Haulcon's Revenge (22 page)

The suite became filled with her laughter.

Twenty minutes later they stood a few feet away from the open doors of the ballroom.

Hold on.

What’s wrong, mate?

“
I just need a minute.” The hand he held was gripping his tightly and he could feel the trembles moving through her body.

“
It will be fine.” He brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. “You look beautiful.”

Adair had chosen a dress covered in small sparkling onyx stones with sheer sleeves and a wide collar that left her neck and the top of her shoulders bare. The length ended at her knees and her dark brown legs were bare and complimented by the heels she wore.

“
Are you sure?” she whispered. “What if they think I’m some human floozy that tricked you so I could weasel my way in here?”

“
Did you?”

She glanced up at him, her eyes wide. “No. You know I would—”

“
I am teasing you, sweet mate.” He pulled her against him and cupped her stomach. “I care for you. My clan will accept what is because they honor me. They will sense you carry my heir and will grow to love you for your bravery as I do.”

“
You love me?”

He frowned. “I tell you of honor and bravery and all you pulled from that is my love for you?”

Placing her hand over his on her stomach, she kept her intense gaze on him. “That is all that matters to me. I love you too.”

Even though all of his clan was waiting for them and probably could hear their conversation with their sharp hearing he didn’t care. He took a moment and leaned down to Adair’s neck. He licked the skin briefly then slowly sank his teeth into her river of blood flowing there.

Her soft moan and the clenching of her hands against him filled him with warm pleasure.

He didn’t drink, just flooded her system with his serum. When he was finished, he removed his fangs and drew her skin into his mouth to ensure she healed.

Rising, he asked, “Are you prepared to meet my clan now?”

She exhaled a calm breath. Her full lips pulled up into a beautiful smile. “Very much so.”

With a short bow of his head, he escorted his mate into the ballroom where his clan had gathered expectantly.

A few of them had brief meetings with Adair in the stairway or on various floor but there had been no formal introduction.

“
First let me introduce you to my second in command. If I am not present, he speaks for me. This is my friend from youth, Friedol.”

Stepping forward, Friedol gave Adair a welcoming smile as he bowed his head. “Nice to finally meet you, Adair. Let me present my mate, Chrysen, to you.”

“
You are very pretty. I look forward to getting to know you.” Chrysen inclined her head.

Haulcon watched Adair’s eyes lower for a second then raise with joy as they met Chrysen’s again. “Thank you. I hope we can grow to be friends.”

He moved them to another pair. “Next is Nyca, she is my commander at arms.”

“
Wow. A woman in charge of those assigned to protect your territories.” Adair stepped to Nyca. “I’m impressed.”

“
In the Valf community, abilities have nothing to do with gender.” Nyca’s voice was filled with pride.

“
I can see my mate has chosen well in you.” Adair gave her a smile. “Maybe one day after the baby is born you can teach me some fighting skills?”

“
It would be my honor, mate of my Alpha. May I present Marco, my mate?”

Adair greeted Marco. If Haulcon thought he would feel strange or uneasy at a meeting between his ex-lover and his mate he had no cause. His feelings for Nyca were long gone and his deep emotions toward Adair would last him for a lifetime. His world felt in balance.

“
May I offer you refreshment?” A young male servant held a tray toward Adair.

“
This is Daprin of Brydun and Yala.” Haulcon waved his mother and father over to meet Adair.

After the greeting, he told Adair, “I suggest you take the cup on the right, it is water.”

She glanced at him. “What is in the cup on left?”

His gaze met hers. “Blood.”

“
Water it is,” she declared and picked up the cup.

He chuckled.

As they moved from one person and mated pair after another, Haulcon admired both his clan and his mate. His people welcomed Adair without hesitation, with open hospitality and friendship while his mate exhibited warmth and genuine respect for each person’s responsibility in the clan.

He was a proud Alpha on all levels that night.

~YH~

“
Why does it feel like night is so long with you and your people?” Adair pulled off her shoes as they entered their suite two hours later as the heaviness of dawn drove all to the rooms.

“
I don’t know, sweet mate. We do not have any ability to slow down time.”

“
I’m starting to think you do.” She dropped the heels beside the bed and sat down.

“
I had Dresa prepare a bath for us. However, if you are too tired to partake of it.” He unbuttoned his shirt as he spoke then pulled the tails from his pants.

She looked over at the bath. Seeing the water inside of it, she shook her head. “I’m not that tired.” Standing up, she made quick work of her dress as she laid it over the back of a chair beside the bed.

“
Good, I have been thinking about sharing the waters with you over the last hour.” He unfastened his pants and let them fall to the floor then stepped from them and his shoes.

Taking her hand, he led her across the room. He didn’t think she needed his assistance finding the tub, but he enjoyed touching her at every opportunity available to him.

Getting in first, he sighed as the coolness of the water seeped into his muscles. “Are you joining me?”

“
Oh, yes!”

“
Good.” Reaching up, he took her by her full waist and pulled her in with him.

“
Ah!” Adair leaped up and out onto the mat. “It’s cold. When did she make this bath?” A shiver shook her body.

“
A few minutes before we came down as I requested.” He frowned at her. “Why do you seem shocked by the temperature?”

She placed her hands on her ample hips, her belly protruding out before her as her plump breasts swayed from her movement. “Because humans take warm baths?”

“
That makes no sense. Your body is already warm. To feel the difference you would have to boil the water. Who wants to be treated like dinner?”

Her brows pinched together tightly for a moment then relaxed as she laughed. “Wow, you do have a way with words that make the funniest of images.”

“
Thank you. I think. Do you plan to still join me, Adair?”

Whining, she said, “This is going to take some serious getting used to.”

He held his hand out to her. “If you need warming up in your bath I have more than a few ideas on how to do that.”

Understanding the intent of his words, her brown eyes darkened with passion. She slipped her hand into his and allowed him to bring her into the water.

“
I just keep telling myself it is like going swimming. Of course normally when I get into a cold pool there’s the hot sun to make it worth the dive.”

“
Humans.” He shook his head. “Hot baths and playing in the sunlight.”

She sat on his lap and curled her arms around him. “Valfs. Drinking blood and playing in the dark.”

“
I’ll show you how we play.” Cupping her breasts he flicked his thumbs over the blackberry-colored tips.

Moaning she arched her back as best she could, offering herself to him.

Taking her up on her offer, he lowered his head and took one plump tip into his mouth.

~YH~

“
Oh, Haulcon, don’t stop!” Adair balanced her rounded body on her hands and knees on the bed as she swiveled her hips and pushed back toward him.

“
I could fuck you for all eternity.” He thrust his cock deep into her as he stood at the side of the bed a firm grip on her hips.

They had begun their foreplay and teasing in the tub. Soon that wasn’t enough and they were chasing each other out of the bath to the bed. She wasn’t sure if she took him or he took her. All she knew was that she felt delirious with her need for him.

Lowering her shoulders to the bed she arched back to him, taking him deeper and enjoying the intense stretching of her sex around his shaft. Gripping the sheets she rode him, feeling the erotic slide of thickness along her walls.

He’d already given her one orgasm in the bath but now her second one was building to a fierce peak.

“
Come for me, Adair. Take me to ecstasy with you.” He rotated his hips stroking the area inside her sex that had her to curling and her body to quiver.

She was on the cusp of a mighty orgasm but something kept her from falling over the edge. Then she knew what it was, her body desired that deeper connection with him this time. “Bite me, Haulcon. Feed from me.”

“
Are you sure, sweet mate?” He slid his hand up along her back, brushing her spine and sending shivers through her body.

“
Yes,” she heard the whimpering and need in her own voice.

He pressed his chest to her back.

She angled her chin left and tilted her head down giving him complete access.

His hand fisted her hair that had grown very long of late, and revealed the column of her neck. Without any further preamble he buried his fangs into her skin and thrust his cock forward, pressing deeper.

That was exactly what she needed to knock her over the precipice into passion’s ocean.

Still drinking from her, Haulcon’s body shuddered as he gained his release behind her.

They collapsed together onto the bed, both of them breathing hard from pleasurable exertion. She loved how he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

Things may not have started off as either of them planned, but her life felt perfect.

“
It’s perfect to me as well. Now go to sleep, dawn is upon me.”

“
I don’t know how you know that…” She yawned. “With no windows in this place.”

“
I’ll explain to you the chemical make-up of valfs at moonr—”

He dropped quickly into sleep and she was not far behind with a satisfied smile on her face.

Chapter Eleven

“
Hello, sweet mate.”

Adair didn’t need to turn at the sound of Haulcon’s voice she could already sense that he was close. However, she enjoyed looking at him. A strong and more handsome man she’d never known. “Hello, Haulcon.” She gave him a seductive smile even though she was sitting at the table with his mother.

“
Do not tempt me, Adair,” he growled and walked to where she sat and kissed her softly on the lips.

“
I will try not to. How did the training session go?” she asked.

“
Well. There are some promising young valfs. It takes a while for one to learn to call on their wolf, but this batch of adolescents seems to be getting the hang of it pretty fast.”

“
What happens after they learn how to…call their wolf?” She hesitated to ensure she said it correctly. There were so many new things and terms she’d had to learn.

“
Nyca and her team will teach them how to hunt and feed on wild game without killing them on their own,” he informed her.

“
Will you all be joining us for sunset meal?” His father asked as he wrapped his arms around his own mate.