“Bite me,” she said.
“Lyr.”
“Bite me,” she commanded.
I was shaking. But I did, biting into her flesh. She wiggled a little against me, but didn’t make any sort of sound of discomfort or pain.
“Use your tongue,” she said.
“No.”
“Rhyan,” she hissed. “Do it.”
I lapped at her skin, at her whole skin, not broken, not pierced by fangs. No blood. Not even a drop of sweat. And the taste, the familiar taste of her, started to bring me back.
There was no blood. No violence. Just Lyr. Me and Lyr.
“You’re alive,” she said. “You’re Rhyan.Rakame.”
My chest expanded, breath coming easily again, like the spell had been broken. I kissed her, sucking on her neck, pressing tiny kisses up toward her ear.
She moaned, and I felt myself harden beneath her, my hands suddenly settling on her hips, shifting her against me.
“Sean’s just outside the door,” she said in a gasp. Her chest heaved. “Are you okay?”
I let out a shaky exhale, then took in another breath, meeting her eyes. “I am now. I’m sorry.”
“No. Don’t apologize.” She smiled softly. “No guidebook, remember?”
I laughed. “No guidebook.”
“Was it the food?” she asked. “Did that …?”
“I don’t know. I think the memories—they just hit me. I know everything that had happened, but some things feel more present than others at times. I can’t hold it all at once.”
She frowned. “Well, when the next one hits, I’ll be there with you. We’re going to get through this.”
“I know. Thank you.” I looked down between us, her legs straddling me and my very obvious erection. I shook my head. “Not normally how I deal with this.”
She chuckled. “Hey, whatever helps. I didn’t exactly mind. But seeing as how we’re not alone—” She kissed me, chastely, hugging me tight, then crawled off my lap to sit beside me.
I took a deep breath, trying to cool down, reminding myself that Sean was just outside the door. Anything else my body wascraving from Lyr could wait. But I supposed it was a good thing that it wanted this, and not something else. Not something evil or depraved. It just wanted to be near her, to touch her, love her.
A moment later, I nodded. “Okay. I think I’m good.”
She kissed my cheek. “You sure?”
“I’m okay.”
“I’ll bring Sean in.”
A minute later, fully back to myself, I realized I was sitting in a complete stranger’s living room, with walls made of darkened wood panels, a stone fireplace, and a flag with the sigil of Ka Hart above the mantel.
Lyr held my hand on the sofa where we sat, and Sean came to sit on a small chair beside us.
“Where are we?” I asked.
“This is the home of an old friend from Glemaria. Soturion Sheldon Daigen. Ka Daigen were loosely connected to Ka Gaddayan.” Kane and Kenna’s Ka.
