Chapter 193: Chapter 193: No Room For Sleep

Ravena strode in after aeris. Her hips swayed with that same easy confidence that she always carried, and she perched right on the edge of his bed, her green eyes sparkling with mischief.

Aeris stopped near his gaming settled. Her arms were crossed over the soft fabric of her lounge shirt, which did little to hide her own impressive curves. A knowing smirk played on her lips.

"Ruin your nap?" Ravena related, her voice teasing. "You look drained."

Aeris chimed in, her grin widening. "That’s one way to put it. But since you’re awake, you can finally tell us about your ’adventures.’ Ysmeine mentioned you had... quite the party last night. She said you came home this morning."

Zaeryn groaned, scrubbing a hand over his face as he sat up fully, the sheet pooling around his waist and exposing the lean, defined muscles of his chest and abdomen. He was still shirtless from his nap.

"And what’s that?" Aeris’s voice suddenly lost its teasing edge. She pushed off the doorframe, her smirk vanishing as she crossed the room. Her eyes were fixed on the angry red mark near his eye. "That’s not a hickey."

"Oh my..." Ravena’s playfulness evaporated, replaced by a surge of shock and concern. She slid closer on the bed, her gaze locked on the injury. "That looks like a burn. Did something happen at the academy? Did you get into a fight with some fire user?"

"It’s nothing to worry about," he explained, though he was secretly pleased by their unified worry. "This happened during a spar. An innocent one."

Ravena’s posture softened, and she leaned into him, wrapping him in a quick, fierce hug. "Well, that’s a relief. I’m glad it was just a spar. I was afraid someone was picking on you."

"Does it hurt?" Aeris asked, her fingers now hovering just over the mark, afraid to touch it.

Zaeryn paused, considering. He realized he didn’t feel much pain at all, just a dull tenderness. "No, actually. It feels like I’m healing," he said, remembering Dr. Aveline’s treatment. "Does it look that bad?"

"Nope," Aeris said, straightening up. She flopped into his gaming chair, spinning it to face him. "So, what happened at that hangout?"

"I went to a small get-together at Ingrid’s," he responded.

"Who’s Ingrid? Your harem is growing by the day," Ravena said, sliding off the bed to stand in front of him. She crossed her legs, looking perfectly at home. "What am I going to call them? Sister-wives? That’s a more fitting name."

Zaeryn looked between them, genuinely taken aback. Knowing Ravena’s fiery, possessive nature, he’d expected... Well, he didn’t know what. More jealousy? A fight? Not this... casual management meeting.

"I’m surprised you’re okay with this and are planning to get along with the other girls," he admitted, his voice still a little rough from sleep.

Ravena shifted, her hand coming up to cup his face, her thumb brushing his lower lip with a familiar ease. "The sacrifices I make for you."

Aeris rolled her eyes from the chair. "What sacrifices have you made for him?"

"I have sacrificed..." Ravena’s gaze softened, her teasing edge gone. "I should be demanding all your love and attention, but because I love you, I sacrificed that."

"Well, I think every girl does sacrifice that when it comes to him. Even Sage," Aeris said. She didn’t add her own, much larger sacrifice, giving up her Warlady potential and binding her own Vitae core just to stay home and watch over him. That was a truth she kept locked in her own heart.

"Well, for our Zae, I would do anything," Ravena said softly, her green eyes replaced by that fierce sincerity he’d seen in the pool. "Besides," she added, "I have nothing to worry about. We are bonded now, so I will always be..." She looked deeper into his eyes, her smile soft and certain. "In your heart."

Zaeryn’s hand found her waist, and slid down to her hips, bringing her down to straddle him on his lap. She settled with a soft sigh, and he kissed her, a deep, reassuring kiss that tasted of her and the promise she’d just made. "Yeah. You are."

"Anyways, Zaeryn, you should let us meet your other... girlfriends," Ravena continued, picking up the thread as Aeris nodded in agreement.

Zaeryn shrugged, a slow grin returning. "I mean, sure, if they would like that. I don’t think they’d mind. Genevieve and Ingrid are pretty chill. But I don’t know about Daphne."

"Who’s Genevieve and Ingrid? Your new bonds?" Aeris asked, raising her eyebrows. Her lips twitched teasingly. "You sure do move fast, don’t you?"

"Guilty as charged," He responded. "Although, in all honesty, I didn’t expect the bonds to be formed this quickly."

Ravena’s expression turned more thoughtful, her analytical side emerging. "I’m more interested in meeting Daphne, the chief scientist," she said. "You bonded with her, too? She’s listed as one of the brilliant minds in this queendom. She’s even in the top 5 list of... well, pretty much every advanced research initiative."

"Oh really?" Zaeryn was taken aback by that. He knew Daphne was a genius, but ’Top 5’ put her in a whole different league. "I knew she was smart, but... wow. Top 5?"

"Top 5," Ravena confirmed. "Right alongside Sage Stellan. Makes me wonder what they’d be like in the same room. A whole lot of genius."

"And a whole lot of ego," Aeris added, stretching out and collapsing backward onto the chair, making herself at home. "So, are you going to set it up? A big family dinner with all your girlfriends?"

Zaeryn pictured it: Sage, Daphne, Ravena, Aeris, Marceline, Ingrid, Genevieve, and Ysmeine... all at one table. It could work out, however, he feared at the end of the gathering is when things might get awkward. What if everyone wants him to spend the night with them?

"I think the house might actually explode," he muttered.

"Probably," Ravena grinned, leaning her head on his shoulder. "But I’d still like to meet them."

"We’ll see," Zaeryn said, his hands moving from her waist to her back, pulling her closer. He kissed her neck, then moved down, his lips brushing the collar of her shirt.

He felt her shiver, a soft sound escaping her as she arched into his touch. His hands slid up her back as he deepened the kiss, his mouth finding the sensitive skin just below her ear. Ravena’s fingers tangled in his hair, her other hand gripping his shoulder as the playful conversation dissolved into something much hotter.

He tugged the fabric of her top down, exposing the smooth, pale curve of her shoulder. He kissed the bare skin, then bit down gently, his teeth grazing the flesh in a way that was more of a claim than a caress.

"Zae..." she breathed, her voice suddenly husky. Her hips shifted on his lap, a slow, instinctive grind that sent a jolt of fire straight through him.

His mouth moved lower, tracing the line of her collarbone. His hand followed, pushing the fabric aside further, his fingers brushing the lace edge of her bra before sliding beneath it to cup the soft, perky weight of her breast. Ravena moaned, her head falling back as he flicked his thumb over her hardening nipple, biting down on her one last time.

Zaeryn’s hand didn’t stay still. His thumb brushed over the peak of Ravena’s breast, which was already hard beneath the lace of her bra. He circled it, then flicked it lightly with his thumbnail.

Ravena let out a sharp, shattered gasp, her back arching as her hips, which were already pressed against his, ground down instinctively against his thigh. "Zae..." she breathed, the name a plea.

Her reaction was pure fuel. His mouth left her shoulder, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down her collarbone. His other hand slid from her back, moving to her thigh, fingers gripping the soft skin.

"You like that?" he murmured, his voice thick. He found the hardened peak of her other breast through the fabric and pinched it, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger.

Ravena moaned, a low, guttural sound, her head tossing back. "Don’t... stop," she panted, her body trembling. She was getting lost in the sensation, her eyes fluttering shut.

From the gaming chair, Aeris watched, her teasing smirk long gone. The air in the room had become thick, heavy, charged with the scent of arousal. She watched her brother’s hands hands she knew so well, hands that used to fumble with game controllers now expertly work Ravena’s body. She saw the way Ravena arched, and heard the wet, broken moans.

A slow, coiling heat started low in Aeris’s belly. Her own nipples hardened beneath her lounge shirt, aching in sympathy. She shifted in the chair, the fabric of her shorts suddenly feeling too rough, too tight. She was jealous. Not just jealous she was hot. All she could think about now was being in Ravena’s place.