Rise of the Dark Alpha
Chapter 204 - Ardent

~ ZEV ~

He couldn't let go. The taste of Sasha on his tongue sent his blood up in flames—and the fire roared straight to that spot, that piece in his heart where the bond had taken, flipping and whirling, spinning like a top and expanding, reaching for the piece of Sasha that had been replaced by him.

It was as if their souls turned—recognized, greeted, and welcomed each other. As if their hearts danced, holding each other, turning together, twisting and whirling within them, faster and faster. But together. Always together.

Howls and calls broke from his throat with such abandon, he couldn't make words. But his mouth was full of her anyway. And Sasha, incoherent with pleasure, sobbed, crying out, keening, their voices curling around each other in the air around them, just as their hearts were within them.

Faster. Faster.

Unable to remove his mouth from her, Zev spoke into her head.

Will you take me, Sasha? To your soul? Even to eternity?

"Yes!" she gasped, bringing her hands up to claw into his hair and hold him to her. "Yes!"

I'm ardent, Sasha. Yours. Utterly yours.

"Please, Zev! Please!"

Their hearts twisted, whirled, whirred within them, and Zev wanted to weep with joy as she came alive in his head.

Surrender to me, Sash. Give me everything.

I am! You have me!

They writhed together, unaware of anything but where they joined, the pleasure lighting in their veins, the love in their cries.

His teeth still piercing her skin, he could feel her within him—the dance continuing. And something more… something that beckoned.

Zev groaned as Sasha rode him, frantic, calling for him, giving herself. He pleaded again for her surrender, and again she released her grip on herself, begging for him with abandon.

Grasping her hips, her neck in his teeth, Zev thrust, harder and harder.

Sasha could only keen—her voice broken and rasping with pleasure. Then he reached down to replace her, right where they were joined and she twitched, gasping, when he stroked her there.

The moments that followed were the most profound of his life, as if he was within her, around her, and she within him.

As if words were no longer needed.

As he played her body for pleasure, and she held him close, their hearts and souls spinning together so quickly they blurred. He stroked her again and Sasha clenched around him, then came apart, screaming his name.

He howled hers into her skin and the pieces of them turned, flipped, so quickly they began to meld into one.

As Sasha finally crested the wave of her climax and shuddered in his arms, Zev's orgasm slammed through his body and he finally opened his mouth, dropping his head back, overwhelmed with awe as his mate came alive in his head.

Their bodies writhed, stiffened, arched, as one—Sasha's heartbeat echoing within his.

And then, as quickly as it happened, they both slumped, their bodies wrung out like wet rags.

Sasha's breath wheezed in and out of her throat, her body slack and trembling, a ragdoll in his arms. He held her there, one hand splayed on her chest, kissing the reddened skin on her neck to soothe it, but not yet ready to let her go.

Not yet ready to open his eyes and return to the real world when he could be here, alone, alive with her.

His breath thundered, tearing out of him, fluttering in her hair, against her skin.

Sasha sucked in, but left her weight in his hand, boneless and breathless.

He nuzzled the back of her neck, leaning his forehead into her hair and holding her tightly to him, trembling.

What was that?

Zev's every sense tingled. Had she just…?

I don't know, he said in her head.

I can feel you, Zev. I can feel you… inside me.

He shifted his weight and chuckled, still panting, but Sasha didn't laugh.

That's not what I mean. Her voice was awed. She took one, weak, shaking hand and put it to her chest, right over his.

Their heartbeats thundered in time, echoing each other.

You're in here, she whispered in his head, awed and shocked.

Zev blinked, stunned. She was speaking to him. In his head? How was that even possible…?

"Ardent…" he breathed, wide eyed.

But we already vowed, she murmured in his head.

No, it's the bond. We're linked now… Sasha… I can hear you. I can hear you in my head.

What?!

Softly, gently, with shaking limbs, they extricated themselves and Zev laid her down on the furs, laying on her side, then lay down to face her, stroking her hair back from her face and marveling at her beautiful eyes—latched on his and wide with shock.

You can hear me?

He nodded.

How is that possible?

We're ardent, he said and if it had been out loud, it would have been barely more than a breath. We're in this together. For real. I'm sorry, Sash, I didn't warn you because I didn't know. It was instinct… I thought… I don't know what I thought.

What happened?

Zev swallowed and held her gaze. I think… I think our souls aren't just connected anymore… they're entwined.

That's beautiful.

That's terrifying, he corrected her, his breath heavy with fear.

What, why?

Because if… it means that if… if I die, you die. If you die, I die.

Sasha blinked. But isn't that how it is with the Chimera?

"No, Sash," Zev said, floored and trying to ground himself. "I mean… I mean if I were die right now, you would too. Immediately. We're… one. You come with me, no matter what."

Sasha blinked in shock, her eyes searching his. "But… that's beautiful, Zev."

"Beautiful?!"

"I never want to live without you. You're telling me I won't have to. Right?"

"I'm telling you you won't be able to live without me," he growled. What the fuck had he been thinking? He hadn't been. He hadn't known. He'd heard of this, but he'd never imagined…

Thank God, Zev, she said in his head, her voice a breathless echo of his own awe.. Thank God.