CHAPTER TEN
Nathaniel
The moment Geraldine exposed her throat to me was the moment I knew I had to mark her.
I couldn’t risk another species attempting to lay claim to what was mine. I took my time with her body, decorating every layer of her with affectionate kisses. Her mewls and moans sent shivers down my spine as I traveled south, nudging my nose into the apex of her thighs.
A moan vibrated her body and caused me to chuckle as I removed the layers of clothing that were preventing me from accessing her delectable curves. Nothing could prevent me from worshiping her. No one could keep from me protecting her.
I tore away her panties and buried my mouth into her muff, and her mewls of ecstasy rapidly shifted into cries of rapture. Each lap gave way to her twitching channel and I licked that, too, being sure to mark every inch of her in reach. Without losing my rhythm, I slid two fingers into her channel and nudged her gently, pushing more moans of satisfaction from her lips.
Her fingers tangled into my hair as I laved her clit, circling the throbbing nub with dedicated strokes as I fingered her. As her thighs clenched around my head, I chuckled, the vibrations tickling her in ways that she had likely never considered. I wanted nothing more than to transport her to a world of bliss, one where only her and I existed.
Sweet nectar greeted my tongue and soaked my mouth, easing my rhythm to slick, long strokes. When I had licked my fill, I rose from her pink muff and wiped my mouth, keeping my fingers steady inside her. Drunken lust coated her features as she struggled to open her eyes.
I smirked mischievously, rising between her legs and marking a path of kisses to her throat. As much as I wanted to claim her now, I had to wait for the right moment. Mates didn’t just cement their bond with a bite—it was so much more than that.
It was so much more intimate than that.
One quick movement replaced my fingers with my cock, my length filling her to brim with heat. Sliding inside her was easy like a sheathing a sword that had been properly oiled. I groaned as I beheld her beauty, her surrender evident on her face.
When she finally opened her eyes, she focused on me and only me, her pupils widening to soak in every aspect of my image. I slid into her channel fervently and retracted quickly, returning with slow thrusts that caused her to whimper uncontrollably.
Her lower lip quivered. I kissed her mouth, coating each moan that rose from her with affection of my own, showing her precisely what she meant to me—which was everything. She was everything. She was my mate.
Jaw tensing, I bowed over her and pumped feverishly between her legs, listening to the satisfying smack of our skin meeting repeatedly. I tuned into her body, listening to the way she moaned, focusing on the way she grabbed my skin, and sensing the heat rising in her torso. In one fluid motion, I leaned back and tugged her into my lap, hardly breaking my stride.
She groaned with delight as she took over my rhythm, rolling her hips sensually while pressing tightly to my torso. Her arms wrapped around my shoulders as she sought my lips. I took her chin in my hand, commanding her to bend to my will.
And she did. Gladly, she exposed herself to me again.
“Daddy is going to make sure,” I whispered hungrily, a growl dancing around the edge of my words, “that no one ever tries to claim you again.”
“Please, Daddy,” she begged. “Keep me forever. Mark me.”
My cuspids extended, teeth elongating to fine points for me to use as I wanted—and what I wanted more than anything was to make sure Geraldine remained mine forever.
I plunged my fangs into her neck, biting precisely where I knew everyone could witness our bond. I pulled blood into my mouth, feeling the rush of her heart beating rapidly as her hips picked up speed. She tensed in my arms as I released her neck and lapped at the tiny rivers of blood trickling down her neck, her breasts, her chest.
Moments later, she burst in my arms, throwing her head back as passion overwhelmed her. She chanted my name like a prayer she couldn’t shake and convulsed viciously, pausing only when she finally collapsed in my arms. I held her firmly as I rammed into her channel, releasing my load seconds after her.
Cool, comforting sheets greeted my cheek. I blinked lazily, trying to focus on my surrounding as I realized how hard I had erupted. When I lifted my head, Geraldine was peacefully resting beside me. Aside from a red welt that resembled scar tissue mixed with a hickey, no wound was present. It had already healed.
Our bond was sealed.
I swallowed hard, my throat clicking. Sure, the ritual we just did made obvious the fact that she was mine, but I wanted so much more than that. I wanted to make sure every creature on this earth was aware of my possession of her.
So, while she was sleeping, I slipped out of bed and dressed myself quietly, retreating to one of the reserved rooms on the fourth floor of the estate. I plucked what I needed from a box hidden behind a painting and returned, walking quietly to the bed where my mate roused from her sleep.
She sniffed the air without opening her eyes. “Nathaniel.”
“Darling, I have something for you.”
“What is it? Bacon?” She licked her lips. “I’m so hungry after all that . . . exercise.”
I laughed. “I’ll order you bacon in just a moment. I need you to see this.”
She lifted her head, struggling to open her eyes. Blonde hair framed her face, a sweaty mess that made her look more like a model than a woman who had been ravaged to hell and back. When she focused on me, her smile widened.
“Hi.”
I grinned. “Hi, darling.”
“What do you want to show me?”
“Actually, I wanted to ask you something.”
She sat up and stretched, bones cracking. “What’s that?”
“Will you marry me?”
The lazy expression on her features turned to shock in a split second and her eyes widened. She finally noticed the gold ring I held between us. The gem was ancient, found in an ancient volcano on the edge of the sea where the ocean expanded into a massive universe filled with wonder.
“I remember when I found this,” I explained to her as tears flooded her eyes. “I was such a lonely man. I ran off to explore the world, hoping I might find where I belonged.”
“Nathaniel…”
“But this whole time,” I whispered, my voice cracking slightly with emotion, “I had no idea that you were where I belonged. Just you, Geraldine.”
She bit her lower lip, trying to contain a bashful grin. “My sweet doctor…”
“You’re the only woman in the world who understands me. You’re the only one who picked me up when I fell. And when I stopped drinking, you didn’t try to chide me for my past actions. You just . . . accepted me.”
“Because I love you.”