Prowled Darkness (Dante's Circle, #7)(22)

Her eyes darkened, and Malik had to hold back another growl. “Are you sure?”

“I have been sure since I said yes to the bite,” she said with an honest conviction. “I want to celebrate life and be with you in all ways, Malik.” She leaned forward to whisper in his ear, her breath warm against his neck. “I want to make love to you, Malik. Let me love you.”

“Always,” he gritted out, his voice hoarse.

In a heated fog, he followed her upstairs and set Pen up in her crib with the monitors set. The baby didn’t even hiccup a cry the entire time, and he sent a thank you to the goddess for that.

As soon as he closed their bedroom door behind them, Malik was on his mate, his hands on her ass and his mouth to her ear.

“I had planned on going soft and sweet this first time, but I don’t know if I can wait. So this time will be hard and fast and f*cking hot. Then I’ll go slow until you’re writhing under me in heat.”

Her body glowed and she wrapped one leg around his waist. “Fuck me, then, Malik. Because I need you and I’m tired of waiting.”

He let his claws slide out of his fingertips and he sliced open her clothes. She let out a gasp, but soon he had her naked and on her back. Since he’d put her on the edge of the bed, he knelt in front of her and threw one of her legs over his shoulder.

“I’m going to eat you until you scream. I remember how sweet this * is, beauty, but I want to make sure it’s as good as my dream. Do you think you can come on my tongue? Make me so hard that when I f*ck you we’re both calling out in need?”

In answer, she reached between them and put her hand on his head. “Have at it,” she purred like a damn cat. “Taste me.”

It had always been like this between them, hot and hard and f*cking perfect. But now it was different, as well; all of that heat mixed with emotions he could finally feel. The mating bond between them sizzled, and he knew she loved him, felt it. The fact that he’d almost lost this killed him, and he knew he’d spend the rest of his life making up for it.

He lowered his head and licked her clit before feasting some more. She writhed under him, tangling her fingers in his hair. He looked up to see her use her other hand on her breasts, slowly working herself up. He’d never made love to someone who was breastfeeding before, but he knew her breasts had to be sensitive. He’d f*ck her hard like he’d said, but he’d also be gentle.

This was his mate, his future, his everything.

He savored her taste, wanting more. When he worked a single finger in and out of her, her back arched and she came by that touch alone.

“Trigger happy, I see,” he growled before biting down on her inner thigh. She called out his name and he quickly shucked off his clothes, needing to be inside her. There was one thing they had to cover first, though. “We always used condoms before, beauty, and I can go find some if needed.” He paused. “Well, we used condoms, but it seems one of them didn’t work, did it?”

She shook her head. “If it happens, it happens. I don’t want anything between us.”

He nodded then covered her body, needing to feel her lips on his. She kissed him with as much fervor as he did her. Their hands slid over each other’s bodies, touching, learning, exploring. He loved this woman and everything she held, and he was damned proud that she was his mate.

“Will I hurt your breasts if I play with them?” he asked.

She bit her lip. “They are really sensitive right now.”

He nodded then kissed the top of one globe. “Next time, then,” he said softly before going back to her neck and licking over the mating mark. She pressed her body close to his and he worked a hand between them to hold the base of his dick.

“Ready, beauty?”

“I’ve been ready for a lifetime,” she answered.

He let out a breath before keeping his gaze on hers and slowly entering her. They both gasped at the feel of her surrounding him, but he didn’t stop moving. He slowly worked his way in and out, going deeper each time until they were both sweaty and aching.

“I thought you were going to go fast this time,” she panted.

“Give me a minute,” he said through gritted teeth. “Apparently, I’m a little trigger happy right now, too.”

She laughed before letting out another gasp as he moved. He kept his gaze on her, pumping in and out, increasing the pace until they worked together to crest the peak and crash down as one. The mating bond flared, and Malik let out a roar before rolling to his back, taking Eliana with him.

“We need to do that again,” Eliana said, breathless.

“We will,” he promised, equally breathless. “We will.” Because damn it, that had been pure bliss. He’d thought it was perfection with Eliana before, but he’d been wrong. Between the fact that he could be himself and be as strong as he could with her now, and that he could feel the mating bond, what had just happened between them was literal ecstasy.

And he’d do anything to protect the woman in his arms and the child in the next room.

Anything.





Chapter Eight


Eliana was a new woman. Maybe. She sure didn’t feel like it most days, even with the inked feathers on her arms and the extra glow to her skin. Sometimes, it felt as if she’d wake up from this dream and everything would be as it was when she’d been in Dante’s Circle feeling alone.