Monster Pucked (Pucking Monsters #2)

11. Marco

CHAPTER 11

MARCO

I t had been five days since I’d kissed Ehrokk, and I was going crazy.

I’d had an inkling before that we were fated mates, but now? Now, I was absolutely positive. And it scared the hell out of me.

Being alive for so long, I’d seen countless monsters find the one . The one their lives revolved around, that the fates created to complete them. The other half of their soul. Klaus, Flurry, and Holly were a prime example of what happened when you found that person.

I loved Ehrokk. It was a feeling that had grown like a bramble of vines around my dead heart.

The fear that I was too much and moving too fast lingered. How fast was too fast when falling in love? It was hard to believe that I’d only kissed him for the first time three weeks ago, when it felt like I’d known him for a lifetime.

I swallowed hard as I gently pressed the gas pedal, guiding his truck toward the pickup area for airport arrivals. He’d asked me to drive his vehicle, and I’d happily obliged.

My stomach danced with nerves as I looked for him amongst the crowd. I spotted a few of his teammates, my gaze raking over their faces until?—

“There you are, darling,” I murmured.

I swerved the truck into the pickup lane and pulled to a stop, rolling down the window. Ehrokk was engrossed in his phone, headphones on.

“Darling!” I called.

His head jerked up and eyes widened. A smile bloomed, and all of my worries evaporated in a second. There he is.

He rushed to the truck and opened the tailgate, piling his gear and luggage in the bed. He slammed it shut then got into the front seat, releasing a heavy breath. Some of his team mates waved at us as I rolled up the window.

He waved goodbye to them as he spoke. “I am so happy to see you. I feel like I can breathe again.”

“I feel like that too.” I reached over, grabbing the back of his neck and turning his gaze to me. “Hi,” I whispered.

Ehrokk’s expression softened. “I missed you,” he said.

“I missed you too,” I said. “Terribly.”

“I’ve played in so many away games over the years, but this trip felt like the longest one.”

“Days felt like years,” I murmured in agreement.

“I… I was worried that being away would be too much. I’ve never felt like this before.”

I shook my head. “We can talk when we get home,” I said. “I think I have an idea of what might be happening to us.”

He nodded, and then closed the gap between us, kissing me hard on the mouth. It was hungry and full of the same longing that had plagued me while he was away.

A few whoops and whistles followed and he drew back, blushing hard. I snorted, waved at his teammates, and then pulled back into the traffic line—determined to get us home as soon as possible.

My mind swirled with the thought that he was meant to be mine.

That he was my mate.

Every part of me craved him. His blood sang to me, all of my senses begging for a taste.

“Should we go to your place or mine?” I asked.

“Yours,” he said. “Although, I might need to do some laundry…”

“That’s fine,” I chuckled. “I’ll start the load when we get there.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I know. I also hope you like burgers and truffle fries…”

“You cooked for me?”

“Of course. I figured you might be hungry for something homemade.”

Ehrokk grinned. “I am. A burger sounds delicious right now.”

I smirked. “I can offer you a burger, truffle fries, and all your heart desires.”

His smile grew broader. “I see.”

I stole a glance at him. “You had a huge game. You played fantastically.” My chest hummed with pride. “How do you feel?”

Ehrokk released a shaky breath. “I love shootouts. Most goalies get nervous about that sort of thing, but I love the pressure of it. I’m feeling good about the game, but…”

I frowned, waiting for him to continue.

“I had this fear you would reject me while I was away.”

I scoffed. “ Ehrokk .”

“If you don’t think we should be together, I completely understand, and?—”

I kept one hand on the steering wheel and reached over with the other, sliding my palm into his. “I’m not leaving you, Ehrokk. You don’t need to be scared of being gone and it being too much for me. You forget that I’ve worked with Klaus for years.”

He was quiet for a moment, but then his shoulders relaxed. “I did forget.”

I offered him a gentle smile. “I know how often you’ll be gone. I’ll admit, the last few days have been tough. I’ve thought about you more than should be possible. You’ve been on my mind from dawn to dusk.”

“Do you think…”

Was he going to ask about fated mates? I sped up on the road, weaving between other cars.

“I don’t think,” I whispered. “I know you’re my mate. And I will not reject you, darling.”

His breath hitched. “Are you sure?”

I growled. I couldn’t be on the road and having this conversation. I needed to be holding him, kissing him, showing him how much he meant to me. “Darling, we’re almost home. I’ll show you how damn sure I am as soon as we’re through the front door.”

He nodded. “I’m ready.”

I was too. He squeezed my hand, a comfortable silence settling over us as I sped to my townhouse. Within a few minutes, I parked in my driveway and hopped out, dashing around to his door. I tore it open, and yanked him against me in a fevered kiss.

He moaned against me, stumbling out of the truck, his mouth locked with mine. I didn’t care if the neighbors saw. In fact, I wanted them to. I wanted the whole world to know that Ehrokk was mine.

We made it through the front door, slamming it shut. I pushed him against the wall, reveling in the taste of him. His fingers knotted in my shirt, his moan drowned in our kisses.

I drew back for a moment, both of us panting hard.

“I love you,” I rasped. “Fuck. Ehrokk, I know this is so fast. But I also know I’m meant to be yours. I know that our fates are intertwined.”

“You’re my mate,” he whispered.

I met his gaze, tears blurring my vision. “You are,” I said. “You are. You are my mate. I’ve been waiting for you my entire life, darling.”

“You don’t have to wait any more,” he sniffled. “I talked to Flurry about mates because the feeling of being apart was too much. And I couldn’t figure out exactly why until we talked about how he feels about Klaus and Holly.”

“I think the fears might lessen if we are mated fully,” I said. “Because then we’d share a bond that would allow us to feel each other. But we don’t need to rush that?—”

“I want it,” he said immediately. “I want the bond with you, Marco. I know this is right. I really was scared you’d reject me.”

A laugh of disbelief bubbled up. “Darling, I would never, ever reject you. Ever. I can’t even fathom the thought.”

He breathed out a sigh of relief. “Good. Because you’re mine.”

I raised a brow at the possessiveness, enjoying the way it stroked my ego. “Say it again, darling.”

“You are mine .”

“ Again .”

A soft growl left him and he tugged me hard into a kiss. “ Mine .”

I returned a growl and snatched his hand, leading him straight to the bedroom. We tore off our clothes, tumbling to the bed in a tangle of limbs and kisses.

“How do we complete the mating bond?” he huffed. “How do we make it official? I’ve heard rumors, but…”

“We bite each other,” I said. “And the bond should come to life if it’s fated. Which, we know that it is.”

I paused, my touch gentling. I cupped his face, searching his sweet brown eyes.

“Are you sure, Ehrokk? Do you want this?”

“I’m more sure of this than anything. I know you’re my mate. I can feel it in my soul. It’s like you’re my other half. Are you sure?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

We both stared for a moment then a smile crept over, blush blooming in his cheeks.

“Then bite me, Daddy. Please.”

His words went straight to my cock. I rolled him over onto his back, straddling his naked body and running my hands up his chest. “I’ve been thinking about touching you for days,” I rasped. “ Days .”

He whimpered, his eyes fluttering as I leaned down, trailing kisses between his pecs.

“Where do you want me to mark you?” I whispered. “Tell me.”

“I want everyone to see,” he groaned.

“Your throat then?”

He nodded quickly. “Yes. Where… where do I bite you?”

I smiled against his skin. “Where do you want to claim me, darling?”

His breath hitched as I kissed over to one his nipples, sucking gently.

“Fuck. Uh… fuck .”

His cock grew harder beneath me. I sat back, grinding against him as I waited patiently for his answer.

“Your neck,” he grunted. “Please.”

“Good,” I purred. “I want everyone to know I’m yours, too.”

Ehrokk smiled as I leaned down, offering him my throat. His eyes widened, but then he reached up, pulling me closer. I could hear the pounding of his heart, the rush of blood in his veins, all singing just for me.

His tusks grazed my skin as he bit down hard enough to break flesh. The pain was brief, smothered by a fuzzy feeling in my chest, expanding and growing. In one swift motion, I adjusted the angle of my head and bit down on his throat, sinking my fangs into him.

The mating bond snapped to life. I drew back in shock, staring at Ehrokk with the same awe in his expression, the same awe I felt echoing from him .

“ Oh ,” he whispered.

Tears blurred my vision for the second time today. The hundreds of years behind me felt like they’d been in black and white, but starting now, everything was a vibrant rainbow.

Ehrokk sat up, holding me in his lap, bringing my legs around his waist. He thumbed away my tears, pressing his forehead to mine.

“I love you,” he whispered.

My body shivered as the warmth spread through me, all radiating from him. I hadn’t felt this way in all of the centuries of my existence, I realized. His heart beat for both of us now.

“I love you,” I said. “Gods, so much. So, so much.”

I kissed him hard, holding onto him as he fell back against the bed, his hands gripping my hips.

“I’m going to ride your cock, my darling mate,” I said.

His cock jerked against me, his eyes widening. “Really? You want to?”

“More than anything. Think of it as me welcoming you home.”