She didn’t know how long they rocked together, she only knew she could feel her pleasure building again as she rode Stone, her hands braced on the hard muscles of his abdomen.
“Oh, oh, Stone,” she gasped. “I…I think I’m getting close!”
“I am too, sweetheart.” His voice was ragged but it seemed that he was fighting to keep control. “But I think I’d better not come in you.”
Cassie frowned.
“Why…why not?”
“Because…” Stone clenched his jaw. “There might still be some of the Amaryllis Fatalis serum left in your blood. I wouldn’t want you to be in pain again.”
Cassie winced, remembering the awful searing pain. But then she had an idea.
“Stone,” she said, “Maybe if…if you bit me at the same time you, you know, came in me, your essence would cancel out the Amaryllis serum.”
His eyes widened for a moment.
“But if I do that, if I bite you and fill you with my seed at the same time, I will bond you to me.”
Cassie bit her lip. Well, here goes nothing!
“I…I wouldn’t mind that,” she said shyly. “If…if you wouldn’t, Stone.”
“Sweetheart…” Reaching up, he brought her down and held her to him. “Do you mean it?” he whispered hoarsely in her ear. “You’d let me bond you to me? Forever? For life?”
“Yes, Stone.” Half laughing, half crying, she looked into his eyes. “I’d like that—I’d like it a lot. If you would too, I mean.”
“It is all I have desired from the first time I dreamed of you,” he murmured, still looking deeply into her eyes. “Hold tight to me, sweetheart.”
And then, in one motion, he flipped them over so that he was on top. Looking down into Cassie’s eyes, he stroked deep, increasing the tempo of their mutual rhythm as he thrust inside her.
“Stone…” Cassie gasped. “Oh God, getting close…really close now.”
“I am too, sweetheart,” he growled. “Bare your neck for me. Let me bite you as I fill you. Let me bond you to me.”
“Yes.” Cassie turned her head to one side, offering the vulnerable side of her throat for his fangs, welcoming him in, wanting him with all her heart.
“I love you,” Stone said hoarsely and then she felt the sharp bite of his fangs, followed by a heated pulsing inside her.
This time there was no burning pain—there was only pleasure. Deep, unending waves of pleasure that carried her up and up, over and over until Cassie felt drunk with the exquisite sensation.
“Stone!” she moaned, wrapping her legs around his waist and holding on tight as they strained together. “Oh God, I love you too! So much!”
“Forever,” she heard him whisper. “We will be together forever and I will love you always, Cassandra. We will never be parted.”
At first Cassie wasn’t sure what was going on. She knew he was speaking in her mind, since his mouth was still locked to the side of her throat. Then she remembered what Stone had said about how a Kindred and his mate could talk telepathically through the soul bond they created when they bonded.
That must be what’s happening—we must be bonded now, she thought.
“Yes, we are bonded,” Stone told her. “I never thought the Goddess would bless me so richly but she has.” He withdrew his fangs and the overwhelming orgasm waned, allowing Cassie to catch her breath.
“Stone,” she whispered, reaching up to cup his cheek.
“Cassandra…my darling.” His voice was deep with emotion. “I cannot believe you are finally mine. I thought I would spend the rest of my life loving you from a distance and never having you.”
“What?” Cassie looked at uncertainly. “So Kat and Liv were right? You’ve been in love with me all along?”
“From the first night I dreamed of you,” Stone admitted.
“You…dreamed of me?” Cassie asked.
“A Kindred Warrior often dreams of his bride before he finds her. Usually she dreams of him as well,” Stone told her. “But this was an incomplete Dream Sharing—I think you did not dream of me because you were still Joined to another.”
“To Keith.” Cassie made a face. “What a waste of space, he was! But if he was all that was standing in your way, why didn’t you ask me out after I got divorced?”
“I wanted to pursue you, so much,” Stone told her earnestly. “But I had overheard you telling your ex-mate that you could never feel anything but friendship for me. So I thought…” He shrugged, his broad shoulders rolling with the gesture.
“Oh, no!” Cassie wanted to slap herself on the forehead. “I don’t even remember that but I do remember Keith being crazy-jealous of you. He was so insecure.” She sighed. “I’m sure I was only saying that to reassure him. I didn’t really mean it, Stone.”
“I am glad.” He nuzzled her jaw affectionately. “Tell me, Cassandra, when did you come to care for me?”
“Well…” She bit her lip. “I mean, I’ve always thought you were really attractive. Maybe too attractive. I, um, always just thought you were out of my league.”