“What’s in it?” Aelia asked. “The poultice? I’ve never known anything like it.”
“It’s an old family secret,” he whispered into her ear. “One that’s been protected for centuries.”
She tensed. “You’re really not going to tell me?”
“Not unless I was prepared to kill you afterwards.” He smeared some of the cream onto her back, making her jump. He moved his fingers in gentle circles over the soft skin, the muscles of her back tensing beneath his touch. “And I’ve already told you I have no desire to hurt you.”
She tried to hide it, but he didn’t miss the shaky breath that passed between her lips as his fingers worked the cream into her skin. A dark smile toyed at the corner of his mouth, the beast within settling low between its shoulder blades, a predator ready to pounce.
“Is that okay?” He knew the answer, could see her body reacting to him, but he needed to hear her say it, to know for certain. “You want me to stop?”
Aelia hesitated, and panic tightened in his chest at the horror of having misread the situation. He was about to pull his fingers away when she finally answered, her words easing the tension in his chest and sending it plummeting far lower.
“Don’t stop,” she whispered, dropping her head back as if she too felt the aching need that was coursing through him.
She’d closed her eyes, lips slightly parted as she let out slow, unsteady breaths. His chest almost imploded at the slight crease between her brows as she fought the emotions so plainly visible across her face.
The creature in him growled, low and hungry. It didn’t want her fighting her desire— it didn’t like that at all.
Aelia’s eyelids snapped open, as though she’d felt his gaze, and the instant their eyes locked, he knew he was fucked. The other part of him, already straining for control, took the opportunity to seize the upper hand, flooding him with a dizzying surge of lust.
The poultice dropped to the floor as he grabbed her waist and spun her to face him, so quickly she would have stumbled had his hands not dragged her into him.
Keeran was on her before she could even gasp, his lips parting hers with fevered impatience. She collapsed into him, her body curving in to meet his as he claimed her mouth, his fingers locking into the snarling tangles of her hair to hold her in place as he devoured her. Finally.
Her tongue matched his stroke for stroke, each of them sinking effortlessly into the other’s rhythm as though it was an extension of their own. The taste of her sent him spiralling out of himself; immediately intoxicated, eternally addicted.
The frustration he’d felt over the last couple of days merged with his need in a heady fog, an overpowering necessity to possess her, body and soul. Pleasure could break a person just as devastatingly as pain, and he wanted to take her crashing overthe edge, fracturing her in a way only he’d be able to piece back together again.
His free hand grabbed her hips and pulled her into him, and she let out a soft whimper as his erection pressed against her. She ground against him, the pressure on his cock a delicious torture.
And just like that, Keeran lost the battle he’d been fighting every day of his life. The beast took charge and wasted no time.
They pulled away just long enough to tease her shirt over her head, careful of her injuries despite their ravenous hunger. She was everything to them; her pain was their pain.
They took in the perfect swell of her breasts, and the defined muscle of her stomach, impatient to taste every inch of her. Her eyes widened a fraction as she caught sight of them, but they didn’t give her time to worry about what was burning in their eyes. Their hand whipped up to grip her jaw, tilting her head and fixing it there as their mouth found the sensitive skin just beneath her ear, teasing it gently.
Their lips curved in a smile as her warm breath tickled their ear, coming in little gasps that had their pulse roaring. She liked that. Fuck, they couldn’t wait to find out what else she liked.
They worked their way down her neck, one hand still locking her in place, the other brushing gently up over her stomach, making the muscle clench under their touch. By the time they reached her breasts, she was groaning as she arched into them, fingers gripping their shoulders hard enough to leave little half-moons in their skin.
The beast roared its approval— the pain was its reward for a job done well, and it basked in it. They worked her breasts, their teeth nipping at the hardened peaks of her nipples to return the favour, before worshipping her with their tongue. Pleasure, pain, and pleasure again. Her breasts pushed into them with the heaving of her breath as they played, carefully monitoring whatshe liked and noting it for next time. Because there would be a fucking next time. They were going to learn how to break her, to ruin her, and they couldn’t fucking wait.
They tore themselves away from her perfect chest to press their mouth against hers once more, and she kissed them hungrily, pulling them into her with all her fragile little strength. If she wanted more, they were all too happy to oblige.
Their hand dropped to the waistband of her tunic, expertly working at the ties holding it in place. Aelia’s hands followed suit, the heel of her palm pressing into the throbbing length of their dick, and it was their turn to groan, their balls tightening at the shock of pleasure she elicited.
Magic swirled awake in their chest, unfamiliar yet unmistakable. It knotted itself around their heart, warm and shining, before snaking out in an invisible thread, reaching towards Aelia.
Fear crashed into Keeran, bringing him back into control enough to slam the other half of him into its cage. He reeled away from her, staggering backwards as the magic of the pair bond steadily receded. A fucking pair bond.
He stood staring at her, chest heaving, mind a swirling maelstrom of emotion he couldn’t override.
Aelia stared back, mouth deliciously swollen, the hurt in her wide eyes stabbing at something deep inside him. But he stayed rooted to the spot, his hand clasped against his chest, completely unable to utter a single syllable.
She dropped to the ground to retrieve her top, clutching it to her as she straightened, but still all he could do was stare at her, fighting the urge to break into a run. His heart beat so wildly he thought it might actually break his ribs, as if his chest didn’t have enough to contend with. That infernal tugging deep inside it was stronger than ever, pulling him forwards. Towardsher.
“What’s wrong?” Aelia asked as she threw her top back on, her voice so small and uncertain.
