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nI GAVE A LIVE INTERVIEW AND AUTHOR Q & A about me and the BEAST. Check out Destiny Aitsuji channel on YouTube and watch it there!

n*****

nELIA

nThe pain she'd felt had eased and as she pulled him in, he groaned, moving ever so slightly inside her, giving her that tingling firework touch of his both inside and out. She rolled her hips and a cry escaped her lips as he filled her. He tried to hold back, but she kissed him again, then whispered,

"Don't stop.

"

nHe braced himself on the furs, his eyes locked with hers and burning with intensity, and thrust once, slowly. Her head fell back.

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"Is that a yes, Elia?

"

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"Yes…

" she bit her lip as he did it again, still slowly.

"Don't… stop…

"

nWith an animal moan, he came alive, his hands trailing from her neck, to her breasts, to her sides, her legs as he continued to roll into her, breathing her name against her skin, and clinging at the peak of each thrust for half a breath that neither of them took.

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"Reth!

"

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"Hold on, my love,

" he sighed, his massive bicep curled next to her head as the other hand stroked up the back of her thigh, then over her knee, and back up to reach between them.

"Hold on to me.

" Then he began to play her body like a musical instrument, rolling his hips in time with the slide of his thumb, his tongue, and the gasp of her name.

nElia clung to his arm, and his neck, cries she couldn't stop breaking in her throat at the peak of each thrust.

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"Mine,

" he whispered savagely against her neck as she threw her head back, her breath tearing out of her throat.

"My mate. My wife. Only mine.

"

nElia began to tremble, whimpering as she sensed a peak to this tingling wave she'd been riding, but each gasp left her only more breathless until Reth began hissing between his teeth, and slid his hand down, behind her hip to pull her up in the same moment he thrust.

nThe world zoomed in to a pinpoint of time and space, only them, only where their skins met, as the warmth and light that bound them together suddenly snapped into place, tying their souls. Then the wave crashed over her and Elia shouted his name, arching into him as he roared his release and his love for her.

nSeconds later they both collapsed, Reth careful to brace his own weight on his elbows so he wouldn't crush her, but his shoulder heaving with his breath, Elia trembling and gasping, but boneless. Content.

n*****

nRETH

nShe had just become his world.

nAs he struggled to catch his breath, to find himself again in this body of tingling nerves and rushing emotion, he couldn't hold any thought beyond her.

nElia. Elia. Elia.

nThere was no other name on earth that meant more. And no other female alive that would satisfy his body or his heart. His soul.

nThe mating bond.

nHe'd had no idea.

nEven as he lay there, gasping for air, his face buried in her neck, he wanted her again.

nThis was going to be a problem.

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"Reth,

" she rasped.

"Was that—?

"

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"The mating bond,

" he croaked between breaths.

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"Is this like that for everyone?

"

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"No,

" he spluttered, his chest still heaving. He didn't roll off her, but leaned to the side, taking his own weight, so he could take her hand and put it to his chest, over his heart.

"Can you feel that? Feel it pounding?

"

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"Yes.

"

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"You did that, Elia. No one else. Only you.

"

nShe turned her head and kissed him slowly, deeply, her breath still heavy. Then when she pulled back she was grinning like a cat who got the cream.

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"What?

"

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"How soon until we can do it again?

"

nHe chuckled, but it pushed him deeper into her and they both sucked in.

"I'm not sure,

" he said, smiling slowly.

"But we're going to find out.

"

n*****

nHe couldn't resist it, he took her back to the pools. At first it was to let her wash and soak—she'd be sore later. At least this time he remembered towels.

nThey sat in the mineral pool for a long time, always touching but in the innocent ways—thighs brushing as they sat close, fingers twined under the water.

nBut as her body warmed to a flush and she wanted to try the colder water, Reth's body tightened. She climbed out of the bench seat in the hot pool and trotted the few feet over to the cold, dipping her toe in, then squeaking.

"It's so cold!

"

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"It's not really,

" he said, still sitting in the mineral pool.

"It just feels that way because of the heat.

" She was still a little self-conscious about walking around naked, but every time she started to cover herself, he'd say her name and let her see how beautiful she was in his eyes.

nNot brave enough to jump in, she skirted the edge of the pool, walking out to the shallow ledge where the waterfall pattered from high in the mountain wall. He smiled watching her tentatively step under the falling water, hissing and squealing at first because of the shock of the cold on her pink skin.

nBut she kept at it until she stood under the sheet of it, her hands clasped at her chest to hold onto warmth. She looked at him over her shoulder, giggling and puffing with the cold.

"Come on, Reth. Come warm me up,

" she said and winked at him.

nWith a grunt, Reth pushed himself up and out of the warm water. He was already hard, but the cold douse might slow things down. Which probably wasn't a bad thing. The mating bond was driving him closer to her and it was becoming difficult not to simply throw her over his shoulder and take her back to bed.

nInstead, he walked towards the waterfall, letting himself drink in the sight of her curved back and buttocks as she shivered under the cool water.

nBut, seeing him coming, she turned and stretched her arms up to wet her hair, dropping her head back under the waterfall. The combined sight of her white throat, completely bared, and her breasts pressed upward, hard and tight because of the cold, were a shot to his system so potent he almost stumbled.

nThe mating call huffed in his throat, the deep harsh of it resonating off the stone walls. She heard it and recognized it, lifting her head to look at him. Seeing the desire burning in his eyes, her grin shifted to a knowing smile.

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