The Choosing (29 page)

“Ready?” Meren stills his fingers. Just his thumb moves as he traces it around the edge of Jerath’s entrance.

“Yeah.”

Meren slowly withdraws his hand and asks Jerath to turn onto his belly with a gentle tug on his hips. Jerath knows why as soon as he feels Meren’s hands on his back. Smooth fingertips trace over his jaguar tattoo, and Jerath hisses at the slight sting when Meren starts to push his cock inside him.

Jerath growls, deep and feral, as Meren keeps pressing forward until he’s all the way in. Jerath breathes heavily, his fangs extend, and he can feel his claws digging into the furs beneath him. Meren’s hands soothe up and down his spine and urge him to relax.

Jerath senses Meren’s concern and worry through the bond, feels it in the soft touches of his hands. He knows Meren’s trying to be gentle with him and he loves him for it, but it’s not what Jerath needs. The magic from the blessing is hot under his skin, igniting his animal instincts and all the raw, primal desire that comes along with them.

He needs Meren to claim him, take him as his mate, and he doesn’t want him to hold anything back. He tries to convey his feelings through the bond, pushes back against Meren and growls out a warning for him to hurry up and just
move
.

Meren must pick up on what Jerath needs because one of his hands immediately clasps Jerath’s hip while the other grips his shoulder, and Meren slides nearly all the way out before slamming back in. Hard. Jerath roars and braces himself on his elbows as Meren fucks into him, holding him tight and gasping his name over and over.

The air crackles, the magic of the bond and the blessing merging and wrapping around them. It seeps into Jerath’s skin, setting his nerves on fire, and he knows Meren feels it too.

Jerath’s claws sink deep into the furs as his body tightens with pleasure. It draws up all the way from his toes, licking up his spine and out to the tips of his fingers. He throws his head back and cries out his release as it crashes over him.

“Oh
fuck
….” Meren’s pace falters and he digs his fingers into Jerath’s skin, clinging to him as he tenses and comes deep inside him.

The room is quiet except for their ragged breathing. Jerath aches all over, wants to collapse under Meren’s weight, but he feels so alive with magic that he laughs.

Meren grunts and slowly pulls out before he collapses beside him. “Something funny?” he asks, and when Jerath looks over at him, he has his eyes closed, but there’s a smile on his face.

“No.” But Jerath can’t stop the grin that takes over. “It’s just….” He arranges himself so he’s facing Meren and avoiding the mess he just made of their bed. “I’m so tired, I feel like I could sleep for days, but at the same time I’ve never felt so alive and connected to everything. It’s a very strange feeling.”

Meren opens his eyes and grins too. “I know.” He reaches out and lays a hand on Jerath’s waist, tugs him closer, and places a soft, chaste kiss on his lips.

Jerath basks in the love and warmth surrounding them, and his eyes flutter closed.

“Do you think it will always be like this?” Meren asks quietly.

Jerath opens his eyes, but Meren’s are closed again, so he takes a moment to really look at his mate in the faint light of their room. Meren’s bright, blond, sex-mussed hair stands out against the dark furs. His skin is flushed, lips bruised, and in Jerath’s eyes he’s never looked more beautiful.

Meren sighs, shuffling around until his head rests in the crook of Jerath’s neck. It’s so easy between them, and Jerath’s chest aches as he thinks again how lucky he is to have him.

“Yes,” he finally whispers, not sure if Meren is still awake. “I think it will always be like this.”

A
NNABELLE
J
ACOBS
lives in the South West of England with her husband, three rowdy children, and two cats.

An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They’re usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.

You can contact Annabelle via Twitter:

https://twitter.com/AJacobs_fiction, her website:

http://www.annabellejacobs.com, or e-mail:

[email protected].

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