Page 31 of Tempting the Fae Lord (The Gatekeeper’s Weakness)

Instead of speeding up, he slows. Moves deep. Long, luxurious strokes. So good.

“Oh, yes, there,” I mumble.

His chuckle vibrates against me. He loves to be right. And I love to wriggle and squirm under him, finding my pleasure, taking what I need.

My head rolls back, exposing my neck, and within seconds, his lips are there, caressing the sensitive skin. He scrapes his fangs down the column of my throat.

I shiver. “Please.”

He sucks a mark, then slides his fangs into the flesh and drinks from me. Bliss.

We can do this now because there’s no danger of making me a thrall. I’m a fellow vampire. Safe. Equal in every way that matters.

I relish each luxurious sensation.

Filled, pierced, fucked…loved.

Every thrust drives me toward release. I cling to him with all my strength. My cock throbs where it’s trapped between us. The soft skin of his belly, slippery with my early seed, rubs over me, working me to a frenzy.

“Yes, yes, yes.” I rapidly become incoherent. So close I can taste it.

“Go on, love.” His lips move against my throat. “Let go for me.”

Impossible not to. I cry out as I spill between us, clenching around him, urging him to join me. To come with me. To mingle our ecstasy.

His motion becomes erratic, and he does. We quake, we shudder, we sigh out our pleasure against his other’s cheeks, cool breath ghosting over cool skin.

We roll to our sides, collapsing in a tangled embrace of arms, legs, lips.

His kisses are sweet like I’m a treasure and he will protect me accordingly.

Mine are reassuring like he’s worthy and I’m grateful for him and all he does for me.

After, when we’ve recovered our senses, washed up, and snuggled back together beneath a fresh white cotton sheet, we lie like spoons, him behind me.

With several hours left before sunrise, it’s too early to sleep, but no matter.

I could lie like this forever, in Ezra’s arms, soaking him in.

And I like the warm coastal breeze billowing the curtains from the open window.

Later, we’ll retreat to safety below ground, but it’s nice to bask in the fresh air while we can.

Lately, in moments like these with nothing to do but enjoy his company and let my thoughts run wild, an inkling of an idea has hatched in my mind.

A flicker of a possible future.

And like many of my previous ideas, it may not be a notion Ezra will take to.

Or.

Maybe he will? The more I get to know him, the more I realize his penchant for surprising me.

“Ezra?”

He snuffles against the back of my head, mouth mussing my (sure dreadfully tangled) hair. “Hmm, Mooncalf?”

“I’ve had a thought.”

“Oh, dear. What mischief shall I brace myself for now?”

He’s teasing, but perhaps that’s not such a bad idea.

“What if…” I swirl my fingers over the back of his hand where he’s holding me close. “Instead of swapping the fae babies for human babies—” He does tense a bit here, muscles flexing against my back. “We started…keeping them?”

“Keeping them.” His voice is carefully blank.

I wrench my head around to see his expression.

Also blank. I begin to doubt myself a little.

“You want to raise a child? Children?” he asks quietly.

I shake my head. “No. Well, not anytime soon. I don’t know, maybe one day, but no, I didn’t mean for us to suddenly become fathers.

I meant, keeping them, the same as we do the humans.

In the fortress. In the village. With families who want them.

So that slowly, one baby at a time, our extended family becomes fae and human instead of only human. Then they would live—”

“As long as we do,” he finishes for me.

“Exactly.” I stay quiet for a moment to let him take this in, but I’ve had this idea flitting about for a while, so before long, more words come tumbling out.

“And over time, the fae would mix and mingle and move and travel and talk to other fae, you see. And they would know the real you. So gradually, our realm would also know the real you instead of this nightmarish baby-thieving blood-stealing bogeyman you’ve become. ”

He pouts. “But that reputation suits me.”

I roll over to face him. “No, it doesn’t.”

“But I like it. Keeps strangers out of my hair.”

“All right, fine, you go on and snarl and hiss at strangers all you want. My point stands. We’d have a family as eternal as we are, and you wouldn’t need to dig so many graves in your cemetery.”

“Yes, I see.” He tucks a lock of my hair over the shell of my ear. “The time of earthside changelings will come to an end. If this will make you happy, then I shall do it.”

I frown. “No, that can’t be the reason. It’s not that I don’t appreciate that you prioritize my wishes, but we must be equals. Your wishes are just as important as mine. Think on it. And when you’re ready, tell me how you truly feel about the idea. Even if we don’t agree. No rush. No pressure.”

He lets out a long sigh and closes his eyes. “You never make things easy on me, Mooncalf.” When he opens them, they glisten with emotion. “And I hope you never will.”

“That’s probably for the best.”

“All right.” He smiles. “I’ll give the matter my thought, though I can tell you truly that I like your idea. I’ve no desire to create another Sonja.”

Honestly, I’m shocked. For as long as I’ve known him, Ezra has been dedicated to his duties: guarding the gate, swapping the babies. For him to reconsider so easily is no less than a solstice miracle.

But things are different now. Have been different since the night we first kissed. He isn’t alone anymore. We’re a team. We have each other, and we have our family.

I bring his hands to my lips and kiss the scars that lattice his palm. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Everything.” I stare openly, taking in his bedroom eyes, his sleek, messy hair, his kiss-swollen lips. My Ezra. As much as I like the southern coast, and as fun as it is to see him so far out of his element, I’m eager to return north.

“You know, I miss our bed at home. It’s much bigger.”

“I think we managed all right.”

That makes me laugh. “We did great.”

“But I agree. I miss home. I prefer the ice and snow and blustery winds of the north.”

I can resist no longer and claim a kiss. “We finally agree on something.”

“We do.” He claims another.

And another.

But who’s counting?

The End

Thank you, dear reader, for coming along on Gale and Ezra’s happily ever after!