AARYN

An unholy growl began in his chest as he took her, as if the beast within was speaking, calling for her. Aaryn gritted his teeth and thrust into her, a bold invasion of his own.

He feared he'd been too quick, too fast. But Elreth's head dropped back and she cried out—with pleasure, not pain—and he slid home to the hilt, her body already ready for him.

He called for her in sheer joy of being joined again. Frantic and desperate, he'd curled one hand under her neck, the other holding that leg high, keeping her knee pressed up and back.

"Aaryn! Oh **!

" Elreth gasped. One of her hands clapped to his shoulder, the other grabbing for his thigh, pulling him in even as he gripped her tighter.

She made the mating call first and it almost sent him over the edge. Teeth gritted and bared, he closed his eyes and dropped his head back, pleading with the Creator for control as Elreth met him stroke for stroke, her beautiful breasts bouncing, calling for him.

He should have taken her slowly, should have savored her, but heat for her had exploded in his chest, fueled by desperation the moment he'd grasped just how little time they might have. Now, here he was, pressed into her as deeply as he was able, hips rolling, pounding, and Elreth crying his name, arching to meet him, her nails digging into his skin.

He opened his eyes and gasped to find her, head thrown back and mouth open, her breasts arched up and bouncing with every roll they came together.

With a groan of pleasure, Aaryn curled over her, taking that rosy pink peak in his mouth again, flicking the rivet of it with his tongue.

Elreth clenched around him and he almost came.

"Aaryn! Oh god… don't stop!

"

"I can't… I need to…

"

"Don't stop!

"

Arching his back even more, to find her as deeply as he could, holding the peak of each thrust for half a second, they rocked together in a rhythm of pleasure that lit Aaryn's body from his scalp to his toes.

Near blind with pleasure, he reached for her breast, intending to pull it forward, to suck again and feel her body respond. But just as he did, Elreth arched and on the next thrust he felt himself reach her limits within.

"Aaryn!

" Pulling him forward, she rolled her hips up, changing the angle until she was curled in half underneath him and he called to her in short, panting groans.

Elreth, teetering on the edge of her climax, braced a hand against the cave wall behind her head and Aaryn thrust and she screamed, her body flexing and clenching, embracing him as she jolted and trembled with the shocking waves of release.

Before she'd finished riding that wave, Aaryn thrust again and tumbled over the cliff himself, the mating call tearing out of his throat as Elreth, near-sobbing, clapped a hand to the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss, swallowing his cries until they both shuddered and slumped back to the furs.

Aaryn was panting, his breath tearing in and out of his throat, his body trembling and he fought for breath.

"Are you okay?

" he whispered, pushing up on one elbow to check Elreth, who was sweaty and blinking, blowing like a horse.

"I'm… great!

" she said with a shaky laugh.

"I just… wasn't expecting that.

"

"Me either,

" he said a little sheepishly as he relaxed again and buried his face in her neck.

"Sorry if that was a bit rushed, I just… I needed you.

"

"No, no, it was… kind of amazing, actually,

" she said. And she sounded more relaxed than she had minutes earlier.

Aaryn tightened his hold on her, letting her uncurl her body so he lay over her, his face in her neck, his hands cupping her head.

She blew out a long breath of a sigh, and began trailing one hand up and down his back. The tiny, tingling sensation felt wonderful on his sensitized skin, and Aaryn groaned.

They lay there for several minutes, their breathing returning to normal, their hearts slowing, until Aaryn finally rolled off, but stayed on his side, facing her, beckoning her into his arms.

Resting her head on his arm, Elreth snuggled into his chest and he curled around her, holding her almost like a child, though he knew she wouldn't appreciate the comparison.

They must have dozed, because the next thing he was aware of was Elreth moving her head so her hair tickled his cheek. He opened bleary eyes to find her staring at him, her expression just slightly sad.

"What is it?

" he croaked, combing her hair back from her face with his fingers, letting it trail between his fingers then down her back.

She shook her head.

"Nothing really. I just… it hit me, what you said. That we might have only days. And… I don't want that, Aaryn. I feel like every moment we've been together our relationship has had some kind of threat hanging over it. That we've always been fighting something. I want to be with you and not in a hurry. I want to be with you and able to just… be. Just laugh and rest and… be.

"

He nodded, stroking her hair again.

"I know, me too.

"

"If this is it, Aaryn, we have to do this. As much as we can. We have to steal these moments together.

"

Aaryn grinned.

"Well, your father did say that we should go for as many orgasms as—

"

"Ew! Stoppit! Do not talk about my father when I'm naked, Aaryn! Gosh!

"

He sniggered again, but then pulled her into another tight hug, still trailing his fingers down her hair and back.

She tensed at first, but as they lay together and he didn't refer to her father again, she relaxed.

He'd just found her lips and kissed her softly, was just beginning to consider whether he was up to taking another, slower shot at loving her, when Elreth froze.

Aaryn went still, listening, but he couldn't hear or scent a threat.

"What is it?

"

Elreth shoved up, bolt upright.

"My father!

"

Aaryn frowned.

"Yes?

"

"The second portal, the other Anima… Aaryn they've got to be the ones my father banished. The ones that the disformed were travelling to try and find.

"

"Yes, I know, but—

"

"My father communicates with them, Aaryn!

"

"I know, but—

"

Elreth growled, her eyes wide with fear and leaned down into his stunned face.

"If the humans found them months ago, why haven't we heard anything?

"