Chapter 48

AURORA

I was lost in the pleasure of being naked on Rin’s lap, kissing him. The feel of his soft skin against mine, the playful dance of our tongues, and the hard press of his erection against my pelvis were intoxicating.

“Oh God,” I gasped, tilting my head back to give him access to my throat. “How can something this good be a sin?”

“It’s not a sin when you love the person you’re with,” Rin murmured against my collarbone, his smile warm against my skin. “Our bodies were made for this, especially now that we’re bonded for life.”

A moan escaped me as he lifted me, guiding his erection inside me. I clung to his shoulders, my hips instinctively moving in rhythm with him. All thoughts were lost, replaced by the overwhelming sensation of him filling me.

“Yes! Deeper!” I gasped as he matched my rhythm, thrusting into me.

“That’s it, Amore!” Rin encouraged, his voice filled with passion. “Give me everything! You’re mine, always!”

His words echoed the alpha I’d first met when I arrived here. But I didn’t care. I wanted to be his, and only his.

Before I knew it, I was lying on the mattress, Rin hovering over me. I loved this position. The depth of his thrusts, the feel of his strong shoulders and chest under my hands, it was all so perfect.

My body was alive with sensation, every touch, every kiss, felt like a dream. I even let out a cry as his tail brushed against my thigh, my legs spread wide for him.

But as I neared my climax, something strange happened. Visions flashed through my mind, too quick to make out. The only clear image was of golden and sky-blue butterflies.

My climax hit me, pulling me from the visions. Waves of pleasure coursed through me, my legs shaking as I cried out. I felt my inner walls clench around Rin’s erection, his own moans filling the room as he thrust into me a few more times before releasing inside me.

“I love how that feels,” Rin murmured.

“So do I,” I whispered back.

A few minutes later, he pulled out and collapsed beside me. I snuggled into his arms, content. Cleaning up could wait. This was too good to interrupt.

We fell asleep in each other’s arms, and when I woke up, it was nearly three in the morning. It was unusual for me to wake up at this hour, but I figured it was because I needed to use the bathroom. It happened sometimes.

Rin was still sleeping soundly beside me. I carefully slipped out of his arms, not wanting to wake him. I’d just use the bathroom and then come back to bed.

The room was a bit chilly, so I put on a thin white nightgown before heading to the bathroom. The house was quiet as I turned on the light, blinking as my eyes adjusted. I was still sleepy, and all I wanted was to get back to bed.

But as I finished washing my hands, a strange feeling washed over me. It felt like something was calling me.

I should have woken Rin, but I decided against it. The house was safe, and it wouldn’t hurt to check the hallway.

I quietly crossed the bedroom, unlocking and slowly opening the door. The hallway was dark and empty, and the strange feeling lessened.

Everything seemed normal.

But just as I was about to close the door, I felt compelled to look to my right. There, floating down the hallway, was a small, glowing shape, leaving a trail of sparkles in its wake.

~What is that?~

Suddenly, my mind was foggy. My eyes blurred, and a chill swept over me. The sensations came on so quickly, overwhelming me.

One moment I was standing in the hallway, the next I was outside, bathed in moonlight. I was near the edge of the forest, barefoot and still in my nightgown.

“What…?” I whispered, confused.

“Come. It is time.”

The female voice startled me. I looked around, trying to find the source. It seemed to come from the woods, but it was too dark to see anything.

“Who’s there?!” I called out.

“You must come with me! The time is nigh!” the voice insisted. It was soft, almost a whisper, as if afraid of being overheard.

The stone in my throat pulsed, and I stepped forward, unable to resist. But then I heard running footsteps behind me, and a hand grabbed my wrist.

“Aurora, what are you doing?! Why are you out here?!” Rayne demanded, spinning me around to face him.

I wanted to answer, but my mind was too foggy. The pull was too strong.

Rayne looked panicked as he scanned our surroundings, his ears twitching, his tail swinging.

“Something’s very wrong here! I don’t know what it is, but it feels like everyone else is under some kind of spell! We need to get back inside and try to wake them!” he said urgently.

But as he grabbed my shoulders, his eyes widened in shock. He let go of me and started choking, clutching his throat as he fell to his knees.

The shock of the situation jolted me out of my daze. I dropped to my knees beside him, my heart pounding with fear.

“Rayne?! What’s wrong?!” I shouted.

But before I could get his attention, I was abruptly pulled back. I spun around to find Emelio, his hand gripping my arm.

“You need to stay away from him! His spell is feeding off the power in your stone and it’s taking over him!” he warned.

“What’s going on?! Where are Jekia and Rin?!” I demanded.

“They’re still under the sleep spell. It took a lot of effort to break free once I figured out what was happening. But you can’t leave. She wants to use you to get out. Your stone has absorbed enough power from you to break the seal!” Emelio explained.

I was about to ask him how any of this was even possible when something hit me, sending me flying away from him. I felt a warm splash as I hit the grass, and when I looked up, I saw Emelio crumpled a few feet away. His face and neck were smeared with blood from deep gashes.

But the sight of Rayne standing over him, his right hand clawed and dripping with Emelio’s blood, was even more terrifying.

I tried to scream, but it felt like my throat was closing up. The amulet I was wearing shattered, the pieces scattering in the grass. Breathing became a struggle, and I collapsed onto the grass, clutching my throat. My vision started to blur, and the last thing I saw before everything went dark were Rayne’s boots coming towards me.

And then, everything went black.