Page 86 of Woven Souls

Keeping our hair long is a tribute to the Brotherhood. It’s one of my last ties to the organization. The others have folded up and shoved their cloaks into their respective bags; mine burned in the fire the night we killed Rowan and his men. I have kept my sword as a means of protection, and I can’t remove the vows tattooed into my skin written in the Fae language. But I want to get rid of everything and anything else. We are two and a half days away from the border of Everlast. When I enter my homeland, it won’t be as my people once remembered me. Not as a Ghost. Not as Kwil of Glenwig. Just Kwil.

Besides, no amount of hair will hide the face of a monster.

I’ll embrace what they cannot.

“Alright… Well, sit and straddle the toilet so I can reach.” Willow moves as best she can out of the way of the small RV bathroom.

Breaking into the empty camper was solely a move of desperation. It’s been three days since we were attacked by our own people, and since then, we haven’t stopped. According to Willow, that’s way too long to go without a shower. Good thing she’s never had to experience trudging through the Third Realm. I doubt she would have enjoyed the weeks, sometimes months, between bathing.

Once I’m situated on the toilet, Willow steps close. Her fingers run through my hair. She’s careful not to touch the small lump on the back of my head. It’s still tender, but thank goodness, it’s going away. When she runs her fingers through my dark locks again, her nails gently scrape along my scalp. I suppress a shiver as desire races down my spine. With our focus on surviving, I haven’t been able to have a moment alone with my mate. Not since we left the Windom Estate have I had her to myself. And while I don’t mind sharing Willow with the others, I’ve yearned for this one-on-one time.

Willow sighs and starts cutting. The first snip makes me flinch, but after that, it’s easy sailing. Willow gently tilts my head this way and that, making sure the haircut I receive is decent. When she’s done, Willow has me stand up and face her. I smile at the seriousness on her face as she inspects her work.

“This isn’t life or death, Willow. You could have buzzed it, and that would have been fine.”

This gets her to smile.

“I want this haircut to be perfect. Just like the person who will be rocking it.”

My shudder has nothing to do with the constant vibrations of my skin. Our eyes meet while my mouth dries. Hers twinkle as she stares up at me. The fact that she truly believes that, despite the mutation covering my body, is a testament to her affections for me.

“It’s like putting a bow on top of a shark.” I look away from the intensity in her gaze.

“Hey.” The sharpness of her tone pulls my attention back to her face. “It’s more like a bowtie, okay? You’re a dapper shark.”

I throw my head back and laugh. Truly, fully, belly laugh. Willow chuckles with me as she reaches up and brushes a strand of hair off my forehead. As she pulls her hand away, I don’t let it fall. Grabbing it, I bring it up to my lips, but rather than kissing the back of her hand, I lick her.

“Ew, Kwil!” Willow scrunches up her face and yanks her hand away. “Don’t be gross.”

I snicker as I take a step towards her.

“Gross?” I brace my hands against the wall of the bathroom when Willow’s back bumps into it. “How about I show you how gross I can be, Little Minx?”

Her pupils widen as she lets out the softest of gasps.

“Whatcha got planned, Mystery Man?”

I lean forward and swiftly place a kiss on her soft lips. Her gasp quickly turns into a moan as I deepen it. My hands slide off the wall so that I can take hold of her hips. Without breaking our kiss, I lift her up, turn us around, and place her butt on the edge of the countertop so I can stand between her legs. Willow’s hands reach under my shirt and then skim up my stomach and chest. She can’t miss the hard shudder that races through me.

I don’t want her to miss what she does to me.

I want Willow to know how deeply I desire her. How much I crave every inch of her, both inside and out. These past few weeks together on the road, I’ve found myself falling. It’s like I’ve missed a step, and my stomach leaps up into my throat. That feeling is there constantly when I’m around her. My heart skips a beat whenever our eyes meet, and when she leans against me to sleep between driving shifts, I feel like I’m melting into her. The world may be against us, but I’ve never found myself so in sync with someone else.

And it makes sense, being mates and all.

But just because two people are mates doesn’t mean the thick emotion that coats my throat, weighs heavily on my tongue, and causes the blood in my body to simmer, comes solely from that bond.

I reach for the hem of Willow’s shirt and break our kiss so I can tug it over her head before tossing it to the ground. Her bra comes off next. My mouth waters at the sight of her breasts on display. I plant a kiss on her lips quickly before leaning down and taking a nipple into my mouth. Her gasp and the way she arches her back excite me further. My hand reaches for her other breast. I have to have more. I want all of Willow. There isn’t a time when I don’t think about her. I’ve been obsessive. Wherever she goes, I’m her shadow watching over her. Wanting her…

I pull away from her nipple, only to help remove her pants next. As I toss her pants and panties over to where her shirt lies, I bask in the smell of her arousal. In this small space, it’s overpowering in the best way. I kneel before her, like a knight reveling in his queen’s presence. I trail kisses along the inside of her thighs, and I can feel the goosebumps raise in response. Her body shivers as I draw closer to where her arousal glistens.

When I get to my destination, we both groan as I taste her. I take it slowly at first, even as my desire to make her body shatter becomes an insatiable need. My tongue circles her clit while my human fingers slide into her, working them in and out. Willow’s groans become louder. Her arousal slickens my fingers as her body begins to quiver.

With my other hand, the one with not-so-human appendages, I reach up and drag, oh-so-carefully, my two claws against her soft skin. The sharp points vibrate in Willow’s pattern as I trail them up her inner thigh. Her arousal gushes from her as adrenaline spikes.

“Kwil…”

Willow tilts her hips forward as her legs begin to shake. Smiling against her core, I gently suck on her clit.

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