When she bent over to climb into the bed, he caught a glimpse of the dark thatch of hair between her parted thighs. Flashes of having her on her hands and knees in front of him, the soft cleft hidden there opened wide around his brutal girth, made him groan low with desire and his cock throb painfully.
The inviting sight of her round ass and soft pussy disappeared from view when she slipped underneath the covers, but his need stayed exactly as urgent. It wasn’t just the blissful sensation of being buried balls-deep in her tight cunt that had him flexing his hands in a desperate attempt at retaining control—it was everything about being with her and feeling her small body soothe his own in ways he never thought possible. He needed to touch her skin, suckle her breasts, taste her maddening juices?—
“Kain?”
He jerked at the sound of her voice, somehow managing to tip his spiraling thoughts back into the present.
“Yes?” Even to his own ears, he sounded unusually gruff.
“Come to bed?”
Maybe she was purposefully trying to torture him.
Moving stiffly, he removed his shoes, socks, coat, and jeans. The erection tenting his boxer shorts was painfully obvious, but she’d be blind if she hadn’t spotted it already, and he didn’t want the rough material of his pants making her uncomfortable.
When he walked hesitantly toward the bed, Selma lifted the blankets, displaying most of her glorious nakedness with the invitation.
Kain climbed in next to her, careful not to touch any part of her body. He hadn’t even settled before the girl rolled over, hiking a thigh over his legs and wrapping her arm across his chest.
“You’re so tense,” she murmured.
He could feel the soft press of her breasts against his side and the heat radiating from her core against his thigh.
“You know why.” There was no point in pretending he wasn’t fighting tooth and nail to rein in the raging monster fighting to take her by the hips, flip her over, and force her to give up that tantalizing little cunt. “You’re playing with fire.”
Nimble fingers stroked over his skin. “I know you’re struggling with the attraction between us. I mean, it’s not like it’s a secret that you want to make love to me.” She raised her leg a little higher, bumping gently against his rock-hard cock for emphasis.
Kain snorted. “What I want to do to you doesn’t even come close to being described as making love. How have you forgotten what I am behind this disguise? You know what it feels like to be taken by a demon—I want to consume every last ounce of you. Don’t test my resolve.”
His mate went quiet for a little while, but never stopped caressing his chest. It was oddly soothing, though every touch sent burning heat to his crotch.
“Do you know what Marathin did to make me risk everything and run?”
Kain drew in a deep breath. Just the thought of her helpless and alone like he’d found her, running from the man who’d tried to make her his, sent scalding rage through his veins, dampening the lust in its wake. He’d seen the ancient being’s desire for her when he and the Agents cornered them, and he knew what twisted desires coursed through his kind’s veins.
“He twisted my ring and made me beg for it. He enjoyed my humiliation. He threatened me with how much pain I would experience if he sent me to an auction. He manipulated me into pleading to be his so I wouldn’t have to endure it.
“He took everything from me. My body, my soul… even my mind, because he wanted to possess me in every way possible.
“I don’t think you can fully understand what it feels like to be at someone’s mercy like that, because you will never have to submit the very core of your being to anyone. He wants to consume every ounce of me, until there’s nothing left but an empty shell he can fuck and breed.”
She looked up at him, catching his gaze with those bottomless chocolate eyes. “Trust me, I know what it’s like to be consumed by a demon. That’s not what it’s like to be with you, even when you make me open for your ridges like he did, fuck me as hard, and say that I’m yours. The difference is that I want you to, because you give me everything you are when you do—because you’re going against every instinct you have to give me the freedom I told you I wanted.
“You’re not like him. You’re not like any of the monsters that showed up at that auction to win the right to force me into slavery for the rest of my miserable existence.”
Something felt sore in his chest—the same something he hadn’t even been aware existed before he woke up with her in his arms for the first time. He was starting to recognize his claim as an odd and not entirely pleasant mix of fierce, protective urges and something soft and vulnerable that belonged just to her.
“I still have the instincts, even if I fight against them. You don’t seem to understand how badly every fiber of my being wants to claim and possess you.”
To his surprise, her only reaction to his shameful admission was to put her head back down on his shoulder after kissing his skin.
“I will rip him apart for what he did to you. I don’t care if it’ll start a war.”
“I hope you will.”
Her softly spoken admission should have shocked him—she was so gentle and kind, and hearing her say that she wished for someone’s painful demise was rather out of character. However, all he felt was warm satisfaction from knowing that she would appreciate the revenge he’d take on her behalf.
They lay in silence for a time before she said, “Tell me about your mother.”
