Page 52 of Ruling in Flames (Reborn 5)
The night air ruffled through his pale hair, his gaze running over my mouth before flashing back up to my eyes. “Yes. Yes I would, Maya.”
“Why?” I whispered.
When his hand came up to cup my jaw in a gentle caress, I leaned into it and felt my face warm. I noticed his wings were wrapping closer around us, and I had to fight the urge to touch them again, my fingertips tingling with the remembrance of how soft they were. I didn’t realize how far I’d leaned into him until he tipped my jaw back and examined my expression.
“Maya, I have very little control when it comes to you, and when you offer me your lips so sweetly, it very much tests it,” he rumbled, his eyes flashing with that dangerous, predatory light.
“I test your control?” I asked nervously, my toes curling in anticipation.
“Without a question.” Az tightened his hand on my jaw before leaning down, offering me a clear sign that he planned on kissing me—an action that I eagerly matched. The brush of our lips sent currents of electricity bolting through me, and a pleased sound came from my throat at the way he dominated the kiss, savoring the intimate touch.
My entire body in that singular moment felt like it was being dipped in honey, something in my magic stirring and encouraging me to…push. But to what end? My teeth hurt, urging me to mark Az…as my mate?
I tensed, wondering how he would feel about that, and he immediately pulled back, looking worried.
“What happened? Where did you go?” he asked softly.
I swallowed, feeling overwhelmed as I let out an unsteady breath. “I’m worried I keep pushing for things you don’t want. I know our bond was made by accident, but I feel so confused because I just felt the urge to bite you, to put a mating mark—Az!”
I was flat on my back in the grass as he met my lips again, caging me and using a hand to roughly tug at my hair, a high-pitched needy sound nearly leaving my throat. My breathing became uneven as he explored my mouth, and I opened my legs, his massive body positioned between them as I felt his cock harden against my center, making me feel overheated in the best way possible.
Then he pulled back, looking down at me with an extreme intensity that caused me to shiver. “Never,mon lapin,neverthink I don’t want you. Or want this. I want our bond. I want you, and if you wanted to mark me, if you chose to honor me with that, I would accept it in a heartbeat.”
Oh.
I exhaled in relief. “You would? But you know that would make us mates, right? I mean, I would…” I flushed, feeling like I was on the edge of stuttering because of my nerves. “I wouldn’t mind that—I would love it, actually, not that I would expect you to feel the same… But yeah, I wouldn’t want to put that on you if you don’t want it. You finally got your freedom back, and while I want you here, I don’t want you to feel tied down.”
Realization crossed his face. “Maya, you marking me would free me, not trap me—don’t ever think that.”
“So you would be okay with being my mate?” I offered nervously, really not wanting to interpret his words incorrectly.
His eyes flashed with a dark, possessive humor. “I’m okay with being your mate. More than fucking okay.”
“Wait, what?” It sounded like he was talking about it in the present tense, as if we were already mates.
Sitting us up, he pulled me into his arms, his wings sheltering us as he cupped my jaw lightly. “Theimmolatiobond—it’s a mate bond, Maya. I was shocked when I first realized we’d formed one, but then one of my feathers fell for you, and when you said you wanted to wear it, I knew for sure. That’s a sign for angels that someone is their fated mate.”
“I’m your fated mate?” I whispered in awe.
“Fate brought you to me,” Az murmured, clarity and surety in his gaze. “I had no idea it would, but it did, and I’m so fucking thankful for it. If you’ll have me, I want to spend every single day making you the happiest woman in the realms.”
Tears filled my eyes as I nodded, bringing my hand up to his and squeezing it. “Yes, I would love that.”
The pure joy that filled his face made my heart beat double-time with excitement, elated that we’d made him so happy.
“I have a locket for you upstairs, if you’ll wear it,” he murmured after a long moment, pressing his forehead against my own as I breathed in his scent.
“Of course.”
Az pressed a soft kiss to my lips before he lifted me up, probably to take me to the house. But before he started walking, he looked me over once again, his nose brushing against mine in an intimate gesture. “When I first saw you, I didn’t even know it was possible for someone so perfect to exist. After all the darkness I’d witnessed, especially with Ry…”
“How did you end up with Ry?” I asked, hoping it wouldn’t make him uncomfortable. I hated not knowing if it was off-topic or not, but I felt the need to understand everything about this man, about my angel who had come off as so grumpy at first but was in fact super sweet. I didn’t look at anything we passed, completely wrapped up his arms as he made his way to his bedroom.
His gaze went distant. “Thousands of years ago, the gods and angelic beings fought. Humans were worshiping us equally, and it caused tension and competition for their affection, so war broke out.
“Ry and I had been friends for years. There was a time I even considered him a brother to me,” Az said, his expression pained. “But the propaganda from the God realm turned rational thought and Ry into enemies. He no longer saw the truth—only hate.”
“I’m sorry you lost someone so important to you,” I whispered.
