Page 174 of Lady of the Drowned Empire

I gasped, my heart racing, and then I breathed out, feeling my inner walls stretch as he pushed in, and in, and in, feeding himself to me slowly until he was fully sheathed.

I froze, my body tightening and clenching around him. Rhyan remained still above me, small tremors in his arms. He groaned, the sound a mix of pain and pleasure as he stared down at me, and I watched, my heart swelling, something in my soul reaching out to his. I wasn’t prepared for the sheer intimacy of it—of how close I felt to him, not just physically but on every level imaginable. I felt a thread between us, ancient, unyielding. Like this had always been the way, like we’d always been meant to find ourselves in this moment.

“Lyr, you okay?” he asked urgently. “Am I hurting you?”

I shook my head. I was so full—full of him, full of emotion, full of love—I was finding it hard to speak. At last, I managed, “No. It’s just…a lot. Pressure.”

“I think it’ll help if I move. I’ll go slow.” He arched back, his movements even and precise before he thrust even deeper into me.

Sweat began to bead around my forehead and neck—a miracle after I’d nearly frozen before. Then he thrust again, and this time, I gasped, a sound of pleasure escaping me.

He grinned mischievously. “Like that?”

“Yes.”

The pressure was fading as he ground down, rubbing against me until I was on fire everywhere, inside and out. We found a rhythm, my hips lifting and rolling, seeking out that friction between us again and again. With each thrust, I clenched around him, that coil of desire tightening inside of me.

My hands slid down his back, my feet locked behind him, as I pulled him closer, urging him to move faster.

He rested his hand under my head, brought my lips to his, and kissed me before he began to thrust, sliding in and out, moving harder, faster, almost frenzied. I met his movements, the sensations of pleasure building inside of me, the tension rising, everything coiling tighter and tighter.

Gold light sparked between us, the light emanating from my chest.

The Valalumir. It was glowing, sparkling, filling the entire cave with golden light.

Rhyan’s hair no longer looked dark but golden. His eyes widened, so green, so bright, it was almost hard to look at him. “Is it burning?” he asked

“No,” I gasped. “Just lighting up.” I moaned. “Don’t stop. Don’t. I’m almost there.”

For a second, some emotion flashed across his expression, and his gaze grew distant before he seemed to shake it off and stared back down at me.

“Lyr,” he moaned. “Lyr.”

I shuddered, ready to explode, burying my face against his neck, biting down on his shoulder.

He was now pounding into me, relentless as my legs wrapped around his hips.

The feelings of pleasure rippling inside me were growing, tightening, and expanding until the coil snapped, and I screamed, my entire body shivering and shaking.

The star was still glowing, and Rhyan was watching me as he moved wildly against me, stoking the inner flame again until I was nearly undone. I was riding the wave of another orgasm as his muscles flexed, his entire body going taut, before he gritted his teeth, throwing his head back and growling.

He reared back and pushed into me one last time before he yelled, “Fuck. Fuck. Lyr,” as he spilled inside me.

I clutched him to me, holding him through his tremors until he finally went still, his forehead resting against mine, his breaths heavy.

Slowly Rhyan pulled himself out, and gathered me in his arms, kissing my forehead and nose before planting a gentle kiss on my lips. “Are you okay?” he asked.

I nodded. “I’m good. You.”

He hummed in response, and reached between my breasts where the light was slowly fading. Then his eyes returned to mine and he brushed his thumb against my cheek. “Mekara,” he murmured. “Mekara.”

My soul is yours.

I reached for his face and stroked his jaw, my heart bursting as I answered, “Rakame.”

Your soul is my soul.

He shuddered, a tear in his eye. “My soulmate.” Then his lips were on mine, soft, gentle. “That was…everything,” he said breathlessly, hugging me tighter. His hand ran up and down my arm. “Are you sure you’re okay? Do you need anything?”