"Good idea," he murmured, taking my hand and leading me to the bathroom.
The rest of the guys curled up on the sofa or on the floor as the cramps worsened, and Bastian made his way to the cauldron to brew up a potion.
Aimon had a bone through his heart, and they handled that phantom pain better than my period cramps.
I snorted a laugh as Aimon started the bath.
"What's so funny?"
"Just that you guys aren't handling the period cramps very well," I mused, shimmying my dress up and off my body. "I guess I'm desensitized to it."
He let out a deep chuckle as he undressed himself. My blood coated his lower abdomen and cock, which was still stiff, but I still couldn't tear my gaze off of his naked body. "It's a constant pain, and we've never felt something like that before. It does give me more of a reason to feel for you, though." He stepped into the tub and sat down, spreading his legs and washing my blood off of him before I stepped in and leaned back against his chest.
"Yeah, it can suck." A warm feeling of belonging spread through me.
"Why haven't you taken an anti-period potion before?" Aimon asked.
Letting out a sigh, I let my eyelids flutter shut as his large hands moved between my legs, washing off the blood that had stuck to my skin. "I used to before I was taken and during my duties as the sword. It was an order to be on the potions, so I didn't fall pregnant or be distracted by menstrual pain."
His hands stopped, and his body tensed. "They forced you to take it?"
"Every six months," I murmured, sinking further back into his chest. His arms wound around me as he held me close. "At first, I didn't mind it. It was less work, but it made me so mad that I couldn't decide that for myself. When I was granted my freedom and moved to the Allura Empire, I stopped taking it. Ineededto feel that pain to prove to myself it was my choice and that I was still alive. I could still feel normal pain like periods."
"I'm sorry, Fawn," he rasped. "I hate that you had to endure that, but you are so damn resilient."
A sad chuckle escaped me, and I shook my head. "I never have a choice in that."
The door opened to the bathroom before he could reply.
Bastian peeked his head in with an open vial in his trembling hand. "Please, take this, love."
"Come in." I held my arm out for the potion, ignoring the pain spreading through my abdomen.
He nudged the door open the rest of the way and came inside, handing me the vial. Another cramp hit, and he winced, pressing his palm into his lower abdomen. "I hope that takes the pain away."
I tilted the vial into my mouth and drank the anti-period potion until it was empty.
Handing it back to him, he took it with a relieved gush of air."Thank the spirits."
My cramps vanished, and I grabbed the edge of the tub and sat up. "Sorry you had to feel them."
He blushed as the color returned to his pale cheeks. "Ah, I'm sorryyouhad to deal with them. Our bond mutes some of the pain, so I can't imagine how intense it was for you. I'm glad you're no longer suffering."
"Thanks, Bastian." My lips tugged into a smile as his pink eyes darted to my chest and back quickly.
"I'll let you and Aimon finish up." He left the bathroom in a scurry.
Aimon's deep, raspy laughter filled the bathroom. "He's a goner, bug. I've never seen Bastian react so enamored with a woman before."
My smile grew as I grabbed the soap and clean washcloth on the side and turned in the bath, knees hitting the tub between Aimon's thighs. "How so? Bastian mentioned he was bad with women, so that's why Silas tattooed the rune on his cock."
That earned me another throaty chuckle--and spirits, I loved his laugh. "He isterriblewith women, but that's probably because he never found the right one until now. He's never shown such a romantic interest in anyone before. He's obviously physically attracted to you, but it's more than that. He's attracted to your spirit."
After lathering the soap bar in the cloth, I washed Aimon's body. "He's really kind. I can't imagine him being terrible with women. But is it bad that it makes me happy he is?" I gently washed his body before focusing on his groin, where most of my blood had been.
"Not at all. You'd be a good match." He caught my wrist in his hand and took the washcloth from me before lathering it up with soap again and washing me. "Bastian's caring and kind. But he's also clumsy and does things without thinking, so you'd be good for him as much as he's good for you."
"And you really don't mind me getting to know him like that?" Hesitation coated my words, making them tremble.
