Reed makes a sound of agreement, but his fingers are biting deep into my aching muscles, rubbing out the knots and pain, and it’s just so quiet and unexpected that I don’t know what to say to it.
“You kept singing.”
He pauses, and I hate that I stopped him, but after a moment, he resumes his ministrations again. “I did.”
“I tried to come back-”
“Mei, it’s okay.”
“No, I need you to know I tried-”
Reed grips my nape and pulls me towards him. Our lips crash together, but when I gasp, his tongue sweeps into my mouth.I’ve never felt anything like this before, but it’s my new favourite thing. I tentatively move my mouth against his. He groans and pulls me up until I’m sitting sideways on his lap.
He makes another groaning sound that has me squirming to get even closer to him. I want, no, I need to be closer to him. The feel of him, so hard, pulling me towards him, like he wants to climb inside of me, has a heat building that I don’t even want to stop anymore.
“Reed?” I whisper-moan his name.
He pulls away, leaving me gasping, and slides me onto the couch as he gets up. Without a word, he walks out of the room, leaving me sitting there confused and wondering if I had done something wrong or something right.
I lift my fingers to my lips and touch the tingling flesh.
“What was that?”
“Mei?”
Lirin shouts so loudly and suddenly that I jump halfway across the room. I land on the island and crouch there, ready to attack.
Lirin laughs and pads over to me before he lifts me off the island and sets me down. “You are so adorable with your bouncing and hissing.”
“I am not adorable,” I say in real affront.
“Oh, you are the cutest little button that ever was.”
I poke a finger into his shoulder, the tip of my claw a direct warning. “You take that back.”
“Nope. Nu-uh, never.”
I growl.
“Cute little growls, too.”
“I am a fierce survivor. I am not cute or a button.”
“You are a warrior; you are amazing.” Lirin says the words with such serious calm that I can’t help but believe that he means it.
What is going on?
I shrug myself free of him and put the island between us. “What do you want? Why are you being nice?”
“Aww, that hurts my feelings. I’m always nice.”
“No, you aren’t.”
“Mei!” he whines, and I feel a smile tugging on my lips.
Lirin somehow manages to get close to me. He runs his finger up my spine and moves away laughing while I whirl around, claws extended.
“Come find me,” he sings.
