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“Oh,Tor!” The tears glistening in her eyes give over as she bustles over to Tor to fold her arms around him, pressing her face into his belly in a tight hug. He looks at me for a moment, eyes wide and unsure, before affectionately patting her head. “I was so worried.” A small sob hiccups from her, as shelets go of Tor’s waist, to hold his arms and step back to assess him through her big round glasses.
Finding him in apparent good health, she moves on to Theo, who is standing to the side awkwardly watching our reunion, body stiff, unsure what to do with himself. Mauvy holds no such concerns though, launching herself at him, forcing him to catch her, which she quickly turns into a warm embrace, squashing him to her, rocking him back and forth. “You must be Theo! Oh, I amsoglad you are here and safe.”
Theo stares at us over her shoulder, his unusual gold and brown eyes wide, pleading with us to intervene while he flaps his hands around, unsure where to put them on the affectionate stranger. Eventually, realising we are going to be exactly zero help, he settles for patting her on the lacing on the back of her vest.
She finally releases him with another pleased laugh, but not for long, looping her arm through his and leading him towards the Tavern and the waiting crowd. We all follow, Roan now on her other side, his arm lazily thrown over her shoulder, his hand just close enough to Theo to brush his shoulder as they walk and make it look accidental.
Roan isn’t fooling anyone.
The pleasant feeling ofhomewashes over me as I pick up Tor’s hand, threading my fingers through his, tugging him close so our shoulders rub. Mauvy and Roan wave back the crowds as they approach, telling them to get back inside, they’ll see them in a minute. There are groans and some shouting, but we ignore them all.
We dawdle, and the others end up well ahead of us, but it doesn’t matter. I am very familiar with the back entrance of the Tavern, having snuck around here for many reasons, like a sneaky hook up or cheeky chuck up. Tor peeks over at me, a smile dancing over his face.
“I cannot wait for a shower,” he groans playfully, quirking an eyebrow. “I feel like I need to scrubeverywhere.”
The laugh that erupts from me startles the others into turning back to look at us to see what is going on, but I wave them on and they thankfully disappear around the corner with knowing eyerolls and groans.
Pulling Tor closer to me I swing him around so we are chest to chest, my nose brushing along his as I shove him back towards shadows hiding the Tavern wall, careful to cradle the back of his head as he lands roughly against the stone bricks. Even in the dim lights, I can see Tor’s wicked grin as I lean close, the entire length of my body hard against his.
“Might be hard work. You must be pretty exhausted after all the walking. Sure you can manage?”
The little breath of his laugh tickles my skin, his arms coming up to toy with the hair at the back of my neck. I am well past due for a cut. It’s starting to curl obnoxiously. His nose continues to brush mine, grazing over my cheek and jaw, ghosting over my skin, teasing, but never quite touching.
“You’re right. Maybe I will need some help. I should see what Seff is up to.”
I pinch his sides, digging in to tickle the sensitive spot I know is hidden there, forcing more breathy laughter from him, his fingers pulling at my hair as he tries to wriggle out of my arms. “Don’t you dare. That horn dog would be in the shower faster than you can blink.”
My words are muffled as I nuzzle into his neck, biting kisses to the skin just under his collar. The hairs at the back of my head pull tightly as Tor uses them to tug me tighter, shifting his legs so my thigh dips between them, grinding his hard cock against me. He tilts his chin up higher, exposing the long lines of his throat for me to claim.
“Well.” His breath is quick, panting as I suck hard on the soft flesh there, grinding back onto his riding hips. “Maybe I’ll have to find someone else to help me.”
I smile against his skin, appreciating for a moment the bruise I can see blooming in the dark of the night. Never have I had this primal need to constantly mark someone before, but Tor has awakened something in me, our connection provoking my dormant shifter sensibilities. I want to mark him everywhere as mine. The thought hits like a bowling ball to the stomach, that Ican, now, because he is.Mine. My bonded mate. Tied to me until the end of our time. And I get to show him every day for the rest of our lives how much I love him, cherish him.
Starting right now.
I push myself back, tugging myself out of his grip, a smile tugging at my lips under my unruly beard as I take inmy Torunder the shadowy light, breathless chest heaving, lip between his teeth, neck covered in my marks, eyes glazed with lust as he watches me with heated anticipation. I reach my hand out to him, and his eyes drop to the offering, his smile morphing into something more, as he kicks off the wall, placing his hand in mine. I tug him closer, walking backwards as I lead him around the cars in the carpark to the back of the Tavern.
“I think I may be able to help you.”
His eyes crinkle at the sides with his smile. “You think so?” he teases back and I nod my head, pretending to consider it.
“Sure, I mean, it’s probably the least I could do for my bonded mate.”
Tor’s laugh fills my soul as he pulls me into a half hug, and we walk side by side up to the tavern, my hand sliding into his back pocket.
There is a wall of noise as we enter, instantly enveloped in warm hugs and teasing, surrounded by our friends and family. Mauvy is standing on a stool barking orders at the staff bustling around us, trying desperately to keep up with the bar and our sudden arrival. Mauvy directs the chaos, organising rooms prepared, food to be sent up and fresh clothes sourced. Guests from the Tavern filter into the maelstrom, and there are back claps and hugs and well-wishes from people who’d heard about our adventure from somewhere or another.
Seff and Edith are in the centre of the storm, holding court to the curious beings desperate for their stories. A tall vampire I’ve met a few times, but canneverremember his name, hangs by my shoulder asking a million and one questions about what had happened, but I am not paying attention to a single thing he is saying.
The noise is intense and overwhelming, especially after so long in the peaceful quiet of the Woods. Tor slips his hand from mine, tapping and nodding over to his brother. Theo is hiding behind Roan’s wide shoulders. It really is the worst place for him to be hiding, considering mostly everyone is looking for Roan to welcome him back. I smile at Tor’s back as he runs the gauntlet to getto his brother.
“Good to have you both back, Cae, we were worried,” Seldon whispers with a wink as he brushes past me carrying a tray of plates laden with food. It smells incredible, but before I can reply, he is already lost in the crowd and I can only spy the back of his fiery red hair.
Finally, the chaos is too much for Mauvy, and she threatens everyone who isn’t an employee with permanent banishment if they don’t get out of her kitchens. There are more than a few grumbles as the patrons pour back to the Tavern proper.
I look over at Tor, who has pulled Theo out from behind Roan, to chat with Edith and another server I don’t know. He must feel my eyes on him, because he looks up, face lighting up with a brilliant smile, that connection between us filling with the pleasant hum of his happiness, filling my soul.
Satisfaction rolls through every part of me. We’d done it, we’d saved Theo. We’d made it home. Together. Just like it always would be.
