Page 45 of Crossing Between

Elias's eyes searched mine, the glow in them intensifying. "What do you want, Zoey?" His voice was low, almost a growl.

The question hung between us, weighted with possibility. My heart hammered against my ribs as I gathered my courage. There was no going back after this, but I didn't want to go back. I wanted to move forward.

"You," my voice barely audible even to my own ears. I cleared my throat and tried again, more firmly this time. "I want you, Elias. All of you."

His breath caught, his pupils dilating until his eyes were almost entirely black save for that otherworldly glow. "Are you certain?" His tentacles curled and uncurled at his sides, betraying his agitation. Or was it anticipation?

In answer, I stepped forward, closing the distance between us. I placed my palm against his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart beneath my fingertips. "I've never been more certain of anything in my life."

For a heartbeat, he remained perfectly still.

Then, with a groan that seemed torn from deep within him, he surged forward, capturing my lips with his.

This kiss was different from the ones we'd shared earlier, it was deeper, hungrier, more desperate.

His tentacles wrapped around me, lifting me effortlessly as he carried me into my bedroom.

He laid me on the bed with surprising gentleness, his tentacles withdrawing just enough to give me space. His eyes, those beautiful, inhuman eyes, roamed over me with such naked longing that I felt myself flush from head to toe.

"Tell me if you want to stop," his voice was rougher than I'd ever heard it. "At any point."

I nodded, unable to form words as he slowly began to undress me.

His tentacles assisted his hands, caressing each newly exposed inch of skin with a touch so light it made me shiver.

When I was finally bare before him, he paused, drinking me in with such admiration that any self-consciousness I might have felt evaporated.

"Your turn," I managed as I reached for him.

He smiled, a predatory flash of teeth that sent a thrill through me, and obliged. I watched, mesmerized, as he revealed himself to me. The broad planes of his chest, the defined muscles of his abdomen, and the trail of hair that led downward.

I swallowed hard as he removed his last article of clothing. He was magnificent, every part of him. Human and kraken alike, a perfect blend of both worlds.

When he joined me on the bed, I reached for him eagerly. Our bodies pressed together, skin to skin, and I gasped at the sensation. It was like electricity arcing between us, flowing through every point of contact.

"Do you feel that?" he whispered against my lips.

"Yes," I breathed, understanding he meant more than just the physical touch. There was something else happening. Something magical.

As his lips traced a path from my mouth to my jaw and down my neck, I became aware of a strange tingling sensation. It was as if my soul was reaching out to his, tendrils of my essence seeking his. My Soulbinder magic recognized something kindred in his kraken nature.

"Our magic," I gasped as he found a particularly sensitive spot just below my ear.

"I know," he growled, the vibration of his voice against my skin sending shivers down my spine. "I can feel you, Zoey. All of you."

His tentacles explored my body with a curiosity that was both innocent and deeply erotic.

They mapped the curve of my waist, the swell of my breasts, the arch of my back as I pressed closer to him.

One tentacle trailed down my stomach, pausing just above the juncture of my thighs, a silent question.

"Please," I was beyond pride or hesitation now.

Elias smiled against my skin, then began to move down my body, his mouth following the path his tentacles had blazed. When he reached my breasts, he took his time, lavishing attention on each one until I was squirming beneath him, desperate for more.

"Patience, kaerasta ," the foreign endearment sending a fresh wave of heat through me.

By the time he settled between my thighs, I was trembling with need. His eyes met mine, glowing with that unearthly light, as he placed soft kisses along my inner thighs. I clutched at the bedsheets, my breathing ragged with anticipation.

The first touch of his tongue against me had me arching off the bed with a cry. He was methodical, exploring me with the same careful attention he'd shown the rest of my body. And then, oh gods, I felt something else, something unlike anything I'd ever experienced.

One of his tentacles had joined his mouth, the sucker at its tip creating the most exquisite pressure against my clit. The dual sensation was overwhelming, his warm tongue delving inside me while the cool, firm suction of his tentacle worked small circles over that sensitive bundle of nerves.

"Elias," I gasped, my hips lifting of their own accord to press closer to his mouth. "That's, oh my god!"

He hummed in approval, the vibration adding yet another layer to the pleasure building within me. His free hand came up to hold my hips in place as I began to writhe uncontrollably. The suction intensified, rhythmic now, in sync with the movements of his tongue.

The pressure built and built and I could feel our magic intertwining, enhancing every sensation, creating a feedback loop of pleasure that spiraled higher and higher.

When the release finally came, it was like nothing I'd ever felt before.

A supernova of sensation that exploded outward from my core, sending waves of pleasure crashing through my entire body.

I cried out his name, my back arching so sharply it almost hurt.

Through the haze of my orgasm, I saw tendrils of light emanating from my skin, reaching out to twine with similar luminous threads emerging from Elias.

They pulsed in time with my heartbeat, blue and gold interweaving in a spectacular light show.

As I floated back to earth, Elias crawled up my body, his expression a mixture of awe and desire.

"That was..." he trailed off, seemingly at a loss for words.

"Magical," I supplied with a breathless laugh. "Literally."

He smiled, leaning down to kiss me softly. I could taste myself on his lips, a reminder of the intimacy we'd just shared.

"I want to feel you inside me," the lingering effects of my orgasm already giving way to a renewed desire.

Elias groaned, his tentacles tightening around me reflexively. "How do you want me?" The restraint in his voice was evident. He was holding back, giving me control.

In answer, I pushed gently against his chest. Understanding my intent, he rolled onto his back, bringing me with him so that I straddled his hips. I sat up, reveling in the way his eyes devoured me from this new angle.

"Like this," I lifted myself up on my knees. "I want to see your face when I take you."

A low, rumbling sound emerged from his chest. Not quite human, not quite animal. His hands came to rest on my hips, steadying me as I reached between us to guide him to my pussy.

The first stretch as I sank down on him drew a gasp from us both. He filled me completely, perfectly, as if we had been designed for each other. I paused when he was fully seated within me, savoring the sensation and giving my body time to adjust.

"You feel incredible," his thumbs traced small circles on my hipbones. "So perfect."

I began to move, slowly at first, rising and falling in a gentle rhythm. Elias matched my pace, his hips rising to meet mine on each downstroke. His tentacles wrapped around my thighs, my waist, even curling up to tease my breasts, adding layers of sensation to each movement.

Our magic continued to mingle, growing stronger with each passing moment. I could feel it flowing through me, through him, connecting us on a level deeper than the physical.

As our pace quickened, I leaned forward, bracing my hands on his chest. The change in angle had him hitting a spot inside me that made stars explode behind my eyelids. His name fell from my lips like a prayer, over and over again as the pleasure mounted.

"Zoey," his control visibly slipping. "I'm close!"

"Me too," I managed, my movements growing erratic as I chased my second release. "Come with me, Elias. Please."

His tentacles tightened around me, one slipping between us to press against my clit. That was all it took to send me hurtling over the edge again, my pussy clenching around him as wave after wave of pleasure crashed through me.

Elias followed immediately, his back arching off the bed as he found his own release. I felt him pulsing inside me, filling me with his cum. Our magic exploded around us in a brilliant display of light and color, illuminating the room like daybreak.

I collapsed onto his chest, trembling and spent. His arms and tentacles wrapped around me, holding me close as we both struggled to catch our breath. For a long moment, neither of us spoke, content to simply exist in the aftermath of what we'd shared.

Slowly, our heartbeats returned to normal, our breathing evened out. Elias pressed a kiss to the top of my head, his tentacles gently stroking my back.

"Bath?" he suggested softly. "You must be tired."

I nodded against his chest, too drained to form words. With an ease that still amazed me, his tentacles lifted me as he stood from the bed. He carried me to the ensuite bathroom, cradling me against his chest as if I weighed nothing at all.

The bathtub filled quickly, steam rising from its surface as Elias carefully lowered us both into the warm water. I sighed in contentment as the heat soothed my pleasantly sore muscles.

With the same kindness he'd shown earlier, Elias proceeded to wash me, his hands and tentacles gentle as they glided over my skin. He massaged shampoo into my hair, rinsed it with such care that not a drop fell into my eyes. It was the most tender thing anyone had ever done for me.

When we were both clean, he helped me from the tub and dried me with the same attentive care, wrapping me in a fluffy towel before seeing to himself. We returned to the bedroom, where he had somehow managed to change the sheets while I was distracted.

We slid beneath the clean linens, my body automatically curling into his. His tentacles had mostly receded now, though one still wrapped loosely around my waist, a possessive touch that I found comforting rather than constraining.

In the peaceful quiet that followed, surrounded by his warmth and the lingering glow of our shared magic, I finally found the courage to voice the thought that had been growing in my heart.

"Elias?" My voice was soft in the darkness.

"Hmm?" His response was drowsy, content.

I took a deep breath, gathering my courage. "I think I'm falling in love with you." Before he could respond, I continued in a rush, "And not just you. Varon and Kenji too. Is that crazy? Am I crazy for feeling this way about all three of you?"