The Darkness

Mine

I gasped as I woke up, a nightmare receding from my vision as I sat up in bed. I didn't know if it was the liquor that caused the nightmare or the lack of food on my stomach from choosing not to eat before drinking, but the dream hadn't made much sense. It hadn't been realistic enough to be anything to worry over, but it was enough to make me restless. I had stood in front of the Pack house, watching people of all ages walking past me, watching Cage and I grow older together and slowly drifting apart. By the end of the dream, I had no affection for him and he detested me for settling for a life I wasn't meant to live.

My breathing was labored, my heart beating hard in my chest as if I had been running.

Crawling out of bed, I originally didn't have a set place on where I was going. I knew I needed to be away from my bed, away from the sweat soaked sheets. It wasn't until I stood in front of a familiar door that I realized what I was doing. I had never been inside of Paeris' room, but I had been turned away from his door more than once while he had been recovering.

I knocked on the heavy wooden door in front of me, contemplating running in the opposite direction. After a few minutes, I had assumed that he wouldn't answer. It wasn't until the door opened slightly to reveal a very tired looking Paeris with light pants hanging off his hips in such a delicious way.

"What?" He asked simply, eyes raking down my body and causing my skin to heat up. I knew that only wearing a silk night dress was probably not the dress of choice for late night planning, but I hadn't exactly thought that far ahead.

I would need all the help I could get if I were going to find a way to make the Mating Ceremony optional. I still wasn't entirely positive if I wanted to stop the ceremony, but I wanted the option regardless. Did I want to spend the rest of my life with Cage? If I didn't end up with Cage, would that mean the end of my Pack? I also needed to plan my trip to Spiris. I knew that not only did I need a head for the Council, but it was a good way to look for information to save my sister. If anyone knew how to save her from the darkness, I had to try.

"I need you." I said, though rolled my eyes at my own words. "I need your help. I can't sleep and I need to get this trip planned."

Paeris came out into the hall, stopping within an inch of me and bringing his mouth so close to me that I could feel his breath on my neck. A shiver ran down my spine with anticipation. My eyes closed at the sensation, enjoying the way my core tightened without him even touching me.

His hands hovered over my body as if he was afraid to touch me in fear that I would shatter into a million pieces or disappear forever. His mouth hung open as if he wanted to say something, but couldn't think of what to say. His eyes were dark in what I could only assume was confusion. He stared back at me for a moment, like he must be dreaming.

My body felt alive for the first time in months.

He watched me with those dark eyes of his, searching for something, though I didn't know what. It felt like we stood there forever in silence before his hands were on my face, fingers dancing over my skin and his sweet lips brushing over mine.

"Ray.." he whispered between kisses, dragging his hands down over my bottom and pulling him closer to me. We fit together like perfect puzzle pieces.

His kisses became more urgent as I dragged him closer to me, shifting my hips to grind against him with need. I had missed his touch, even though it felt tougher than before - more urgent, more dangerous.

I pulled away from him, thighs clenching involuntarily. He followed me, hands on either side of me against the wall opposite of his door, as if to block me from running away.

"I know you're wet for me."

I swallowed, unable to stop myself from nodding slightly.

"I shouldn't." I choked out, pushing my thighs together again in attempt to control myself.

"Why did you come here then? After earlier, why would you show up to my room like this in the middle of the night?"

That was the golden question. Paeris was meant to be my teacher, not my lover. Things had been so good between Cage and I lately, even though I didn't share the passion him what I had shared with Paeris.

"I came to get your help. Like I said, I can't sleep. This..." I motioned between us. "This isn't going to happen."

"So you showed up outside my bedroom, in the middle of the night, wearing that, to plan a trip?" He asked coyly, a dark smirk covering his lips.

His arms wrapped around me again, warmth oozing from him as his hands rested on my back. I fought the urge to lean into him, to touch him.

"Yes."

"Liar."

I blinked, cheeks heating up. In one swift motion, he is lifting me and between my legs, pushing against me in the most delicious way. All resolve flew from the window as he slid his hips against me, grinding against my core in just the right way.

His hand gripped my wrists and tugged them above my head, leaving me entirely powerless to his movements.

"We have history, Ray. That stuff from before was wrong and you know it." He clarified, kissing my neck and removed his hands from my wrists before hooking his fingers in my underwear and tugging them down around my ankles. I gasped at the breeze and squirmed at the loss of contact. "When you lay in bed with him, I know you think of me."

I didn't want to tell him that Cage wasn't sharing my bed, that while we were together unofficially, we hadn't taken our relationship to the next level. I knew information like that would just add fuel to the fire.

"Someone is going to see us, we can't do this out here." I whined, though my body had different ideas.

"So what?"

His fingers slid through my wetness and into me with ease, a gasp of pleasure ripping through my lips as my legs wrapped around him to force him closer to me. Suddenly, I didn't care either. If Paeris wasn't ashamed to be seen with me like this, neither was I.

Screw being proper.

"I've missed this," he sighed, sliding his thumb over my c**t as I shook, raising my hips to force his fingers into me harder. "I missed you."

"Yes, Paeris, please don't stop." I cried, digging my nails into his shoulder as he pulled away from me, dropping his pants to the floor and sliding between my legs again.

"Ask nicely." He chided, sliding his hands around my hips, holding me still while his eyes drank me in. "You may be the Queen, but I'm in charge right now."

"Please, please, Paeris." I begged, attempting to drag him closer to me by the legs around his hips. "You are in charge, just please!" The satisfaction on his face made me whimper softly. I was not used to giving up control in this way, but I loved it. Something about this new version of Paeris was hot in all the right ways, even if it was a little scary.

"Because you asked so nicely like a good girl." He clarified, slamming his length into me at just the right angle. My eyes rolled back at the building sensations as he built up a rhythm of deep rough thrusts into me, his thumb sliding over my c**t in time with his thrusts.

"Oh my.." I nearly screamed, lifting my hips to thrust back against him, my fingers yanking into his hair and nails digging into the skin of his ass to force him deeper into me again and again.

My orgasm rolled through me in ways that I never imagined it could, my knees shaking and eyes rolling back with pleasure as I continued to attempt to ride him, my back bouncing against the wall again and again until I couldn't tell where Paeris' body began and mine ended.

I felt one of his hands move up around my neck as he continued his assault, knowing he was entirely in control of me and it was the sexiest thing ever.

He smacked my bottom once, hard, and slammed into me at the same time to combat the pain. It took everything in me to not scream out as another orgasm ripped through me.

"You're mine." He hissed into my ear before kissing me in a way that made my head spin. His movements slowed as he came, tightening his arms around me like a hug.

Our eyes connected, searching for the confirmation of love and trust between us that we thought was long gone until this moment.

My eyes fluttered shut as he kissed me tenderly, as if he had been waiting years to kiss me again.

"You can trust me, Ray. You know you still love me."

"I know." I whispered.

_________________________________

I wasn't sure when we had ended up in his room, but the golden colored wall paper stood out as my tired eyes looked around the room. Books scattered the floor and a large tapestry similar to my own was hung on the wall next to the door. Different canvases of art hung on the wall, looking like maybe, he had painted them himself. I hadn't known Paeris to be an artist, but I did know that he had a fantastic eye for fashion and colors so it fit.

I curled further into the warm bed, tucking myself closer to Paeris' warm body, his arm tightening around my waist slowly. Soft kisses peppered my neck as he held me close. I giggled as his fingers danced across my ribs.

"Pae, open up." I heard Laurel's twinkling voice boom through the door.

Paeris dragged me backward against him by my waist, a smirk on his face as I covered my mouth to avoid making noises that would draw attention.

"Come on, we have to talk. It's important." She persisted, knocking on the door again.

Paeris growled, trailing kisses over my neck, leaving me entirely entranced and unable to focus on the way Laurel talked to him through his door. I never took Laurel to be someone who would politely knock and beg to be let in. Especially with the way they danced at the Ball. Was there more to the story than I thought? Were they not together?

As Laurel bust the door open and filled the room with her rosy glow. I gasped and attempted to push Paeris' naked body away from me so I could hide deep under the blankets. He simply let out a dark chuckle and rolled off of me with a coy look on his face as if he had just been caught.

Well, we had just been caught.

She made a clicking noise with her tongue as she sat on the bed, tucking her legs under her. Laurel had never been good with boundaries or subtlety, especially since she was of Penum.

"If you're going to stay in bed all day, at least hang a sock on the door." She shot Paeris a look as he tucked his arms behind his head looking much more comfortable with this entire situation than I was. "And maybe let Jonas know you will be late for meeting him. Lover boy mentioned something about a trip?"

My eyes doubled in size.

"The trip."

"That's right." Her twinkling laugh filled the room as Paeris also realized our mistake. "He was about to let out the dogs to find you when he realized you weren't in your room."

"He's going to kill me."

"Well, I don't know about killing you. I am a good friend after all." She blew me kisses and lifted from the bed. "I told him you stayed in my room last night." I blanched was she winked at me and disappeared from the room.

Paeris lifted up onto his arms, looking at me with a raised brow and an amused smile. "Is there something you need to tell me?"

"Shut up."