Sliding my blade into my belt, I get a running start and leap as high as I can, my fingers digging into a ledge as I heft myself up. Overhead, there’s a small opening, the sun shining through. I shoulder my way through, uncaring that dirt and grime are falling onto my head and shoulders. At this point, really what’s a little dirt?
I crawl out of the ground. Once on my hands and knees, my fingers dig into fresh, soft grass. I have a moment of bone deep relief as I suck in a sharp breath, getting fresh air in my lungs instead of the musky smell of the undercity. I look around, finding myself outside of town near the beach. My eyes scan the beach until I see a figure sitting in the sand. My breath catches in my throat and tears prickle my eyes. Emotion hits me so fast I’m dizzy with it, threatening to keep me on my knees.
“Fuck,” I breathe as my head grows light. “Thank you,” I whisper. If the ancestors are real, I need them to know I’m grateful, and that I promise not to waste this chance they’ve given me.
My steps stumble as I try to get up, all of my limbs growing shaky as I come down from the adrenaline rush. When I get to my feet, I focus on putting one foot in front of the other until I’m striding forward. Once my steps are sure, I don’t slow down, instead turning my steps into a run. Movement at my right makes my heart skip a beat. I look over, finding Tenstar. His eyes lock with mine before looking over onto the beach, then looking back.
He stops, getting into a crouch and hissing at me, his long fangs protruding from his pale green lips. “Fight me,” he calls out. “It’s the Layperry way.”
But the thing is, I’m not a Layperry. And I never will be.
So instead of stopping to fight Tenstar, I give everything I have left at running towards Timalah. I hear a growl sound behind me but I already have a head start. I don’t look back. I don’t slow down. I run.
“Miles!”
His voice is so close, so fucking close. I’m almost there, I almost have the man I love within my arms. Knowing he’s right here gives me all the strength I need. One moment I’m running, and the next I’m being caught.
“Timalah.” My voice breaks as my arms go around him, holding on with everything I have. His arms hold me just as tight as he falls to his knees, bringing me down with him. Distantly I hear Tenstar curse, his steps leading away. “Timalah. I found you. You’re mine. Fuck you and your fucking ritual and your fucking trial. I’m human and I won.”
Timalah’s hands are almost painful as they dig into my flesh with how tightly he’s holding me but that only adds to the moment, to the desperation we’re both feeling. My skin is burning up as my need for him somehow grows beyond what I’ve ever experienced before.
My body, not needing to fight another second, goes limp within Timalah’s arms. I slump against him, burying my face against his throat. He stands up, his strong body carrying me away from the beach.
“Where are you taking me?”
Timalah nuzzles the side of my head and when I turn to look at him, I find silent tears falling down his cheeks. He smiles, letting me know they’re tears of joy, not sorrow. “Somewhere I can properly mate you.”
A fire is ignited in my belly at his words. My body might be exhausted, but being with Timalah, held in his arms, is renewing my strength. His presence is like a breath of fresh air, making me come alive.
I let the fire take me away. I close my eyes and let my mouth move across Timalah’s throat. Timalah makes a deep growling noise in his chest and I feel it. My cock fills with blood as excitement replaces all the other emotions swirling around inside me.
“Please tell me this place isn’t far. Because I need you, Tim.”
“Stop butchering my name,” he grumbles, his hand squeezing my ass in teasing. I smile against his throat, joy welling up inside me. Timalah pauses, kneeling down and helping me to wash my hands until all the green sludge is cleaned from my skin. Then he stands back up, walking a little further. “Right here,” he tells me, setting me on the ground.
Timalah has brought me to a small cave where the floor is covered in a soft moss. The water laps at the entrance, filling my ears with a relaxing, beautiful sound of the sea. The tension I’ve been holding all day slowly fades away. I look up at Timalah, my breath catching in my throat once more at the overwhelming relief I feel that I made it to him first. I am completely and utterly filled with wonder.
“I love you,” I tell him because I can’t hold it in another second, can’t keep going through life without him knowing.
“I know,” he whispers, stepping into my space and cupping my face in his big, blue palms. “You wouldn’t have entered my maturous trial if you didn’t.”
“I did it for you, Timalah. I did it because I knew you loved me too,” I say gently. “You’ve been accidently telling me. But if you wanted to say it out loud, I wouldn’t mind.”
Heat goes to his cheeks, making the prettiest purple color. “I love you, Miles. This is the first day of the rest of our lives,” he says, his voice turning serious. “I wish to make you my mate in both body and spirit, to join our lives together until death do us part.”
I grip his wrists. “Yes,” I breathe out without an ounce of hesitation. “Yes, Timalah. Make me yours.”
His lips touch mine. It’s so soft at first, like he’s testing the waters, like he’s not sure. I wanna wash all uncertainty away. Nothing can stand between us anymore, nothing can keep us apart. I open my mouth and silently beg for his tongue which he gives me. I moan into the kiss as his hands slide under my shirt, touching my skin. I break out with goosebumps, shivering as Timalah touches me. I need him.
“Please,” I whisper, smiling when Timalah pulls my shirt over my head. He takes his own leather harness off and it gives me time to kick off my shoes and my pants. He stares at me a long moment, his blue eyes darkening. The look makes me feel flayed open and exposed in the best way.
“Fuck. You’re beautiful, Miles.”
I feel my cheeks heat up at his words. “You don’t have to sweet talk me. I’m already yours.”
Timalah grabs me around my waist and pulls me against himself. We’re both naked and I suck in a sharp breath as his hot, naked skin touches mine. “You are mine and I am yours. I plan on making sure you know how beautiful I find you every single day.” My fingers dig into his shoulders. “Never a day will go by that you wonder how much I love you.”
Timalah’s tail touches the back of my thigh, slowly sliding up towards my ass. I look up into Timalah’s eyes, letting him know this is okay, that I want it. When the leathery tip touches my hole I moan, pushing back against it. I lean up on my toes, kissing my mate again, distracting myself from the stretch as Timalah’s tail enters me. It feels so good, stretching me open, slowly fucking in and out.
“I can’t wait to feel you inside me,” I tell him, reaching between us and stroking his cock. I take my time running my fingers over the little bumps on the side, shivering when I think about how that’ll feel when he enters me.
Timalah’s tail twists, rubbing my prostate just right. Need thrums just under my skin until I’m hot all over, knowing the only thing that will quench the unadulterated need within me is Timalah.