Page 27

Finn

When I'd first shifted after I turned eighteen, I'd lost control of myself almost instantly. My basilisk side hadn't harmed anyone or anything, but I'd hated not being able to manage my actions.

But it felt different this time. I still wasn't in complete control, but my basilisk side and I were in sync.

He did what I wanted, as if he wanted it too.

He was careful around Levi, and went fast around the tunnel bends like I wanted to, but he did it because he also wanted to.

For the first time since we first 'met,' we were in perfect alignment, and I couldn't help thinking it was because of Levi.

Well, him and the regular therapy sessions, but I'd felt motivated to go back to therapy because of him.

I couldn't believe he'd spent all this time building this for me. It wasn't small by any means, and I could see the care and love with which he'd made this place. Levi kept doing all these wonderful things for me, and I'd been too chicken to even tell him I loved him.

On my next lap, I shifted as soon as I reached Levi, but since I'd been moving so fast, the momentum had me falling right on top of him. Again.

He wrapped his arms around my waist as he fell back, and I was glad he'd been sitting. I slammed my lips against his before he could say anything, and kissed him like my life depended on it.

My lips danced with his as I worked on the buttons of his shirt, then got frustrated by how long it was taking and just pulled, making buttons scatter everywhere as the shirt tore apart. Whoops. Maybe I'd gotten some of the basilisk's traits during the shift.

I slid my tongue into Levi's mouth as I unbuttoned his jeans, then pushed it and his pants down. Doing this in the dirt probably wasn't the most hygienic, but neither of us was human, so I thought we'd be fine. Levi would stop me if we weren't.

"Fuck," Levi mumbled against my mouth, then pushed my jacket off my shoulders. When he grabbed the hem of my t-shirt and started tugging up, I moved back just enough so he could remove it before kissing him again.

He unbuttoned my pants, and then his fingers slid under the waistband of my pants before sliding over my ass. He squeezed and pulled me closer, making our cocks rub against each other through my pants .

Levi pushed my pants and boxers lower, and I pulled back, panting hard as I met his eyes.

"I don't suppose you have lube," I asked, and he shook his head.

"Wait," he murmured, then put his hand against the ground. As I watched, a tiny sapling popped out of the ground, then grew before my eyes into a small aloe vera plant.

Levi broke the tip of one of the 'leaves,' and liquid flowed out of it and onto his palm while I watched, dumbfounded.

When he held his palm out to me, I broke out of my stupor and gave him a quick, hard kiss before dipping my fingers into his palm and then reaching back for my hole.

"You know, your eyes are still yellow," Levi murmured, a note of wonder in his voice as he cupped my cheek with his other hand.

"I don't completely feel like myself," I confessed, and he shook his head.

"This is you, Finn. It's you when you stop trying to keep parts of yourself separate from each other, and I love it. I love you ," he corrected, his blue eyes warm and so full of love it made my eyes tear up.

"I love you too," I murmured like it was the biggest confession I'd ever made, which it might as well be.

Levi smiled, brighter and more beautiful than I'd ever seen him, and I leaned down to kiss him again as I started prepping myself, my cock brushing against his and making us both hiss .

Levi's tongue slid into my mouth, mimicking the way he'd fuck me as soon as I was ready, and I moaned as I added another finger, moving my hips and slowly rocking onto my fingers and against his cock.

When I felt ready, I pulled my fingers out and wrapped them around his length, giving it a squeeze.

"Fuck me, Levi," I murmured, and his eyes blazed bright as he pulled back.

With a single move, he flipped us, placing me slowly onto the ground. The dirt was soft under me, and I could feel his magic in it. It made me feel like he was holding me himself, and I gazed up at him as I sank my fingers into the dirt, eager to let him do with me as he pleased.

I spread my legs, and Levi's eyes roamed over me as he settled between them, wrapping his aloe-covered hand around his length and coating himself with it.

"You look downright edible, Gin," Levi murmured, and even after everything we'd done together over the past few months, my cheeks heated up at his words. "I hope you never stop reacting like this."

I rolled my eyes, and Levi grinned, then positioned the head of his cock at my entrance. I gave him a nod, and he slid in with a soft grunt.

I moaned as I felt him penetrate me and spread me wide open, loving the way he made me feel. I didn't want him to ever slide out of me, and I wrapped my legs and arms around him to make sure he wouldn't .

Levi's arms slid under my shoulders as he held me to him, and then he started moving, fucking me with slow, deep thrusts that pressed against my prostate every single time.

After the hurried start, it felt strange to get fucked—no, to make love with Levi, but that was exactly what we were doing. Slow, sweet, gentle expression of the love we'd just confessed to each other.

I'd never had sex with anyone else like this, and I didn't think I could've, no matter how I felt about them.

Only Levi could make me feel like this, only Levi could make me feel safe and secure enough to allow myself to experience this.

"I love you," I murmured, and realized my voice was thick, like I was about to cry.

Levi noticed it too, and he brushed his lips over my cheeks before gently kissing my lips. "I love you too, Finn. So damned much."

Our eyes stayed locked as Levi moved, rocking into me again and again like a wave washing up against the ocean, and every movement sent me closer and closer to that crest, knowing I'd fall right over the edge the moment I reached it.

My fingers dug into Levi's back as I held onto him, and when I felt my climax draw close, I tucked my face into his neck, hiding away as my climax hit me and I spilled all over my abdomen without Levi ever touching my cock .

"Oh, fuck," he muttered, and it wasn't long before he came, filling me with his cum as he shook over me. I pulled him close, holding him to me as his limbs buckled and he fell onto me.

A few moments later, he tried to move away, but I held on. "Stay."

Levi sighed, but stayed, turning his head to press a kiss on my cheek.

Levi

This wasn't how I'd expected things would go when I showed Finn his surprise, but I wasn't complaining.

I rubbed my lips over his cheek, and he made a happy, humming sound low in his throat, making me smile. Finn was rarely this relaxed, and I would happily stay like this as long as he wanted.

"Thank you," Finn murmured, and I rose up on my elbows so I could see his face.

His eyes were green once again, but I still got the feeling his basilisk side wasn't completely under the surface yet.

Something had happened today, something that brought the two halves of him a little closer.

Was it me, or the freedom of being able to shift without worry? A bit of both?

"What for?"

Finn raised a brow at me. "You want the whole list?

" He slid a hand off my back and started counting on his fingers.

"Taking care of me all those years ago, coming back for me, not letting me hide away when I acted like an idiot at the grocery store, taking care of me—again, loving me.

" His voice went soft at the end, and I smiled, then pressed a soft kiss on his lips.

"You are an idiot if you think you need to thank me for any of that," I murmured, making him snort.

"And you've done just as much for me, you know.

Back then, I don't know if you realized it, but you kept me going.

I'd been ready to give up before they brought you guys in, and seeing how strong you were for your siblings?

That made me want to be strong too. If not for you, I never would've made it out of that place. "

Finn's eyes flared wide at my confession, and he reached for my face, cupping my cheek. "I didn't know that."

"It's not something I talk about," I said with a shrug, then slowly pulled back. Finn made a face when his dried cum pulled at our skin, making me chuckle. "You're the one who insisted I stay."

"I regret it already," he muttered, making me laugh. We didn't have any water here to clean up—there was only so much I could do with my magic. Now if I was a water mage...—and Finn was not happy about having to put on his clothes over the mess on his abdomen.

"Maybe I'll bring some supplies to keep here the next time we come," I mused, and Finn nodded.

"Good idea."

"Does this mean you're going to jump my bones every time you shift? Not that I'm complaining, mind you. "

Finn shot me a smirk, then shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't jump you because I shifted. I did it because I was overwhelmed by my feelings for you."

I paused in the middle of buttoning my shirt—there were three buttons still clinging on, and Finn had offered me his jacket to wear over it since it was oversized—to glance up at him, and his cheeks went red as he realized what I'd said.

Grabbing his waist, I hauled him close and kissed him hard, in awe of this wonderful, wonderful man. How had I gotten so damned lucky? He was everything I could've ever dreamed of and more, and he was all mine.

"I love you," I murmured against his lips, and he kissed me again until we were both breathless.

"I love you too," he said, his words sounding like a vow.

Once I'd shrugged on his jacket—which clung to my arms and threatened to tear if I moved too quickly, much to Finn's amusement—we climbed out of the portal, and I closed it the same way I'd opened it.

"We can ask Rhiannon later to add your magic to the lock as well. So you can open the portal whenever you want."

Finn shrugged. "I don't know if I'll come here without you, but sure."

His words made me smile, and I linked our fingers together before leading the way back to the trail and the exit.

We were just passing through the main clearing when two men stepped through the path that led to the cabins, also holding hands.

One of them had long black hair with turquoise-blue highlights in a braid that reached his waist and big blue eyes, while the other had golden-brown hair reaching his shoulders.

I'd met them at the clan party, but it took me a moment to remember their names: Devon and Ollie.

"Hey, guys!" Ollie waved as they came closer, and I smiled.

"Hey, Ollie, Devon," I greeted them, and Devon grinned as his eyes scanned me from head to toe.

"Having some fun in the woods, were you?"

I didn't need to look at myself to know I was covered in dirt, and so was Finn. It wasn't hard to figure out what we'd been up to.

"Have you seen this guy?" I asked, pointing at Finn and making him blush.

Devon shook his head, a small smile on his face. "Sorry, I still see the gangly kid who never missed a class and was more respectful than all of the others combined."

"Sounds like my Gin."

Finn grumbled under his breath, then started tugging me toward the exit. "Sorry, guys, gotta go. Things to do and all that."

I chuckled as I let him drag me away, and he didn't stop until we were at my car.

"I know what pet name I'm going to give you," Finn declared as we climbed in, and I glanced over at him, curious.

"Yeah?"

"Ass. I'm going to call you Ass, because you are one," he grumbled, making me grin .

"So when you want to tell me you love me, you'll say, 'I love you, Ass?'"

He huffed. "It's very optimistic of you to think I'll ever say those words to you again."

I laughed, then started driving toward our place, the grin still on my face.

Finn mumbled something, and I glanced over at him. "I didn't catch that."

"Dhal. That's your new pet name."

I pursed my lips, unsure if he was still teasing or being sincere. "Is that Hindi?" I'd been meaning to ask Jai if he would direct me toward some resources to learn his language since Finn knew it too, but I hadn't managed to find the time yet.

"Yeah." Finn took my free hand in his, then placed a kiss on my knuckles. "It means shield."

My heart skipped a beat, and I had to park on the shoulder to avoid causing an accident.

"Finn, that's..." I shook my head, then leaned over to kiss him. I'd happily be his dhal for the rest of our lives, because he was someone worth cherishing and protecting.