Page 34 of Traveler (Soulbound #1)
Aly
The need to find Cario n after everything that happened with his dad had been gnawing at me since family day. The images if him- the look of agony on his face, is an image I can’t get out of my head.
I've been looking for him since last night. but it would appear the asshole is ignoring me. Thankfully one of my mates is the dean and was more than happy to ‘leave’ Carion’s dorm number on his desk. What a man.
Walking down the hall of Earth tower I make my way up to the top floor and stop at room 1205. Does this make me a stalker? Maybe. But hey, if he would stop ignoring me I would haven’t to. If You think about it, it really is his fault.
My knuckles hovered, trembling. Just knock. He’s here. He’s alive. The bandage on my wrist itched, a reminder of the ropes, the basement, the way Carion’s voice had cracked when he begged his father to take him instead.
The door opened before I could decide.
Carion stood frozen, one hand still gripping the knob. His hoodie hung loose, sleeves shoved up to reveal fresh gauze wrapped around his forearms. Bruises bloomed along his jawline, purple and green like storm clouds. For a heartbeat, we just stared
“Alyssa,” he rasped. His eyes were red-rimmed, hollow.
I stepped forward without thinking. He didn’t retreat, but his breath hitched as I reached for him. My fingers brushed his wrist, just above the bandages. “You weren’t in my dorm when I woke up…”
He looked away, throat bobbing. “Needed air.”
“Liar.” The word came out soft, frayed. “You’ve been hiding.”
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t deny it. The door swung wider, inviting me into the dim room. Blankets were piled haphazardly on the bed, an untouched tray of l food congealing on the desk. The air smelled like antiseptic and the faint metallic tang of blood.
I turned to face him, my back against the door. “Talk to me.”
He sank onto the edge of the bed, shoulders hunched. “What’s left to say? You saw what he— what I—”
“Stop.” I crossed the room in two strides, kneeling in front of him. His hands were cold when I took them in mine. “None of that was you.”
“But it was.” His voice broke. “I was trying to protect you- I knew he- I knew he was going to hurt me to get to you. My mom told me how when mates spend time together the bond strengthens. I didn't want you hurting.”
“I hurt anyway. I wish you would have told me what was happening.” I pressed his palm to my chest, where my heartbeat thudded too fast. “But I also can't imagine-.” my voice breaks. “I can't imagine what you've been through. I'm so sorry I wasn't there.”
He shuddered, fingers curling into my shirt. “I couldn’t protect you. Not from him. Not from… me.”
“You think I need protecting?” I leaned in, our foreheads touching. “I need you. Here. Alive. Not locked in this room trying to vanish.”
His breath warmed my lips. “I don’t know how to be what you deserve.”
“Then let me show you.”
The kiss was soft, desperate—a press of lips searching for proof we’d survived. His hands slid into my hair, trembling, as I crawled onto his lap. The bed creaked, but he pulled me closer, his mouth slanting over mine with a hunger that felt like fear. Like if he let go, I’d dissolve.
I broke away, gasping. “Look at me.”
He did. Raw. Exposed. The boy who’d shielded me with his body when the man who had tormented him his whole life came for me. Who’d whispered, “Stay with me.”
“You aren’t alone. You have a family here with us just waiting for you to be ready.,” I said, thumbing away his tear. “Let us love you. Let me love you.”
His arms locked around me, face buried in my neck. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.” I tugged his hoodie off, fingers skimming the fresh bandages on his ribs. “Because I’m not leaving. Not after… this.”
He flinched when my lips brushed the bruise on his collarbone. “Alyssa—”
“Let me,” I whispered.
He stilled, then nodded, his breath stuttering as I traced every wound, every mark his father had left. As if my touch could rewrite them. As if love could be a salve.
Carion's lips slam to mine.
His hands slide from the side of my face to my hair, he uses the new placement to consume me. The air rushes from my lungs, he swallows everything, every breath every moan every thought. My heart is pounding as his other hand begins running from my neck down chest across my belly and wraps around my hip. I’m yanked hard against his body the heat radiating from him ignites something deep within me—a longing that had festered since I first laid eyes on his pained expression in that alleyway. I can feel the weight of our shared history press between us, pulling me closer, yet there's an undercurrent of uncertainty that almost breaks the spell. As I push back against him, my mind races. His touch is electric, and I can feel every nerve ending in my body come alive. But I need to remind him, remind myself, why this is happening. Why I fought through his walls to get here.
“You need to talk to me, Carion,” I manage to breathe between kisses, trying to ground us both in the reality of our situation.
His lips pull back slightly, those ocean-blue eyes searching mine, vulnerable yet fierce. “Firefly, I don’t want to drag You down into my darkness. You have this light, and I—”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I insist, my fingers trembling as they play with the collar of his shirt. “I don’t want to be in the dark alone. We can figure it out together.”
He looks conflicted, his brow furrowing as if he’s wrestling with the very essence of what it means to let someone in. “This isn’t fair to You. You deserve someone who can give You all of themselves, who can understand everything You need.” His voice wavers, frustration leaking through as he turns his gaze to the floor, as if he can physically step away from this moment.
“Then let me help You become that person. Let’s grow together. You didn’t push me away when I needed You; no, you stood beside me.” I take a step back, forcing him to meet my gaze. “So why are You trying to push me away now?”
His expression shifts from conflict to softness, the tension in his body easing as he exhales sharply. “I thought… maybe You’d be better off if I just disappeared. I wanted to protect You from my mess, from my pain.”
I shake my head, my heart aching for him. “You think running away will protect me? Carion, it hurts to see You like this. To see you think you don’t deserve love. But You do. You do deserve it. And so, do I. I’ve been looking for you, remember?”
“I know,” he Mumbles, stepping closer again, as if pulled by an invisible force. “It’s just… my dad. It’s everything. The betrayal, the abandonment. The way he made me feel like I was never enough. He murdered my mom. She was a traveler he wanted to use her. She was his mate, and he wanted to use her. I don’t have a good example-” His voice trembles slightly, and I see the flicker of a thousand memories behind his eyes, scenes I can’t begin to understand.
I reach out, covering his hand with mine. “You’re not Your father. You’re not alone in this—let me in, please. Just give me a chance to show You what love can really feel like. It can be messy and imperfect, but it can also be beautiful if we let it.”
His gaze searches mine, and I catch a glimpse of the boy he used to be before all the pain took root. The tenderness in his expression almost shatters me; it proves that he’s still there, somewhere beneath the layers of heartache.
“Okay,” he finally whispers, the resolve in his voice filled with a glimmer of hope. “But I can’t promise it’ll be easy. I have so much to work through.”
“Neither can I,” I counter, determination threading through my words. “But I’m here, and I’m willing to fight for us—if You are.”
The air crackles between us again, and I pull him close, my heart racing as his arms wrap around my waist. This time, when our lips meet, it feels different—more profound, more laden with promise. I focus on the warmth blossoming in my chest, a budding fire fueled by the notion that we can find our way through the darkness together.
As I lean into him, I can’t help but feel that maybe—just maybe—he doesn't have to carry this burden alone anymore.
He pulls away briefly leaning his forehead against mine his breathing heavy. “Tell me.” His deep voice demands.
“Wha-“ my brain isn’t working anymore; what does he want me to say?
“Tell me You want me. “He growls into my ear.
A whimper leaves my throat, as I process what he said. The words catch in my throat when he moves his hand from the back of my head to squeeze my throat lightly.
“Firefly, you need to use Your words.” His deep words snap me out of the trance I’ve been in
“I want You.” I say my voice breathless. Within seconds his mouth is back on mine. Carion uses the door behind me as leverage to pick me up and slam me back against it.
Every inch of my skin feels like it’s on fire. A blaze that courses through my body so quickly I feel like it could consume me. My hands travel from his firm arms up to his head.
My fingers thread into his hair, pulling him closer as if I can absorb all his heat, all his intensity. The kiss deepens, our mouths moving in a wild dance fueled by pent-up desire and unspoken words. I can feel the weight of the world falling away, leaving just us—two souls igniting in a moment that feels electric.
He breaks the kiss only long enough to pull away slightly, his breath hot against my cheek. “Tell me how much You want me,” he demands again, his voice dropping to that deliciously low growl that sends shivers racing down my spine.
“I want You so badly, Carion,” I confess, the words spilling from me. “I want all of You. Every part.” My voice trembles with longing as I trace my fingers down the contours of his jaw, feeling the rough stubble beneath my fingertips.
His eyes darken, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he watches me, almost reveling in the desire he stirs within me. “Good. I want to hear You say it.” The possessiveness in his tone sends another wave of heat surging through me as I arch my body against his.
“I want you, I need You.” The words fall like a mantra from my lips, a plea and a promise wrapped in one. “I can’t get enough of You.”
With a primal growl, he crashes his lips against mine again, this time with a fervor that feels primal and raw. The way he holds me against the wall, the roughness of his grip, only fuels the fire within me. My heart races as his hands travel down my sides, exploring my waist and hips as though he’s committing every curve to memory.
His touch sends sparks through my body, igniting every inch of my skin as he grips my thigh and lifts my leg to wrap around his hip. The sudden shift leaves me breathless, my heart racing. There’s something ineffably fierce in the way he claims me, as if he’s both asking and telling me that I’m his.
“Let me show You how much I want You,” he murmurs, his lips brushing against my neck, trailing hot kisses along my pulse point. I tilt my head back, gasping as his teeth graze my skin, igniting every nerve as he savors me like a fine wine.
“Carion,” I breathe, my fingers digging into his arms. “Please, don’t stop.”
He pulls back slightly, the intensity in his eyes holding mine captive. “I won’t. But I need You to tell me—are You sure?” The sincerity in his voice breaks through the haze of lust, grounding me in this moment.
“Yes! I’m sure,” I cry out, my voice filled with urgency. “I’m so sure.”
A predatory glint flashes across his face as he captures my mouth again, his lips moving fervently against mine. The air around us thickens with tension that crackles like electricity. He backs me up further into the room, our bodies pressed together, each kiss growing more desperate, more urgent.
In a swift motion, he pulls away again, much to my surprise, and states, “I want to remember this moment forever—this feeling.”
I nod, overwhelmed by the intensity of it all. His expression softens and then transforms into something more intense. Uh oh.
His hands slide under my shirt, sending a rush of warmth flooding through me as he explores the bare skin of my stomach. My breath hitches as he leans down, kissing his way to my collarbone. I’m alive with sensation as each gentle bite and kiss melts another layer of my hesitation, leaving only desire in it’s wake.
“Carion, I—” I start, but he silences me with a searing kiss, his tongue gliding against mine, blending our breath into one.
“Just let go,” he Mumbles against my lips with an intensity that makes my heart race. “Let me show You everything You’ve been missing.”
His hands roam further, exploring the delicate curve of my waist before venturing higher, finding the soft fabric of my shirt. He hesitates, a flash of uncertainty passing over his features. “Is this, okay?”
“More than okay,” I gasp, urging him on, craving the warmth of his skin against mine.
He pulls my shirt over my head and tosses it aside, his eyes drinking in the sight of me.” Fuck.” He Groans sealing his lips to mine again. He reaches his had around and unclips my bra wasting no time sucking my hard nipple into his mouth.
My back arches, his arm moves around to the button my skirt and yanks so hard I hear the button snap from the fabric.
He takes a moment to take me in. Before flipping me and slamming my body into the bed. “I like things a little rough firefly.” If You need me to slow down or stop, just say so and I'll stop. No pressure, okay?” He murmurs into my ear. I nod my understanding.
He pulls back and I hear his zipper lower. Before I can move, he is wedging himself under my hips and suctioning his mouth to my pussy licking and sucking. The suddenness forces me to shoot forward.
Carion’s arm wraps around my hips and yank me further onto his face. He groans and doubles his efforts. Adding a finger to the mix. The speed my orgasm hit’s me stuns me. Pleasure explodes behind my eyes. Colors and sounds feel more intense. Before I get a second to breath Carion is flipping me over and dropping to his knees.
“Again.” He growls.
“Wha- “ I start to stammer but I’m cut off by him shoving two fingers inside me crooking them in just the right way.
“Holy fuck- Carion.” I moan
“I said again Aly, don’t make me force it.” Apparently, the bastard is more impatient than I originally thought because he picks up the speed moving his other hand to use water on my clit. Another orgasm rips through me.
I don’t even realize I’m screaming until he stops, and I feel how horse my voice feels “Oh. My. Gods.”
His dark chuckle both turns me on again and terrifies me. He lines his cock up with my entrance and pauses to look at me.
“Keep Your eyes open, and on me. The whole time.” He demands before slamming forward. I yelp at the intrusion and try to wiggle back.
He allows me one moment to adjust before jack hammering into me over and over again. His muscles bunched, I swear this man is one of the most stunning people I’ve ever seen.
Moving a hand to my throat he squeezes lightly before forcing my head down to watch him enter me.
“Gods, You’re so good, firefly. I love You.” He grounds out as he continues pounding into me. “Give me one more.” I shake my head violently. There is no way
“Do it. Come for me baby. Come all over my cock. I want to feel You squeeze me.” Ah shit. This man and his filthy mouth are going to be the death of me.
He moves his free hand to my tit’s and pinches my nipple before twisting. The orgasm hit’s me like a freight train. I’m writhing and crying? As I feel the bond begin to form. The head slides up my bicep and into my shoulder before wrapping to the front of my neck.
Carion grunts. Moaning his release as his hips writhe with his orgasm. He pulls me to his chest and takes me to the bathroom. He deposit’s me on the counter. Kissing my forehead, he turns and runs a bath.
“Come here firefly let me clean You up.” He sets me in the bath and climbs in behind me. He uses his water magic to wet my hair before shampooing it.
“You did so good baby. Thank You for accepting me.” He murmurs massaging my scalp.
A moan slips out as I relax in his arms. “I would have accepted You day one.” I whisper. Turning in the bath I take his face between my hands. “I promise I will never let anyone hurt You again.” His eyes search mine before he pulls me to his chest wrapping me in the biggest hug, as he cries.
“Thank You.” He whispers.
We spend the rest of the night cuddled up in bed watching movies. This was all I’ve ever wanted.