Page 79 of What Beats Within the Tunnels

“Everywhere,” she gasps. Without hesitation, I hoist her up, her legs instinctively wrapping around my waist. Our lips collide, and I stake my claim on her mouth.

“Colton,” she murmurs, pulling away, the light catch in her breath making my name sound almost like a plea.

Gently, my fingers find the ties at the back of her dress, and I work them loose. The fabric slips, pooling at her waist, revealing the soft contours of her chest.

I lower my head, capturing one of her breasts with my mouth and teasing her nipple with my tongue until it hardens in response. The sensation draws a soft moan from her, which fuels my desire even more. Carefully, I set her down, ensuring she’s grounded before I push the gown off the rest of the way, leaving her completely nude. I take my time looking at her. She’s incredibly perfect.

“Your turn,” she murmurs.

In mere seconds, my boots are off, my tunic pulled over my head, and pants discarded. “Do you trust me?” The question falls from my lips with a touch of uncertainty.

Her eyes meet mine, filled with desire and a hint of vulnerability. “Yes,” she whispers.

Promising safety, I lean in, brushing a gentle kiss against her neck, backing her until her skin touches the cool bark of one of the Nocturne willows. “Stay still,” I instruct.

As my lips travel down her neck, I let my magic call upon the roots. They emerge, wrapping gently but securely around her ankles. The sensation causes her to gasp, but she remains still. At my command, the roots part her legs just slightly, and I kneel to explore her more intimately with a tender touch. I press a finger into her pussy, and it’s wet, her body already responding to me. Fuck, I want to be inside her, but I settle for tasting her. I want to have her squirming and begging for my cock. I part her flesh with my tongue, and she tastes as sweet as she smells. I work her clit until her legs are quivering and her hands are in my hair.

She arches into my touch. The moans that escapes her lips are evidence of her pleasure. Before she can react, slender branches descend from above, twining around her wrists and pulling them upward. Her pulse quickens.

“I told you not to move,” I whisper against her skin, resuming my slow exploration, drinking in every sound, every tremor, every breath.

I lick and suck on her clit, pressing and curling my fingers inside her. When I sense she’s on the brink of an orgasm, I pull away, rising to my feet and stepping back. Her intense gaze and evident desire intensify my own cravings.

“Colton, please,” she pleads, breathless and wanting — exactly the way I want to see her.

“Tell me what you want,” I command in a low voice, yearning to hear her admission.

“I want you, all of you, inside me,” she begs. With a wave of my hand, I command the roots. They respond, and her eyes widen momentarily as they lift her legs, spreading them wide for me. With the assistance of the roots, my hands are free to explore her body, and I position myself between her legs. The wet warmth of her entrance beckons, and I press my cock to her threshold. I watch as she draws her bottom lip into her mouth, the anticipation almost too much for her.

I hold my position, teasingly pressing against her while bending to tantalize her breasts with my lips. My hands explore her, occasionally nibbling on a nipple with just enough pressure to elicit a response. “Colton,” she murmurs, a plea lacing her voice.

Yielding to her desires, I thrust deeply, giving her no time to adjust to my size. I pull back only to drive into her once more, her pleasure evident in her screams. Her head tilts back against the tree trunk, her breaths coming fast. No more teasing. I take her fervently, one hand grasping her ass and the other stimulating her clit. Even as I feel her pussy tighten around me, signaling her climax, I continue my rhythmic movements, carrying her through the waves of pleasure.

She pants and writhes against her restraints, but I crave more. I yearn for every part of her. Gripping her thighs, I capture her mouth, resolute in my intention to drive her to her limits. My goal is to bring her to another climax, and I’m confident in my ability to achieve it.

Releasing her mouth long enough for her to draw breath, I seize her hair, pulling her head to the side. I trace a path up her neck with a mix of gentle sucks and firm bites, teasing her earlobe between my teeth. My thrusts become deliberate and slow, yet they remain deep, ensuring she feels every inch of me. I want the memory of our intimacy to linger, a reminder every time she moves tomorrow.

“Oh gods,” she rasps, and as she tightens around me once more, it sends me over the edge with her. I remain there within her for a moment, letting both of us catch our breaths. Holding her face, I gently kiss her damp forehead.

As I pull out, she winces, making me second-guess my intensity. “Are you alright?” I inquire, and she looks at me through half-lidded eyes.

“Yes,” she whispers, her voice soft and sleepy.

With a snap of my fingers, the roots and branches vanish. Gently, I cradle her in my arms—one beneath her knees, the other supporting her back. Her head rests on my chest, and I bend to kiss the crown of her head. She makes no move to escape my embrace, and I revel in her willingness to stay within it. My resilient little shadow, I could hold her for an eternity.

“Ready to retire for the night?” I ask. I can faintly sense her emotions when she momentarily drops her barriers, and all I perceive now is fatigue.

“I think so,” she replies. As I slowly set her down, ensuring she’s steady. I gesture, and our clothes materialize upon us. She grins, as she often does when I wield my magic, as if she doesn’t realize the powerful magic she holds within herself.

“Take me to your room. I don’t wish to sleep in my old room tonight,” she murmurs, a subtle reminder of the scars and memories that room must hold for her. The injustices she’s suffered enrage me, and for her I would lay waste to all of Eguina—my shadow. She scrutinizes my face, that ever-present hint of sorrow in her eyes a painful reminder of all she’s endured. I yearn to eradicate that pain. With an arm wrapped securely around her, I channel us back to the castle.

We return to my room, and neither of us bothers to change. We simply undress and climb into bed, exhausted. I’m not certain if Drew or Nyx ever made it back to their rooms, but I don’t particularly care as long as they show up at breakfast. I want to get this over with. I suspect the Luminary Council will want a meeting concerning the awakening of Lyra’s dark magic. Drew hinted as much. I hope they don’t pose another threat to her. Drew is generally level-headed, and Nyx seems infatuated with her in his own way. However, the opinions of the others remain uncertain, especially my parents. It’ll be telling to see where their heads are at.

I haven’t spoken to my father in months, and although I wish to speak with him before any meeting, it seems improbable now. I’m confident in Lyra’s strength and her ability to control her magic, but I’m unsure how it might alter her. I draw her close, tracing slow circles on her stomach, relishing the feel of her soft skin beneath my fingers. This might be the last night I embrace her like this before her magic awakens. It’s hard to believe such powerful dark magic lies dormant within her even now. I think we all struggle with the unsettling possibility that awakening her magic could irreversibly change her.

“Nyx knows about us,” she whispers, shattering the silence.

“What do you mean?” I question, although I am well aware that Nyx isn’t naive. I implied as much back in Nighthold when I intended to provoke him. I never explicitly stated I was intimate with her, but I reckon he understood. Regardless of our efforts to remain discreet in his presence, it may only provide him with deceptive hope. Frankly, I can’t determine if his hopes are misplaced or not. Lyra might be fated to be with him, and the thought disturbs me; it feels like history repeating itself in a twisted manner. The idea of another man touching her, being inside her. I can’t let myself think about it.