Alek thrust his hips forward, sealing their pelvises together. They were both tree-trunk hard, but he didn’t do anything about it, or try to take it to the next level. Bell gripped the back of Alek’s neck and squeezed, still drinking as his beloved encouraged him to take every drop he wanted. Alek was so full of compassion, trust and comfort that it blended into his blood, making him taste as sweet as honey. Bell felt a deep rumble in Alek’s chest as another part of him made his contentment known. Then an overwhelming feeling of pride and power surged through him as the taste of Alek’s essence grew bolder, sharper, until he could hardly take it. Bell pulled away at the surge of energy that coursed through him, staring wide-eyed at the man in front of him. He licked the remaining deliciousness from his lips, unable to leave a trace behind. His eyes almost rolled to the back of his head when the last few drops eased down his throat. My gods. He’d tasted all of them. Every single part of his complicated mate. And he’d be damned if they didn’t sate every inch of his hunger. His unknown want for kindness, love, strength, power… and domination—they were all there in abundance. Alek possessed them all.
For the first time in a long time, Bell smiled a toothy grin.
Bell closed the bite wounds, continuing to pant through what he’d just experienced. His smile was gorgeous and predatory. Enough so that it made Wolf perk up in response. Alek could see how satisfied Bell was from his feeding, could smell his arousal grow until it filled the room. It took everything to keep Wolf down and not pounce on Bell the second he’d felt that tight ass press against him. The sexy vampire was playing with a fire that could consume him. All Alek knew was he was barely reining in his animals. He understood their urgency to mate, because without the sex after his bite, the bond was wasn’t complete. He could only communicate telepathically through their link when Bell was feeding. Most importantly, his animals couldn’t track Bell anywhere he went if the bond was incomplete, and that wasn’t sitting well with either of them. All he needed was to establish a little trust and he could go from there. Let Bell see that while he may have been a fucked-up individual and needed some repairs from within, he’d do his best to always put his mate first and love him harder than he knew possible. Alek believed he could do that without having to consult the Wolf.
Alek closed the distance Bell had put between them. His fangs no longer touched his bottom lip and his smoky, slate-colored eyes were warm and glazed over. He was glad his mate didn’t pull away when he pressed their chests together. He gripped Bell’s chin and lifted his head so he was looking him in his eyes. His gaze roamed freely over Bell’s smooth, pale skin. He was very fair, but not as ghostly as a lot of vampires. His mate took good care of himself and stayed well-groomed.
“You’re so beautiful,” Alek rasped, smoothing one hand over Bell’s satiny mane. It felt amazing against the rough callouses on his palm. His entire body buzzed from Bell’s bite, his dick pulsing and solid, yet he still wasn’t going to dive on top of him.
“And you’re extraordinary,” Bell countered. Alek almost moaned out loud when his mate returned his affection and rested both hands on his chest, stroking his muscles through the thin material of his T-shirt. “I’ve never tasted anything so… so… hell, I can’t explain this energy you give me when I taste you. All of you.”
“I’m glad you believe me.”
“It’s not a question of belief. I’ve seen it for myself. And, I can literally taste their individuality.” Bell’s voice was wistful, not frightened.
“Let’s go speak to your king,” Alek told him, trying to even out his breathing.
They continued to stand there unmoving for a long time. Bell touched his face, his neck, while Alek marveled far longer than his animals wanted.
MATE!
Bell and Alek startled at the same time as heat swamped them. Bell swallowed audibly, but only Alek could hear the monster in him. He hissed at the intoxicating flood of adrenaline it brought with it anytime he surfaced. He couldn’t let him come forward. Not yet. He wished he knew what the goddamn rush was with his animals. Alek understood the prophecy was being revealed, but surely nothing was going to happen that night. They had some time. He had to get them calm. Easy. Alek replied. He slowed his breaths and blinked a few times, keeping physical contact with his mate.
“I think we should do that.”
“Are you sure you’re ready to go outside?” Alek asked. “I was there when Wick first woke at dawn and found himself trapped by the sunlight.”