Page 90 of A Fate of Blood and Magic (Fated #2)

Chapter

Thirty-Eight

ELIAS

We were able to hold the next council meeting within a few days. While Teddy had me sit with Brenton, she took a seat next to Etienne. It was a compromises of sorts, so Brenton knew Etienne was taken care of while keeping his distance.

It hadn’t been necessary, though. Etienne seemed well, and he was able to speak and carry himself without assistance.

And once the meeting was dismissed, I’d heard him tell Teddy and Alastor how impressed Leah was with his improvement.

I wasn’t sure if Brenton heard Etienne question Teddy about Brenton’s well-being, but since he didn’t mention it, I didn’t either.

I was satisfied with the meeting itself. While emotions remained high, everyone respected the other’s opinions and beliefs. In the end, it had been agreed that once it was determined who’d led the attacks, they would be executed privately, while those who’d followed orders would be imprisoned.

We weren’t sure how long they’d remain our prisoners—indefinitely if many of our members had their way—but as they awaited their trials, their living conditions would remain the same, and they would be expected to assist in the human realm in rebuilding regions for those in that realm to live in.

With the assistance of other human patrol, Donnie continued to work on the rehabilitation program we’d eventually enact.

Maybe these prisoners would be the first to go through it.

Evander had gone a step further and had already scheduled trials for the soldiers responsible for enslaving and torturing our fae. Etienne and the rest of us were invited to attend, where Etienne and other fae could stand as witnesses if they chose.

It gratified me that we were able to come to a decision everyone agreed upon, leaving us with the remainder of the day open.

I wandered the streets of Somnio with Teddy at my side while Brenton chased the girls.

While George came over after getting approval from Javier, the girls enjoyed the many sleepovers with Brenton.

Probably because he got them as excited as George usually did but then calmed them down each night with a long chapter book he’d found at the library.

While I listened to the story, a yearning for my magic always awoke.

Since the book didn’t have pictures, I wished I could use my snow magic to create the scenes Brenton read about and freeze them for the girls.

Guardians help me, sometimes it hit me how I wished I had my magic for a lot more things than just that.

“Where can I buy wine?” Teddy asked.

I drew my brows together. “I don’t think you should be drinking.”

She rolled her eyes at me. “To bring when we meet up with Alastor and his guest tonight. It’ll go well with the cheese and fruits we’re taking. ”

“You know he said we didn’t have to bring anything.”

While it was a human custom to attend dinner parties with a gift of sorts, us fae simply showed up. I preferred it that way. It was less stressful.

And completely unnecessary, considering it wasn’t a dinner party, and we were meeting at Respandora instead of Alastor’s home. Teddy wouldn’t budge on the issue, though.

“Do you really want my mom crawling out of her grave to whack us with a broom?” Teddy asked.

“I . . . I honestly don’t know what that means.” I tilted my head to the side in confusion.

For some reason, that made her laugh.

“Wine,” she instructed.

I brought her closer to me, and with my lips caressing the shell of her ear, I whispered, “Spirits.”

She shivered. “Fine.” She wrapped her arms around my waist and rested the side of her face on my chest. “Where can we find spirits, my love?”

My love.

When she peered up at me, I kissed her nose.

“The bakery will have some.” When I took her hand, I spun her so we could start walking toward the bakery.

I whistled at Brenton, who somehow picked up all three girls at once and ran toward us.

Together, we made our way to the bakery, where the girls chose pastries for themselves, and Brenton asked for even more for the children at the orphanage, which would be delivered the following day once they baked enough.

Teddy browsed through the spirits, asking the baker about the different flavors.

Once she chose two bottles, I paid for everything, much to Brenton’s annoyance, and we left.

By the time we made it home, we had to rush to get the living book so we wouldn’t be late in meeting Alastor.

When Teddy stopped to check out the boys’ nursery to look at the white walls we’d painted and the rocking bassinets Brenton was working on, I didn’t bother rushing her.

I pressed my chest to her back, leaning down to rest my chin on her shoulder while I hugged her to me.

I could almost picture our sons sleeping in their bassinets while Teddy and I watched them from the door. I blinked back the tears that built but when I sniffled, Teddy turned to me.

“You’re crying.” It came out soft and tender, and when she wrapped her arms around me, I held her to me.

This . . . this was life. More than I ever imagined for myself. The only one missing from our home was Javier.

“I blame your pregnancy hormones,” I teased.

With a hand on her chin, I kissed her lips. She sighed, a soft, contented sound when I inched away, so I pressed my lips to hers again. I tucked my hand on her back as she moved onto her tiptoes.

I moved to kiss her jaw, down to her neck, when she stretched it to the side. I ran my canines over the delicious slope of her throat, and she pressed the back of my head closer to her, winding one leg around me as she pressed her core against my hardening cock.

“Guardians, Teddy,” I whispered. “I think Alastor will forgive us if we’re late.”

“Yes.”

It was all I needed. I hoisted her up, kissing her as I carried her to our bedroom. I only tore my mouth from hers to shout at Brenton to watch the kids outside, where they couldn’t hear us. He muttered something I didn’t care to hear, and I gently placed my mate on our bed.

Frantically, she tugged my clothes, helping me remove my shirt and pants. When my cock sprang free, she slid off the end bed to sit on her knees and wrapped her mouth around it.

I dug my fingers through her hair, swearing quietly as she bobbed her head up and down. I swore again when she fisted the base and started pumping as she swirled her tongue over the tip.

It wouldn’t take long for me to come, not when she feasted on me as if she were starved. My hips pulled forward and she moaned, taking me in deeper.

“Vith,” I whispered.

She sucked me in harder, and I couldn’t help the way my hips jerked in response. Her nails dug into my thigh while her other hand continued pumping. I thrust again, and she hummed in encouragement.

“Teddy, I . . .”

She ran her teeth over my length, not hard but not gentle either. It was the perfect pressure, and with my hands in her hair, I thrust into her mouth. Over and over, losing myself to her as she took me in, her tongue swirling and sucking while she pumped me hard and fast.

I exploded in her mouth, coming so hard, my knees buckled.

Sucking in a deep breath, I pulled her up to stand in front of me.

When she pushed my shoulder down, I lay on the bed while Teddy straddled me.

I traced my fingers over the beautiful swell of her stomach.

She used her hand to guide me to her entrance, and with one swift movement, she slid me inside her.

She fit so well, so perfectly, and then she clenched her walls and Guardians, I moaned.

She rode me, her breasts bouncing while I watched her take control.

“Touch yourself,” I said.

Her eyes darkened before her fingers slid to her clit. The scent of her arousal had me meeting each of her frantic thrusts with one of my own. When she moaned again, I took her fingers to my mouth, swirling my tongue around them as I tasted her arousal.

I loved the way she watched me, her lips slightly parted.

She pulled herself down on me faster, and when I touched her, her whole body trembled. I pinched her clit, meeting her thrust for thrust. She arched her neck back, another moan ricocheting off the walls.

“Elias,” she whispered.

I moved my fingers, tugging and coaxing the way I knew she liked.

Just as I scented her peaking, I changed our positions so that I was on top, slamming into her while I grazed my canines over her neck. When I bit into her soft flesh, her walls tightened as she moaned my name and came undone.

I pounded into her harder, faster, wilder.

Not taking the time to be gentle, especially when she leaned up and dug her teeth into my chest. My arms shook when I felt her taste the small bead of blood she’d drawn, and with her name on my tongue, I came inside her.

Each thrust spilled more and more of my cum as she drew my orgasm out.

This time, when my arms threatened to drop me, I lay on my side, bringing her in closer to me. She cuddled next to me, her fingers stroking my back while I took my time kissing her lips. I leaned down, cupping her stomach as I trailed kisses across the surface.

Guardians, I loved her. I loved her stunning body that housed our twin boys. I loved our family, our home, and the life we were building together.

We were late, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t our tardiness that had Brenton grumbling. Teddy became more animated the closer we got to Respandora, her steps quickening with each bouncy movement. She tugged on my hand, urging me to walk faster.

She giggled when I scooped her in my arms, running so we’d get there faster. I put her back down when we reached Alastor where he stood beside a large boulder. He quirked up a single, sleek brow.

“She was eager to get here,” I explained.

Teddy crouched down, moving the snow until she reached the ground.

“Can you feel it?” she asked, her voice filled with childlike excitement.

Alastor knelt beside her. “Yes.”

“This is home.” She said it with such certainty, such conviction.