Faith turned her back to Lynn and threw her body over the girls. Nothing touched her though.
Faith looked over her shoulder at the love of her life, who stood like a giant beacon, his blue aura pulsating as he wrapped his magic around Lynn. Lynn’s eyes widened and Faith had a feeling that the magic was almost suffocating the other woman.
“You touch my girls, you deserve to die,” Levi growled, his voice so cold and devoid of emotion that Faith had to suck in a breath.
“You won’t harm me in front of your precious, precious daughters.”
“No. I won’t. But I
will
turn you over to the authorities. You will
never
touch my daughters again. You will
never
set foot in the wizard royal kingdom again. You will
never
set eyes on me or my family. You will
never
be a threat to my mate. You are banished, Lynn. Banished from everything you know.”
He held out his hand, and magic poured from him, wrapping around Lynn in a tighter vise.
“The wizard council will control your fate from here on out,” Matthew, the wizard king, announced, his voice low, dangerous. “You are not of our family, not of our blood. You are wiped from the royal line and everything you held dear. You are nothing.”
Lynn screamed, and Faith knew that this was a fate worse than death for the other woman. Oh, there would be more punishments coming, of that she was sure. Everything said so far was just the tip of the iceberg.
“I’ll take care of the trash,” Matthew said then walked past Levi.
Rose stood behind him, her soft magic flaring out, strengthening the wards in a way Faith hadn’t seen before. Instead of a layering of force and stone protection, this was more of a weave of softness that would, together, create a tighter bound warding. At least that’s what Faith felt. She wasn’t a hundred percent sure how she knew and saw that, but she was learning from Levi every day. His mother knew what she was doing and was using her love of her family in order to accomplish it. Faith would have to ask her how she did it. But for now, all she could do was stand up and throw herself in Levi’s arms.
“I love you. I love you so much. Please don’t ever think that I don’t.”
Levi’s eyes widened, and he smiled before pulling her in for a kiss. “I love you too, Faith of mine.” He pulled away, and Faith moved to the side so his girls could come into their embrace. He and Faith knelt, hugging the girls close. “And you too, Juliana and Arya, I love you as well. I am
so
sorry you had to see that, and I promise I will do all in my power to keep you safe.”
Arya cupped his face and smiled. “Faith saved us, Daddy. She loves us, too.”
A single tear slid down Levi’s face but more than a few were pouring down Faith’s cheeks.
Juliana didn’t speak but she leaned into Faith.
“Never again,” Levi murmured, and Faith knew it would be true. Things weren’t over. Not by a long shot, but they were on the path to something new, something that they would face together.
And Faith knew that whatever they faced, whatever came their way, she would be by Levi’s side. As his mate. As his love. As his forever.
Just as she was his.
And this time, it didn’t scare her a bit.
Levi held his hands at his sides, but this time, he didn’t feel like punching anyone—a change from the last few Conclave meetings. Instead, people were starting to act reasonable and calm. Well, not too reasonable, but at least somewhat sane.
Tristan leaned close him and let out a sigh. “So the older ones are mumbling, and we’re just going to stand here and say nothing?”
Levi gave a slight nod. “The older ones, as you put it,” Levi said dryly as Tristan was older than many of the
older
ones but newer to the Conclave, “are taking their time making decisions as always, but they aren’t on the warpath.” He leaned back in his chair and studied the others in the room.
“Your girl is safe then for the moment,” Tristan said, something odd in his voice.
“Yes, she is. And what the hell is going on with you? You’ve been acting weird.”
Tristan rolled his shoulders and faced away toward the Conclave. “I’m fine.”
Levi didn’t believe that, but he let his friend get away with it for now. He had a feeling he knew what was going on, but first, he needed to ensure his mate and family would be safe from the Conclave’s choices.
“I set forth the motion that there be no ruling leader of the Conclave,” Dante said, his voice a low growl. “We rule as one. If we do not have a seventy percent majority, we do not act.”
“Seconded,” Levi called out.
“The motion is raised,” Tristan said. “All in favor?”
The resounding ayes that followed surprised Levi. He knew not all of the Conclave was happy with what had been going on for the past few years, with some of its members acting on their own and out of turn, but he hadn’t thought it would be this one-sided. It was good though. If they were going to be a good ruling body, reliable and fair for all of their peoples, then they needed to ensure they were actually caring about more than one thing at a time. It would take years for everyone to find a new rhythm, but Levi would be here for it. The Conclave would help their people live in safety and secrecy for many more years, as was their original purpose.
“Motion passed,” Tristan said softly, and Levi let out a breath.
Levi followed Tristan out of the building, and the feeling of a huge weight being lifted off his shoulders added a little bounce to his step. Dante, in human form, walked up to them, his long blue-black hair flowing in the wind.
“Are you two coming to the bar tonight?” Dante asked. “We need to celebrate the fact that we’re alive and not becoming a dictatorship.”
Levi snorted and gave a nod. “Faith and I will be there. The girls are at camp, of all things, so we’re free.” The girls had really taken a liking to Faith. It was probably due to the fact that she’d risked her life for them and held them when they needed it most. It had been only a few days since everything with Lynn had occurred, and the mere fact that
both
girls were talking and beginning to open up told him that things would be okay. They had already been signed up for camp before everything had happened, and Faith made sure the girls had a chance to go, despite the circumstances. As much as he and Faith wanted to keep the girls close and never let them out of their sight, it was good that things were going back to a version of normal that suited them all.
“Tristan?” Dante asked.
The fae shook his head and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Not this time. I have…things to do.”
With that, Tristan turned toward the exit and left without another word. Levi blinked at the spot where his friend once stood and frowned.
“Any idea what that was about?” Dante asked.
“I might have an idea, but I honestly don’t know for sure.” Either way, it wasn’t his place to ask until Tristan came to him for help…if he could help at all.
“I like him. He isn’t as stuffy as most of the fae I know.”
Levi rolled his eyes. “This, coming from a dragon.”
“True. Okay, see you tonight. My mates are waiting for me, and I think there was a mention of honey.”
Levi laughed and made his way to where he’d open a portal home. “Too much information, dragon. Way too much.”
Dante just grinned and flicked his tongue ring against his tooth. “I’m one lucky bastard.”
“I’m one hell of a lucky one, too.”
They said their goodbyes, and Levi sent himself through the portal so he could go home. Home, for the moment, was the one in the wizard realm because of the girls. However, they hadn’t gotten rid of Faith’s place. Levi wasn’t sure they would since it held so many memories for his mate. It was always good to have another home in a realm they frequented. Plus, he didn’t want to pull Faith away from everything in her past. She was worth so much more than that.
He closed the front door behind him then almost swallowed his tongue.
Faith stood at the entrance to the hallway leading to the bedrooms, her hair tousled, her makeup done to enhance her eyes and lips, and she was wearing the sheerest black lace number he’d ever seen in his life. She had one hand on each wall, her legs crossed, and those sexy-as-hell black pumps would definitely be staying on when he fucked her.
“Holy hell, Faith. This is the best welcome home
ever
.”
She winked then uncrossed her legs and did a slow turn. She looked over her shoulder and wiggled her ass. “I figured you needed a reward for enduring the Conclave meeting.”
He wasn’t about to tell her that things went relatively well. Fuck no. Right then, he wanted his reward.
She strutted toward the bedroom, and he quickly stripped off his clothes as he followed her. He was surprised he hadn’t tripped over his own feet as he stepped out of his pants on his way, but damn it, he was determined.
He was just stripping off his boxer briefs when he made it inside the bedroom, this time groaning. Faith stood at the edge of the bed, her hands on her hips.
“Took you long enough,” she teased. “I can see you’re up for the occasion though.”
He fisted his cock and prowled toward her. “You want to be on top today? Or is it my turn?”
She licked her lips and cupped her breasts. “It’s your turn, but I’m not sure you’re ready for me.”
He growled then cupped her neck, running his thumb along her chin. “Open for me.”
She parted her lips, and he crushed his mouth to hers. She moaned, clutching his arms. She tasted of spice and
his
. He nibbled on her lips then moved to her jaw and behind her ear. She rocked against him, wrapping one leg around his so he could feel her heat. Fuck, he loved this woman, loved everything about her. She was just so damn sexy.
He pulled away and fisted his cock again. “On your knees.”
She grinned then did as he asked. He held her shoulder to make sure she didn’t fall in her heels, but he did notice she was damn skilled in those shoes. With one hand around the base of his cock, she pumped once, twice, and then cupped his balls. He sucked in a breath and traced her cheek.
“Suck all of me, Faith of mine.”
“Are you going to make me come if I do?”
“I’m going to make you come more than once as long as I can have your pretty mouth around my cock.”
She licked up his length, her gaze on his, before she opened her mouth and swallowed him whole. Again, she couldn’t take him all, but what she couldn’t swallow, she gripped in her hands. She worked him, teasing him with her tongue and licking the slit at the tip of his dick when she came up for breath. The warmth of her mouth was almost too much to bear, but he didn’t want to come right then.
He pulled away, and she licked her lips. “I want to come in your cunt, not your mouth.” He might have a wizard’s recovery time, but he didn’t want to wait to have his mouth on her. “As much as I love what you’re wearing. I want you naked.”
She let out a small laugh then gasped as he stripped her with a quick efficiency. “I see you left my shoes on,” she said dryly.
“I like the heels. They’re going to feel fucking awesome digging into my back when I fuck you. Put one leg over my shoulder,” he said when he knelt in front of her. He gripped her hips then latched onto her clit, sucking it into his mouth and teasing the bud with his tongue.
She tangled her fingers in his hair, pressing him closer to her cunt. He took that as invitation and sucked and licked down her pussy, fucking her with his tongue. He kept her balanced with one hand then took his other and speared her with three fingers. Her pussy clenched around his fingers as she came on one stroke.
“Levi!”
He pulled back, his fingers still working. “Come one more time, pixie, and then I’ll fuck you with my cock. Come on, Faith. Play with your nipples. Help me make you come.”
“Can’t do it on your own, can you?” she taunted then shook when he rubbed her G-spot.
“Don’t tease or I’ll draw it out.”
She did as she was told and kept her gaze on him. Her body shook, and her eyes darkened when he pressed one more time on that bundle of nerves. Her mouth parted, and he had to quickly move his hands so he could catch her as she came again.
“Your knees give out, baby?”
“Don’t call me baby,” she panted.
He kissed her hard then moved her so she lay face down on the edge of the bed. “Grip the sheets and spread your legs.”
She did so quickly, and he smiled. She might taunt, but she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
He gripped her hips and plunged into her in one stroke. They both shouted, but before he could take the next breath, he pulled out then pumped back into her, moving at a hard pace.
“Who am I, Faith? Who am I?”
She looked over her shoulder at him, her breath coming in pants. “A fucking wizard who likes fucking me hard.”
He grinned then rotated his hips, slamming into her even harder. “Who am I?”
“Levi!” she screamed.
“Who am I, Faith?”
He pulled out of her then rolled her over on her back. Before she could answer, he slid into her again, this time keeping her legs spread as wide as possible.
“You’re mine! My mate. My everything.”
He leaned down and took her mouth, pumping into her. His back tingled, and his balls tightened. He was so fucking close it wasn’t even funny.
“You’re mine, Faith, just like I’m yours. You’re my mate, Faith. My everything.”
He slammed into her once more and came, filling her up. Her cunt clamped onto him as she came as well. Her nails raked down his back, and he captured her lips in an unforgiving kiss.
“Love you, Faith,” he whispered.
“Love you too, Levi.” She blinked back tears, and he frowned. He rolled to the side, keeping himself deep inside her, and brushed back the single tear that had fallen down her cheek.
“What’s wrong, my love?”
“Thank you for taking me.”
“You mean just then?” he asked, confused as hell.
She let out a laugh and shook her head. “No. Well, thank you for that. I mean thank you for taking me as yours. Thank you for giving up your future and binding your soul to mine when you didn’t even know me. Thank you for saving my life and being the man that I never knew I wanted. Thank you for giving me the life I never knew I wanted. Thank you, Levi. Thank you for being mine.”