Because he knew she didn’t understand, he relayed them in another way, curling his finger beneath her chin and tilting her head back. He met her lips with his, brushing them ever so softly.
“When you are ready, Acadia, know I am waiting for you.”
“If you are not here, I shall have to feed from another,” she said softly.
Kaj pulled back, curled his hand over her cheek, and met her stare. “Balisra, it would be my honor as well as my pleasure to feed you. You must only ask.”
“Will you feed from anyone else?”
He shook his head. “I would rather die before I touched the flesh of another female.”
Which was part of the problem. He hadn’t fed for a few days now, and his strength was waning.
“Would you oblige me now,balisra?”
Acadia nodded.
It was all he could do not to weep, her grace unparalleled. Despite the fact he’d hurt her heart and she refused to believe he would forever remain true, his sweet Acadia still provided him the gift of life.
The pain was unbearable.
Thankfully, the nausea had finally abated a few hours ago, but without that discomfort plaguing her, the ache within had become her sole focus.
Orianna had ignored it for the longest time, waiting patiently for theheurospto tend to her, cleaning the bathroom and tidying up while Eclipse met with his brothers. She’d even managed a shower, having grown tired of her own skin after nearly two days of feeling as though she was dying.
Now that she was finally alone, Orianna was racked with a heat that encompassed her entire being.
Initially, she’d paced the room from one end to the other. Back and forth, back and forth. When her legs trembled from the weight, she settled onto the bed, laid out over the silky comforter. Then the scrape of her clothing had become an irritant she could no longer handle, so she’d stripped. The bedding beneath her had cooled the heat for a few minutes, but even that was fleeting.
What she needed was Eclipse, but Orianna was beginning to wonder if this persistent ache would ever be fully quenched. It seemed to be intensifying the longer they were together, when in reality, it should’ve been easing off. That was the way it worked in the human realm, at least. Fireworks and sparks in the beginning, then a steady simmer, and finally a cooldown when the other’s familiar comfort overrode that unbridled desire. Or at least that was how she’d always thought it to work. Maybe some people went hog wild right out of the gate and it lasted for eternity.
Of course, she knew this was some strange angel phenomenon, butcome on!At what point did it give up the ghost? They were together, for goodness sake. What more did the … whoever was in charge of this want? An eternal flame that engulfed them both, rendering them useless?
Orianna wasn’t sure she could handle that sort of flame. She was more of a gentle-flicker kinda girl.
A distressed moan surfaced, her back arching as her hands slid over her breasts. The sensation of her own touch sparked the heat, but she knew it would only make it worse. She needed Eclipse. And she wasn’t sure she could wait.
When he didn’t come, fear consumed her. He’d always come to her when she was in need of him. For weeks now, he’d offered himself up to her, soothing her as well as himself. Even when he hadn’t been close, he’d seemed to sense her need.
So where was he? Why wasn’t he helping her?
A tear leaked out of her eye, dripping down her cheek.
Had he abandoned her like everyone else in her life? Placed her on a shelf to collect dust? Maybe all that hurling had turned him off. He’d finally seen real life closing in and decided it wasn’t for him.
Then it dawned on her. She had told him she loved him, but he hadn’t returned the sentiment. Not in her language, anyway. What if those words he’d spoken had been a gentle letdown, not a declaration of love? Maybe he thought she could take care of herself. After all, she had told him as much when she’d refused to stay with him in the basement of her mother’s house. And she had handled the situation. Not quite well, mind you, but in a manner that hadn’t allowed things to get out of control.
Her core was aflame, like center-of-the-Earth hot, and there was no way she could cool it on her own.
Figuring she could explore her options, since she had no other alternatives, Orianna closed her eyes and slipped her fingers between her legs.
“Oh, God.” That gentle brush against her flesh had chills racing down her spine, sending tingling sensations to every limb. She aimed for more, centering on her clit. If she could spark one good orgasm, perhaps she could rest for a while.
Before long, the whimpers and moans were more from frustration than satisfaction. She thrashed on the bed, anger bubbling up because she needed relief, and this wasn’t helping.
“Sezari?Oh, fuck, baby.”
Her eyes shot open at the sound of Eclipse’s voice. He was tearing off his T-shirt as he strolled toward her. Her gaze settled upon all that smooth, rippling flesh, and her fingers suddenly itched to wander and explore. Though seeing him did nothing to quell the urge, it gave her a distraction. He was truly beautiful. The sexy mohawk, those iridescent eyes, the strong chin. And his body … it was absolute perfection. Long, lean, thick with muscle.
