Chapter 19

“What in the world were you thinking? I told you that I didn’t want you going anywhere without me!” Rayne scolded me as he cleaned my right wing.

It had been around half an hour now since we’d arrived back at the glen. I was currently in the bathroom with him, sitting on the shower floor while he cleaned the debris that had lodged into my wings from the tree.

I confess that I was feeling rather down, and the last thing I needed was to be scolded for the actions I’d originally thought would be noble. Yet I couldn’t blame him for it either. His scolding was also laced with fear for what could’ve happened to me.

“I truly did believe that it was a child that was in trouble, and I was afraid that something would happen if I didn’t hurry out there,” I meekly defended myself.

I kept my head down, looking at the floor. The bathroom was still plenty warm even though I was undressed while Rayne worked on my wings.

He was only in his pants and using both the showerhead and a bucket with a wet cloth to do so. I heard him let out a frustrated breath.

“Whether you meant well or not, you cannot take such chances, especially not after this. If I had not sensed that something was wrong when I did then you would be in that snake’s stomach right now!” he fussed.

“I know,” I softly responded. “And for what it’s worth, I’m very sorry that I scared you so much.”

Rayne backed off a little, and I felt him resting his forehead against the back of my left shoulder.

“You don’t need to apologize, and maybe I am being harsh. I’m just very shaken. I could’ve lost you if I hadn’t gotten there when I did, and that thought alone frightens me more than I could ever put into words,” he quietly confessed. I slowly turned around to face him.

“Did you know that could happen to me? Is that why you didn’t want me to go out without you?” I had to know.

“No,” Rayne shook his head. “There were no threats made, but the rumors were enough to worry me that more may be attempted when we stepped in. I’ve learned that nothing is out of the realm of possibility when it comes to those like us, even though it shouldn’t be that way.”

Those last words came out angry, and Rayne slowly stood up. “Your wings look fine, so finish cleaning yourself up. I need to step out and address something.”

I didn’t say anything, only watching as he dried himself off and headed out of the washroom.

He was angry. That much was clear. I was still feeling guilty too.

I knew that there was fear behind that anger. I could sense it.

He feared something like this happening again and the possibility that he may be too late next time. I curled my legs up and rested my face on my knees, taking a few minutes to pull myself together.

I couldn’t keep dwelling on this. I had to face it.

I’d made the mistake, and I wouldn’t let him continue to hold it over my head. It took some mental convincing for me to reach this resolve, and I was finally able to force myself to get up and dry off.

But as I wrapped the towel around me so that I could go out and find something to wear, I stopped. I could hear voices in the main room.

Was Rayne talking to someone? I slipped over beside the door, peeking out to see him standing with Emelio in the middle of the room.

Rayne’s tail was whipping around his legs, and his ears twitched impatiently as he addressed him. “You are telling me that nothing was known of any threats against her?! I don’t buy it! I know what I heard that snake say!” he was telling him.

“I understand your concerns all too well, Lord Rayne, but there was nothing to suggest that any were planning any sort of attacks against Luna or your family. That is something that’s listened for very closely, and I would have been the first to know if anything was heard, even in jest,” Emelio assured him.

“I’m aware of your prowess, but as I said, I know what I heard, and the rumors that were spread about Luna in recent weeks don’t help me feel any better about this. If there is something more, then I want it taken care of, and I’d much rather do it myself!” Rayne declared.

Emelio remained stoic. “It will be fine, Lord Rayne. I will speak to your father about what has occurred, and we will be looking into the origins of that snake and who employed her to attack Luna.”

“But for now, it may be better if you mend things with your beloved.”

“I have already spoken to Luna about this, so there is no reason for you to remind me.”

“I’m reminding you because all you have done is fuss. You do realize that you should take care to ensure that Luna is okay mentally as well as physically, and far be it for me to point this out, but I do have concerns that you have not considered that part of having her in your life.”

Rayne looked startled. “Why would you say such a thing? You know that she is the one I chose and was born to be mine. Of course, I’m taking good care of her!”

“You do take exceptional care of her physically,” Emelio acknowledged. “But you have struggled when it comes to doing so for her emotionally. You cannot deny that, especially with how you just reacted to her being attacked. You have blamed her much more than comforting her.”

I looked down, knowing that he was right. Rayne did take care of me physically, but we tended to be emotionally detached quite often.

While I hadn’t thought much of that before, I was starting to realize that it was taking a bit more of a toll on me than I’d allowed myself to believe. Rayne’s ears went back, and he struggled to defend himself.

“I am well aware of my own faults, and I will rectify them, so do not accuse me or say that I don’t care for her. She means more to me than I could ever put into words,” he quietly stated.

“I have no intentions of accusing you. I believe you are well aware of your faults as most of us are, and your father learned the same lessons in time after he met your mother. Pride can be an asset, but one shouldn’t let it override their heart. Keep that in mind as you mend the faults,” Emelio reminded him before disappearing.

Rayne remained where he stood, his head down as he crossed his arms. He appeared to be thinking things over, though his tail was still whipping a little.

I drew in a calming breath, then stepped out there with him, standing a foot behind him. “For what it is worth, we have both made our own mistakes in this, and I’m not blaming you at all for being upset with me over what has happened.”

“I was the one who chose to go out there on my own,” I softly acknowledged.

“I understand, but you’re not to blame, and it was wrong of me to be angry with you,” Rayne said, letting out a long, exhausted breath.

His shoulders slumped. “It seems I still have much to work on before I can even think of following in Father’s footsteps.”

I stepped in front of him to face him. “I don’t see where that’s a bad thing, Rayne. No one expects perfection from us, and I’m certain that they all know that we’re both rather young.”

“We won’t always make the right choices, but hopefully, we can learn from them.” Rayne’s expression softened.

“That’s true, and I am sorry for how I’ve been acting. I’m not truly blaming you, Luna. I just…” He paused, considering his words before continuing, “I’d just rather have you tell me before you do anything like that again.”

“I know you can probably stand on your own, but it’s still my job as your alpha to protect you.”

“You’re not used to having to apologize, are you?”

“Not that much.” Rayne chuckled. He glanced at the windows, taking in the sound of thunder and the darkness that had fallen outside.

“A storm’s coming, so I’ll close these up while you get comfortable, then we’ll try to relax for the evening.” I stepped over to the dresser, pulling out some underwear and a sheer blue silk dress.

The front was low cut, as many of my dresses tended to be, and the skirt was sheer from under my breasts down. I liked these dresses for how comfortable they were, but for obvious reasons, I could only wear them here.

I joined Rayne’s side as he stood near one of the front windows, looking out at the darkened sky. The winds had picked up tremendously, indicating that a strong storm was blowing in.

“This looks like a bad storm coming,” I noted.

“We get them from time to time, especially when it gets this hot, but everything will be fine. It should blow through fairly quickly,” Rayne assured me.

He put an arm around me, kissing the top of my head. “Let’s try to relax. I think we could both use it, and we can always figure out dinner later.”

“Sounds good to me,” I sighed, rolling my shoulders a little.

“Are your wings sore?”

“A little bit, but they’ll be all right.”

“Why don’t you keep them out for now? They might feel better that way. They were scraped up,” Rayne suggested.

“Maybe,” I relented, allowing them to unfurl from my back. It did feel slightly more comfortable.

Rayne scooped me up, carrying me over to the fainting couch to lay back with him. I gladly snuggled on top of him as he lay down, taking in the gentle sound of his heartbeat in my ear.

This felt a lot better now and was definitely what we needed after the trauma of this afternoon. The sounds of rain and thunder were soothing, and both of us began to drift off as we lay there together.

My mind drifted through all kinds of thoughts, from what had happened to the rumors to even my childhood. But oddly, as I drifted further into a light sleep, it felt like I was falling into an inky blackness.

It wasn’t cold but quite warm there, and strangely comforting. My breathing deepened as that warmth felt like it caressed my skin, making it more sensitive.

“Part Faerie and part incubus. To which side will you ultimately lean?” a soft, deep voice whispered in my ear.

I heard myself let out a soft cry as hands grasped my waist, and I swore that someone very dark was now floating behind me. A strange mixture of fear and familiarity went through me.

“Be of use and make your place with this Luna Dog,” he whispered in my ear, his hot breath caressing my left ear. “Use your body and ensure that he can never deny you.”

I was back and opening my eyes within seconds, my body still feeling hot, yet my mind reeled. What in the world had I just dreamed of?

Rayne opened his eyes, looking at me as I sat up. “Were you having a nightmare?” he asked me.

It was a logical question given what had happened earlier, yet I wasn’t sure of how to answer it. That dream had felt so strangely arousing, and my body still felt that arousal even now that I was awake.

“I…I’m not certain. I can’t recall…,” I managed to answer. It was only a half lie.

I honestly didn’t know what was going on with me. While I was trying to focus on figuring out that dream, I kept wanting to touch him, to feel his bare body against mine.

I’d never felt desire so strong before, and it frightened me a little. Rayne pulled me into a comforting hug.

“It’s okay. You’re safe with me,” he softly reminded me. How strange.

There was this intense mixture of desire and love flowing through me as I held him, like two parts of me were fighting for dominance. Was this the normal me and my succubus side?

If so, then I wasn’t certain of how I would be able to reconcile the two now that I was in this position. We sat there in that embrace for what felt like forever, although I suspect it was only a few minutes, before I finally broke the silence.

“Do you think I’m truly okay as I am?”

“Of course you are.” Rayne caressed my cheeks as he looked at me. “I know what you’ve been told so many times and how these whispers have affected you, but you are not a monster, and I will prove that to you one day.”

“I know. It’s just…” I hesitated before I continued, “I don’t want to use you in any way, and I fear that the other side of me might try to without me even realizing it.”

A soft smile crossed Rayne’s face.

“Do you honestly believe I’m frightened of that? I know full well how incredibly alluring your one side is, and I find immense enjoyment in the game of seduction it brings. There are times that I truly believe I’m more of a monster when it comes to lust than you could ever be,” he informed me.

“You do?” I asked, not bothering to hide my own disbelief.

Rayne leaned back against the fainting couch, running long strands of my hair through his fingers. “I have become quite a lustful beast in the last year too, even if I couldn’t indulge in it until I found you. Everything about you draws me in, and I never feel like I can get enough of you, even when my body’s completely worn out. Can I even say that I am much better than those like your father with such a thing?”

“Perhaps, as long as your lust is focused on me,” I said, lying over him and giving him a soft kiss. There was no harm in indulging this with him when we both wanted it, right? It wasn’t as if I was using him under these circumstances. “I would never use you either. I love being with you, and you are the only man I will ever want this with.”

My words seemed to entice him more, and he sat us up again, kissing the side of my neck. I drew in a sharp breath as his tongue lapped at my skin, my heartbeat quickening.

“It’s been a long day, and I want to enjoy every part of you now,” Rayne whispered. He pulled the straps of my dress off my shoulders, allowing it to slip down and expose my breasts.

I closed my eyes, tilting my head back as he kissed my throat. This was fine.

Letting him have me as he wanted wouldn’t cause any harm, even with me feeling this way. The next thing I knew, I’d been hoisted up and brought over to the bed.

Rayne pulled off my dress as I lay back. My mind turned off as he lay over me and kissed me again, holding my hands to my sides.

I could feel the hardness that had formed in his pants pressing against my pelvis. “You’re quite aroused already,” I whispered.

“How could I not be?” Rayne leaned up, lightly running his fingers over my breasts and down my stomach. “You know what you do to me.”

I closed my eyes as he held my left breast, kissing the top of it before running his tongue around my nipple. A soft sound escaped my throat as he gently sucked it, using his free hand to caress my opposite breast before moving it down my stomach to between my legs, slipping his fingers into my folds to stroke me.

My body squirmed slightly as he did this, and my breathing became deeper. “Rayne!” I mewled, wanting more.

Rayne popped my nipple out of his mouth, flashing me a seductive smile as he moved down between my legs. I moaned as he kissed my opening.

His tongue moved around my lips, dipping into my opening before tickling my clit. I leaned back more against the bed, holding my legs open for him so that he could continue.

I let out a groan as he suddenly stopped, running his fingers over my quivering opening.

“You always taste so good. I’m tempted to bring you over your edge like this,” he seductively whispered.

“Go ahead. I’d love it,” I breathed.

“I could,” Rayne teased. I felt him move and opened my eyes to see him take off his pants. His arousal was so hard that it looked almost painful. “But my patience is a bit thin this time around. I’d much rather make you climax while I’m inside of you.”

I returned his seductive smile, sitting up with him and wrapping my fingers around his shaft, eliciting a groan from him as I slowly pumped him.

“Your patience is thin, is it? I wonder how far I can stretch it,” I seductively teased him. Rayne sat back, unable to say anything in response.

Only a moan came from him as I continued pumping him. I confess that I did love seeing him like this and felt a sense of pride that I brought him to this state of ecstasy.

“Luna!” he breathed as I moved over him, rubbing his manhood against my slick entrance. I couldn’t bite back my own soft moan.

“I love how you bring this side of me out too. Let me lead this time,” I whispered. I sat back, moaning as he entered me.

He was so big and hard and felt so hot inside of me. It took all of my control not to climax right away.

Rayne laid lay back, allowing me to begin moving as I pleased while he ran his hands over my breasts and down my sides and hips. I kept my pace slow and steady, relishing the feeling of him moving in and out of me.

All I could focus on was that and his touching me.

Rayne’s body was tensing up more and more as I moved. I leaned over him, breathing hard as he kissed my temple.

“That’s it, Luna!” he whispered. “I’m almost there!”

“Release inside of me! I need to feel it!” I begged.

I moved a little harder, squeezing my walls around him. Rayne’s thrusts began matching mine.

I could feel how close he was, like his ecstasy was connected to mine. It was almost overwhelming.

I didn’t think I could hold out much longer either. But I wanted him to finish first so badly…

Rayne finally shoved hard into me, groaning loudly as he rolled his hips. I leaned into it, closing my eyes and hearing my frantic heartbeat echoing in my ears as he flooded me.

It sent me spiraling into my climax. My cries echoed through the cabin as my body shook and my walls flexed hard around him.

Yes, this was what I needed. This was the release I so desired and only he could give me.

I finally managed to catch my breath, still sitting up on him. Rayne’s body was as flushed as my own, his breathing deep as he attempted to come down from the high of his pleasure.

I couldn’t stop the pleased smile from crossing my face. I ran my hands over his firm chest.

“I love pleasing you like this,” I softly told him.

“Everything about you pleases me,” Rayne responded. “No other woman could ever satisfy me anywhere near as incredibly as you do.”

I leaned down against him as he held me, enjoying our slow, deep kiss.

“You’re not still upset with me?” I asked.

“I believe I’m over it, although I could use a bit more convincing to keep me that way,” Rayne teased, rolling us over so that he was on top.

I giggled, running my fingers through his hair. “Then I’m more than willing to do that.”