Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 41511 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 208(@200wpm)___ 166(@250wpm)___ 138(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41511 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 208(@200wpm)___ 166(@250wpm)___ 138(@300wpm)
“I have simply seen a path forward that was obscured before. You have made it clear to me.”
“What? What on earth about drinking my blood made that clear to you?”
He closes the distance between us and reaches for me again, tangling his hand in my hair and leaning in, extending his tongue, no doubt to scent me. His whole body shudders in reaction to whatever he scented.
“I saw that to win you, all you needed was to be desired completely for yourself alone. And that is something absolutely within my power.” His eyes flash open again, burning as they look into mine. “I will not leave you as others have done. I will worship you and never forsake you.”
My head shakes slightly. I want to deny what he’s said. I want to deny that that’s all I’ve ever wanted, deep, deep down. That he didn’t just call out my most deep down desire. Am I really so pathetic—the girl who always ostensibly had it all—and yet still all I’ve ever wanted is to be truly wanted?
But maybe it’s what everyone wants. Maybe it’s not pathetic. Maybe it’s brave to be able to admit it, even if it’s also terrifying.
“How do I know you won’t hurt me?” I ask with a trembling whisper. “How do I know you’re worth putting my trust in?”
His eyes continue to blaze. “I saw you have faith. So leap with faith in me. Mate with me and see. See what my words cannot say. Be brave and we can be each other’s.”
What he’s suggesting is completely insane. It’s the opposite of everything I do in my steady, scheduled-to-the-max boring little life.
Everything in me yearns to reach for him.
And yet some voice of sanity screams at me loud enough to break through the heady fog. “And if I say no?”
I watch First deflate a little in front of me, but it’s far from the temper tantrum I might have expected. “Then, I suppose…”
His eyes go from me to the window, losing a bit of their burning luster, “I suppose I will continue forward on the path I am on. I will be dragged down it by others. But,” his eyes come back to me. “I can leave you out of it. Once I am repaired enough to fly, I can tell my co-conspirators that I accidentally killed you or that you did not survive the implantation process.”
I shiver at his cold recitation. And at the same time, he’s willing to save me from his own people.
But not turn from his path.
Because he feels he has no choice or simply because he has no will to change the path he is being “dragged down”?
“Is this simply because you owe me a… what did you call it? A life debt? Because I nursed you instead of killing you after you saved me from the cougar?”
He frowns. “No, that was paid already. You just said it, I saved you from the cougar. You saved me in return. Was that not part of why you stayed? I tasted it on your blood.”
Well, I never thought of it that way, but I guess he’s right. “I stayed because you saving me from the cougar proved to me what kind of man you were. You fought and risked yourself for me when you didn’t have to. How could I walk away and let you die after that? What kind of person would that make me?”
He nods. “Then you do understand a life debt. It is a matter of honor.”
Huh. Well, I guess so. “But if you aren’t protecting me from your co-conspirators out of the life debt, then… why?”
He looks at me, his purple eyes unblinking. “Because.” He shrugs, as if it is obvious. “It is you.”
“Give me your blood,” I demand.
His eyes widen in surprise but he does not hesitate. He pulls the blade from his waist and before I can tell him not to cut too deeply, he slashes his palm and holds out his hand to me.
I wince for him even though he stands completely unmoved, hand extended toward me.
My fingers tremble a little as I take his large hand in mine and bring it to my mouth. I feel barbaric as I place my plump lips against the rough callouses of his palms. Cautiously, my tongue peeks out and I take a hesitant lick at the blood pooling in his palm from the punishing slash.
WANT. NEED MATE. MATE. MATE NOW.
I pull back and look up, immediately flushed with the power of First’s desire for me. Dear God, okay, okay, I get it, he’s attracted to me, sheesh. But I need to know more than that.
Trying to brace myself, I dive back in.
And see myself as he sees me. A tiny, obscene little sex kitten lapping at his palm. But I also feel his overwhelming need to protect me even through the haze of lust. His cocks are descending, and I feel the joyous release of that, the flush of anticipation that gathers at having me so close.