LERRIN

When Suhle led him towards the thicket of bushes with the blanket on top, he'd thought they might pull it free and curl up in front of the fire together in the clean blanket, but instead of reaching for it, Suhle stooped and pushed between the branches of the bushes, disappearing into them. When he followed he found that inside, she'd found a small, round space, big enough for both of them to lay side by side.

She'd laid out their furs there—together. One, open and flat on the ground. The other open and flat above it. And she'd rolled the second blanket they had into a tube that they could rest their heads on.

Lerrin crawled in on all fours and stopped, stunned.

Suhle, clearly cold based on the prickles all over her skin, sat facing him, cross-legged on the furs, looking at him, uncertain.

"I thought it would be nice to have some… privacy,

" she said. But then her smile wobbled and he heard her breath catch.

It broke his heart all over again.

"Suhle, we can just sleep. We don't have to—

"

"I want to, Lerrin. I want you to be mine. All of mine. I want to complete the bond and… I want you,

" she said simply.

"I'm afraid… afraid of pain and fear and… just the unknown I suppose. But I am certain of one thing.

" She pushed up onto her knees in front of him and took his face in her hands.

"I am certain of you. You are my mate and I am yours. And we have waited far too long to possess that in ourselves.

"

Then she kissed him. She laid her mouth on his, strong and sure, seeking him with her tongue. Lerrin sucked in a breath, one hand coming up to her hair to hold her there as she tasted his tongue, nibbled his lips, and her breathing sped up.

Lerrin was lost.

The smell of her—warm and inviting, even with the nerves dancing on the edge of her scent, there was no hesitation in her any longer. She pulled him towards her and he came, crawling forward, one hand at her back to lay her down and cover her with his body, the cold of the wet patch on her nightdress feeling icy on his stomach. But not for long.

While they kissed, Lerrin reveling in the taste of her, their tongues dancing, she'd pulled the fur over his back so they were cocooned in warmth—their bodies quickly making the space between the furs soft and cozy.

Laying between her thighs, cradled there, was the most arousing sensation he'd ever experienced. His mind bloomed with images of her, head thrown back and mouth open, screaming his name. But he knew—he was certain—he had to step slowly with her. Take her nowhere she didn't absolutely yearn to go. So he growled at himself to take care, and focused on her.

Starting with her hair, her cupped her head, splaying his fingers on her scalp and pulling her hair off her neck. He'd intended to kiss her again, perhaps to nibble at her ear. But when he combed her hair up, she arched and tipped her head back, offering her throat, pulling his head down to kiss her there.

She gasped and Lerrin growled when his lips found the soft curve of her throat. The goosebumps that had been easing away, peppered her skin again, the short hairs on her arm pressing up under his hand.

Shuddering with emotion and desire, his fingers curled into her skin and he sucked gently at her neck.

Suhle made a tiny whimper and Lerrin's entire body stood to attention.

Her voice in his head was breathless and amazed. That feels so good!

Lerrin almost laughed.

Tell me the moment there is anything that doesn't, he sent back. So good is only baseline. Wait until we get to incredible.

Suhle giggled, and the sound was simultaneously so out of place, and so perfect, for a moment Lerrin pushed up to brace on either side of her head, his chest rising and falling quickly, to meet her eyes.

She stared at him, wide-eyed. But almost all the fear had left her scent. She brimmed with curiosity and warmth now.

"I love you, Suhle,

" he whispered.

"I just… love you. I never want to hurt you. You have to tell me if I do.

"

"I love you, too, Lerrin. And I will.

"

Then she laced her fingers behind his neck and pulled herself up to reach his mouth. When she found him, their tongues tangled, and they both groaned.

The minutes that followed were the most desperate, and the most blissful of Lerrin's life to that moment. It seemed every inch of his skin had become a radar for her, a receptor—even the tiny shift of stomach against stomach raised a tingle deep in his belly.

When he put his weight on his elbow so he could reach to stroke her side, her breast, she turned with him, keeping herself plastered to him.

As he let his palm slide down her side, to her waist, her hip, her thigh, she sighed and her hips rolled once, toward him.

When he stroked with fingertips from her knee, up to her hip, felt the hairs on her thigh stand up in a line, as if they reached for him, it fed his soul.

And when he gave in to the urge to rub himself on her, to rock his hips, only once, just to tease, and she gasped and her fingers dug into his back, something inside him broke open.

A tiny, curling seed of light, deep in his chest snapped and flew wide, the light seeping into his veins and feeding through him.

Gone were the aches in his bones. Gone was the weariness of his muscles. Gone was the pain that had plagued him for days.

It was all gone, and replaced instead by a glowing warmth that sang. And even though he couldn't follow the tune, with the mindlink open, he heard it in Suhle as well—the song sung by her heart that called to his soul.. And the song of his—deeper, slower—that sang back.