Page 62 of Fae Tithe (The Cursed Courts #1)
Lance closed his eyes and rubbed from his chin to his temple along the sweep of her neck.
He repeated the motion over and over. He grinned when he opened his eyes and saw goose bumps tracking down her arms and legs.
He did not know how it was possible, but she seemed even wetter after his scent marked her.
Lance pressed his nose to her and sniffed deeply, still thrusting, confirming she now smelt like him, only of him.
Lance then bit lightly on the spot, testing the pressure of his teeth against Helena’s soft skin.
“More, Lance,” she begged.
With her permission, he dug his teeth deep, pressing hard enough to draw blood.
Helena gave a slight hiss at the pressure but leant into his bite.
He made sure to make enough of a cut, so it would scar.
Lance found it too exciting, pleasure pulsing in his lower belly.
He was now Bound to the love of his life, the reason for his existence.
He felt so privileged to be able to bask in her warmth for the rest of their lives.
The thought of being with her, always, sent him hurtling over the edge.
Lance drew back from his bite.
“I’m coming Len,” he gasped, falling into his climax.
He felt her grip down around his cock and she let out a long, loud moan.
“Me too,” she panted.
Helena rocked herself roughly back into him, finally speeding up his pace, her back sliding against his torso as they came together. Lance groaned aloud as he spilt himself into her, thrusting all the way through his world-shattering climax as he saw stars.
Shuddering, he finally lowered his weight onto her. He propped himself onto his elbows as Helena lay flat on her front on his messy, sandy vest. He made a mental note to give her a sensually warm wash when they returned to the villa.
The Merman continued to Mark her, scratching his stubble along Helena’s skin, careful to avoid his bite so he did not hurt her. Lance relished rubbing his chin and temple over his Bound’s neck and back, grinning as she quivered, breathing in how she smelt of only him.
She whimpered softly as Lance eventually shifted his weight from her. Helena missed the press of his body immediately.
“Come back,” she whispered.
The Merman chuckled as he rolled onto the sand. Flat on his back, he tugged her onto his chest.
“I’m covered in sand,” she warned, as she shifted her body onto him.
Lance shrugged. “So am I. I’ll clean us up when we go back up to the villa.”
“That was…” Helena could not find the words.
“It always is with us,” he agreed softly.
Lance shifted her so she fully lay on top of him, tucking the top of Helena’s head under his chin.
She felt the thrum of his heart lull her even further into relaxation.
Helena gave a contented exhale, the warmth of their love spreading through her.
Her breath blew the strands of Lance’s hair from around her face.
Too soon, she felt the burning pain in her joints and the itch of her scales return. She shifted uncomfortably in Lance’s strong embrace.
“Are you hurting again?” he asked.
“Yes,” Helena winced.
“I’ve got you.”
The Merman placed his hands on the small of Helena’s back. She felt the soft flow of his healing waters pour into her body, a pool of analgesia working its way outwards from the touch of his palms. He was gentle as his magic worked his way through her limbs.
“Better?” he asked.
Helena breathed a sigh of relief at the brief respite from the constant pain.
“Much.” She smiled softly, running her hands up Lance’s biceps as he wrapped his arms around her again. “Thank you. You’re too good to me.”
“No such thing,” he teased, tickling the small of her back.
She giggled and wriggled on top of him.
“Don’t do that,” he groaned, “you’ll get me excited all over again.”
“Oh, and I wouldn’t want that ,” she chided playfully, pressing a kiss to the inked swirls on his chest.
Helena’s eyelids felt heavy as she traced the patterns of blue ink with her fingertips. We’ll have to go back soon, before I fall asleep down here.
She yawned. “Lance, we should—”
“Shooting stars!” he gasped, rousing Helena from her sleepiness.
Lance pushed himself into a sitting position.
He caught her as she slipped from his chest and tugged her into the well of his folded legs.
She felt Lance’s heartbeat quicken as he looked up into the clear night sky, painted with a sea of stars.
Helena followed the direction of his gaze, and her jaw dropped.
“Make a wish!” Lance exclaimed as he watched a river of shooting stars spill across the inky black.
Helena could not tear her eyes away from the bolts of sparkling light.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“You don’t have that saying in Seelieland?” he questioned.
She heard him gasp as a particularly large star danced across their vision.
“When you see a shooting star, you are supposed to make a wish. Because many of Seafolk spend much of our lives in the water, shooting stars are special and an incredibly rare sight. It means that fortune is favouring you and you should wish for your heart’s desire.”
“I already have that. I have you, El, Rose, and the boys. I have Atlas, who is keeping me alive and sharing with me knowledge I never thought I would have. I have my little home… and soon, we might have a whole new home, where we can all be safe and together. I am alive,” she said passionately.
For now. The insidious thought crept in.
It was always there, that doubt. Especially when her pain was bad, and the itching of her arm drove her to near madness.
Atlas tried his best, but Helena intrinsically knew that one day her Dragon would not be able to keep the curse at bay and it would finally take her.
It was why she promised herself to live as much as she could for as long as she was able.
Helena swore in her heart to love her family fiercely, and to keep them safe in her fortified Circle of protection, even if it meant leaving the home she loved.
“I love you, Lance, until all the stars fall from the sky and after,” Helena said softly, the night sky reflecting in her eyes.
“You found your words.” The Merman sniffed and she felt his tears run into her hair as he pressed kisses to the top of her head, squeezing her closer. “I love you too, until the stars fall and after.”