Novak Raven (Harper's Mountains #4)(67)

“I won’t leave, Ave. I won’t hide from you anymore. I know you can handle me after the visions now.” Little phoenix. He wished she could have seen herself in action tonight. She’d been a beautiful, relentless weapon. She’d bought him time, but also time for his parents, Rowan, and the Bloodrunner’s to reach them. Da had dreamed of circling ravens and Benjamin swinging the ax at Weston’s back, but nothing more. Nothing to tell him the fate of his son was sealed. He’d brought Ma and Rowan with him for back-up. Weston had told the Bloodrunners to stay back while Avery was in The Box. He thought they would draw too much attention while his raven would blend in. Weston had been ambushed, though, as if the ravens had known exactly where he would be waiting for her.

If the ravens had succeeded in killing him, Rowan and the others would’ve laid waste to the entire shifter species to avenge his death. The inhabitants of The Hollow didn’t realize it, but by Avery saving him, she’d saved them as well.

He carried his mate inside and readied for bed with her, watching her out of the corner of his eye. He was so f*cking worried about her. What if she had bad dreams tonight? What if she’d been scarred even more on her insides? What if she started crying and he couldn’t help her to stop?

But she didn’t. His brave little phoenix crawled under the covers and lifted the comforter up for him to slide into bed with her. She didn’t cry or moon over what had happened. Instead, she told him, “Tomorrow I’ll give you my letters, and you can see all of me. And tonight, if you have a vision, you can wake me up and tell me about it, and I will love you even more.”

And after she laid her cheek on his chest against his drumming heartbeat, her breathing evened out and she fell asleep. Weston sighed and looked up at the dark exposed rafters of the bedroom and sent up a silent prayer that he would have no visions tonight. Because he wouldn’t hide from her anymore. He would tell her about every vision, the good and the bad, because she deserved to see all of him, even the dark parts.

If the Fates could let him rest easy tonight, Avery would be able to sleep peacefully beside him. And after everything she’d gone through, his Avery deserved peace.

****

Weston flinched under her, and Avery’s eyes flew open in the dark. Every muscle in Weston’s body was tensed. He felt like a stone under her searching hands.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, sitting up in bed.

His heart was pounding hard under the palm of her hand, and his chest heaved with each breath. In the dim light of the bedroom, Weston’s eyes were wide and shocked.

“Is it a vision?” she asked, panicked. God, what if he’d sustained more injuries than she’d thought. His body was covered in cuts and gashes now from the raven war. What if he’d been damaged internally? “Weston, say something. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he huffed out on a breath. He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. “It was a good one.”

Avery sighed with relief and sagged against his side. Slowly, she straddled him and locked her arms against his chest. “What was it about?”

“You,” he uttered in his deep, sexy sleep voice. “It was short, just a small glimpse of a bigger scene. You and I were dancing, and you were smiling so big. You were so f*cking beautiful and happy, I couldn’t keep my eyes off your face.” Weston swallowed hard and brushed her long hair off her shoulder to expose her claiming mark. “You were wearing white.”

Avery didn’t want him to see her tear up at that beautiful vision, so she curled her arms under her and cuddled against his strong, warm chest. “Maybe ten-ten really is magic, like you said.”

Weston rubbed gentle circles against her spine. “What do you mean?”

“Ten-ten gave you a good vision for our first whole night together. It might not always be like this, but it gave us a gift.”

Weston chuckled, the deep sound vibrating against her cheek. God, she adored that sound. Feeling emboldened by his vision, Avery sat up and arched her back, rocked her hips against his.

Weston groaned and gripped her hips so desperately, his fingers dug into her skin. His dick was hardening by the second under her so she offered him a wicked grin. She loved that he was sensitive to her touch, always ready for intimacy in seconds. Leaning forward, Avery sucked on his nipple, flicking her tongue against his piercing. His body turned to water, rolling against her like a wave. She lifted up just enough to pull his briefs down his powerful hips. His bright white smile flashed in the dim lighting as she pulled her sleep shirt off and tossed it to the ground.

Cupping the back of her head, Weston pulled her down to him, pushed his tongue past her lips immediately, then sucked hard on her bottom lip. He stroked into her mouth, setting a fast, hard rhythm that had her rubbing against him. He dragged his rough kisses down her neck and grabbed her breast. He sucked on one nipple hard as he bucked his hips against hers.

She let off a long, helpless moan and arched her back, giving him better access. Weston laved his tongue over and over her sensitive skin to the pace he set with his hips, and she was getting closer, the pressure building until she was right on the edge.

As if he could tell how close she was, Weston grabbed her hips and pulled her forward until she was hovering just above his face. Before she could balk, he pushed his tongue deep inside of her.

Avery was already gone. All she could do was grip the headboard and roll her hips to meet his deep thrusts. She cried out as he plunged into her time and time again. Orgasm pulsed through her, but he didn’t stop. He ate her until every aftershock was done. Until she was twitching and bucking erratically against his mouth. Until her grip on the headboard was weak and shaky and she was panting his name mindlessly.