Seeing him so openly concerned for me makes some of those nerves inside my belly fade away. I’m not alone in this. I can see the same anxieties and uncertainty mirrored in Zeke’s face. The same things I’m feeling, my mate is feeling them too. It helps calm my racing heart, knowing we’re on the same exact playing field.
“I’m okay,” I tell him truthfully. “Kinda nervous, but I think I’ll be okay as long as I’m here with you. You’ll help me through this transition, right?”
“Of course.” Zeke gives me a soft smile as he holds out his hand for me. I take it and sparks dance over my skin at his warm touch. He leads me to the couch, sitting beside me. “I’m not going anywhere. We’re both jumping into the deep end and learning to swim.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
I take a moment just to look over his face, breathing in his lovely scent. “Actually, I want to ask you a million and one questions but I’ll start with one.” Zeke hums, spurring me on. “I don’t want this to come out weird but I’m curious. You know I’m a familiar and my other skin is a lion. I can’t tell what you are by scent alone, so what exactly are you?”
Something crosses Zeke’s face. It’s almost like a part of him doesn’t want me to actually know. He’s holding something back. The moment passes quickly. He swallows and looks away before he’s finally whispering, “I’m a banshee.”
“Okay,” I say right away, not wanting him to second guess my feelings for him. Him being a banshee doesn’t bother me even a little bit. Do I know anything about banshees? Not even a single thing. Does that change my feelings? Nope. “Thank you for telling me, Zeke. I have no idea what that entails but it must be wonderful because from what I know, you’re wonderful.”
“I kinda like that you’re sappy. Are you always like this with your partners?”
I feel my cheeks heat and I look away, biting my bottom lip. “Well,” I say slowly, “I guess I am since I’m being sappy with you and you’re my one and only partner.”
“I’m your first?”
“My first everything. We were gifted this compass by our grandmother when Harbor turned eighteen. I never had a desire to date or have one night stands while on our travels. To be honest, I didn’t have any desire for anything like that, until I met you. You’re awakening all these desires and instincts inside of me. They’re so fucking overwhelming, Zeke. Is this how everyone feels or is it special because you’re my true mate?”
Zeke tilts his head to the side. “I can’t answer that because I have no idea what other people experience, but my feelings? They’re overwhelming too.”
I reach for him, needing to touch him, needing it like I need to breathe. In turn, Zeke leans closer, kissing my cheek. When his mouth is near my ear, he whispers, “I want you more than words can say, Casper. I want you here with me, but I also want you.”
I swallow thickly, feeling my body heat up. I don’t even recognize my voice as I whisper back, “how do you want me. Tell me. Please.”
“Gods,” Zeke curses, pulling back so he can look at my face. His eyes are lidded with desire, his cheeks turning a pretty rosy color. Gods, I need to hear that he wants me the same way I want him. “When you say please it takes all of my self-control not to take you right here, right now.”
I suck in a sharp breath, my cock twitching in my jeans. I just barely keep myself from squirming or doing something ridiculous, like rutting myself against his leg. I’ve never felt so horny in my entire life.
“I want you in the most animalistic way,” Zeke confesses slowly. “The fact that I’m going to be your first means I’m going to show you pleasure you’d never be able to experience with your own hand. I want to mark you and claim you. I want to fuck you and mark you with my cum. I want to learn what makes you moan and what makes you tick.”
My breathing is coming out in sharp pants, overwhelmed with my mate’s words. I want all of that. I want so much more than that. I want everything.
“Take me,” I breathe out, wrapping my arms around Zeke’s neck. I quickly shift until I’m straddling his lap. “Please, Zeke. Claim me. Mate me. Make me yours.”
Are we going too fast? Maybe some people would think that. But this is my true mate and I don’t want to spend another minute not being his.
Zeke stands up, placing his hands on my ass to hold me against him, walking me to his bedroom. As my lips collide with his, I know this isn’t too fast. This is just right for us.
Chapter Six
Zeke
Oh my gods. Oh my gods. Oh my gods.
“Fuck,” I gasp out as our lips finally part. We breathe in each other’s air as Casper leans his forehead against my own. It’s becoming harder to keep my glamor in check, to keep this face in place. Kissing Casper is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. I’ve kissed other people but it was never like this.
“Yeah,” Casper says with a grin, “I think that’s the plan.”
I swallow thickly. “If that’s what you want. But there’s no rush, Casper. We go at your pace.”
“My pace is getting naked and rutting against each other like overwhelmed teenagers. That sound good?”
I can’t help but smile, huffing in amusement. “Yeah, that sounds fucking perfect.”
I walk a few more steps before depositing Casper onto the bed. He starts stripping out of his clothes and I’m suddenly frozen in place, unable to do anything but watch as more and more skin is revealed. Holy shit. Holy fuck. I was not prepared for how hot my mate would be out
of his clothes!
Once Casper is down to his boxers, he looks at me with a raised brow. “Really? Are you just gonna watch? I don’t think I’m gonna last long so if you wanna be involved, you better hurry your ass up, Zeke.”
Casper touches his erection through his boxers and the sight of that spurs me into action. There’s no way I’m not getting my hands on him. There’s no way he’s coming before I’ve even had a chance to fully appreciate him the way he deserves.
Casper lets out a gasp as I grip his ankle, tugging him until he’s laid on his back at the edge of the bed. I tower over him, looking him up and down before pulling his hand away for his cock. Then I lean down and kiss his lips briefly before straightening. His eyes are wide, his cheeks red, his chest raising and falling with each breath. Gods, he’s gorgeous.
“Don’t you dare come,” I tell him, watching in wonder as his eyes dilate with lust. “I was busy admiring you, Casper.”
“Me? I’m not--” he cuts himself off, shaking his head. “I’ve never thought of myself as something worth admiring.” My chest aches with the soft confession and I promise myself to do everything in my power to show him that he is.
“You are. You deserve to be properly worshiped, Casper.”
“Then show me.”
I don’t think I’ve ever stripped out of my clothes faster and I almost worry I’ve somehow gone into my phantom form to get myself naked. Thankfully, I can tell I’m still completely corporeal.
