Zamir nodded, slid forward, and pressed his lips to mine.
Zamir
I hadn't imagined how decadent Nolan's life force was. It was rich from all his experiences, tasting of love and loss, joy and pain, freedom and constraint.
His life force was all I could feel, all I could taste, but I was distantly aware I'd climbed into his lap at some point, his palms hot against my ass as he held me to him, as he deepened the kiss and sent more of his life force spilling into me.
Now that I was the one drinking it in, his life force wasn't wispy anymore. It was thicker, still smoke-like but denser than before. It was bright and spicy, like I imagined his dragon fire must be.
My gut—where I felt my hunger most fiercely—warmed and filled, and the appetite that had been my constant companion for the last thirteen years slowly dissipated. I didn't remember what life was like without that ever-present hunger, but I realized I was excited to find out.
I softened the kiss as I reached my limit, releasing Nolan's life force back into him as I drew back and met his green eyes. He smiled, soft and slow, and I exhaled a relieved laugh. He was okay.
We pulled apart, and Nolan grinned as he gave me a onceover. "There you are. Your aura is all lit up, and your magic is gaining strength by the minute." He placed his palm on my chest, over my heart, and his grin softened. "I can see it now, the similarities between your magic."
Right. He'd known my mom. The woman who'd died soon after she'd given birth to me. My father had told me it wasn't my fault, that she'd been old, too old to be giving birth, but she'd wanted me badly enough to risk it. I'd always doubted him, blamed myself, but if Nolan had known her almost a thousand years ago, it was possible. While supes lived long lives, they rarely reached the thousand-year mark. Only a few exceptions existed. The ancient supes like dragons, wyverns, unicorns... they lived much, much longer.
"How do you feel?" Nolan asked, and I breathed in deep. The absence of that twisting feeling in my gut felt strange, like I wasdreaming. But this was real. I wasn't hungry, and I hadn't had to hurt anyone to get there.
"I feel... good. Relieved."
Nolan smiled, then leaned forward to kiss me again. "I'm glad," he murmured against my lips.
I was warm, and I didn't know if it was because of Nolan's life force, or his body beside mine. A yawn slipped out of my lips, and I hummed as I climbed off his lap and curled up against his side. "Can we sit like this for a little while?"
"Of course. Whatever you want."
I smiled as Pebble hopped up onto the couch and curled up over our legs, and I ran my fingers through her fur and closed my eyes, soaking in the peaceful moment.
My mind grew hazy as I sat there, Nolan's arm wrapped around me as my head rested on his chest, and I breathed in his warm, woodsy scent. It reminded me of a fireplace, and I stuffed my nose into the open slit between two buttons of his shirt.
A soft laugh rumbled through his chest, but he didn't stop me from sniffing at him. I smiled, and dragged in another lungful of his spicy dragon scent. My senses felt... sharper. Like I'd been living inside a bubble that muted everything, and Nolan had popped the damned thing.
A healthy human adult's life force lasted about eight months for an adult Shtriga. A human child's lasted for about fifteen months. I had no idea how long Nolan's life force would last me, but I expected it would take at least twenty months before Ineededto feed again. From what I knew of Nolan so far, though, he'd insist I feed way before that.
How had we gotten here? I'd come over today for a lowkey date with my mate. I'd thought we'd eat some food, cuddle with the furbabies, and maybe make out a little. Instead, I was in a food coma the likes of which I'd never experienced before.
I sighed as a comforting warmth enveloped me, and I succumbed to a gentle sleep.
******
I didn't wake up all at once. Instead, muted sounds reached my ears first. The soft brush of paper against paper, the lap of a wet tongue against fur...
Scents came next. The warm spicy scent of Nolan still cloaked me, but beyond it, I could smell food. Tomato and cheese and spices.
Nolan was warm under me, and in my sleep, I'd climbed halfway on top of him, though he didn't seem to mind.
"Hey," he murmured as he rubbed my back, and I blushed. He'd noticed I was awake, huh?
I blinked my eyes open, and drew back, sitting up straight so I could look at him. "Hey. I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"It's okay. You seemed like you could use it."
I shrugged, though I had to admit I felt more settled now. The unfamiliar fullness I'd felt after feeding on him was gone, though the heat of his life force lingered. It'd replaced the sharp hunger that usually clawed at my insides, and it made me feel... centered. Strong. Was there ever a time when I'd felt this good?
"Are you hungry? For human food, I mean," he added with a chuckle when I shot him a look.
"Yeah, I think so. It smells delicious, whatever it is."
