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Three more times in the night, her Sir took her. The first time, he rolled her to her side and slipped into her while she was still half-asleep, riding her to a subdued—but still shattering—climax, then easing her off to slumber once more.
Half-delirious with exhaustion, her consciousness suffused with vivid, fevered dreams, he was roused to use her once again, the second time pulling her up onto her knees, pressing her head to the bed with his great palm as he fucked her with an almost brutal thoroughness.
She lost track of how many times she’d come on that big penis, stretching and plundering her so completely. He’d spanked her again, as he fucked her, promising her there were many more nights ahead when she would bend and submit to him, presenting her ass and cunt for his enjoyment. She was a vessel in which to pour his lusts, to confirm his dominion over her heart, body, and soul.
And she loved every dark, twisted second of it.
One last time, he tenderly took her, cradling her chest to his, kissing the crown of her head as he rocked her slowly back and forth over him, holding her by the hips as he made her straddle him and take him deep.
Then she spiraled off into the dark, alluring refuge of sleep.
She had no real idea how long she slumbered, but when she stirred, the sky was still black, awash with the ghostly symphony of stars splashed across the heavens.
Finding Malcolm, she crept up behind him, watching him as he gazed up at the moons draped across the night, their light seeming to illuminate him with an aura that truly made him look more an angel than a living, breathing—if supernatural—being.
“There is something I have to tell you, little Selena, now that we are one.”
Her heart tripped a beat at the words. He sounded almost... somber.
“How did you know I was back here?”
She knew the answer before he said the words. “Now that I’ve claimed you, I will always know where you are, how you’re feeling.”
“What is it, Sir? Is... something wrong?”
She didn’t know why she used that honorific now. Whatever the reason, it didn’t really matter. What mattered was that it felt right.
He was her Sir. He commanded her, and bent her to his will.
And most important of all, he protected her, as the most precious of possessions a man could ever be blessed enough to own.
He turned to her then, the illumination from the moons making his eyes glow with a pale, almost melancholy light.
“Oh, Sir. What’s happened?” Her body was tense, but she had no idea why.
“When beings of my kind claim a mate, there is a... price to be paid.”
“You said it yourself, Sir. You’re effectively immortal. What price could you possibly have to pay?” She frowned as she remembered the thought, the cold reality she’d been struggling with since she’d made her decision to stay.
Malcolm would never die—yet she would. He would have to watch her grow old, then pass away. It was the circle of life, yes, but it didn’t make it any less awful.
Perhaps that fact had been haunting him as well?
Malcolm caressed her cheek, a rueful smile curving his lips. “For the brief lifespan your species is allowed, you humans are remarkably insightful.” He sighed then, his smile fading ever so slightly. “In truth, you’ve mostly got it. But what I’m contemplating isn’t necessarily what you suspect.”
“Please tell me.” She stroked his arm, squeezing it tight, holding his palm to her cheek. “Whatever it is, we can face it together.”
“The truth is, when I took you as my mate, everything changed.”
“You can say that again,” she said, waggling her hips, affecting an exaggerated grimace. “You sure changed, um, everything down there.”
He roared in laughter, then, his eyes tear-bright, he kissed her on the lips. “You’re adorable. Only you could find a way to make me laugh at a time like this.”
“What do you mean by that?” She pressed her mouth to his palm gently.
“When you met me, I was immortal. Yes, that’s true.”
“What do you mean was?”
He looked up at the gorgeous star field above. “When a mate is claimed, my life force binds with hers.” He met her gaze. “Or in this case, yours.”
She beamed at him. “Thank you so much, Sir.”
“Before you thank me, you need to hear the rest. You may decide that I’ve cursed you instead.”
“W-what?”
“Just listen, Selena.” He took a deep breath. “Mating bound us forever, joining my life force with yours. Forever. In the process, my life force changed yours.”
“It did?” She put her hand to her mouth. “My senses! I can hear things, feel things now that I never could before. It’s like I’m... extra sensitive.”
“That’s not all, either. For your mortal life force was changed too. Mine infused it with longevity, with vitality. You, my dear Selena, have been blessed with the gift of years. Many of them.”
She felt as if she might faint, but not in fright.
No, this was pure, unalloyed joy. “H-how many?”
He shrugged. “Impossible to know for sure—and who would really want to know, exactly? But in your case, several thousand Terran years. Perhaps as many as ten thousand.”
“Oh... oh, my dear Lord.” She hugged herself to him, needing his support in order to remain standing. “I’ll be... ancient.”
“Chronologically, yes, but you will not age as your species is accustomed to. Your extra years will be the prime of your life.” He smiled at her. “You’re welcome.”
“I... I don’t know what to say. This is such a, a shock. In the most wonderful of ways.”
“The change... it goes both ways.” Malcolm’s expression sobered then, and hi traced her lower lip with his thumb. “Your mortal life force, vital though it is, changed mine in turn.”
For a moment, she was unsure what he meant, then it dawned on her—and she gasped.
“You mean...”
He nodded. “I’m no longer immortal. Someday, I will die too. My lifespan will almost certainly be nearly identical to yours.”
“You... you can’t die.” She reached for his face, stroking his cheek. He held her hand there with his own palm, closing his eyes for a moment.
“I can, Selena. And I will. There’s no changing it now. Now that we’ve mated.”
Her heart felt as if it might seize in her chest.
No.
“Malcolm—Sir—please tell me you didn’t know this would happen before taking me as your mate. Please, God, please tell me you didn’t know.”
“Do you wish me to tell you that? Or do you wish me to tell you the truth?”
“Why?” She hugged him fiercely, a veritable maelstrom of emotions whirling within her. “Why?”
He pulled her away though, dropping to one knee next to her, taking her hand in both of his. “It was never once a difficult choice. Not for one second. I did it... for you. I did it because I’d found someone, something that was meant for me. And all that implied about my future—and my place in it. I found someone worth sacrificing for, even sacrificing that most dear to all of us. Life itself.” He brought her hand to his lips, his gaze turned up to hers. “I found someone... to love. I love you, Selena. I’m in love with you—for the rest of my days. And forever more. When I die, a part of me—of us—will live on though. This planet will go on.”
It was her turn to kneel, and she took his hands in hers. She touched her forehead to his knee, then kissed it, the emotion threatening to drown her. She had to get this out.
“I spent all of my life running from everything. Never knowing what it was I was really running from. But it turns out, I was wrong. It wasn’t that I was running from anything at all.” She smiled then, a hot tear brimming over and spilling down her cheek. “Instead, I was running to something. I was running to you. My Sir. The one I was made for. The one I was made to serve, and pleasure... and love.” She was openly crying as she said the words, her voice cracking. “How could you make such a sacrifice? How could you do such a thing, something so... stupid! But you did. And there can never, ever be any way I could possibly repay you, or show my true gratitude. But you know what? That doesn’t matter either.” She wiped away her tears. “Because the only thing that does is this one little thing. I love you too, Malcolm. God, I love you so much!”