Hellbound Warrior: (Dark Warrior Alliance Book Five) (34 page)

Overcome by the magnitude of the moment, it took a couple seconds before Rhys realized his mother was trying to pry their hands apart to reveal their mating stone. When he lifted his hand, his mom picked up their stone and held it to the moonlight.

Rhys was speechless. The granite rock had become a brilliant rainbow topaz and nestled in the center of the stone was the raven charm that had been on his necklace.

“How did you get it back?” he asked, certain that it was the same charm she had given him all those years ago.

His mom placed it in Illianna’s palm and clasped one of his hands and one of Illianna’s. “It was never meant to be used by someone with malicious intent so it found its way back to me. The two of you have shown the greatest love of all. You were each willing to sacrifice your most precious possession for the other. Love isn’t about taking. It’s about giving with no expectation in return. I couldn’t be prouder of you, my son,” his mom expressed.

He wrapped his arms around Illianna and his mom and turned to his friends and family. He met the gazes of everyone he had come to call family and was touched by the love and support he saw. Elsie was beaming and rubbing her distended belly. Mack was smirking and Gerrick was hugging his mate. They were all there except Santiago. His absence was the only blemish on the day. However, he wasn’t going to allow it to ruin his night.

“Let’s party.
Hey juice
for everyone!” he shouted.

Leaning to whisper in Illianna’s ear, “I’m taking you to our room first chance I get. We have a blood exchange to do.” He laughed at the way his angel’s eyes flared. He grabbed her hand, leading them to the tables of food.

“Blood exchange,” Illianna squeaked, clinging to his arm. She had faced countless demons in Hell and wasn’t daunted, but the thought of a blood exchange terrified her.

“Don’t worry, Luscious. I guarantee you will enjoy it,” he husked in her ear.

She smacked his arm and her wings fluttered against his back. He allowed his fingers to travel up her spine as they walked. He ran them along the inseam, where wing met flesh. She shuddered next to him and he could feel her arousal pouring off in waves.

Her brothers approached and he glanced around for the archangel, finding him talking to Dante and his female companion. “What exactly is this drink?” Araton asked as they came to a halt next to the refreshments.

Jessie chuckled as she stood next to her mate, James. “That would be Rhys’ special concoction. He swears it’s guaranteed to make the women saunter up to him saying,
hey baby
.”

Suddenly, three pissed off warrior angels were in his face. “You’d better not plan on having other women in your bed,” they snarled in unison. Seeing them on the same page was scary as shit.

He held up his hands in surrender. “There is no way I plan to have any female other than Illianna in my bed. Not only do I love her with every cell in my body, but I couldn’t be with another female, even if I wanted, which I don’t. It’s physically impossible for Fated Mates to be unfaithful. Don’t worry, there is no female but my Illianna for me,” he vowed.

“Leave him alone,” Illianna told her brothers. “I haven’t gotten a chance to thank you for giving my wings back,” she said, hugging them.

Sensing they needed a moment alone, he leaned down and kissed his mate. “I’m going to grab you some food. You’re going to need your strength,” he said with a leer. She laughed, but he didn’t miss the way her eyes darkened with desire.

His mother joined him as he made his way to the food. “How long do you have?” he asked when the silence stretched.

She didn’t pick up a plate when he reached for one and he feared her answer, his gut clenching. “I don’t have long,” she replied, confirming his intuition. “The Goddess needs me. I was only allowed to come here for your ceremony because of the sacrifice you made for your angel. The Goddess was so pleased with you that she granted me this favor.”

“Will I ever see you again?” he asked, suddenly feeling like that child transitioning to adulthood, feeling lost and vulnerable and frightened.

She placed her palms on his cheeks like she had done on that day long ago. “Of course you will see me again. Much more frequently now that you are mated to an angel. I cannot leave
Annwyn
, but when you are in Heaven with Illianna, you can visit me in my sector.

Ryhs, I am sorry I couldn’t keep you when you were a child, but I never stopped loving you or thinking about you. I did what I could to look after you and follow your progress. You made me proud long before you ever volunteered to go to Hell,” she informed him.

His mate had given him so much with her love, but now she was giving him a way to be with his mother. He couldn’t count the blessings she had brought to his life.

“I didn’t really understand why you sent me away until I found Illianna, but she explained what you went through. A cambion in his sexual prime doesn’t belong in
Annwyn
, I see that now. And, I will absolutely come see you and bring our children when we have them,” he added, watching Elsie pile food onto her plate as she told Zander the baby was hungry.

“I love you, Rhys. I may not have chosen to be with your father, but I’ve loved you from the second I learned I was pregnant. Now, get back to your lovely mate. I need to return to the Goddess, but I will see you soon,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion.

He wrapped his arms around his mother and hugged her as tight as possible, careful not to break her tiny frame. “I love you, too, mom. See you soon.”

Releasing her, he watched as she walked out of the tent. A gentle hand on his back told him Illianna was there as he watched his mother disappear.

“Thank you for bringing her back into my life. Without you, I wouldn’t have her again,” he told his mate, kissing her nose. “Now, we need to get you some food and
hey juice
. Like I said, you’re going to need your energy.”

“No, you’re the one who’s going to need the energy, baby,” she said seductively.

“Fuck the food and the drink,” he replied, scooping her up and heading to the house.

Illianna was tingling from head to toe and couldn’t believe what had happened over the past couple hours. She had gone from having butterflies in her stomach about her pending mating ceremony to butterflies because her mate had picked her up, whisking her away to make love to her.

And, her brothers and mother had arrived with Raphael who had returned her wings and angelic status. She’d been mated to the love of her life and his mother had come to bless their mating. Life was good.

She could sense Rhys’ emotions more clearly now and knew he was close to the edge. His inner beast was about to break free of his rigid control. But, she wasn’t afraid in the slightest. It was surprising how his desire fed her arousal.

She’d never felt more alive than in Rhys’ arms. She could explore her dark side with him without fear of rejection or judgment. He palmed her breast, kissing her neck as he kicked the door to their room shut. Their room in the island house was much smaller than the one they shared at Zeum, but still lavishly furnished. Lit candles were spread throughout the room, emitting a soft glow. A sliding glass door was open to the ocean breeze and she could hear the party-goers on the beach below.

Rhys placed her on the bed and braced himself, leaning over her. Stretching out her legs, she lifted her hands over her head, pushing her breasts to the edge of her dress, teasing him.

“What now?” she asked, suddenly nervous about the blood exchange. Rhys had assured her that she would feel only pleasure, but she’d had enough demon blood to last several lifetimes. Yes, Rhys was different, but she couldn’t help being uncertain. The blood she had been forced to consume in the Underworld had made her sick. She didn’t want to ruin their mating night by throwing up.

He rolled her over and slowly, deliberately unbuttoned each of her fastenings and pushed her dress down before he ran his hands down her bare back.

“I’m going to take you nice and slow the first time, or do you prefer savagely until my name is the only thought left in your head?” Rhys queried.

“I like the sound of savage first and then you can go slow and drive me mad, and then savage again. Your name is already the only thought in my head,” she grinned up at him as he rolled her over, removing her dress and shoes, tossing them to the floor.

“You’re killing me, Angel,” he groaned, running his hands up her legs and torso.

She arched her back, pushing her breasts into his palms. “That makes two of us,” she admitted, feeling her dark side creep forward.

Sitting up and kneeling in front of him, she urged him to remove his suit jacket and impatiently ripped his shirt open, buttons pinging all around the room. The sensual light in his eyes flared brightly as they focused on her. Allowing herself an indulgence, she placed both palms on his chest and caressed his muscles.

“You are gorgeous,” she murmured kissing his pectoral muscles as her hands traveled to the indentations at his hips. That was her favorite part of him, where his abdomen tapered into a V. “Absolutely perfect.”

“Illianna, you need to stop torturing me,” he begged.

She chuckled and tore his pants open. Her cambion never wore underwear and his cock jutted to his belly button, thick and erect. Her eyes flared as she took in the sight and his pants drop to his feet, leaving him to step out of his shoes and pants.

Her fingers didn’t meet when she wrapped them around his erection. Sitting in front of him, she slowly pumped his length from base to tip several times as she leaned forward and licked his mating brand. Her tongue felt the fire of his skin as she ran her tongue over the horns and halo. He’d promised she would have one, too, and she couldn’t wait. She wanted to wear his mark. He groaned, immediately grabbing her wrist and stopping her.

“You’ve asked for it now,” he warned and her body went up in flames. He could bring her to the edge with his words. And, he always followed through on his promises.

Roughly pushing her to the bed, she lost her breath at the heat in his eyes. She wrapped her legs around his waist, urging him closer. He prowled up her body and dropped his muscular torso over hers.

Bringing his face close to hers, his lips claimed her mouth and she lost all clarity. Her core became hotter and hotter the more he stroked his tongue against hers and suckled her lips and mouth. Each stroke felt like it were traveling over her sensitive clit, making pleasure barrel from her head to her toes. She was close to orgasm, all from his kiss.

Liquid pooled between her legs, evidence to how much she desired him. She ached all over and her hands scrambled over her breasts, tugging at her hard nipples. Her body tensed and she squirmed, breath panting and whimpering her need.

“Easy, Angel. I will always give you what you crave,” he promised, smoothing his hand down her side.

When his fingers parted her slick folds, her hips surged upwards, seeking deeper contact. “Damn, baby, you are so hot and wet for me already.”

“I want you. I think I mentioned wanting it fast first,” she panted, kissing her way across his collarbone and nibbling on his ear. When he groaned, she reached between them and guided his cock to her core.

Rhys resisted for a split second, clearly wanting to draw out his sensual torment. The sensation of his skin on hers splintered her control and she pushed against him with all her strength, and, in his surprise he fell over onto the bed. Quickly she pounced, straddling him before he could make a move.

She paused, poised above his shaft. She felt the blunt head pressing against her wet opening and she moved slowly and precisely, enjoying the way his eyes rolled back in his head. She braced herself on his chest as she slowly impaled herself on his thick cock, loving the feel of him deep inside.

Leaning forward to kiss him, she gasped when she discovered this angle pressed the head of his shaft deliciously against her G spot. A knowing smile filled his handsome face and he reached up to support her.

She released all inhibitions and allowed him to hold her weight and began riding him, letting all of her darkest desires take over. Her hands traveled down her neck and across her breasts, squeezing and punching the turgid peaks. She moaned, throwing her head back as she moved up and down his length.

“That’s it, Luscious, take what you need. Show me what you want,” he ordered, tracing his hand under her wing and fingering the area that drove her wild.

She quickened her pace, chasing after what she desperately needed. Her body tensed, so close to climax. Lost to the sensation, she reached down to play with her clit. Her fingers glided over the distended bud and tiny detonations set off in her core, making her milk him. Her release was quick and not nearly enough.

“Rhys, please…” she trailed off unable to put what she was feeling into words, knowing he would be able to give it to her anyway.

“I’ve got you,” he said, pulling out of her, making her cry out in objection. “Don’t worry, baby, I’m not done yet,” he whispered, flipping her on her back.