I closed the gap between us, gripping him as I fell to myknees. Grabbing his hands, I pulled them away from his face and leaned my forehead to his, allowing his hair to cover us both. Staring deeply into his pale green eyes, I sent all my love to him through our bond.
“Odelm…” I breathed. “Feel that? That is my love for you. I love you.” He closed his eyes and nodded. “I didn’t intend to hurt you in any way. My focus was getting through my pregnancy while learning everything I could… including about both Xylo and you. I took in the princes to protect them while giving everyone on theDestinya place to call home. It was a political deal… everything was.”
“Will you ever try to—”
“Get to know them? Love them? I don’t know. It is too soon to say,” I murmured. “Odelm. I respect them… Stars, I like them and enjoy the time they have spent with us.” I gently grabbed his cheeks and gave him a light kiss as the warm water continued to flow over us. “I offered them a chance to share me as their nestqueen and to sire offspring. I am not playing favorites. You know how I feel about your culture’s Favored tradition. If it means so much to you, I don’t see why both you and Xylo can’t try to sire our future offspring whenever I am ready. It is only fair.”
He opened his eyes and stared at me in awe. “Selena…”
A rush of emotions bubbled in, coursing through my body. As if by instinct, I smashed my mouth on his, pressing my body against his. He moaned as he leaned back, allowing me to climb onto his lap. His cool hands lightly traveled along my legs, leaving a tickling sensation behind. He cupped my ass, pressing me harder into him if that was possible.
I broke the kiss, taking in a deep breath.
I slid my hand from his cheek to his hair and gripped it hard, feeling its gel-like strands squish between my fingers as I exposed my mark on his neck. A hiss broke from his lips as his hands tightened on my ass.
Placing my lips behind his ear-fin, I started kissing along his jaw, working my way down to my mark at the junction of his neck. Odelm shivered when my lips met their destination.
“Odelm. You are mine. This mark here proves it.” I scraped my teeth along his neck. “I will make sure you remember that.”
Something slightly tangy filled the top of my mouth right before I closed my eyes and bit him hard. Blood flooded my mouth as a purr awakened from within. I sucked his blood, enjoying his unique flavor. Somehow, I felt more connected to him, as if I needed to do this.
After more draws, Odelm’s body started to shiver.
The trembling slowly transformed into shaking.
Releasing his neck, I let go of his hair and gripped his arms, trying to get a good hold on him.
“Odelm?”
His chest was heaving quickly as his body shook. Light blue blood flowed from the fresh mark on his neck, overlapping my old one, the shower’s water washing it quickly away. His fingers adjusted themselves as I watched his tentacles slowly unwind themselves from his torso.
“Selena…” Odelm said, confused… and pained?
He stood up, releasing his hold on me. I fell backward onto the tiled floor and gazed up at him in confusion.
Odelm’s body no longer shook, but his tentacles were spread out and alive, weaving around in random directions. The purple speckles of his body glowed along with my white mark on his neck.
My eyes traveled to his. I gasped. They were radiating light green.
“Selena… Run…”
I shook my head in confusion. “What is wrong?”
He closed his eyes with a pained expression as a hiss escaped his lips.
A tremble traveled down his body. I followed it and gasped.
At the juncture of his legs were three appendages dancing wildly among each other. Two were the same shape, both long and thin. The third was shorter and had a large suction cup ending. They were dark purple with bright glowing white tips that glistened.
“I thought…”
His eyes jerked open, their intense hunger silencing me. I swallowed and licked my lips, attempting to get rid of my sudden nervousness.
His tentacles scooped me up from the floor, securing my limbs in their grasp.
Flipping us around, he pinned my body against the wall. The cool hardness of the tile counteracted the heat from the steam surrounding us as the shower continued to pour hot water.
“What did you do to me?” he panted, his voice still rumbling deeply.
