!" What the hell did that mean? She didn't get sexual with him until she knew I was alive?

"Yes," she whispered. "I'm sorry. He doesn't communicate his feelings like everyone else. It was his way of telling me everything in his heart and head, without words. After everything we had been through, I let him." She finally looked up at me and said passionately, "Cage, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him.  We wouldn't be together if he hadn't saved my life and then made it impossible for me to try again.  Because I would have, Cage. I would have found a way to end it all. Because that is how much I love you!"

There was only truth, and love, shining in her eyes. Not a hint of deception. I gathered her in my arms once again and held her tight. She whispered against my chest, "I gave him the kiss, but I never gave him my heart. Only you...only you are the one I love...the only one I could ever love."

"I believe you, Tigru. I'm sorry I ever doubted you," I whispered. We both clung to each other, lost in our own thoughts. After a moment, I said, "You may not love him, but I think he loves you. I have never known that man to wear underwear."

She let out a giggle. "Out of everything I just shared, that is your proof of his love for me? Because he wore underwear?"

I gave her a lopsided grin. And then said seriously, "I never imagined him capable of it, but I do think he has feelings for you."

She murmured in agreement, "In his own way. He is a different man to me. But even he admits and understands he could never be monogamous, not for any great length of time, that is. So, even if you were not in the picture, you know that wouldn't work for me."

I understood what she was saying. It was the fondness in her voice that surprised me. I murmured, "You care about him."

She didn't flinch away. Maybe it was because I was no longer angry, or maybe it was because she knew I would understand. She replied honestly, "I do care for him...as a friend, maybe even a little more than that. I'm the last person who ever imagined I would say that. But he was actually self-less when he cared for me.  He gave me what I needed and never tried to take from me.  I have to love him in some way for that."

I thought about her words. "It doesn't thrill me to hear you say that." I admitted. "But I would rather know your whole heart. And I trust you."

I held her tighter and then pulled back, staring into her deep crystal blue eyes. She had shared much, but I still had a nagging suspicion she was holding something back. "Is that everything? Is there anything else?"

There was a long moment of hesitation. "Yes, that's everything," she whispered, but she looked away.

She was lying.

Why??

I believed her about Marku. Hell, she hadn't spared my feelings, she even told me she loved him in her own way. Her answers were sure and without any body cues of deception. This answer was the first she gave that wasn't truthful. But what was she hiding?  I spoke carefully, "Tigru, you know you can tell me anything, don't you?  I love you unconditionally? Nothing you say will change that."

"I know," she responded, a little too quickly, another bite to her lip.

"Are you sure there isn't anything else?"

A blink of hesitation, another look away as she mumbled, "No, there isn't anything else."

The pain in her eyes ran deep. Whatever she was keeping from me hurt her. It was the only thing that kept me from calling her out on the lie. As long as I was assured it wasn't another man, I could wait to know this answer. I could give her the time she needed, and the love and support she needed to open up to me.

I pulled her into my chest again, my hands rubbing her back and shoulders, my lips finding the soft skin of her collarbone and neck. My only need now was to show her how much she was loved and cherished. She sensed the shift in my behavior and the sweetness of her arousal filled the air once again.

I unwound her arms away from her knees and then lifted her feet, planting them on the outside of my thighs, so I had easy access to her core. I looked down and frowned.

"What's wrong?" she whispered.

I touched her softly and murmured, "Your little pussy lips are still pink. I don't want to hurt you."

They weren't nearly as red as before, and she would heal completely within an hour or so, but pain with pleasure only worked when someone was in the right mindset.  That spell had been broken. Neither of us was in dominant/submissive role in the moment. And without her head being in the right spot, sex might hurt her.  

She rolled her eyes at me. "I'm fine. Really." Her expression turned serious, her emotion on the surface, "Cage, I have grieved for three excruciatingly long months for you. Every fiber in my being aches and throbs for you to fill me. I need that connection...and I cannot wait another minute."

Fuck.

I lifted up on my knees, and pushed her back to the bed. Her arousal flared out strong. Her entire body quivered hard as I repositioned my cock near her entrance. I rubbed the head along her slit to see if she was ready enough for me. She was.

With one hard thrust, I entered her to the hilt, holding nothing back. She screamed out my name. I grunted from the pleasure. My lips found hers, cutting off her cries. Our kisses were passion, fire...love.  I groaned when my tongue joined with hers. My thrusts were strong as I savored her mouth.

She moaned and writhed beneath me. After several minutes, I let my lips fall to her cheek and neck, only to find them wet with tears. I pulled back and whispered, "What's wrong? Am I hurting you?"

She shook her head. "No...they are tears of joy. I am overwhelmed with my love for you. I am shocked that you are here with me.  After so much pain, my heart is bursting from the love I feel for you."

"I love you too, sweetheart...always and forever, I will love you" I whispered fervently, kissing away each tear, as I rocked my hips into her, firm and steady. Giving her what she wanted...me inside of her...me to fill her body.

And I would stay inside of her for as long as she let me...

.

Whew! That was the longest chapter I have ever written, but I didn't want to split up the events that occurred. This chapter is actually equivalent to about four of my normal sized chapters. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on their reunion.

Any ideas why she didn't tell him about the baby? How do you think that will work out?