Unbroken Bonds (The Bonds That Tie #6)(15)

I want to giggle at the sound of it.

“That attack woke me up. The god-bond is complete now, and you will never feel that pain again. I will be sure of that. We all will.”

I nod, too tired to question it anymore, and nuzzle my cheek further into his palm. I’m not sure if it wants this sort of affection or whether it's just tolerating the human interaction because I crave it so much, but I appreciate it either way.

He slips his other hand to frame my face completely, murmuring to me quietly, “I waited for you. We all waited for this lifetime, for these vessels… and for you. You are as vital to me as the bond within you. Without question, I see that clearly now.”

I feel as though I was waiting for the god-bonds too.

As though I was holding my breath all of this time, and it’s only now I’ve finally let it go that I’ve noticed. My bond is settled and calm in my stomach for the first time, truly resting in complete contentment, and a frenetic energy that I didn’t know was there has finally eased away.

I’m at peace.

I glance back up to the Soothsayer’s eyes and find that hunger back in his gaze. Only now, we’re in my bedroom, and there’s nothing really stopping us from doing something about it. No tales of death and destruction that need to be shared, no gods of pain staring us down, no obligations to get in the way, only a Bonded Group full of overprotective, jumpy men who might want to rip the Soothsayer apart for looking at me as though he wants to tear me open in the most pleasurable of ways.

The bathroom door opening wide breaks me from my train of thought and reminds me that my entire Bonded Group is here in my bedroom with me right now, and though we’ve definitely had, ahem, group intimacy, it definitely hasn't started like this.

I still feel awkward as fuck about it.

I pull away from the Soothsayer to lean down and brush Gabe’s hair away from his face as a distraction, pressing a kiss to his lips, but it doesn’t wake him up. He doesn’t react to it at all other than to sigh. I know the feeling, having taken a power nap like this a dozen times before, and I just tuck the blankets up around him a little closer.

I don’t like the way he’s looking at you, Sweetness.

I don’t look up or react to Atlas’ words. There’s no point in starting a fight. He’s fine. He can also hear you in here as well. He’s just being polite in not pointing it out.

North steps around the Soothsayer, pointedly keeping his eyes on me and not the surly god-bond, and I smile at him softly, the type I reserve just for my Bonded. He smiles back before looking me over from head to toe, assessing me for any damage that might be left behind, but, thanks to the Soothsayer, I’m completely healed now.

A shiver of anticipation runs down my spine.

“I don’t care what the god-bond wants, Bonded. What do you want? If you’re tired, you should get some rest. Everything else can, and will, wait.”

I open my mouth but nothing comes out, my eyes darting around at each of them. I don’t want to start a fight with them. I’m definitely too tired for that, but am I too tired to give the god-bond what he wants?

No.

I need the connection as much as it does, and my bond is very interested in the dark hunger in its void eyes.

It just feels impossible to speak with them all staring at me like that.

“You have a meeting in the morning. Go get some sleep, brother.”

Relief floods me at Nox’s words, the tension in my body leaving me in a rush. When North sees it, he turns and nods at him, and then leans down to kiss me as he heads back towards the door. The reassurance that his brother is here with me, for however long he deems necessary, is enough for him.

It’s not enough for Atlas, though.

Nox stares him down for a minute before he says, “You too, Bassinger. I’ll call you both if we need something.”

That’s Draven code for ‘if shit hits the fan in here’, because I doubt there’s much that Nox couldn’t handle for himself.

North shoots a look at Atlas and pushes the door open, gesturing for him to leave. I’m waiting for the argument to start up, and a full tense minute of silence passes before, finally, Atlas ducks down to kiss me as well. Without another word, he leaves. North just shoots me a look, one full of fiery promise and possession, before he leaves as well.

Nox pulls his jacket off as shadows fall away from his body, Mephis and Procel forming at his feet, and he takes a seat on the small, plush chair in the corner. He settles himself there without a word, as calm and self-assured in this moment and what’s about to happen as ever, but my heart starts thudding hard in my chest the more I look at him.

He’s here to keep me safe.

The same way Gryphon had when we’d Bonded, back when Nox had no desire to be in the same room as me, let alone have sex with me. He’s here to make sure that this god-bond really is going to pleasure me and treat me with the same respect that any of them would.

He’s going to watch it all.

My eyes flick down at Gabe again, checking that he really is asleep. There’s nothing for me to worry about, he’s out cold. My only real concern about him waking up is that he’s always been my most cautious Bonded about sex, the one who draws the line at what my bond does when she takes control. I wasn’t lying when I said I don’t have it in me to fight them on this. I let out a sigh and roll my shoulders back, confident that nothing is going to go wrong here. The moment I look back up to the Soothsayer, he stalks back to me.