Chapter 349

The instant Lucien's fingers were in her hair, Elain sank back against the pillows. Her own hands were on her mate's back and waist and she groaned with relief as he went with her. Lucien's weight was so pleasant and satisfying over her that she gave a pleasured groan of appreciation, wrapping her legs around his hips as her back arched up and she sought to get more contact with him.

"I was so scared." He breathed, his lips brushing against her ear and he breathed heavily against her. "When you didn't come back…"

"I know." She replied, fingers dragging his tunic up his back so that she could touch his hot skin. "I was sure that I wasn't going to get away from them… We couldn't find a way out, and the smoke was so thick..." She was unable to prevent the memory that flashed through her mind, holding hands in that thick smoke as they tried door after door only to find no reprieve. Lucien's lips moved to her throat then and Elain gave an appreciative groan.

"I know, Petal." He told her, "The relief I felt when that bond reconnected and I could feel you once more…" he broke off, but Elain knew how he had felt. It was so unnatural now to not be able to feel her mate, and she hoped that faebane never crossed her path ever again. "It wasn't right to not be able to have you beside me…"

"I'm so used to hearing your heartbeat…" she told him, fingernails scratching at his back, "It has been a part of my life since the instant I came out of the Cauldron…" It was the most constant part of her life that she currently had. "I hate not being able to hear it…"

"Can you hear it now?" he asked, and Elain shivered as she felt her mate's hands moving up her legs, gathering her dress as they went. She nodded, not sure that she trusted her voice. Lucien's heart was as strong in her head as it ever had been, and she loved the familiarity and the comfort of it. She listened to its steady, sure beat and she began to relax even as his heart quickened in pace. She knew that her own was racing to match and she began to wriggle in an attempt to help his hands rid her of the dress at which he was now pulling.

"Yes…" she breathed, both answering his question and giving her approval for what he was currently, doing, "Yes… Lucien…" When his hand went between her thighs, Elain gave a wanton groan and, for a moment, she worried that he wasn't going to properly remove her dress or his own clothing. She clutched at his shirt, trying to get her point across, and it seemed that her mate understood her well enough. Elain almost whimpered when he let her go, but then he was pulling his shirt free and up then it was sailing over the end of the bed to disappear from view. As he went to rid himself of his pants, Elain hurriedly took the opportunity to remove her dress before she kicked it away to join the shirt somewhere on the floor.

The instant Elain was out of her dress, Lucien snaked an arm around her and drew her to himself across the bedspread. He wanted to look at her. He didn't want her hidden beneath himself where he couldn't see her body, couldn't see what he was doing to her. Not yet. So, he rolled onto his back and pulled her with him until he held her on her own back atop himself. Her dark eyes searched for him up and over her shoulder, and he could both hear and feel her rapid breath.

"What are you doing?" She asked, and her gentle hands searched for him. Lucien just smiled at her, knowing that it was one of his best and most charming smiles. He tightened the arm that was around her waist, holding her more securely to himself as he ever so slowly allowed his other hand to glide over her abdomen and down between her legs. "Ohh…" Elain's head fell back against Lucien's shoulder and he felt her open more widely to him, allowing him free and uncontested access to her. He knew then that he was beyond hard.

"No protest?" he purred, lips against her ear, and Elain rewarded him with a soft gasp as he pushed a finger carefully inside of her. One of her feet pressed against his calf and he felt her lift her hips a little in encouragement, "This what you want, Petal?"

If Lucien had have known, back in the days he had brought her pastries in Rhys' garden and they had sat among the falling petals of that pink tree, that he would one day hold Elain in his arms in their bed while she gasped and moaned as he thrust his fingers in and out of her, he would have thought that he'd been lost in some kind of daydream. He never would have believed that this could have been real, but now it felt just so natural and he couldn't imagine any kind of future where this wouldn't be something that was likely to be done on a daily basis.

Slipping another finger inside of Elain, Lucien listened intently to the sounds she made. It was clear now that she had only grown in confidence since the first time he had touched her in this way, and it made his blood race to think about how far she had come. Her hips continued to move, lifting to meet his fingers, and her little moans were quickly increasing in volume. Lucien couldn't take his eyes off of her, watching as the colour rose in her cheeks and her lips parted again and again. Her hands had gripped him, one at his waist beneath her, and one around his forearm, making sure that he wouldn't be able to pull away, and Lucien had no intention of doing something so unthinkable. "Is this what you wanted, Petal?" he asked, again, and Elain just groaned in response. He felt her nod her head, although she seemed beyond words, and that only made him smile more widely, his fingers continuing what they had been doing to earn those beautiful sounds from her. "Or…" he breathed, fingers halting for a moment, "do you want something more…?"

"Mmm…" Elain's hand tightened on his forearm, and he knew that she was disappointed that he had stopped.

"More?" he asked, and her grip tightened again. "… alright…"

Lucien pulled his fingers from within his mate, sliding her off of himself and down to the bedspread beside her. An instant later he had rolled himself atop her, his own hands moving over her and adjusting her position beneath himself.