WARNING: The M rating definitely applies to this chapter for sexual situations.

Note1: Thanks again for the kind words. I really appreciate every single review I've gotten. I love Sam and Jack. I wanted to draw out them sharing their feelings, but Jack kept jumping up and down in my head, screaming how much he loved Sam. Lol.

—...—...— begin story —...—...—

Jack winced as Teegan forced more tattoo ink under his skin. This was the next stage of getting married per Creetion law—a permanent mark of ownership. The mark they were tattooing over his heart was identical to the one that was being placed on Sam's left shoulder blade.

"Sam has chosen well," Bettany told him, admiring the design. "The fee-nix is beautiful yet strong."

Jack smiled at her pronunciation of the word phoenix, but he agreed with her assessment. Sam had chosen well.

After their session with the truth orbs, Teegan had led them to a clearing in the woods and explained what would happen next. Creetion law dictated that all married women without a slave cuff must bare their owner's mark; however, the resistance secretly twisted the law by having the woman choose the mark.

Jack had balked at the idea of marking Sam at all; the very thought of it going against everything he believed. Teegan insisted because it was the only way to keep Sam safe. If anything separated her from Jack, the mark would ensure she wouldn't be resold. Despite the solid argument, it was Bettany that had finally convinced him.

"Creetion law may consider it the mark of his ownership, but I view Teegan's tattoo as a mark of mine," Bettany had told him. "He may own my body by law, but I own his heart."

Since Sam didn't seem to object, Jack had finally relented. Sam then immediately asked them to use the symbol of the phoenix and sketched it. "It's us," she told him simply. "No matter how many times I'd thought we were defeated, we always managed to find a way. Even if it meant coming back from death."

"Makes sense," he'd told her. "Besides, this'll beat the heck out of wearing a wedding ring. Always hated those things," he had said as a way of using humor to direct attention away from how touched he was by her choice.

By the look on her face, she knew exactly what he was thinking. With the bonding cuffs it was possible, but she said nothing. Laughing, she stood on her toes to place a quick kiss on his lips. The kiss was over way too soon for his liking; however, there wasn't much more he was willing to do with an audience.

"All finished," Teegan told him, bringing Jack out of his thoughts. At the same time the woman tattooing Sam stood up, indicating she was also done. Sam smiled at Jack, carefully reaching forward to touch the phoenix covering his heart.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"Can I see yours?" Jack asked.

Sam stood and gave him her back. Still clutching her partially opened dress over her breasts, she turned and let the back of the dress fall down slightly more. The skin of her back on her left side was bare all the way down to her ribs. Standing out prominently on her shoulder was a tattoo identical to Jack's—a dark phoenix rising out of orange, red, and yellow flames.

Jack felt his throat tighten as he gingerly traced her mark that declared his ownership. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips against the mark, causing Sam to gasp.

"Jack," she said breathlessly.

"It's perfect," he whispered in her ear, carefully drawing her dress up and back onto her shoulder. Turning to face him, their eyes locked as he felt a whisper in his head.

Mine

The thought was snatched away before he had a chance to realize if it was his or hers. Regardless, the feelings that lingered from it were intense. While he had originally fought against marking Sam, he couldn't help the sense of satisfaction that filled him.

"We need to get married," he said to her, but also to let Teegan know they were ready to proceed. Taking Sam's hand, they followed Bettany to a large tent-like structure that had been erected specifically for them.

"Since those wearing the slave cuff cannot be more than five feet away from the one wearing the controller, the next part of the ceremony must be completed in here," Bettany explained as she pulled back a flap.

Inside the tent, a large curtain separated two areas. Both contained large tubs filled with hot steaming water. Bettany took Sam's hand, while Teegan motioned Jack to follow him. Now on opposite sides of the curtain, they were together, but hidden from the other's view.

As Jack peeled his clothes off, he heard Sam doing the same thing. The realization that she was naked and within arms reach made his body start to burn. Quickly stepping into the tub, he sank into the water, hoping Teegan hadn't noticed his semi-aroused state.

He's naked. He's right next to me.

Realizing Sam hadn't said that aloud he called to her. "Sam, you okay?"

"Yes," she said, but her voice held a note of something he couldn't place.

Of course I'm not okay, I'm so turned on it isn't funny.

Jack bit back a groan at her words as his body quickly hardened. Realizing that Teegan had left him alone, he couldn't help lowering his hand below the surface of the water. Grabbing his arousal, he gave it a squeeze and a couple of quick pumps. He bit back another groan as he imagined Sam in the tub with him.

"Jack?" Her voice sounded strangled.

Stopping his hand, he tried to answer her in a normal voice, "yeah?"

"What are you doing?" Her voice quivered.

He felt his ears grow hot at the thought of being caught. Glancing at the curtain, it looked completely opaque. Light didn't even penetrate it. She couldn't know, could she?

"Bathing," he answered her, but he couldn't quite keep the huskiness out of his tone.

"Jack," her voice sounded even more strained. "The bond. I can feel you."

Jack's entire body burned at her words; his already hard erection growing painful as it swelled more. Summoning all of his control, he forced his hand back above the water.

"I'm sorry," he rasped out. His body ached for release, but he wasn't about to finish with her being forced to mentally listen in.

"No," she said, her swallow audible. "Don't stop."

Snapping his head toward the curtain, he drew in a sharp breath.

"Please don't stop," she said again, but this time he heard an urgency in her voice.

Don't ask. Don't ask. Don't ask. He told himself. "Sam, are you—"

"Yes," she said, but it came out as a half-moan. His mind immediately pictured her lying in a tub on the other side of the curtain, her hands between her legs. Lowering his hand back under the water, he began to stroke himself. Letting his mind imagine it was Sam's hand touching him. But then, an image of himself pleasuring Sam, his fingers deep inside her, popped into his brain. He felt how much she yearned for him to be the one to touch her, to tease her until she was begging him to stop. He felt her pleasure.

With a growl he exploded, his entire body shaking from the force of his release. Sam's feminine cry of pleasure was the only other sound. Allowing himself a few minutes to regain focus, he shifted in the tub once the feeling started to return to his legs.

Oh my god, he heard Sam as if she'd said it out loud. That was the hottest experience of my life.

"Mine too," he answered her thought.

"What?" She asked.

"That was the hottest experience of my life, too," he chuckled weakly.

"Oh god," she groaned. "This bond thing is going to take some getting used to."

"I felt you," Jack told her after a few seconds. "When you came, I felt it. It was like electricity exploding throughout my entire body. Is it always like that for you?"

"This was so much more intense than normal," Jack could hear the blush in her voice. "But, yeah, that's how it feels."

"Wow," he couldn't wrap his head around it. His orgasms were sharp and pleasurable, but he'd never felt like his entire body was exploding into a million pieces.

The sudden sounds of footsteps approaching had Jack tensing, but he relaxed slightly as Teegan appeared on his side of the curtain.

Bettany's voice sounded from the other side. "We thought you might like a moment of privacy," she said.

Jack's eyes snapped to Teegan's. "You knew what was going to happen, didn't you?"

Teegan smiled and handed Jack a towel. "It is another stage of the bonding process," Teegan said. "The ink used for your marks was laced with a chemical that increases the strength of the bond. Not only can you hear certain thoughts, but you can now share emotions."

Jack stood and quickly dried off as he thought about being irritated that Teegan hadn't warned him.

"It is important for you to understand that was just the beginning," Bettany said loud enough for Jack to hear her. "Tonight when you initiate the fire, the bond will intensify."

An sudden emotion shot through Jack. It was so sharp that he put a hand out to brace himself against the tub. It was anticipation, arousal, and fear all rolled into one.

"Sam," he rasped out.

"Sorry!" She called over the curtain, her embarrassment at him feeling her emotions obvious.

Forcing himself to stand up, Jack grabbed the ceremonial robe Teegan held out. Sam was right about one thing, he thought, this bond was going to take some getting used to.