Page 73 of The Nephilim's Finesse

He prowled toward me, intent etched into every line of his body. The others faded into the background, our confrontation the only thing that mattered. "Don't deny it. You've always been mine."

"Possessive bastard," I hissed, even as desire coiled low in my belly.

Raph's hands grabbed my lower back, pulling me against his hard length. "Say it. Say you're mine."

I bared my teeth, struggling in his grip. It was no use: he was far too strong. But I'd be damned if I gave in so easily.

"Make me."

A growl rumbled in his chest, his eyes flashing charcoal. “Do you really want me to claim you right now before everyone in this room? Because I will, I will show everyone that you are mine.” He growled so loud that everybody heard him. I heard a collective intake of breath. I didn’t care; I was so close to him that I had to fight against kissing his lips.

“Yes,” I breathed.

The next moment, his mouth crushed down on mine, hot and demanding. I gasped, and his tongue swept in to claim me utterly. All thought fled, replaced by a maelstrom of sensation. Raph lifted me up, and my legs wrapped around his waist instinctively.

The vampires and Nephilim stared at us in stunned silence, frozen in place. I could hear their accelerated heartbeats, their holding of breath, the lack of movement.

Tearing myself from Raph’s lips, I whispered, "I won't be owned by anyone." I held his eyes, making my point clear. "We stand as equals, or not at all."

Without warning, he captured my mouth with his in a fierce, possessive kiss that left me breathless. Heat exploded through my veins, my resistance melting away. I moaned, sinking into his embrace and returning the kiss with equal fervour. His hands roamed over my body, lighting me on fire, and I clutched at him just as desperately.

"Agreed," he replied, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his sensual lips.

Getting my feet back on the ground, I pushed Raph onto the chaise longue, undid his belt, and opened his jeans before I straddled him. I sat down on him, my skirts hiding our private parts. As always, I didn’t wear any undergarments, and his shaft slid into me when I lowered myself onto Raph. I wanted to be his; I wanted to be claimed by him in front of everyone.

But even more, I wanted him to be mine, never to leave me, standing by my side. As our bodies melded together, the rest of the room faded from my consciousness. Raph’s strong hands roamed my body, reigniting the fire that had once burned between us. I gasped when he moved his mouth to my neck, pressing gentle kisses against my pale skin. Pleasure overwhelmed me as he began to move hard and fast. I was his, and he was mine. Nothing else mattered but this moment, this joining. Our bodies moved together, our breaths mingling as we lost ourselves in each other, the world around us fading away.

“I claim you as well!” I hissed and bit into his neck, sending waves of pleasure through him. I moved over him, the rapture I gave intensified by my sucking of his blood. Then I kissed him hard while moving my hips.

Raph tore his mouth from mine, gazing into my eyes as his pace increased. “Say it. Tell me you’re mine.”

His words sent a shiver down my spine, and I wrapped my arms around him, allowing myself to be consumed by the intensity of our connection. We moved together, passion guiding us through each intimate touch and shared breath. I threw my head back, trembling on the edge of ecstasy. “Yours,” I gasped. “I’m yours.”

Triumph flashed across his face, and he thrust deep once more. The world shattered around us, pleasure obliterating everything else. As we floated back to Earth, still joined, I knew nothing would ever be the same.

I belonged to Raph, heart, body, and soul. And he belonged to me.

My gaze flicked to the others. The vampires stared with naked lust and envy. The Nephilim wore varying expressions of shock.

“Had I known what I’d witness today, I’d have brought popcorn, mate.” Mike grinned, shaking his head.

"By the gods," Azariel muttered, her voice barely audible. Her brown eyes were wide in shock as she stared at us. Puriel looked equally stunned, her hand covering her mouth as if to stifle an involuntary gasp.

Nate, however, wore a knowing smile, his gaze warm and understanding. "I had a feeling there was something between you two, and not just sex," he said quietly, his voice tinged with amusement. It was clear that he had suspected secret feelings between Raph and me, even when we had tried to convince ourselves otherwise.

The room was silent, the shocked expressions on their faces forgotten as Raph and I claimed each other in the most primal and intimate way possible. Once hidden and unspoken, our love was now undeniable—a force to be reckoned with as we faced the darkness together.

As our passionate display came to an end, the reality of our audience began to sink in. I glanced around the room, taking in the surprised faces of the vampires and Nephilim, who had witnessed our claiming.

Heat flooded my cheeks as I realised what we'd done. Not just the claiming—we'd had sex in front of them, loud and unrestrained. I buried my face in Raph's neck, mortified.

The tense atmosphere in the room threatened to suffocate us all, but Mike grinned mischievously and clapped his hands together. "All right, folks, nothing to see here! Just your typical romance—you know, boy meets girl, boy claims girl in front of a room full of supernatural beings…."

A few chuckles broke through the silence, and even Raph couldn't suppress a small smile. With the atmosphere in the room now somewhat lighter, I took a deep breath and climbed down from Raph, smothering my skirt. For a moment, the room was so still I could hear the blood pulsing in my veins.

Nate cleared his throat. “As this matter is settled, can we talk about the demon attacks now?”

I nodded and sat next to Raph. In the meantime, he had also straightened his clothes and pulled me close to him.

---