Page 19 of Gift from the Source (Source of Elementra #5)

Fourteen

Willow

Judging by the position of the sun outside the window in my foyer, the guys are about to finish up what they’re doing, and they’ll be here soon.

With only two days now until the Spring Ball, they’ve been wrapping up everything they can, then they come straight home. Oakly, Gaster, and I stay behind at the palace and do whatever Aurora needs us to, or we work around the relics.

Now that we know a little more about the Gods Binding, it has Oakly beyond fascinated. She studies that thing under a magnifying glass.

Seriously.

She made Jamie explain to Ry how to make one to her needs. They even added in where she can adjust the zoom like a microscope.

It’s pretty intriguing.

She and Gaster asked me a few minutes ago if I wanted to hang out with them in our secret room until the guys got done, but I told them I wanted to read a little while I had a quiet moment.

I only wanted alone time so I could force my mom’s book open, then be like ‘Ha! Guess what my gift is?’

Then not tell them right away.

I chuckle at myself as I gaze around my foyer .

Really, I’ve started calling it my library after Caspian informed me he counted the books in here and there’re exactly one thousand and fifty-six. I informed him that deemed it a library. He snorted, said barely, then shadowed out.

Sweet, asshole ghost.

Granted, the library at the academy has thousands upon thousands of texts, so I knew where his smart-ass teasing was coming from.

Anyways, my plan to surprise them isn’t going as planned.

Come on, Momma, give me something.

My lips flap as I blow out a harsh breath and look down at the words I’ve already read a million times even though they’re imprinted on my mind. No matter the amount of coaxing and sweet-talking I give the blank pages, no more ink shows up.

It’s just not time for my final lesson, I guess.

The last thing I want to do is rush or wish time away. It’s a little difficult to keep that in mind, though, when her potential words are at my fingertips. It holds a secret we’re all holding our breaths on.

Not only that, but every time I open her book, it’s like we’re having our own brand of Mommy and me day that I used to crave so much.

There’s no dire need or feeling like I’m failing everyone because I can’t get the last lesson to reveal to me. That feeling last time was because I was seriously running out of time to figure out what to do about the portals.

This time, I just simply want to read what she left me. I know it’s going to be exciting, even a little eye-opening, and I can’t wait to share it with the guys.

It feels like the last puzzle piece to my chaotic life.

I close her book and set it down beside me, then reach for the other one that was written by CC from his observations.

My book on true Primaries has been so informative and I’ve found that everything in it is true. Yet it isn’t about all true Primaries seeing as Aurora nor Oakly can do everything the book says you can.

But I can.

So it’s a book on true Primaries from my line.

My mom in particular .

We’ve tried and succeeded at everything written here. The guys really don’t like the way it feels having a foreign element pass through them. So we know we can do it, but I stick to only pushing out the element I share with whatever man I’m touching.

With my touch, their gifts increase significantly. Corentin witnessed firsthand by accident. Now, though, he likes to multiply himself for the hell of it. It’s sweet actually seeing him trick people with his clones. Tillman was able to command all his uncles to their knees. Which he was silently smug about.

Cas was able to move Keeper through his shadows without traveling with him. He’s always been able to move objects, and that one time at the training fields he moved me, but he could still see me. He moved Keeper clear across the palace without ever taking a step away from me.

Needless to say, his sneaking around is almost undetectable now.

Draken accidentally forced Dyce to shift with his growl. He was very apologetic for it, but Dyce just beamed with pride. My dragon and I, on the other hand…

He played it off well that he was swooping me away in excitement, but really, he was saving me from embarrassment. My dragon took me by surprise and forced her way to the forefront of my mind. I ripped his clothes off the second he popped us out in the bedroom…

My beast really enjoyed his boost in power.

“You’re thinking about me so hard, little wanderer, I can smell it.”

My shriek echoes around the silent room and Draken’s laugh soon drowns it out as he plops down on the couch beside me. I was so caught in that little yummy memory I didn’t even hear him come through the ward.

“Since when do thoughts produce a smell?” I chuckle.

“They do every time they’re naughty,” he purrs and my face flames.

I clear my throat and tear my eyes away from his promising gaze. “So where is everyone else?”

His chuckle does nothing but warm my belly even more.

“I asked them all to give us a minute.”

“Did you?”

“I did. Whatcha reading? ”

I sense the nervous shift in him, and I cock my head to the side. Whatever it is, he needs a minute to spit it out.

I give him some time to collect himself and tell him exactly what I was doing. He smirks about my failed plan of figuring out my gift, then teasing them with it. His face grows more thoughtful when I explain I was just thinking about how everyone reacted when I pushed my gifts through to them and how much I’ve learned from my book on true Primaries.

“Momma Iris was a badass no doubt. The egg didn’t roll far from the nest, little wanderer,” he says softly.

A slip of longing crosses his face, but he covers it quickly. Not quickly enough that I didn’t catch it, though.

Cupping his cheek, I gently guide his face down to mine and lay a kiss to his lips. “Your mom was too, Draken.”

He gives me a small smile and nods. When he leans back against the couch, he pulls me with him. “You think they would’ve been friends? Well, you know, if both of their situations had been different, do you think they would’ve gotten along?”

A snort creeps out of me as I think about the things I know about both of our mothers.

Without taking into consideration what became of Eryken after the forest, just picturing how she was when she went in. She was strong and so fiery.

They both were sweet, but damn, they also had some sass to them.

I think Draken and I get it honest.

“I do. I think they would’ve been really great friends and would’ve given their men hell.”

“They got along splendidly.”

CC’s voice silences my laugh, and I flinch as his words sink in. Draken’s still chuckling to himself and if not for the shaking of his chest, I’d be completely shocked frozen.

“I’m sorry?” I ask.

“Iris and Eryken spent time together once.”

“What? When, where, why?” I fire off as I sit straight up .

“What’s wrong?” Draken asks, but my mouth just opens and closes repeatedly. I can’t get the words out, so I open my mind for him to hear.

“This was one of those moments I was waiting to tell you about. Two of the three adventures your mother took now affect Draken. It was only fair and best from him to be present to hear it.”

Draken’s eyes widen and a spark of excitement travels through my chest from him. “Well, I’m here now, Uncle Oreo. Don’t keep me waiting.”

“Of course, my boy.” He laughs, and Draken laces our fingers together. “My first request of Iris was to travel to Essemist Keep. I wrote a letter to your grandparents, informing them of what had happened to their son. In my letter, I told them what I could. They know he’s been unlawfully imprisoned and at that time, he couldn’t be freed. I left out what he was being forced to do. I knew it would do nothing but anger them and make them worry more. I reassured them that one day he’d return home.

“Within the letter, I also told them who Iris was, but I asked that they not tell her the words I had written. That your coming needed to be kept a secret. At that point, she had no clue that she was actually taking a letter to her daughter’s Nexus member’s grandparents. She just thought she was delivering news to another realm’s rulers.

“I remember laughing when she returned and told me the Keepers are the most generous and sweetest people she’d ever met. That the vampires had such a bad reputation for nothing. They apparently spoiled her with food, tours, and literature from their realm. They sent the books that now line your shelves in your room back with her. They asked her to give them to the individual who wrote the letter.

“Inside one of the books was a letter back to me. Of course thanking me, but also, they asked that I made sure their grandson one day knew where he came from and where he’d always be welcome. They left you a letter and I left it for you. I know you haven’t found it yet because you’ve refused to open a book, but I believe it would be a nice bonding moment with you and your father.”

Draken’s hand twitches against mine. I clench my fingers tighter around him and use my other hand to rub soothing circles over his knuckles.

Surprisingly, eagerness is pouring through our bond. I was prepared for some apprehension or hesitation, but it seems that my dragon man is looking forward to experiencing this.

“Not at all where I thought you were going with this,” I say, gaining back both of their attention.

“Patience, filia mea, I’m getting there,” CC playfully scolds, and I roll my eyes as Draken starts laughing as well.

“Fine. Please continue at your own pace.”

Snorting and shaking his head at me, Draken unravels our fingers and pulls me into his lap. I nuzzle into his chest to get comfortable and wait for the rest of the story.

“This adventure is what sparked my request for Iris to go and visit someone for me. That someone was Eryken. The Keepers had treated your mother so well, she said it was as though they viewed her as family by the end of her trip. She was both grateful and longed for that experience here.

“Typically, in our Nexuses structure, when a Primary meets her Nexus, each of her members have their own families. So she’d be coming into a very large amount of new family members. Iris didn’t get that. She also knew, one day, she’d never get to meet your Patera-Nexuses or become friends with any of them. It was something she really longed for, and it was just another opportunity I felt like I was stealing from her. It was far too dangerous for me to introduce her to Aurora and her men. So unbeknownst to her, I arranged for her to meet Eryken.

“At that time, Draken, your mother was a barkeeper at a pub. I told Iris to go there, just speak and spend time with her. I never told her who she was. Just someone who needed a friend and some advice. I made sure to pick a night where your mother usually saw no guests and typically spent that time singing to herself and cleaning.

“Lo and behold, a few hours into their time together, they were both drunk. Iris ordered her men to do all the fixing and upkeep around the bar while she and Eryken had a grand ol’ time. It wasn’t but a few more drinks in, Iris drunkenly blabbed her whole life story to Eryken. Everything that was to come, what her blood could do, who her family was. Everything .

“Iris’s Nexus rushed her out in a panic and they never saw each other again. Eryken never told a soul what she was told that night. Instead, she wrote a song about it.”

“Wait—” I shout, sitting straight up once again.

This time when I turn to Draken, his eyebrows are nearly in his hairline and his jaw is hanging open.

“Shit. In the veins where crimson streams flow, ties of blessings begin to show. The essence of the realm comes to start, from the blood of one’s beating heart. One’s blood, many souls twist tight, bonds run deep, but the tapestry fights. Vows we keep must come to light, one’s blood will weave things right,” Draken whispers.

“That would be the song. Eryken wrote about Willow’s bloodline and their future because her big-mouthed mother—I mean, my dearest friend—unloaded her whole life story on her.”

“Oh my God.” A surprised laugh bursts free from my chest, and I can’t stop it.

I swear in my mind, all I can think about is Oakly’s and my drunk night where we rolled around on the rug singing songs, telling stories, and just having a ‘grand ol’ time’ for that moment.

Then I picture my mom and Eryken doing the same thing but in an empty bar. Both desperate for friendship and my mom, for a small fraction of time, finding enough comfort in her that she told her secrets she knew she was supposed to keep.

“I can’t believe that whole time she used to sing that to me, she was telling me your mom’s story long before you ever got here,” Draken says, pulling me back into the moment.

“They made lasting impressions on each other that night. They still talk about it, unfortunately,” CC says with a little sigh that has Draken and me rolling our eyes.

“Give them our love, Uncle Oreo,” Draken mumbles softly.

“I will, my boy. I will.”

His presence fades from my mind and I hum quietly as Draken begins to run circles around my back. It still drives me crazy that he comes and goes so quickly, but this time, I’m grateful for the surprise story.

“I did not see that coming, dragon,” I say as our silence stretches on longer than I’d like. If I couldn’t feel his emotions, I’d think he’s upset with how quiet he’s being. Instead, he’s so content.

“I didn’t either, obviously. But that was nice. I love a good surprise.”

“Those are far and few between lately. Speaking of them, though…when are you going to tell Keeper?” I ask.

Might as well just get it out there.

“Tomorrow. I’d really like to share this with him and he deserves this truth,” he answers immediately, once again surprising me. “Today, I actually came to talk to you about something, though, then this happened and got me all off track. But this just proves that it’s important for me to be open with you. I never know what it might change. It was perfect timing.”

“You’re always open with me.”

If anything, sometimes he’s a little too open.

“Usually, yes, but I have been keeping something from you, little wanderer. Not maliciously, but I didn’t want to say anything until I knew for certain.”

I don’t know how to react to that. He has a small smile across his face, so I don’t think it’s bad, but I’m nervous now. He never keeps anything from me.

Granted, there’s something I’m keeping from him too. It isn’t anything astronomical. Just something I need to figure out first.

I’ll need to figure it out sooner rather than later.

“Don’t keep me in suspense,” I mumble as I crawl off his lap and onto the couch so I can brace myself and face him better.

The hair on my arms stands when he blows out a breath and he rubs his hands together.

“When you were kidnapped and I felt your mates message,” he starts and I instantly cringe.

“I’m so, so—”

He hushes me with a finger to my lips.

“Don’t say it. There’s nothing for you to be sorry for, so just…hear me out. In that moment, Dyce was explaining to the others what a mates message was and how he and Aurora share them. I couldn’t fully grasp ev erything at that time, but I’ve been thinking about it and well, researching ever since. I didn’t want to say anything until I knew for certain. Also, V’s arrival plus my communal knowledge have helped me put the pieces together.”

“Put what pieces together?”

My mind is trying to put it together, but it’s like it’s blocked because this is his information to share.

“A shifter can mark their mate, just like we did, by puncturing the skin with our teeth. When Dyce said what he said, I couldn’t understand it because Aurora isn’t a shifter. All I could think about was fuck, that seriously had to hurt when she marked him since her teeth are dull and it would take a lot of force.

“What I’ve found, though, is…non-shifters don’t have to bite. They just have to break the skin while you bite. They can use their gifts or elements. It just has to be in the moment, with everyone’s intentions of being marked by their mate.”

“What are you saying, Draken?” I whisper.

My heart is pounding in my chest, and my dragon is pacing fiercely. There’s a deep, primal urge coming from her that I barely contain.

“You and the guys can mark each other. You can give them a mating mark if you want and if they want that.”

My dragon purrs deeply and I swallow it down as I try to catch my breath.

“But…you…we. It’s our thing. Are you okay with me doing that? Do you want me to do that?” I ask as I rub my chest.

“I don’t want to sway you either way. This is your choice, little wanderer,” he says as he cups my cheek, but I shake my head.

“No, I need to know. This is big. We had a whole mating ceremony. This is something our dragons shared together. I want to know if this is something you’d like to share with them too.”

I don’t necessarily know how to put it in words what I’m feeling.

The way my dragon is reacting tells me all I need to know about what she wants to do. It’s an animalistic desire to mark them as hers. She wants the realm to know and see who they belong to .

I, of course, feel that way too. But not at the expense of making Draken feel like his mark wasn’t enough.

“I can see the wheels turning in that mind of yours, sweetness. You’re not going to hurt my feelings or make me feel less than by wanting to claim your men. I took all your feelings into consideration before bringing this up to you. That’s another reason why I wanted all the answers and to know for sure this was possible before I mentioned it.

“I can only imagine what your dragon feels like. Mine is so possessive and protective of you. Every time I even look at your hip or run my hand across your teeth imprints, he purrs with satisfaction. Your dragon has to be desperate to see that for herself on all her men.”

She is. She really freaking is now that he’s said it.

“You want me to do this.” It’s written in the depths of his seas of cobalt.

“I do. If I’m being honest with you, I really do. It feels so selfish not to share this with them. For them to never understand what it feels like to have that physical connection to you even when we’re not around each other doesn’t sit right with me. It’s so much deeper than that, but I don’t know how to explain it. Now that I know they can experience this with you, though, I want them to.”

“Draken…” I whisper as I lean my cheek into his hand.

“This is your choice and body, Willow. I will support you no matter what. I vow it on my soul.”

He means that wholeheartedly. I could tell him no right now, and he’d never bring it up again. He’d act as though this conversation never happened. And that basically seals the deal for me.

“You’re so amazing, you know that, right?”

“Because of you, little wanderer.”

When his lips lock softly onto mine, I can’t hold back the greedy purr my dragon is finally able to push out of me. She’s beyond excited and it’s only adding to the fever starting to spread across my body.

“Call them here for me, dragon,” I demand softly.

My body shivers as he chuckles darkly.

Standing us up, he turns us to face the ward and I feel how hard he already is when I push myself back into him .

“Fuck. Don’t do that, sweetness. I’m trying to give you four a moment here.”

“Who said you wouldn’t be joining in this?”

“So greedy,” he purrs, and I damn near whimper until my other three men walk through the ward.

My eyes shift violet and back as soon as I take them in.

Yep. I’m marking them as mine.

Although they already belong to me.

“What’s wrong, princess?” Corentin asks with concern lacing his tone.

You know, selfishly, I never even considered they might not want me to do this. That afterthought douses the rising and overwhelming desire for a moment, long enough for me to gather my composure.

“Draken and I were just talking, and he informed me…” I pause, looking at each of them. Fuck, I may cry—I will cry—if they say no. I’ll respect that. It is permanent. But I’ll be a blubbering mess in my bathroom.

“Apparently, non-shifter mates can mark one another. They just have to break the skin with their element or gift with the intention of marking. While I, the shifter mate, mark you at the same time.”

I rock back and forth on my feet nervously. I’m being just as bad as Draken was about spitting it out.

“Is that what you want, little warrior? For us to mark you and you mark us? Lay your claim on us forever?” Tillman asks with a knowing smirk as he traces his bottom lip with his thumb.

“Yes,” I whisper. “But if you don’t want that, I—”

One second, I’m locking eyes with Tillman. The next thing I know, I’m pinned against Draken with shadows crawling over my body and a hand gently flexing around my throat.

“You’re going to sink those teeth into me, Primary,” Cas says low as he runs his nose softly down my face. “Mark me as yours for the whole fucking realm to see.”

I suck in a sharp gasp as the air in the room hits me.

His shadows sliced my clothes to shreds.

With no warning at all, he grips me on the back of my thighs and lifts me up. Then sinks me down on his dick all in one move .

A drawn-out moan pours from my throat as I savor the delicious feeling of being stretched. I was already soaking wet because of Draken and now I’m shaking in satisfaction.

His icy skin beneath my fingertips doesn’t extinguish the fire already burning in my belly. If anything, the little electric shocks I get from him only add to the intensity.

“Do as I said, sweet Willow.”

My fingers wrap around the hand holding my throat and I bring it to my mouth. I lay soft kisses along his scarred knuckles down his wrist to where his tattoos end.

There’s the smallest patch of skin that isn’t blemished by his battles or artwork.

It’s where I always wrap my own shadows.

That’s where I want my mark to lie forever.

With a final kiss to my spot, my eyes shift as they meet his. The desire burning in front of me has my dragon purring.

I sink my teeth in.

His groan wraps around me and all there is, is him.

There’s a small pinch of pain around both my own wrists, but it’s quickly washed away by unquenchable need.

His thrusts pick up as he pounds into me and I don’t release him. I keep his wrist in my mouth as stars burst behind my eyes.

As he comes, it drags me right over the edge and our marks glow.

I scream as an orgasm just as strong as when Draken and I did this rips through me.

My eyes don’t shift back as he kisses my wrists softly. His lips trail up my arm, neck, and finally they lie softly on my mouth.

“You’re my soul, Primary. I’ll wear this proudly.”

His sweet words nearly bring tears to my eyes, but my desire rises like a tide, and he sees it. He matches it with a dark look of his own as he carries me and passes me over to Tillman.

I always expect dominating and dirty words from my gentle giant. His secret, filthy side is delicious. Right now, though, he looks down at me like I’m precious. Worthy and strong .

He leans his head down and captures my lips in a devouring kiss.

I’m so caught up in him, I barely notice him laying me back on the couch.

His lips never leave mine as he pushes into me agonizingly slow. I was just spread and prepped for him, yet he seems to stretch me even more with every gradual inch that enters me.

Each shift of his hips is too much but not enough.

I’m growing dizzy.

His long, drawn-out pumps grind against my clit and every thrust goes deeper until I feel them in my gut. The rhythm of his strokes changes and my heartbeat speeds up to match it.

The buildup was perfectly torturous, but now he drills into me like he’ll die if he doesn’t get as far inside of me as he can. I’m on the edge of breaking apart.

At any moment, my body’s going to split apart for him.

And he’ll put me back together.

When my belly starts tightening, he lays his hand on it.

“Mark me, little warrior.” His deep voice makes me shiver.

“I need your hand,” I softly pant.

His element coats us.

The strength of it holds me up and gives himself the balance he needs without using his hands.

Only he could do that.

I kiss the inside of his palm. Then I seal my mouth on the junction between his thumb and index finger.

Right where his hand perfectly wraps around my throat or the back of my neck.

The cramp in my stomach rolls right into an orgasm that has my back arching. His fingers caress my scar that the dagger I took for him put there.

The light shining from where my teeth pierce his skin nearly blinds me, but I can’t take my gaze off the ecstasy on his face. The pure pleasure in his emerald eyes when he finishes has my hand reaching up to cup his cheek.

“You’re my hero, Willow.”

“And you’re my strength. ”

He leans his forehead down to mine and our heavy breaths mingle. I embrace the peaceful, sweet break, but it isn’t long and I’m clenching around him. I need more.

I need one more.

My legs wouldn’t work right now even if I wanted them to and he knows it.

He easily picks me up, but we don’t go far.

Corentin’s seated in the corner of the sectional and my violet eyes eat him up. His arm lies lazily over the back of the seat and his thighs are spread wide. Those perfectly ironed dress pants don’t hide a thing from me, though.

“Sit her on her throne, Tillman,” he says as he pats his lap.

The amber in his eyes makes it impossible for me to draw air into my lungs. They’re so intense. I’m trapped in his gaze.

My hands run up his chest and settle on his shoulders as I get myself comfortable. The bulge in his pants makes me grind down and I shiver from the groan that leaves him.

His voice is low, drenched in need when he asks, “Where are you laying your mark, princess?”

“The same place you’re going to leave yours.”

My earth element glides down his body as I strip him of the barrier blocking me.

A small smirk crosses his lips as he grabs my hips and lifts me up until his tip presses against me. “Take what you want, princess. It’s all yours.”

I do just that.

I sink all the way down until he’s fully seated inside of me.

My nails dig into his shoulders for balance as I rotate between bouncing up and down and grinding my clit against him. The sensation is mouthwatering and overwhelming. I fully embrace it.

“You know better.” His chest rumbles and my eyes fly back open.

I fall right back into his commanding gaze. The softness reflected at me is so different than the tone he just used. It nearly pushes me off the edge.

His hands travel all over my body. They trace my sides and continue their way up until one lies gently on my heart. The other tangles into the back of my hair and he guides my face down.

I lay a kiss to his heart. Then I bite.

My chest heats from the warmth in his hand. It sparks a flame against my incredibly short fuse, and I detonate.

He follows right along with me and his gift bursting free snatches mine out as well. Between the glow from our marks and our light, we’re shining brighter than the sun outside.

My lips linger on the already healing teeth imprints on his heart and his fingers trail up and down my spine.

“Best mating ceremonies ever. Fuck, I’m so glad I got to witness this.”

The elation in Draken’s voice has me grinning from ear to ear against Corentin’s chest. The love directed at him from his brothers is what pulls at my heartstrings, though.

My sweet, selfless dragon.

I use Corentin’s chest to push myself up and he shoots me a knowing wink as he helps me off his lap.

On wobbly legs, I turn to face my dragon. He’s smiling brightly at Caspian and Tillman, pulling them in for hugs they reluctantly return. Although those sly smirks don’t fool me.

I wiggle out my fingers and prepare myself for what I’m about to cause.

Fuck, I can take one more.

My dragon comes to the helm of my consciousness, giddy and ready to provoke her mate.

The purr that leaves my chest is not soft or sweet. It’s demanding. One laced with enough desire, his beast has no choice but to answer.

His growl wraps around my body just as his arms do.

One second, I’m facing straight ahead, the next, my face is in the couch with my ass in the air.

The bite of his fingers tangling in my hair and pulling my head back feels just as good as the hand biting into my mating mark on my hip .

He enters me in one savage thrust and I meet each one with my own from there. I don’t try to dominate his movements nor does my dragon. We take the brutal pounding because that’s what we wanted.

Our predator to claim his prey.

He comes with a roar of my name, and I quiver around him as it shakes me down to my bones.

My dragon purrs in satisfaction of getting everything she wanted plus more. His dragon responds with an equally content noise that has me going limp in his arms.

“Fucking hell, Draken,” Cas breathes as Draken gathers me in his lap and I lay my head to his chest.

“Bad sweetness. You know better than to taunt my beast like that.”

I smile smugly as my eyes fall shut.

“No, no, I don’t. I can have my mates however and whenever I see fit.”

My Nexus. My soul mates.

Now they have marks to show off to the realm.