"Fuck!"
Zev gripped Malik's ass, spreading his cheeks to get better access. To go deeper. Harder. To watch the muscles in Malik's back flexing as Zev took him relentlessly from behind.
To listen as those delicious noises grew louder with each thrust.
"God, yes, Zev..." The sound of Malik moaning his name made him throb inside the tight confines of Malik's body. Made something primal within him roar with satisfaction.
Malik's knuckles were white as he clutched at the sheets below him, his head dropping onto his forearm as Zev slammed into him again and again.
He was close to climax already, Zev knew—could feel it building in his own gut. It was strange, being able to sense Malik's feelings this way, but in the moment, it made perfect sense. He owned Malik; of course he could read his emotions. Of course they were connected.
He leaned over Malik to press against him, skin-to-skin contact heightening the sensation. Magic sparked between their bodies, invisible but crackling with energy. It flowed freely through them both, mingling together into something new.
Something powerful.
Malik shuddered under the intensity, gasping for breath as Zev wrapped a hand around him, stroking his cock while continuing to drive into him as hard as he could.
Malik tensed, arching back against him with a loud cry. "Zev, I—ah!—can't?—"
His body clenched around Zev's length, muscles spasming in time to each pulse from Malik's cock, painting the sheets below him with hot spurts of cum.
His climax triggered Zev's own release; he buried himself as deep as possible before emptying his load inside Malik. He bit down hard on the side of Malik's neck to muffle an animalistic growl that threatened to escape his lips. Gods, this human...
Zev wanted to make him his completely, consume him, absorb every drop of his power until there was nothing left.
No.
He made himself ease out of Malik, and the human rolled to face him.
There was that smile again. Dazed and exhausted, but still. That beautiful smile.
Zev kissed it without thinking, without hesitation. Malik's arms wound around him, pulling him close, clinging to him.
Zev broke the contact to look at his mate—no, not mate. Not mate.
But it was so difficult to think of him as anything else right now, with the magic humming through his veins and the scent of sex filling his nostrils and the taste of Malik's lips lingering on his tongue.
"Thank you," Malik murmured.
Zev swallowed past the tightness in his throat before replying, "You don't need to thank me."
Malik reached up to trace the lines of Zev's jaw, his touch gentle. Almost reverent. "I disagree."
Zev caught his hand, pressing a kiss to Malik's wrist and then the inside of his palm before releasing it. He stood, straightening his clothes. "I should go."
"What? Why?"
Zev paused, unable to meet Malik's gaze. The truth was that if he didn't go now...
He didn't know if he would go at all.
CHAPTER 16
Zev adjusted the short sword at his hip, testing its weight and balance. The Shadow Palace armory had decent weaponry—not as fine as what he'd trained with in the Night Court, but it would do.
Any blade that could slice through his father's neck would do.
He slid a dagger into each boot, another at his belt. All within easy reach.