Tainted roots

Warmth built in my chest as Koa approached, worry filtering down the bond. As he neared the door, Emmy called out, “It’s a little worrying how I’ve been here several minutes with your mate, and you’re just now showing up.”

A burst of surprise came next, followed by anger as he swung the door open. My heart rate picked up at the sight of him while my breaths stilled. He was wearing a white button-up shirt with the top few buttons undone, showing off hints of his tattoo, and the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to the tops of his forearms. His hair was left down, the wavy lengths near his shoulders now. Saying I was obsessed with his hair was an understatement.

His gaze found mine, looking me over for any injuries. The frantic look changed to a slow and heated stare, one that trailed from the top of my head down to my feet. I’d forgotten I was all dressed up during my conversation with Emmy.

“She does look lovely, blue really is her color.”

Koa’s body went rigid as his attention snapped to her, where she still leaned against the table. He was at my side within seconds, his body angled slightly so he was in front of me. “What are you doing here?”

Based on the tension riding his body and the anger he was feeling, he figured out who she was.

“Answering your mate’s questions, of course. It’s not my fault she didn’t like the answers.” She inclined her head toward me, and that was when I realized why he came to find me. He’d felt my heartache and devastation at what happened to Rowan. To all the spirit familiars.

“And I’m supposed to believe you’re not here to stab anyone else?” He crossed his arms as he stared her down.

Releasing a long groan, she rolled her eyes and tilted her head back to look up at the ceiling, most likely trying to find the patience to deal with us. “You two need to learn to let that go.”

Koa didn’t say another word. He stood there, an immovable force, pinning her with his piercing glare. I began shifting around on my feet, uncomfortable by the silence. The need to talk and break the palpable tension, or ask more questions overwhelmed me. “The keys, you said there were more out there, but you never said how many. There are five, aren’t there? Five keys for five races.”

The attention shifted over to me, well hers did. Koa was still carefully watching her. “Very good. Yes, the elemental and summoner ones are still out there. In your realm, guarded by Mythics who don’t truly understand what they have.”

A thought had been playing around in my head for the past month. A theory I’d begun forming after all we learned. “The elemental key is yours.” Not a question, a statement. A theory built off the fact that she had ancient magic, and how she delivered a message from one of the beings that created the keys. It was the only thing that made sense. I only felt dumb for not figuring it out sooner.

Her secretive smile reappeared and I had my answer. “Is Emmy your real name, or is there something else I can call you?”

“Part of it.” She held up her hand, her thumb and forefinger an inch apart. “But that’s not what’s important.”

I heaved out a low sigh, placing my hands on my hips. “And what is?”

“The things that escaped from the rift before it was patched.” Her smile was nowhere to be seen.

“More tainted,” I guessed, suddenly not confident with my answer. Not when she slowly shook her head, her lips pressed together. Her smiles were annoying, but when she became serious it was unsettling. “What is it? Are more Mythics going to be possessed?”

“No to the last part. As to the big, what is it question? You’ll have to find that out for yourself.”

I growled in frustration, and took a step toward her. Koa’s arm shot out in front of me, stopping me from attacking her. Probably for the best, since she’d probably kick my ass and ruin my dress, but I was too frustrated to think reasonably.

“You could save us a whole hell of a lot of trouble by just telling us this shit, rather than letting us chase our tails out there. You could’ve stopped the rift from growing if you’d gone there yourself. Instead, you sent us on a wild chase that had us wasting a whole day.”

Emmy shook her head, with a smile that said she thought I was dumb. “It’s not that simple, there’s more to all of this than you know. Like how neither Gabby nor I knew what was in the tunnels.”

“You didn’t know?” I asked, not bothering to hide the skepticism in my voice.

She shook her head, cocking her head to the side as she observed me. “As for the stopping the rift part, we have to be careful in how we interfere. Or who we interact with and let see our faces.”

The implication hung in the air, she was taking a big risk coming here and talking to me. It didn’t make any sense to me, she had so much power, who was there for her to be afraid of? “Why?”

“Because my dear, if you ask anyone who knows anything about the keys, they’ll all tell you that the women who made them are dead.” She shrugged, her response nonchalant.

“You don’t seem like the type to fake your death,” Koa pointed out, having been staring her down in an intimidation tactic. One she’d been ignoring the entire time. The way she didn’t keep him within her sights, spoke of how little she feared him.

“I’m not.” She didn’t add to her response. Instead, she pushed off the desk, her grin growing when Koa angled his body in front of mine. Rather than being intimidated by his stance and the tension riding his body, she found it amusing. “Sorry about not being able to attend your ceremony. Something’s come up.”

Neither of us said anything as she walked toward the door, her steps light and unbothered. I don’t know why I said what I did next. “You were right, I didn’t want to know the answer to that question.”

Emmy paused in front of the door, her hand on the doorknob. “We always think we want the truth, that it’ll make us feel better and set us free, but it never does. The truth is a curse and those that know it are cursed as well.” She looked over her shoulder, her attention landing on me. “Just remember that in the future when you’re asking questions, especially when it comes to the necromancers and the prison realm.” Without saying another word, she exited the room. There weren’t any retreating footsteps, but I knew she was gone.

I don’t know how long I stared at the door, my thoughts a turbulent storm roaring through my head. I couldn’t stay on one topic for too long, going from the timetable on the patch on the rift, to what else could have escaped it, finally setting on what she revealed about spirit familiars.

No wonder they didn’t bond with summoners of the same animal, because they remembered being discarded by a member of that clan. It was honestly amazing they bonded to summoners at all. You would think they’d hold a grudge against every summoner.

I couldn’t let myself think about this anymore, or let myself wonder what Rowan went through. All that mattered, was that we found each other. I would never leave her, or make her feel unloved or unwanted. She was a part of my family now, an important part. And one thing about my family was that we never left anyone behind.

Warm calloused hands cupped my face and pulled me out of my chaotic thoughts. Koa’s thumbs traced my cheeks in soft, soothing strokes. “Forget about what she said. Forget she even came here in the first place. Today isn’t about her or the shit that’s yet to come. It’s about us.” His eyes held mine, and no matter how many times I looked into them, I still found myself getting lost in their depths.

I opened my mouth to protest, to tell him I couldn’t flip a switch and forget everything I learned. His lips crashed against mine as his tongue delved into my already open mouth, taking control of the kiss. Using his hands still cupping my cheeks, he tilted my head back to give himself a better angle. I threaded my fingers through his hair, loving how soft the strands felt under my hands. He growled against my mouth when I gave his hair a slight tug.

Heat followed his hands as they trailed down my body, stopping at my hips as he backed me up until my back hit the desk behind me. He picked me up and placed me on the desk, pushing the skirts of my dress up. Lifting my hips, I helped push the skirts up to my waist and moved them off to the sides and behind me.

My body ached for him as his every small touch set my body alight with heat and desire. I craved his touch, needed to have him inside me, filling me up and making me forget everything else.

Deft fingers rubbed me through my panties, ones I wouldn’t be able to wear after this with how soaked they were. My whimpers and pleas filled the room as he teasingly stroked my clit through the fabric. I didn’t care if anyone heard my moans as he kissed and sucked at my neck, finding the spot that drove me wild.

“Lift your hips,” he ordered, removing my panties when I did so. His heated gaze roved over my dress bunched around my waist, down my legs, and back up. I felt his gaze like a physical caress, sending warmth and tingles racing through my body. Heat pooled in my stomach when he dropped to his knees in front of me. The sight was always one that both turned me on and drove me crazy. The corner of his lips kicked up as he felt pleased amusement.

He knew what this did to me, how it drove me wild with desire. Just like how I knew how much he loved driving me wild, pushing me to my limit, and watching me crash over the edge.

Slow and teasing flicks of his tongue had my head dropping back and my eyes closing as pure bliss filled my body. It wasn’t enough, not even close. Not even when he sped up his movements and closed his mouth around my clit, sucking it into his mouth. Two of his fingers plunged into my pussy, curling and thrusting in a slow torturing rhythm as pleasure and tension built. Whenever I got too close to the edge, he’d slow down his movements. It wasn’t because I was ‘breaking his rules’ or anything like that. It was as I said, he liked driving me to the brink of insanity, keeping me right on the precipice, about to fall over.

He often said patience gave us the best rewards in the end.

Coherent thought was near impossible. All I could focus on was the flicks of his tongue, thrusts of his fingers, and coiling tension in my core. My legs shook where they were wrapped around his shoulders, my hand still buried in his hair.

Koa removed his mouth and fingers, standing up and pressing his mouth against mine, cutting off my whines and protests. As he devoured my mouth, he slammed into me in a single thrust. No matter how often we had sex, there was always the initial burn as he entered me, but it was one I relished and even enjoyed.

My nails dug into his back as I cried out, coming right then and there. Waves of pleasure and ecstasy crashed through me as he thrust in and out, his burning golden eyes holding mine. At first, he kept his pace relatively slow as I rode out my orgasm. Soon after the waves subsided, he picked up his pace. He grabbed my ass, moving me closer to the edge of the desk to find a better angle and have better leverage.

There were no words to describe how the bond felt buzzing in my chest—more intense than it was just being around Koa—sending warm, almost tingling energy throughout my entire being. It was almost like being electrocuted, but in a good and nonpainful kind of way.

When the bond finally clicked into place, it felt like I was finally whole. Like there had always been a piece of me missing. A vital piece I didn’t even know I needed until I met Koa. But now that I knew about it and experienced it, I could never live without it. Now I understood why fated mates lost their minds after losing their mates. Why the dragon summoner was so desperate to try and complete her bond, and went near crazy from despair.

Coiling pressure built up again as he slammed into me hard and fast, just the way I like it. I came screaming his name, still not caring how loud we were being. Honestly, these back rooms of the temple should have sound barriers for this very reason.

A few more thrusts later, Koa dropped his forehead against mine as he found his release as well.

We didn’t speak at first, the only sounds were our shared panting breaths. Sweat ran down my neck, back, and between my breasts. He pulled out, placing a small kiss against my lips before heading into the bathroom and turning on the sink. A few moments later, he returned with a damp towel and knelt in front of me once again. Using soft and gentle strokes, he began cleaning up the evidence of what we’d just done.

My blood heated again at the sight of him kneeling before me, taking care of me. The cleaning strokes weren’t meant to tease or turn me on, but they did and I was more than ready to go again. Maybe it was just that I was always ready for more with him.

A smile lifted his lips as he shook his head and stood up. “You’re insatiable. I don’t know how I ever get anything done.” Chuckling, he gripped my hips and helped me down to my feet. He pressed a slow, but teasingly soft kiss against my lips.

I smoothed out my skirts, glad the type of material it was made out of wasn’t the type to easily wrinkle. “Do I still look alright?” I asked, deciding it was best I didn’t look in the mirror and see how disbelieved my hair was, or whether or not I had the freshly fucked looking going on.

“You’re perfect.” He stared at me with love and adoration, matching the emotions flowing between us. I wasn’t the only one disheveled, with his tousled hair and swollen lips.

His hands stroked my cheeks as he held my gaze, a soft smile spreading across his lips. “I love you.”

“Good.” He shook his head chuckling lightly, and my own lips curled in response at the sound as warmth filled my chest and spread throughout my body. “Because I love you too.”