Page 69

“Stop,” I said, unable to keep the snap out of my voice.

He fell silent, and I felt like shit, but I didn’t need his apologies. I needed him to communicate with me so this never happened again.

Not all drakcol died when their mate passed or separated from them permanently, in the case of outside species, or when someone rejected the Crystal’s choice, but a good portion did, and Don knew that. I gripped his hair. I could’ve lost him.

“Don’t,” I said when his mouth opened. I knew what he was planning on doing, and I wasn’t going to let him. Don had apologized enough. I was just angry because he scared me.

I took a deep breath. “I am going to take care of you, and you will be fine. We’ll be fine.”

“Alright,” he whispered.

God, I felt like a bastard, though my anger was perfectly rational. I closed my eyes and inhaled his scent, relaxing. “I love you, Sweetheart, and you scared me. I’ll get over it and soon, I promise. You just… scared me. Though it is partly my fault. I assumed you knew I was staying.”

Don kissed my forehead. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I know.” I tried to lean back, but Don held me too tight. “I’m not going to leave,” I told him. I hated that he was afraid of that. That he didn’t trust how much I loved him. Dontilvynsan was mine, and I was his. There was no alternative.

He loosened, and I leaned back to meet his gaze. I slid my hands up his body to cup his cheeks. “I love you.”

“I love you so much. More than anything.”

I smiled. “I know, but I need you to love yourself a bit more than you currently do.”

He frowned.

“You need to be selfish sometimes. I can’t read your mind, Sweetheart. You have to tell me what you need, and trust that I’m going to give it to you. Trust that I love you. Trust that I’m going to stay. I trust you, Don, and I need you to trust me.”

“I know.”

“Good.” I planted my lips on his. “Now, this is either going to make you happy or upset.”

His tail tightened on my leg as his breathing increased. I rubbed my thumbs over his cheekbones. “Breathe.”

He shook his head. “Don’t leave.”

I swallowed a growl. This was going to take time. A lot of time, which he could have. I said, “I sought the Crystal.”

Before I could speak, I was on my back and he was curled on top of me, surrounding me. “No,” he snapped. “I will not give you to another.”

I breathed deeply, holding him close as I fought the initial panic of him covering me.

When I calmed, I intentionally started to think about when Don had played the harpsichord.

The joy of hearing him play. The way I loved how his voice sounded.

I grabbed his hand and placed it on my cheek, trying to calm him as he calmed me in the past.

Something unlocked in the back of my mind, and Don’s panic swamped me, but I kissed him, ignoring it and continued to feed him the memory.

Of how beautiful he’d looked. How much I enjoyed it.

Don’s own memories started to surface. How my eyes made him nervous and aroused.

How much he loved me. How much he wanted to please me.

My lips skated over his, teasing him, then I pushed my tongue into his mouth, fucking him.

Don moaned, relaxing further on top of me.

I started to think of when I’d sought the Crystal.

He tensed, but I kept kissing him, tasting him, thinking of the music, our music, our song.

The memory played out, and when I got to where the priest had told me who my soulmate was, he ripped his mouth away from mine.

Shock radiated through him. I wanted to laugh. Don honestly didn’t think he would be mine—even I hadn’t been that surprised. Of course, I wouldn’t have accepted anyone else. No one besides him would ever hold my heart or hand.

“You’re mine,” he whispered, his voice full of wonder.

“Yes. And you’re mine. I’m not going anywhere. You and me are stuck together whether you like it or not. So if you have a pro—”

Suddenly, I couldn’t talk because my mouth was very busy. Don’s joy flooded me. I couldn’t understand Drakconese, but even I had no problem understanding the possessive happiness. We were bound. Him and me. Everything else would work itself out because if we were together, nothing was impossible.

I forced him onto his back, and Don didn’t fight me.

His cock was hard and dripping. With the connection between us, I easily felt his arousal and his desperate need to have me inside of him.

I wanted that as well. I wanted to tunnel into his warm hole and claim him, so Don was finally assured of just how much I loved him.

Pulling back, I ordered, “Wait here for me like the good boy you are.”

He whimpered.

When I broke the connection by standing, Don reached for me.

I kissed his prominent knuckles before heading to the bedroom.

I snagged the lube, then paused. There was something I wanted to give him.

Something I needed. I went into the closet that was right off our bedroom and grabbed it, then went back to Don.

All of the tension in his body leaked out at the sight of me. He opened his legs in a clear invitation. Smiling, I settled between them. “I need something from you.”

He smiled softly and his tail twitched. Don had to have heard what I wanted. “I did,” he said, “but can you say it?”

I grabbed his left hand and asked, “Will you be my husband?”

“I would love nothing more in this world than for everyone to know I belong to you.”

Carefully, I slid the gold band onto his ring finger. It wasn’t the same one I’d made in the dispenser; rather I’d commissioned a ring with star carvings that matched my necklaces.

“You are mine, Dontilvynsan,” I said, kissing his hand.

“Never did I think I would get married. But you are so special and so perfect for me. I know we have to do the whole binding with the Crystal thing, though you haven’t officially consented to be my mate, but I never want to be away from you. I want to spend my life with you.”

“I love you,” Don whispered. “I love you so much, Little Warrior. I never would have thought one as amazing as you would be mine.”

I scoffed and claimed his mouth, laying on top of him. “I’m an asshole, Sweetheart. You’re literally the only person who doesn’t think so.”

He shook his head and kissed me again. “You are strong, kind, gentle, and absolutely perfect for me.”

I pressed the most gentle of kisses on his eyes, cheekbones, the tip of his nose, before molding my lips to his in a slow, claiming kiss. I fiercely thought, You are mine, Dontilvynsan, and I will never let you go.