Page 26 of Sanctuary and Spices (Tales of the Ardent Veil #1)

JANI

T he garden wrapped around us in a living cocoon, vines weaving together to create walls of green and silver. Jhrya petals drifted down like stars, catching in my hair as Ronhar pulled back just enough to study my face.

“You have no idea what this means to me,” he whispered, his thumb brushing my cheek.

Heat bloomed under my skin at his touch. “Show me.”

The kiss started soft, questioning, but deepened quickly. Every point of contact sent sparks through my nerves.

The garden responded, more vines curling up to shield us from view. Crystal formations chimed in perfect harmony with our heartbeats.

The festival sounds faded away as the vines wove tighter, creating a sanctuary of silence broken only by our breathing and the soft chime of crystals. The walls of green shimmed with an inner light, Ronhar’s markings reflecting off each leaf and petal.

My fingertips traced the glowing patterns on his skin, marveling at how they pulsed in time with my touch. The quiet wrapped around us like a blanket, intimate and complete. Here, sheltered by living walls, we existed in our own private world where even our whispers seemed sacred.

Ronhar’s hands slid down my back, pulling me flush against him. The borrowed Devaali clothes whispered against my skin as he traced the patterns they created.

“These look good on you,” he murmured against my neck. “But they’d look better-”

“If you finish that sentence, I swear-” I broke off as his teeth grazed my pulse point.

His hands grazed my hips. “You’ll what?”

I twisted my fingers in his hair, using the leverage to pull him back into a proper kiss. His markings flared hot against my palms.

“That works,” he breathed when we finally broke apart.

Somewhere beyond our shelter, the festival continued. Music and laughter drifted past, mixed with the constant hum of the station. But, in here, wrapped in living walls of green and silver, nothing existed except us.

I traced one glowing marking up his arm. “Tell me about these. About the bond.”

“They’re part of us.” He caught my hand, pressing it flat against his chest. Beneath my palm, his heart raced. “They show our connections - to the plants, to the station’s energy. To each other.”

“Is that why they glow when you touch me?”

He nodded. “The markings respond to strong emotion. To intention.” His fingers slid under the edge of my borrowed shirt. “To desire.”

The touch sent electricity down my spine. The plants around us rustled, responding to the surge of energy between us.

“And the bond?” I asked, trying to focus as his hands mapped new patterns across my skin.

“It’s... deeper. More permanent.” He pressed his forehead to mine. “Like finding a piece of yourself you never knew was missing.”

I understood that feeling. The empty spaces inside me that had driven me halfway across the galaxy—they didn’t feel so empty anymore.

As my clothing fell away, every touch amplified through the bond until I couldn’t tell where I ended and he began. The garden bloomed around us in impossible colors, crystal formations singing higher and sweeter with each shared breath.

The living walls of vines cocooned us in our own private world. Ronhar’s hands traced patterns up my sides that left trails of light in their wake, each touch sending sparks through my nerves and making me arch into him. The sensation was unlike anything I’d ever experienced—electric and primal, yet deeply intimate.

“Show me everything,” I breathed against his mouth, my voice husky with desire. “I want to feel all of it. Every last sensation.”

His markings flared brighter as he kissed down my neck, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. Jhyra unfurled overhead, their soft glow painting mesmerizing shadows across his emerald skin. I marveled at how the garden seemed to pulse with our shared energy.

He lifted his head, and for the first time, I truly saw him. Not just the glow of his markings or the sharp lines of his jaw, but the subtle details I hadn’t noticed before. The ridges that spiraled along his arms and chest, faint but distinct, catching the light like ripples on water. They weren’t just markings—they were part of him, a texture that begged to be touched.

And lower, where our bodies met, the differences became even more apparent. His length wasn’t smooth like a human’s but lined with faint, spiraling ridges that seemed to move subtly as he shifted. The sight of him sent a shiver through me—curiosity, awe, and raw need colliding all at once.

“You’re sure?” His voice rumbled against my throat, a mix of desire and concern that made my heart swell.

“Yes.” I ran my fingers through his hair, relishing its silky texture. The action earned a growl that made heat pool low in my belly. “Please, Ronhar. I need this. I need you.”

He took his time exploring, mapping every inch of me with hands and mouth until I writhed beneath him, lost in a haze of pleasure. The vines shifted, creating a living cushion that cradled us perfectly. When his tongue found a particularly sensitive spot, I bucked up with a cry that echoed through our green sanctuary. The crystal formations chimed in harmony with my racing pulse, creating a symphony of desire.

“Ronhar.” His name came out as a desperate whimper. “I need?—”

“I know.” He lifted his head, eyes glowing gold in the dimness. The intensity of his gaze made me shiver. “I feel it too. Every ache, every desire.”

The bond thrummed between us as he settled between my thighs. Every point of contact sent lightning through my veins, building a pressure that threatened to consume me. When he finally pushed inside, the world exploded in light and sensation.

The textured ridges of his length slid against me, unexpected and overwhelming. The friction wasn’t just pleasure—it was something deeper, something that made my body respond in ways I’d never known it could. Each movement seemed to awaken a part of me I hadn’t realized was dormant, and the way he filled me—stretching, claiming—made my breath catch and my pulse race.

The garden responded to our joining, vines weaving tighter around us as we moved together in perfect synchronicity. His marking sparked and flared with each thrust, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him deeper, desperate to eliminate any space between us.

“Mine,” he growled against my throat, hands gripping my hips with a possessiveness that thrilled me. “My mate.”

“Yours,” I gasped, the word triggering something primal in him. In that moment, I knew with absolute certainty that I belonged to him, just as he belonged to me.

His movements grew more intense, driving me higher and higher. My nails raked down his back as pressure built at the base of my spine, coiling tighter with each passing second.

Crystal formations sang higher and sweeter as we chased release together. The garden pulsed with our shared energy, Jhyra blooming and fading in time with our movements. It was as if the entire world had narrowed down to just us and this perfect moment of connection.

When I finally shattered, crying out his name, the surge of pleasure echoed through the bond. His markings blazed like captured stars as he followed me over the edge, our shared climax more intense than anything I’d ever experienced before.

We lay tangled together afterward, skin gleaming with sweat and traces of his light. The vines gradually loosened their protective cocoon, letting in glimpses of the festival beyond. But I was content to stay here forever, wrapped in Ronhar’s arms.

“That was...” I trailed off, unable to find words adequate to describe what we’d just shared. It felt like ‘amazing’ or ‘incredible’ would fall woefully short.

He chuckled, the sound vibrating through me where I lay sprawled across his chest. “Indeed.” The simple word held a wealth of meaning, and I could feel his contentment radiating through our bond.

I propped myself up to study his face, tracing the lines of his features with my eyes. His markings still glowed softly, painting mesmerizing patterns across my skin where we touched. “Is it always going to be like this?” I asked, half in awe and half in trepidation at the intensity of what we’d shared.

“Better.” He traced one finger down my spine, making me shiver with renewed desire. “The bond will only grow stronger. What we’ve experienced tonight is just the beginning.”

Heat pooled low in my belly at the promise in his voice. I shifted against him, feeling him stir with renewed interest. The realization that we could do this again - and again - sent a thrill through me.

“Show me more?” I asked, voice breathy with anticipation.

His eyes darkened as he rolled us over, pressing me into our bed of living vines. “With pleasure,” he growled, the words sending shivers down my spine.

The second time was slower, deeper, more exploratory. We took our time, learning each other through the bond. Every touch sparked new sensations, building a feedback loop of pleasure that left us both gasping. I reveled in the feeling of his hands on my skin, the taste of him on my lips, the way our bodies fit together as if we were made for each other.

The garden swayed around us, responding to our shared energy. Vines caressed our skin, flowers bloomed and released intoxicating scents, and the air itself seemed charged with electricity. When release finally claimed us again, the crystal formations sang so sweetly I thought they might shatter. The climax washed over us in waves, leaving us trembling and breathless in its wake.

We lay wrapped in each other’s arms as our breathing steadied, basking in the afterglow. Beyond our green sanctuary, I could hear the festival continuing - music and laughter drifting on the night air. But in that moment, nothing existed except us, wrapped in this perfect bubble of contentment and love.

“I love you,” I whispered against his chest, feeling the words resonate through the bond. They felt inadequate to express the depth of what I felt, but they were all I had.

His arms tightened around me as his markings flared brighter, a physical manifestation of his emotions. “And I love you, my mate,” he replied, his voice thick with emotion. The words settled into my very bones, a promise and a vow all in one.

After, we lay tangled together in a bed of soft moss that definitely hadn’t been there before. Ronhar’s markings still glowed softly, creating patterns that shifted and changed as he traced lazy circles on my back.

“I never thought I’d find this,” he murmured into my hair. “Find you.”

I pressed closer, savoring the way his arms tightened around me. “What happens now?”

“Whatever we want.” He lifted my hand to his lips. “The café, the garden - we’ll build something amazing together.”

“Together,” I agreed, watching his markings flare brighter at the word.

The crystals chimed softly, their song perfectly aligned with the station’s background hum. Everything felt... right. Like puzzle pieces clicking into place.

A commotion beyond our sanctuary drew my attention.

“The environmental controls are finally stabilizing-”

“Look at these readings! The resonance patterns are completely balanced-”

“Has anyone ever seen Jhyra that color before?”

I laughed against Ronhar’s chest. “I think we caused some excitement.”

“Let them wonder.” He pulled me closer. “This is just for us.”