Her Immortal Love (Brides of the Vrakken #2)

14. Alina

14

ALINA

I drift in and out of consciousness, my body wracked with waves of intense sensation. One moment, searing pain courses through my veins like liquid fire. The next, a rush of euphoria floods my senses, leaving me gasping.

My mind struggles to make sense of what's happening. Everything feels heightened, amplified beyond normal human limits. Sounds that should be distant echo in my ears as if right beside me. Scents I've never noticed before assault my nose, overwhelming and intoxicating.

My skin prickles and burns, feeling as if it's being peeled away and reshaped. Bones crack and reform, muscles tear and regrow. I want to scream but can't find my voice.

The worst pain concentrates in my back. It feels like my spine is trying to burst through my skin. The agony builds to a crescendo until I'm certain I'll be ripped in two. Then, with a sickening tearing sound, my back splits open.

I fade in and out, unable to maintain consciousness through the onslaught of sensations. In brief moments of lucidity, I catch glimpses of concerned faces hovering over me. But everything blurs together in a kaleidoscope of pain and transformation.

My mind reels, desperately trying to process what's happening. But it's too much. Wave after wave of change crashes over me, dragging me under. I lose all sense of time and self, adrift in an ocean of sensation.

I'm drowning in a sea of memories, each one crashing over me like a relentless wave. Munich's streets unfold before my eyes - the smell of fresh pretzels, the chiming of church bells. I'm a child again, running through the English Garden, my parents' laughter echoing behind me.

The scene shifts. I'm hunched over textbooks in the university library, the familiar excitement of scientific discovery coursing through me. Formulas and theories dance across my vision, a reminder of the life I once knew.

Suddenly, I'm in Greece. The warm Mediterranean breeze caresses my skin, but the peaceful moment shatters as terror grips me. A vrakken appears, his wings blocking out the sun. I relive the horror of my abduction, the disorientation of waking up on an alien world.

But then... Alexei. His steel-blue eyes pierce through the chaos of my memories. I see him guarding the human encampment, our first tentative conversations. The way he looked at me when I first used magic. The feel of his skin against mine during our intimate moments.

A rush of emotion floods through me. I realize that despite everything - the fear, the anger, the confusion - I'm grateful for meeting him. He's become my anchor in this strange new world.

I want to tell him I forgive him. That I understand that he is not at fault for my involvement in the war effort. I would have volunteered anyway, to protect both humans and vrakken. I want him to know that I've fallen for him, that my heart belongs to him now.

But the words won't come. My body is on fire, every cell screaming as it transforms. I can't speak, can't move. Darkness creeps at the edges of my vision, and a terrifying thought grips me - what if I'm dying? What if I never get the chance to tell Alexei how I feel?

The pain intensifies, and I slip deeper into the abyss. Alexei's face is the last thing I see before consciousness fades completely.

I groan, every muscle in my body screaming in protest as I try to move. How long have I been out? Hours? Days? The concept of time feels fuzzy, slipping through my grasp like sand.

My eyelids feel impossibly heavy, but I force them open. The world swims into focus, blurry at first. I blink rapidly, trying to clear my vision. Gradually, shapes begin to form. Trees? Yes, I'm sure those are trees. And there, a figure beside me. Alexei.

"Alexei," I rasp, my voice barely above a whisper. My throat feels raw, as if I've been screaming for hours.

I hear his voice, but the words are muffled, indistinct. It's like I'm underwater, sounds distorted and distant. But even though I can't make out what he's saying, I can feel him. His emotions wash over me in waves - worry, pain, and love so intense it takes my breath away.

The connection is overwhelming. It's as if his feelings are my own, intertwined so deeply I can't tell where I end and he begins. The sensation is both terrifying and exhilarating.

Despite the lingering pain radiating through my body, I'm overcome with a desperate need to be closer to him. I want to lose myself in his embrace, to have him erase this pain and confusion. My fingers twitch, trying to reach for him.

"Alexei," I manage again, a little stronger this time. I need him to understand, to know that I feel it too - this inexplicable bond between us. "I need…you."

"I'm here." I can hear him now but it sounds muffled. "I'm right here."

"It hurts," I whimper. "Make it stop. Make me feel good."

His hand brushes over my face. I can feel that now. "I don't know how?—"

"Make love to me," I blurt out. Nothing has ever felt so right, so perfect, as when he held me.

"Alina…" The hesitation is clear, and I force my eyes open to look at him.

"Please," I beg. "I need it." I suck in deep lungfuls of air as it feels like my lungs catch fire. "Please."

Alexei's lips crash against mine, a hungry and desperate kiss that steals my breath away. I moan into his mouth, my body already aching with need. His hands roam over me, tearing away the remnants of my dress, baring my skin to the cool air. Every touch sends shivers of anticipation down my spine.

"Alexei," I whisper, as his mouth trails down my neck, his teeth grazing my skin. I feel a slight pinch, a bite that draws a gasp from deep within me. But the pain is fleeting, replaced almost instantly by a rush of euphoria. His venom courses through my veins, turning the bite into a pleasure so intense it's almost unbearable.

"More," I beg, my voice barely more than a whimper. "Please, Alexei."

He growls low in his throat, a sound that sends a fresh wave of desire crashing over me. His mouth moves lower, kissing every inch of my skin as if it were a sacred ground. Each touch of his lips is a brand, marking me as his own.

"You taste so sweet," he murmurs against my skin, his voice rough with desire. "Absolutely perfect."

I writhe beneath him, my body on fire with need. His bite leaves me wet and aching, desperate for more. "Alexei, please," I plead, my voice shaking with urgency.

He looks up at me, his eyes dark with desire. "What do you need, Alina?" he asks, his voice a low rumble that sends shivers down my spine.

"You," I breathe. "I need you inside me. Now."

He smiles, a slow, predatory grin that makes my heart race. "As you wish," he says, positioning himself between my legs.

I feel him press against me, slow and deliberate. He slides into me, filling me completely. I gasp at the sensation, my body stretching to accommodate him. He moves slowly, each thrust deep and measured, drawing out a moan from deep within me.

"You feel so good," he whispers, his voice strained with pleasure. "So perfect."

"Alexei," I moan, my body trembling with each thrust. The pleasure builds, intensifying with every movement. I clutch at him, my nails digging into his back as I urge him deeper.

"Come for me, Alina," he commands, his voice a growl. "Let me hear you scream."

I can't hold back any longer. The pleasure crests, crashing over me in wave after wave of ecstasy. I scream his name, my body convulsing with the force of my climax.

But Alexei doesn't stop. He keeps moving, his body driving into mine with a relentless rhythm. "I won't let you feel any more pain," he vows, his voice a fierce whisper. "Only pleasure. Only us."

I cling to him, my body slick with sweat, as he continues to move within me. Each thrust is a promise, a vow to keep me safe, to protect me from the darkness that threatens to consume us both. And in that moment, I believe him. I believe in us. I believe in the magic that binds us together, stronger than any force on Protheka.