Of Blood and Smoke

Chapter 35

THIRTY-FIVE

Josiah

“You’re absolutely covered with blood,” Della said when I entered the room. Her eyes snagged on my forearms, where streaks and drops had dried and would begin flaking shortly.

I rolled my sleeves back down and started tugging the shirt off. “Yes; occupational hazard.”

She sat on the edge of the bed. “I can’t believe Brett is gone.”

“Does that distress you? He kept you beholden to him under duress and then he took you.”

Della bit her plush lower lip—something I should’ve been doing—before she spoke. “It’s just strange, thinking about how he’s gone. He was always around.”

Unbuttoning my shirt, I replied, “He would’ve hurt you, and I won’t stand for that. There is no outcome in which he wouldn’t have died.”

She nodded once. “What was he talking about?”

I knew what she was referring to, his insinuation that I was in danger. They would come for me at some point, but I didn’t want her living in fear for me. The situation was such that there was no way to know for certain when or truly if the Ancients would strike. Undoubtedly, they would but I was hoping my friendship with Ezra would interfere.

The problem was it could be today, it could be next month, or it could be five years from now that they’d make a move against me. Time moved differently, here in the Third Realm, and a reliable system with which to compare it to in coordination with the other Realms did not exist.

The disorder of the clock was maddening and unpredictable.

I picked Della up and placed her on my lap. She tied her smooth legs around my waist and rested her cheek on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her middle. She was so tiny. So human. So breakable.

Devoid of any magic, she was no match for any supernatural creature. The time had come for me to explain some more things to her about my life.

“Brett insinuated I was in danger but I’m well-respected. We’ll keep you safe, no matter what, so don’t fear anyone coming. As I’ve told you, there are many different kinds of beings out there and none are unfamiliar to me.”

She glanced up at me. “But what about those you called the Ancients?”

“I’m not supposed to engage in a relationship beyond sex with a human. There are only twenty known of my kind in existence, which is far too small of a number. I’m supposed to mate with a powerful witch, vampire, or demon from the elite families. What we are doing is forbidden.”

She peered up at me. “Then why are you doing this?”

I let out a breath. “Because I want to. I want you. I could have anyone I desire but you are the one who fills the void in my soul. They aren’t going to bother you; there is order in the Court, a way of doing things. Tradition is vitally important.”

Moving an arm up, I pushed her thick hair to the side and tilted her head up before I brushed the side of her neck with my knuckles and trailed my nails down. She shivered lightly and closed her eyes. I tugged her closer, and nuzzled her, breathing her in, tasting her soul before a shudder ran through my body. What a blessing it was; to be able to experience all of her.

Her soul, her blood, her sex.

Her mind, her spirit, and her body.

It all belonged to me.

Della’s flavor and scent filled me and the longing deep inside me rose, coiling up to the surface, demanding a taste. My teeth elongated and I gently scraped them along her delicate column, savoring the anticipation. She relaxed into me, curling one arm around my waist as her other rested on my thigh. With her molded against me, I bit.

The ecstasy hit my tongue, and every cell of my body lit up with the eagerness of a thousand suns, brightening the darkest corners of my heart. Her blood, the unique signature of it, was flavored with cream, spice, and honey—Creator-designed solely for me. I knew this just as much as I knew my heart would never stop beating for her. My eyes would always find her, no matter what corner of the universe we may be dragged to eventually.

Retracting my teeth I licked her clean and sealed the wound. Her hands fluttered up to grab my face, pulling my lips to her mouth. Della licked and kissed the traces of her blood left on my skin, as she moved to grasp my hair. I slid a hand between our bodies and tugged her pants down as she lifted herself up.

Before she knew what happened, I had her flat on her back on the bed and her panties tugged to the side. Grabbing her ankles, I pulled her to the edge of the mattress. The sudden movement had her gasping as she peeked up at me through half-lidded eyes. I stared down at her, with my hand splayed on her belly and my thumb stroking her flesh.

She squirmed under my caress, panting. Her juices glistened at her opening and combined with the lingering flavor of her blood on my tongue, the beast inside me demanded I break her, fill her, and stake my claim once again.

Della moved her hand from my wrist, where she’d been trying to shove my hand down to her pussy and began to massage her breasts. As her fingers toyed with her peaked nipples, I was going to lose my mind.

“Josiah,” she begged, as she reached for me again. I backed away slightly, and her hand fell into dead air.

I let my eyes slowly drag along her luscious form, taking in the sweet curve of her neck, the slope of her shoulder, the bend of her waist, and the arch of her hips. Fisting my cock, I nudged the head against her hot entrance, letting her juices slip against the crown, silky and moist.

Whimpering, she tried to scoot closer, but I pressed a hand back down on her abdomen, pinning her to the mattress. I wanted to take my time; I wanted her to cry for me. I wanted her to beg. To match the weeping in my soul over how I could never be close enough or possess her fully. Every cell in my body pleaded with me to absorb her, to drink her down with shuddering elation so we could be one .

When I couldn’t take it anymore, I slammed my cock into her. Her body shook under my efforts as I stretched her, plunging into her over and over, feeling her walls squeeze and milk me.

I memorized every vibration of her cunt, every breathless whimper that slipped through her lips, and I bit her again. She screamed as her liquid spilled over and under my tongue, leaving me mindless with bliss. Her pussy contracted, strangling my cock, as she convulsed below me.

Della dug her nails into my back, breaking the skin as she rode out her waves of ecstasy. I climbed onto the bed and lifted her against me, not breaking our bond. As she trailed a hand down my chest, I saw her stained fingers and that was all it took. White-hot fire gathered at the base of my spine, and I pinned her to my cock, reaching my own nirvana with a roar.

Gently I laid her back on the bed, marveling at the sparkle of her hair against the luxurious blankets. I could drown in her gaze. Every day I spent with her was another day I couldn’t imagine living without her. I licked the twin rivulets of blood trickling down her neck before I told her.

“I love you, Della.”