Oh,wow, I suddenly feel like I’m chugging up the lift hill of an epic roller coaster, about to reach the apex where everything gets super exciting. “Nico, I fully accept you as my mate, today and forever.”

My jaw drops when Nico’s erection—his first erection ever—makes itself known below me, bumping into me. I don’t know what I expected, but Nico is on his feet, toting me out of the cavern and into the spacious bathroom where I’ve been many times.

He sets me on the counter, his hands on my cheeks. “I want something,” he growls, his eyes sparking with need, his entire body quivering with desire.

“Me too,” I say cheekily. “But first, you will kiss me right now.”

Oh my goodness… he’s on me, his hands gripping me, tugging me close as he claims my mouth like he was born to do this.Instinct… that’s the difference withfirst timesfor humans where we trip over our minds, bodies, and insecurities. Nico’s not like that at all. He apparently came out of the box with preprogrammed skills of the highest order.

His kiss is so divine that I don’t even notice when he tears off my nightgown, sets me on the counter again, drops to his knees, jerks my legs over his shoulders, and then stares at me from between my legs.

“Kiss,” he murmurs and licks along my already wet pussy, pausing only to deposit teasing kisses everywhere. The way his fur feels between my legs, everywhere it touches… I love it. I drag my nails through his tufty mane as I cant my hips to give him more access.

His fangs gently score me as his tongue drives into me. Then he jerks back. “Urge to bite… can’t stop.”

“Bite me, Nico,” I cry breathily. “Make me yours.”

His fangs sink into the tender flesh on either side of my clit, causing me to arch. At first, I think it’s pain, but no, it’s a punishing kind of pleasure that seems to enter my bloodstream and light a fire throughout my body. He doesn’t retract his fangs as his tongue fucks into me. I’m leaning against the mirror, my breath rasping in and out until I close my eyes and reject control over anything.

The bliss of existing only in this moment of ecstasy—Nico and I deserve this.

His rumbling sounds, his fragrance that’s now sweet as sin and spicy as sin’s naughtiest, most forbidden dreams… Ilovethis. Carnal… feral…whatever. His fangs leave my flesh and I can’t still my shaking as he drags their tips over my sensitive folds, kissing and licking before digging in again as I scream my absolutely unbridled release.

Nico lurches back, staring at me with wild eyes. “Screams are sometimesgood.” Relief and just a hint of sanity shine back at me in his gaze. He gently takes my hand and kisses my palm. “He didn’t hurt you.”

Still panting, while attempting to fall back to earth without popping my afterglow balloon, I reach and caress his face. “Archie didn’t hurt me, or rather, Ilikedthe way he hurt me. Screams can be good, Nico. You’re good—we’re good.”

A salaciously deviant smile forms on sweet Nico’s face. “Make you scream more.”

“Yes, please.”

Nico jumps to his feet, grabs me, and carries me to the huge shower. “Instinct,” he warns. “Must do this way.”

“Yes,please.”

Oh my… he positions my hands on the bar in the shower and bends me at the waist. Apparently, instinct has some delicious rules, including what I’m now callingmonster-stylesexy time. He lines himself up and surges inside me from behind, railing into me as I hold the bar for dear life.

I don’t need to worry. Nico won’t let me fall. His hands dig into my hips, pushing and then jerking back to drive his cock even deeper, perfectly timing his handling of me with his own commanding thrusts. After so much time in the pool, I’m fully ready for all of this, not that being a little sore after would ever deter me.

He’s so perfect for me, just that much bigger than I think I can take, though he’s not pausing to ask if I can take more.

Then it comes—the main freaking event—a powerful pressure that steals my breath.

Hisknot.

Nico has aknot.

Ahugeknot that’s expanding inside me and locking us together. I’ve read so many books, imagining what taking a knot would be like… and this,in-fucking-describable.

I imagined extreme fullness.Check.

I imagined a connection so brilliant the rest of the world would vanish.Check.

What I didn’t—couldn’t—imagine was the pleasure that’s overwhelming me, inspired by the absolute trust required to be trapped by a lover in this way. That trust continues to build every second we’re connected, launching me up and then over the first knotted climax.Perfection… a lasting perfection it seems, because as soon as the first begins to dissipate, another is ready, like we’ve just knocked over the first orgasm domino in a line that stretches for miles.

When my legs begin to wobble and his throbbing cock continues to send me into fits of paradise, Nico lifts me and carries me to the empty tub. He steps inside while I openly sob with each release. Carefully sitting—our bodies still joined, with his warm, silky presence beneath me—his arms surround me. It was tender when I first realized the way each of Nico’s hairs stroked my flesh, but now, naked like this, it’s incredibly erotic, as are his continued uncontrollable thrusts.

“Mate,” he proclaims, his fangs playing over my shoulder.