Page 87 of What Lies Beyond the Realms

I ease down on top of him, letting him stretch me. Once he’s fully inside me, I find his mouth again moaning softly and slowly moving on top of him. I can’t get enough of this feeling . . . of him, of needing to be close to him. He wraps his arms around me, holding me close while kissing me. He feels so warm and strong. I wrap my hands around his neck and ride him slowly, savoring the feeling of him inside me.

He leaves my mouth to kiss and suck his way down my neck. He massages my breasts and takes his time, taking each one is his mouth and twirling his tongue and nibbling at my peaked flesh there. I let my head fall back, gasping when I feel his teeth on my nipple. He wraps his arms around my ass, holding me to him, and stands, carefully laying me down on my back and climbing on top of me. He makes sure to hold his weight up so not to hurt my side. His gray eyes are glowing when he slowly thrust back inside me, holding my legs apart.

“I thought I was going to lose you before.” His voice is stressed.

“I’m here. I’m okay.” I breathe, pulling him closer to me.

Every time he hits inside me, the feeling is ecstasy. I wrap my legs around him, trying to pull him closer to me but he resists.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he whispers.

“You won't. Come closer. Kiss me,” I tell him while pulling on his arms and squeezing him with my legs. He obeys and finds my lips. I open for him, and my tongue finds his. I breathe him in and drink him up. I want all of him.

“Harder,” I plead, pulling away to catch my breath.

He fucks me harder, pulling all the way out and thrusting all the way back in. He goes harder and faster until I cry out, losing all control and finding my release. I tremble underneath him, holding onto his arms. He thrusts inside me again, deep, and finds his release with my name on his tongue. He stays inside me while we both stare at each other and catch our breaths.

“I can’t lose you, Lyra. You could’ve died,” he tells me, his gray eyes glowing with something different than lust.

“I’m okay. You’re not going to lose me.”

He leans down and kisses me, and it’s like he’s kissing me for the first time. He’s devouring me, and I love it. Before I know it, he’s moving inside me again until we both find release a second time. This time he pulls out of me and lies next to me on the bed. We’re both covered in sweat, and my skin prickles with warmth. My body already misses his presence inside me.

“I’ll never get enough of this. I can’t get enough of you,” Nyx says, facing me and tucking my hair behind my ear.

“Me neither,” I murmur, a smile playing at the corners of my lips.

A loud knock on the door makes us both jolt up.

“Time to get up, lovebirds. There are clothes outside the door. Get ready and come out here,” says Athalda.

We both look at each other and laugh. I’m full of embarrassment. Were we loud? What did the old woman hear? Oh well, I just giggle as Nyx gets to his feet and gets dressed, then he goes to the door and retrieves a small pile of clothes for me. I can’t complain because they’re clean and warm, but the clothes Athalda provides for me are not the most attractive. I put on the gray sweatpants and colorful knitted shirt with a sigh.

“Ready for this?” Nyx asks, holding out his hand.

“Yes,” I say with a sigh, taking his hand. I look down to see Chepi curled up in some pillows on the floor. He’s had a rough night too, and I decide I should leave him to sleep it off as I follow Nyx out of the room.

As I gain more clarity, I take a closer look at my surroundings. Nyx guides me through the winding maze of narrow hallways. This place is truly unique with a mix of rooms that range from seeming like a typical house to others that appear to be carved directly into stone. The hallways themselves all have a cave-like feel with rough stone walls enclosing us on every side.

Finally, we step into a room that resembles a study or library, with floor-to-ceiling shelves lining the walls and filled with ancient tomes. A potbelly stove stands in the center of the room, providing both warmth and cozy ambiance. A comfortable couch and two chairs are arranged in front of the stove, with a small wooden table completing the inviting scene.

“About time,” Athalda says, gesturing for us to sit on the couch while she takes a seat in one of the chairs. “Drink some tea. It’ll help clear your head, and both of you eat something.”

I hesitate, but nothing can be worse than the tincture she already gave me. Why poison me now after healing me? I grab a cup of tea and take a sip. It warms my belly and helps me feel relaxed. I settle into the couch with Nyx’s arm around me holding me close.

Athalda doesn’t speak until we both have our fill of soup and tea. Once we finish everything on the table, she clears her throat.

“Let me start from the beginning.”

“What are you?” I interrupt.

“I’m a kind of Sorceress, but not the same as you or the other Sorcerers alive today. My name is Athalda Time, and your father Euric was my cousin,” she says, and my head swivels from her to Nyx and back to her.

“How is that possible? I don’t understand?”

“Marian Time was your dad's mother, your grandmother. My father, Gabriel Time, was Marian's older brother. My father was Fae like yours. My mother’s name was Athena Black, and she was a Sorceress.”

My mind is spinning. “I thought I was the only half-Fae half-Sorceress we know of alive today.”