Page 74 of Vampire's Hearth

Mac squeezed my hands and nodded. “But we have to see this through first. And your coven’s curse. How do we know a vampire and a witch being mated won’t do more harm?”

Fear caused my breath to catch in my throat as I struggled to find words, unsure if they should be words of fear or words oflove. In the back of my mind, I heard Aunt Amara telling me to follow my heart. What wasn’tshetelling me? I cupped Mac’s cheek in my hand, brushing my thumb gently along his skin, feeling the stubble. “I may not know,” I said softly, “but I think someone does. I think Amara might help us.”

Mac leaned into my hand, nodding as he placed his over mine. “But do you think it’s really wise to ask her right now?”

I shook my head. “No. But we’re going to have to figure this out together.” I leaned my forehead into his. “We can’t go on pretending we’re separate—that our supernatural worlds don’t affect one another.”

Mac’s face softened, and he nodded. “I promise, I'll explain everything once we find the Cure.”

I took his hands in mine again, holding them tightly, as I pulled my head back, looking into his eyes. “I wish you could trust me enough to tell me now. Because until you do, how can I be sure? How can I know this”—I gestured back and forth between us—“is real?”

His gaze softened, and for a moment, I saw something like regret. “Because your High Priestess Regent and I are both telling you the same thing, Rory. Follow your heart. It will know if this is real.”

Before I could respond, Mac rose on his knees and leaned forward, pressing his lips to mine. The soft and sweet kiss had a lingering intensity behind it. His tongue gently slid against mine, sending warmth flooding through me. One hand held mine to his cheek, the other on the back of my neck as I melted into his kiss. As our tongues danced, I searched my heart. There was no hesitancy, no doubts, not a single voice telling me to stop.

Mac’s arm slid behind me, pulling me forward. I parted my legs as I slid to the edge of the seat, feeling his hips between my thighs. I inhaled sharply before he pressed his mouth to mine again, his fingers threading through my hair, his tongueplunging deep as though he would never get enough of me. My hands circled his neck, resting on his shoulders, feeling the muscles ripple as he worked his mouth against mine.

“Ah!” A squeal of joy escaped me as his hand tightened around my back, and he lifted me into his arms. His laugh reverberated against my lips as he carried me to my bed, reaching across as far as he could and setting me down before climbing between my legs. I placed my arms behind me and scooted away, giving him room to follow. The force of his kiss pushed me back until he was lying beside me, propped up on his elbows.

His fingers gently traced down my necklaces, lingering softly on my pendant before moving across my stomach. My muscles contracted, pulling away from his hand as a warmth shot through my core, my nipples hardening. I smiled into his lips, urging him with my kiss to continue. He found my body again, his touch so light it felt like a feather as he continued to the side of my stomach, down my hip bone, and along the outside of my thigh, careful to avoid any hint of coming close to my center. His hand rested on my knee as he continued to deepen our kisses, the fire in my belly growing with each lick of his tongue on mine.

His tongue continued relentlessly, his hand unmoving. I placed my hands on his chest, gently pushing him away from me and catching his gaze. “Make love to me,” I whispered, “soft and slow.”

He smiled down at me. His voice was a soft, low rumble. “I’ll always give you anything you ask me for, Aurora.” He lowered his lips to mine again and his hand traced a path up the inside of my thigh, a thrill going through my body. Reaching my center, he brushed his fingers up and down the outside of my panties, my wetness soaking through. Without removing them, his finger circled my clit, the muted feeling causing my body to scream for more as his tongue danced over mine.

He rose to his knees, still consuming my mouth, his tongue engaging mine in a soft exchange of grazes. I felt the bed move as he removed his shoes, followed by his pants, boxers, and socks, leaving them on the floor. He hooked his fingers around my panties and urged them off my legs, leaving a trail of dampness along my thighs before he settled down next to me again. He pulled his lips from mine, glancing toward my ankle, cupping it with his hand before he slowly dragged his fingers up my leg, causing goose bumps to rise on my flesh even though I was practically as clothed as I had been before.

His gaze locked on mine, a coy smile playing on his lips. He dropped his lips to my chest, kissing along my collarbone as his hand reached my thigh and continued its upward path. I closed my eyes, focusing on every feeling, every sensation of his hands against my flesh. I inhaled sharply as he never stopped, sliding his finger into my wetness until it fully penetrated me. His thumb massaged my clit. He shifted the arm he was leaning on so he could palm my breast through my dress as he dragged his finger out of me before pushing it back in. My pussy grasped at it, wanting more as he found that spot along my inner walls that made me shiver in delight. He pulled his finger out again before pushing it back in, lightly pinching my nipple this time as he grazed my clit again with his other hand. A moan escaped my throat as I shifted against his finger inside me.

He kissed the middle of my neck before lifting his head. I felt his gaze looking down on me and opened my eyes to him. “I love that sound,” he growled, his voice low before he kissed me again, one finger relentlessly stroking my insides, the other hand rolling and pinching at my nipple through my dress.

My breaths were coming in short gasps, my hips rising to meet his hand as his finger fucked me. A familiar feeling built in the base of my spine as he caressed me from the inside, rolling against my inner flesh, causing every nerve in my body to feellike it was on fire. I stood on the edge of a pool of oblivion, being taken higher with every stroke, the tension building as my clit burned under his thumb. His finger slid inside me, his other hand pinched my nipple, and his thumb pressed on my clit all in a concentrated moment. The glorious combination of sensations filled with pleasure and a hint of pain threw me off the edge and into the pool where I was drowning in overwhelming ecstasy. My body shook as my pussy grabbed at his unstopping finger, which continued to caress my insides. I pushed my hips against his hand, burying the delight as deep inside me as I could as I struggled for breath against the onslaught of euphoria.

I caught my breath, sweat on my brow, as I placed a hand on his chest and one around his neck. I kissed him, my tongue grinding against his. After a moment, I pushed him back before reaching for his cock. He moved his hips, keeping it out of my reach, and shook his head. “Your request was that I make love to you. You’ll get your chance another time.”

He lay on his back and pulled me to straddle him. I raised my eyebrow. “Do I at least get to remove your shirt?” He nodded, pulling my lips to his as I undid the buttons, pushing the silky material aside and off his arms. As soon as they were free, I felt his hands on my hips, pushing my dress over my head. For a moment, it felt as though I was suffocating as the garment covered my face before he threw it onto the floor with the other clothes. He grasped my hips and took my weight in his hands, lifting me to my knees as though I were nothing more than a leaf on a breeze.

He lined his hard cock up with my entrance before he lifted his hips, pushing into me, holding me above him. There was no weight on my knees at all, his strength taking over. I gazed down at his chest, watching his abs flex as he lifted his cock into me again. I closed my eyes and moaned as it slid in to the hilt, embracing its ecstatic feeling of fullness. When I openedmy eyes, Mac held my gaze with his, taking in every expression. I smiled down at him, placing my hands on his chest, feeling his muscles beneath me as he pushed into me and pulled out again and again. The movements stoked the flames in my core, causing them to grow, my desire heightening. It was maddening I couldn’t meet his strokes as he held me above him.

His thrusts increased, using my breath as a guide. Each time my breathing sped up, so did his thrusts, bringing me closer to the edge. I tried holding off, wanting to keep him inside me for as long as I could. His cock stirred untold pleasures along with unknown emotions in my soul. I looked into his gaze, the softness of his eyes, the desire to see me shatter as much as I wanted it—regardless of how much I fought it. His words confirmed my read of him as he pushed into me, pulling me down on top of him, grinding into my clit. “Come now, Aurora.” His words were the catalyst that threw me over the edge, wave after wave of pleasure radiating through me from where my pussy grasped onto his pulsing cock, shaking my entire body.

I collapsed onto his chest, unable to remain upright through my orgasm. He held my hips to him as a growl fell from him, his own release following mine. He rolled me onto my back, taking his position above me again, claiming my lips. His hand went to my naked breast, massaging it.

He lifted his lips from mine and smiled at me, tracing my collarbone. I reached a hand to his cheek. He leaned into it with his eyes closed as I caught my breath, my heartbeat returning to normal. After a moment, he opened them again, his soft gaze locking onto mine. “I hope you don’t think we’re done, my starlight,” he breathed, kissing me. “My love.”

I tilted my head to the side, my hair crunching against the mattress. “What did you call me?” My voice cracked as I asked the question.

“Starlight? It fits you perfectly.” He smiled at me.

“The other one,” I whispered.

His eyes met mine, the depths of who he was rising to the surface of the oceanic blue, shimmering with unspoken emotion. “I love you, Aurora. And I intend to spend the rest of tonight making sure you know that.” His lips met mine in a hungry kiss.

My heart cried out as the physical sensations met the emotional ones, and I fought tears of joy. He pulled away from me, his gaze even softer than before. “I love you, too.” My response felt small and inadequate. Words couldn’t convey the depth of the feeling in my heart.

Regardless of our different lives, my place in the coven, or even who he was, there was no denying I was in love with him.

Cormac

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