Page 64 of Mortis

Then he hissed.

“Fuck.”

He dropped the knife immediately. It clattered onto the floor before skidding across the tiles. I didn’t look for it. My attention was fixed entirely on Teddy’s hand.

A narrow cut crossed the tip of his index finger, and bright crimson welled from the wound. Together we watched the blood gather. Watched as it slowly rolled down his finger and across his knuckles, before pooling between his index and middle finger.

“Crap,” Teddy muttered.

He reached for a sheet of kitchen roll, but I caught his wrist before he could. Firmly enough that he couldn’t pull away. Carefully enough that I wouldn’t hurt him.

His breath caught, his pulse beating wildly beneath my fingertips. “Kael?”

His voice was barely a whisper. Unsteady, but not afraid. I knew the scent of fear better than most creatures alive.

Sharp. Acrid. Sour.

That was nowhere to be found.

Using my grip on his wrist, I gently drew him closer, until barely an inch separated us. I lifted his injured hand towards my face and inhaled deeply. The scent flooded every corner of my mind. Hints of copper mixed with his rich honey scent.

It was intoxicating.

A groan escaped me before I could stop it. Saliva pooled beneath my tongue, threatening to spill down my chin. The shock of his scent, so raw now the blood wasn’t hidden beneath his skin, shattered my concentration. My mortal form melted away like water cascading from my body, and Teddy gasped. I thought I heard him mention Arlo, but I was far too consumed to care.

Parting my jaws, I wrapped my forked tongue around his finger. My eyes rolled back as his blood touched my tastebuds. For a moment, the world ceased to exist. I drifted into something almost dreamlike, though I remained lucid enough to keep my sharp teeth well clear of his skin.

Teddy had already hurt himself once. I refused to be the cause of another wound.

Closing my lips around his finger, I drew the warm liquid into my mouth with slow, deliberate pulls. My tongue tightened around the digit, pulsing gently in time with the frantic rhythm of his heartbeat.

With every drop that slid down my throat, I felt more alive.

A soft whimper broke through the haze surrounding my mind. My eyes flew open. The moment they found Teddy’s, a deep growl vibrated through my chest. His cheeks were brilliantly flushed, and his blue eyes were unfocused, glazed with something I couldn’t quite name. His tongue darted out to wet his lips. His chest rose and fell with uneven breaths. As the forked tips of my tongue brushed the delicate skin between his fingers, collecting the last traces of blood, his entire body shivered.

Teddy’s free hand landed against my hip. His fingers buried themselves in the dark fur where it met my skin. His gentle tug sent a pleasant sting through me, making my tail lash instinctively behind me.

“Kael.” My name escaped him on little more than a breath.

The Beast purred smugly somewhere deep within my mind. His taste is . . . earth-shattering.

I slammed the metaphorical door between us before He could say another word.

Teddy’s grip loosened. His hand drifted slowly up my side, fingertips tracing over my ribs. The touch made me shudder. Between the intoxicating taste of his blood and the warmth of his hands, my increasingly hard cock was dangerously close to slipping free of the pouch hidden by my fur.

“Oh . . . fuck,” he whimpered again.

On my next pull, his knees seemed to weaken, and he stumbled forwards until his front rested against mine. His forehead brushed my chest, and I released his wrist to wrap an arm around him, holding him upright.

His finger remained in my mouth, and the scent of his arousal filled the space between us. Sweet and overwhelming. His hips bucked forward, pressing his own hardness against my thigh. With every suck, he rolled his lower body, and the friction made him whine. I watched in awe as he worked himself into a frenzy, while my free hand buried itself gently in his auburn hair.

The silky strands slipped between my claws as I lightly scratched his scalp. The simple motion grounded me. Anchored me. Reminded me not to sink my teeth into his finger in search of more. The bleeding had stopped, and my tongue had already gathered every remaining drop.

Slowly, regrettably, I withdrew and released his finger from my mouth.

Rather than falling to his side, Teddy’s hand remained near my face. His relaxed fingers settled naturally against my cheek. Closing my eyes, I leaned into his touch and nuzzled his palm.

“You are so beautiful,” Teddy whispered. When I looked down again, he was staring up at me with open wonder. “Can I . . .”