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n~ ZEV ~

nHe couldn't let go. The taste of Sasha on his tongue sent his blood up in flames—and the fire roared straight to that spot, that piece in his heart where the bond had taken, flipping and whirling, spinning like a top and expanding, reaching for the piece of Sasha that had been replaced by him.

nIt was as if their souls turned—recognized, greeted, and welcomed each other. As if their hearts danced, holding each other, turning together, twisting and whirling within them, faster and faster. But together. Always together.

nHowls and calls broke from his throat with such abandon, he couldn't make words. But his mouth was full of her anyway. And Sasha, incoherent with pleasure, sobbed, crying out, keening, their voices curling around each other in the air around them, just as their hearts were within them.

nFaster. Faster.

nUnable to remove his mouth from her, Zev spoke into her head.

nWill you take me, Sasha? To your soul? Even to eternity?

n

"Yes!

" she gasped, bringing her hands up to claw into his hair and hold him to her.

"Yes!

"

nI'm ardent, Sasha. Yours. Utterly yours.

n

"Please, Zev! Please!

"

nTheir hearts twisted, whirled, whirred within them, and Zev wanted to weep with joy as she came alive in his head.

nSurrender to me, Sash. Give me everything.

nI am! You have me!

nThey writhed together, unaware of anything but where they joined, the pleasure lighting in their veins, the love in their cries.

nHis teeth still piercing her skin, he could feel her within him—the dance continuing. And something more… something that beckoned.

nZev groaned as Sasha rode him, frantic, calling for him, giving herself. He pleaded again for her surrender, and again she released her grip on herself, begging for him with abandon.

nGrasping her hips, her neck in his teeth, Zev thrust, harder and harder.

nSasha could only keen—her voice broken and rasping with pleasure. Then he reached down to find her, right where they were joined and she twitched, gasping, when he stroked her there.

nThe moments that followed were the most profound of his life, as if he was within her, around her, and she within him.

nAs if words were no longer needed.

nAs he played her body for pleasure, and she held him close, their hearts and souls spinning together so quickly they blurred. He stroked her again and Sasha clenched around him, then came apart, screaming his name.

nHe howled hers into her skin and the pieces of them turned, flipped, so quickly they began to meld into one.

nAs Sasha finally crested the wave of her climax and shuddered in his arms, Zev's orgasm slammed through his body and he finally opened his mouth, dropping his head back, overwhelmed with awe as his mate came alive in his head.

nTheir bodies writhed, stiffened, arched, as one—Sasha's heartbeat echoing within his.

nAnd then, as quickly as it happened, they both slumped, their bodies wrung out like wet rags.

nSasha's breath wheezed in and out of her throat, her body slack and trembling, a ragdoll in his arms. He held her there, one hand splayed on her chest, kissing the reddened skin on her neck to soothe it, but not yet ready to let her go.

nNot yet ready to open his eyes and return to the real world when he could be here, alone, alive with her.

nHis breath thundered, tearing out of him, fluttering in her hair, against her skin.

nSasha sucked in, but left her weight in his hand, boneless and breathless.

nHe nuzzled the back of her neck, leaning his forehead into her hair and holding her tightly to him, trembling.

nWhat was that?

nZev's every sense tingled. Had she just…?

nI don't know, he said in her head.

nI can feel you, Zev. I can feel you… inside me.

nHe shifted his weight and chuckled, still panting, but Sasha didn't laugh.

nThat's not what I mean. Her voice was awed. She took one, weak, shaking hand and put it to her chest, right over his.

nTheir heartbeats thundered in time, echoing each other.

nYou're in here, she whispered in his head, awed and shocked.

nZev blinked, stunned. She was speaking to him. In his head? How was that even possible…?

n

"Ardent…

" he breathed, wide eyed.

nBut we already vowed, she murmured in his head.

nNo, it's the bond. We're linked now… Sasha… I can hear you. I can hear you in my head.

nWhat?!

nSoftly, gently, with shaking limbs, they extricated themselves and Zev laid her down on the furs, laying on her side, then lay down to face her, stroking her hair back from her face and marveling at her beautiful eyes—latched on his and wide with shock.

nYou can hear me?

nHe nodded.

nHow is that possible?

nWe're ardent, he said and if it had been out loud, it would have been barely more than a breath. We're in this together. For real. I'm sorry, Sash, I didn't warn you because I didn't know. It was instinct… I thought… I don't know what I thought.

nWhat happened?

nZev swallowed and held her gaze. I think… I think our souls aren't just connected anymore… they're entwined.

nThat's beautiful.

nThat's terrifying, he corrected her, his breath heavy with fear.

nWhat, why?

nBecause if… it means that if… if I die, you die. If you die, I die.

nSasha blinked. But isn't that how it is with the Chimera?

n

"No, Sash,

" Zev said, floored and trying to ground himself.

"I mean… I mean if I were die right now, you would too. Immediately. We're… one. You come with me, no matter what.

"

nSasha blinked in shock, her eyes searching his.

"But… that's beautiful, Zev.

"

n

"Beautiful?!

"

n

"I never want to live without you. You're telling me I won't have to. Right?

"

n

"I'm telling you you won't be able to live without me,

" he growled. What the ** had he been thinking? He hadn't been. He hadn't known. He'd heard of this, but he'd never imagined…

nThank God, Zev, she said in his head, her voice a breathless echo of his own awe.. Thank God.

n