Bell eyes were closed, his head resting on Alek’s shoulder. Shallow, panting breaths slipped from his parted lips, making sweet sounds in Alek’s ear. His cock got harder and his gums burned to drop his canines, the more pliant Bell became under his touch. His hands were so slippery it wouldn’t have taken but a slight nudge and he’d have his finger buried inside his mate. Alek refused. Not until Bell was one hundred percent. When Bell’s ass was clean enough for him to eat off, he moved his hands up to his head, working some of the foamy suds into the tangles in his hair. He held Bell around his waist with one hand, and with the other he took the conditioner and poured some throughout the long inky-black tresses. Bell made the loudest groans when he massaged the conditioner into his scalp. Soon Bell’s long hair was softened enough to work the tangles free.
“Where’d you learn this?” Bell whispered.
“I have a baby sister, remember. And since I was a big-ole mama’s boy, I used to sit on the floor in the living room and watch her while she did Farica’s hair. She’d tell her all these wild stories and I’d be pretending to read a comic book all the while paying attention to everything she did and every word she said.”
After many, many strokes with the hair brush, Bell’s hair looked like it was supposed to. Alek surveyed his work, feeling proud. Bell’s hair lay slick and sexily against his head, not a single tangle to be found. “There.” Alek kissed Bell on his temple. “All done.”
Bell leaned back in Alek’s arms, his heavy-lidded eyes on him. When Alek saw the corners of Bell’s lips turn up in the corners he raised a brow at him. “Feeling better?”
Bell nodded, reassuring Alek he’d done well. He returned them to the middle of the deep cove to give them a final rinse when he noticed the huge drop in the water’s temperature. Bell watched him, watched Alek’s eyes closely and saw the moment when he summoned his demigod’s powers, igniting his irises. Alek’s body began to heat with Bell still holding him close. He wasn’t nervous, he trusted Wrath. The water was warming but Bell stayed safe in his arms, perhaps the same way that Wrath’s flames didn’t burn Alek, because their blood also flowed through Bell.
Alek’s body began to simmer down as the steam billowed into the frosty air. Bell’s affectionate gaze was on Alek’s mouth when he licked his lips and uttered one word, “Kiss.”
All Bell wanted was Alek’s lips on his—those hot, steamy lips. He’d never been enfolded in so much warmth, and security, and passion, mixed with power, then even more heat. It’d all set Bell ablaze. Alek was everything. Absolutely everything.
“You like kissing me, Belleron?” Alek asked against Bell’s mouth, in that deep, growly drawl that made Bell’s cock twitch back to life.
All he could do was nod and wait impatiently, with his mouth parted, for Alek to give him what he desired. He shivered when Alek ran his tongue over his bottom lip, then flicked the top one, teasing him in the meanest way. Bell wanted him to suck on his entire mouth like his Beloved had done before. Alek slanted his head and nibbled some more before inching around to his cheek. Bell hissed, chasing his mouth.
Alek’s sexy chuckle only made him more frustrated. Bell got a good grip on the back of Alek’s neck and pulled him closer, slamming their mouths together. Oops. Alek laughed between Bell’s desperate peppering of kisses. He wanted it so much that he couldn’t catch his breath, the yearning strangling him. He unintentionally nicked Alek’s bottom lip with one of his fangs, causing a couple of drops of blood to fall onto his tongue. Bell moaned, sucking on Alek’s lips for dear life.
“You’re getting stronger.” Alek sighed, when Bell’s mouth ventured to his throat. “Couple more feedings, baby, and we get to go home…. then you’re all mine. And if you refuse to go to my cabin with me this time… well then…”
Bell guessed Alek wanted him to come up with his own conclusions of what would happen. Which he did, and he liked every naughty one he thought of. There’d be nothing in the world that could stop him from bonding fully with his beloved when they got home. To think their pride had almost gotten the best of them. Having a fated mate didn’t mean that all would be perfect, like in a fairytale. Even with the strong connection, being together would still take work, dedication and commitment in order for them to be truly happy.
Bell’s fangs tingled to descend and his throat warmed for a whole other reason. It wasn’t from soreness, but hunger. Alek reared back to look at him with those beautiful, pale-blue eyes.