Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 140462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 702(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 468(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 702(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 468(@300wpm)
When the critters dive underwater to start their ferocious dance, Hawk steps behind me and kisses the top of my head. “Plenty of things are normal in my world—building space ships, chemistry, and so on—but if I tried my hand at any of that stuff, I’d probably lose all my limbs on day one. It’s hot that you’re so confident in your skills,” he whispers as the tub fills with red foam. “And that you’re fine with everything that happened here. I’ve never dated any guy who wouldn’t have freaked out over so much blood.”
I lean back against him, calmed by his size, his sturdiness. It’s like resting against a statue made of flesh. “I guess I’ve always had an interest in learning how things work and was excited when I could find unusual connections between them. I see no reason to be scared of a corpse. He was much more frightening when he still breathed.”
“You have that right. My aunt’s husband beat her. She tried to hide it at first, but when my father and uncle found out, they went to have a talk with him. I don’t know what their real plan was, but by the end of the night he was found dead just off his porch. Twisted his neck as he ‘fell’. Apparently. He didn’t seem so scary when he lay cold, with flies coming in and out of his mouth.”
I put away the empty jar and remove the gloves. When the contents of the tub rise beyond its brim and overflow, Hawk picks me up and steps away, making sure I’m safe.
“There’s nothing wrong with righteous violence. I’ve witnessed my first execution at seven, but I’ve not killed anyone before tonight,” I confess and turn in his embrace. “I wouldn’t say the act of taking his life made me happy, but I’ve never been more furious. So much was taken from me over the years, be it by my siblings or by circumstance. You? I will not allow anyone to take you from me,” I tell him with sparks spreading through my body. I cannot bear the thought of someone else having his shadow, having him—
“Never had anyone fight like that for me either. Is it a bit psycho that I’m getting hard just thinking about you calling me your man and cutting his throat?” Hawk mutters, carrying me out of the bathroom. He leans in, and as his hot breath tickles my ear, I barely contain a soft moan.
Oh no. I’m very new to pleasures of the flesh, but I fear I recognize the excitement building inside me at his touch. “Oh. I… I am flattered. But we do need to go. I would like to be in the Nightmare Realm by the time the moon rises.”
I’m relieved when he puts me back down, but then his hand pulls mine to the hard bulge at the front of his pants, and I know we’re not done negotiating. “I’m not sure if I’ll be able to focus like this,” Hawk tries, but his wide smile reveals he’s joking.
Which I’m not used to. The games of my siblings were cruel when they involved me, so I’ve not developed a playful nature. My friendly human co-worker at BBB has taught me that not every interaction must be a verbal duel, but I still struggle to navigate the idea that this man likes me and wouldn’t hurt me just to get the result he wants.
It’s so hard to pull my hand away from Hawk’s stiffening cock when I do want to pull down his soft pants and suck it. But that could devolve into hours of lost time. We don’t have those.
“And I won’t be able to focus until you’re my Dark Companion. Would you like to keep one of the redpoles?” I ask to distract him. “Now that it’s fed, it will soon grow into a frog.”
He looks back to the bathroom. “Yes,” he tells me with a grin, but just when I think the danger of sex is over, he pushes me at the wall and rubs his stubbly chin against my cheek. It’s like being stroked by hot moonrays, but I shouldn’t succumb to temptation. There’s too much at stake.
“We’ll indulge once we’re wed, my sweet beast.” I give him a kiss to ease the pain caused by my rejection and slide out of his embrace.
I know I’m disappointing him, but he doesn’t complain and lets go.
I use forceps to fish out a bloated redpole, then send the others down the drain. While Hawk packs some snacks for us, I clean the now-empty tub to leave behind no trace of what’s happened here. The tunnel leading to the Nightmare Realm is hidden under the grimsmith’s bed, but I don’t know where exactly it will lead us, so we need to be ready for camping out in the wild.