Chapter 27 #3
“Feels so fucking good,” I murmur.
And then Atticus tugs me up onto his lap, causing his cock to sink even deeper inside me. But what I’m not expecting is the way he runs his nail across his neck, cutting it deep enough that blood begins to roll out in bright red drops.
My mind is in such a haze that I don’t even hesitate, I simply latch on to his throat before savoring the sweet taste of his blood.
He thrusts up into me and the pleasure becomes almost unbearable.
I feel like I can’t even keep holding my body up—without him holding on to me, I would just be writhing on the bed.
Ecstasy pushes me over the edge and I come, his hand moving over my cock while his blood fills my mouth.
He sinks deep inside me and comes with a groan.
Then he pulls out of me and shoves me down onto my stomach before plunging back inside.
I moan, my sensitive body immediately pushed to the brink. How can this feel so fucking fantastic?
Even as he grabs my hips and fucks me again, I’m lost in the pleasure of it all. I push back, pressing up until my back is against his chest before hooking his head and pulling him down for another kiss.
After we’ve both come again, he pulls out of me and sinks down beside me. I roll toward him, climbing half onto him as I push my thigh between his legs.
“You’re supposed to cuddle me now,” I demand.
“I know nothing about giving affection,” he says before giving me an odd head pat that I absolutely love. When he pulls his hand away, I set his hand back on my head.
Atticus seems uncertain what to do with this, but I’m pleased to have him touching me.
“I love you.”
His hand freezes.
I also freeze.
Did I ruin the moment?
“You don’t have to say it back. Haha. I was just babbling. After-sex haze. Haha…”
“No, I just… I mean…” He trails off, so I try to urge his hand into petting my head some more, but he seems almost frozen.
“This is ridiculous,” he grouses.
My stomach sinks. “W-What is?”
“I don’t fucking know how to do this. I feel awkward. Why the fuck do I feel awkward? I feel all strange. I think I should go for a walk.”
“A walk? No! We’re cuddling!”
Atticus stares at me then takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for some reason. “I… do too… that same thing you said earlier.”
I try not to bite my lip at this declaration. I want to tease him but decide that I will be gentle to the ancient vampire who is acting like saying three little words is the hardest thing he’s ever done.
His hand travels down my hair, fingers getting tangled in it. It’s a bit more painful than pleasant, but I love it so much that I don’t even care. I feel like I’m living a dream that I’ll wake up from only to find out that none of it’s real.
“Why are you clawing me so tightly?” Atticus asks.
“Because this is a dream and I don’t want to wake up.”
“It’s not a dream.”
“It is. I’m going to wake up and I’m going to be alone again.”
He pulls me closer. “You’re not alone. I have absolutely no idea how to do this, but it’s not a dream. I would be significantly better at this if it were one.”
I try to hide my grin by pressing my face against his chest. “You’re perfect at this.”
“Starting our relationship off with lies, I see.”
“Well, I think you’re perfect at this,” I grumble, unable to tell him how happy such a simple gesture makes me.
“We should probably take a shower.”
“I refuse to move.”
“You’re still wearing parts of the building in your hair,” he says.
“It can live there.”
He’s quiet for a bit before sighing and pulling the blanket over me. I close my eyes, but sleep eludes me. Instead, my mind keeps racing as I keep a tight grip on the body pressed up against me. He fell asleep at least an hour ago, but I feel like it’ll never come to me at this rate.
Fingers trail down my side.
“I promise this is not a dream. Get some sleep. Everything will still be fine when you wake up.”
“I don’t want to,” I whisper.
“I’m not going anywhere. For nearly five hundred years, I’ve gone nowhere. I’ve always been there whenever you needed me.”
“Not like this. I need this. I can’t lose this.”
Atticus is silent for some time, then asks, “Do you see why it’s been so hard for me to give in to this? I can’t lose you either.”
“I hate Morpheus. I hate him so much. I feel like I’m a puppet in his hands.”
He gives my forehead a soft kiss. “I wish I were strong enough to free you… but I’m afraid I never will be. He’s one of the oldest and strongest vampires alive. He’s proven that time and time again.”
His words don’t alleviate my fear at all.
“Sleep,” he urges, but every minute I sleep is a minute I lose of his warmth. And I can’t spare even a second of it.
Atticus rolls into me and tucks my head against him. I think he’s realized by this point that nothing he says can make this fear evaporate. “I’ll show you, okay? I’ll show you that you’re not alone anymore.”
I nod, unable to find any words. For another hour, I lie awake, this time with Atticus awake as well, but as the daylight stretches on, I eventually drift off into sleep.