Chapter 28
THERE’S MORE?
RAYA
I decide to give Zuri some space to come to terms with our arrangement, so Asher and I go for a quick hike at one of my favorite local trails this morning.
It gives me some extra time to think things over, and I decide low key card games are probably the safest route for our ‘get to know and hope the vampires don’t kill each other’ game day.
I text Zuri a two hour heads up when we get back to the car, having already planned to shower back at Asher’s place. I’ve still got my head in the clouds, thinking through plans and backup scenarios, when we walk through his front door and he tugs me toward the bathroom.
“What—” I start to question what he’s doing when his lips cut me off.
His soft lips are warm on mine, and he pulls me against him. I instantly melt into his embrace, parting my lips when his tongue brushes over them, and letting out a soft whimper when his hand squeezes my backside.
“Your ass in those leggings. Were you trying to murder me with that hike, little shifter? Because you nearly succeeded.” He groans out the words, still kissing me in between speaking them.
I don’t have the mental capacity to answer, though some part of me preens smugly at the compliment because yes, I did pick these specific leggings because of how they accentuate my curves.
His strong hands grip under my thighs and he lifts me onto the bathroom counter, stepping between my legs and parting them further as he continues to devour my mouth with his.
I fist my hands in his shirt when leans us both to the side, lips not leaving mine as he turns the shower on, then his hands return to me.
Asher cups my jaw, tilting my face with his thumb under my chin, then sliding his fingers to tangle in my hair as he pulls my head back and angles me the way he wants. Tingles start shooting up and down my spine, and I focus on the cool counter beneath me for a moment to hold back the shift.
When Asher’s mouth moves down my neck, my pulse jumps under his lips and he nips at it with a tortured groan, then pulls away.
His breathing is heavy, chest rising and falling inches in front of me, fangs on full display.
My breath catches at the sight and my heart skips a beat; his eyes fall to my pulse point before he wrenches them away and focuses on my clothing instead.
“Up,” he demands, pulling my shirt and sports bra off before yanking his own shirt over his head with one hand.
The other pulls me off the counter and before I know it, he’s sucked my nipple into his mouth while his hands roll the leggings down my legs until I clumsily slip my feet out.
Ash’s fangs graze my hardened nipple as he lets go of one and switches to the other, and I gulp in lungfuls of air, certain I’m the one in danger of perishing now.
“Off,” I demand in return, pulling at his zippered pants and tugging them down his thighs.
He kicks them off and we both strip away our underwear as we stumble into the shower and he clicks the glass door closed behind him. The water is already steaming hot, and I groan at how good it feels on my tired muscles.
Asher picks me up again and I automatically wrap my legs around his waist, feeling his thick cock between us as he pushes my back against the wall.
I gasp at the shock of cold, but quickly forget about it when his hands start roaming my body.
He tweaks my nipples and massages my breasts, sucking a mark into my skin above one before trailing his fangs across my neck and shoulders, leaving faint pink streaks in their wake and raising goosebumps across my entire body.
My hands roam too. I want to touch every part of him, so I do. I trace the lines of his abs, then flatten my hands over his hard pecs, trailing water across his shoulders to where I squeeze his glistening biceps. My hands don’t even make it halfway around and he flexes for me, showing off.
I love it. My eyes flare and dart up to his, and he does it again with a smirk. I lick my lips before leaning forward and tracing my tongue over his rounded shoulder muscles and up his neck to his ear.
“Stop teasing me,” I whisper, then nip at his earlobe. “I want you inside me.”
His body shudders against mine. His hands tighten, one on my ass and one fisted in my hair, and I know I almost have him.
I spot a condom packet on the shower ledge over his shoulder, and I’m beyond thankful for his optimism when planning ahead.
He must have been hoping this would happen, just as I was.
I snag it and rip it open, then reach between us to roll it on his hard length. I squeeze the base of his cock before running my hands back up his muscular body, my fingers teasingly light as I lean into his ear again.
“Fuck me, Ash” I say, and he loses it.
His pupils blow wide and he pulls back just enough to line himself up with my pussy before thrusting forward and filling me in one brutal stroke.
I cry out and my head jerks back, his hand in my hair the only thing protecting me from smashing it against the tiled wall.
My entire body tightens and strains to accommodate him, and he grunts as he pulls out an inch, then thrusts forward again.
Somehow, it feels like he goes deeper this time.
“Almost there, little shifter," he groans into my ear, and my eyes widen.
“There’s more?” My voice is breathy and incredulous; I knew he was big, but I didn’t expect it to feel like this.
The chuckle he releases is dark, almost sinister, and I’m again reminded of the predator he keeps locked inside.
“Yes, there’s more, but you can take it.”
“I—”
Whatever words I was going to say are knocked right out of me as he thrusts a third time, this time burying himself entirely, his balls slapping against me as our hips meet. I’m also pretty sure I can feel him in my throat, he’s filling me so deep, and I choke as I try to breathe.
“Eyes on me,” he growls, and although I don’t recall closing them, my eyes pop open to see him staring down at me.
His eyes are fathomless, a dark blue full of heat and longing and possessive attention.
It lights a corresponding fire in me, and I grind my hips against him, digging my nails into his back in an attempt to get him to move again.
He does, and it is fiery bliss. Asher works my body like he knows it better than I do, and before I fully grasp what’s happening, I’m cresting the edge of an orgasm that might ruin me for all others.
“Give it to me, Raya.” He grits the words out between his teeth, jaw clenched as he roughly drives into me, my back scraping against the tile. His hands clench my hips, holding me exactly where he wants as he drags the orgasm out of me.
“Come for me, little shifter.”
The rasp of need in his voice sets me off. I come hard and long, pulsing around him as my mind leaves my body and shoots into the stars. Vaguely, in another realm, I hear him curse as his hips stutter, then he’s coming too.
“Mine.” His face is buried in my neck and he places gentle kisses along my throat as we both try to catch our breath. “Say it, little shifter.”
“Yours,” I breathe.
After a whirlwind shower, pulling on the spare clothes I brought, a couple scratches for Milton, and then sending Asher into the grocery store for snacks, we finally pull up to my apartment building.
I text Z to confirm they’re ready, and next thing I know I’m opening the door and letting Asher into my place.
His eyes explore, taking in the limited details of our entryway until Reverie comes careening in, trailing glittery dust in her wake.
She halts about two feet in front of Asher’s face and stares at him.
Her sapphire eyes are wide, and her hair is a mess of purple and pink tangles thanks to her wild flight from the other room.
Her wings flit behind her as she hovers in the air.
“Hi,” Asher clears his throat. “You must be Reverie. It’s nice to meet you.”
Reverie darts over to me and lands on my shoulder.
She’s standing on her tiptoes and holding onto the shell of my ear, partially hiding in my hair.
It’s a strange sensation, having a tiny creature holding onto my ear for support, and I can only imagine what Reverie looks like peeking out from my still-damp hair at Asher.
I give my head a little nuzzle-like twitch, lightly pushing it into Reverie in a show of support as I shoot Asher a half smile and wink.
I wasn’t sure how Rev would react, as she hasn’t met anyone new since Zuri and that was over four years ago now, so I warned Asher she might attack him out of excitement, or she might hide.
Looks like it’s leaning toward the hiding, but I have no doubt she’ll be covering him in fairy dust within a few hours.
We wander into the kitchen, with Reverie angling herself on my shoulder so she can keep an eye on Asher, and I find Zuri prepping a charcuterie board.
“Hey,” I walk over and give her a hug, which Zuri returns a little more stiffly than normal.
“Hey,” Zuri says, then turns her attention to Asher.
“Zuri, Asher.” I gesture between them for a quick introduction, then cross my fingers and mutter under my breath, “please get along.”
Asher’s hand brushes across my back as he steps up to the counter and starts unpacking the bag of snacks we brought.
“We figured bribes might help,” he says, shooting Zuri a crooked smile, which she begrudgingly returns with narrowed eyes.
The last thing he pulls out is a glass bottle of blood that I don’t remember seeing him pack. He takes it out of an insulated bag and offers it to Zuri. She accepts it, again with narrowed eyes, but her eyebrows shoot up when she reads the label.
“This is the same place I go to,” she says, her voice laced with suspicion and surprise. “She told you, didn’t she?”
“Actually,” Asher draws the word out as he turns to face me, “she didn’t. I had no idea.”
They both look at me, but I shrug, causing Reverie to flutter her wings for a moment to maintain her balance. What do I care where they get their blood from, as long as it’s not some poor human or other unwilling victim?
“Hmm.” Zuri purses her lips and turns to pour two glasses before placing the bottle in the fridge.
We all head to the living room, and I set up the snack station before grabbing a deck of cards.
“Alright, what does everyone know how to play?” I ask.
“Poker?” Zuri suggests, but I shake my head.
“You know I hate poker. What about Rummy?”
“Eh,” Zuri says.
“Asher? Any preferences?” I turn to him in hopes he’ll have something good.
“How about a classic game of Go Fish?”
“Oooooh,” the squeal of excitement comes from my hair, and Zuri cracks a genuine smile for the first time since we arrived.
“Go Fish it is,” I say.
We settle around the coffee table, with Asher and me on floor pillows, Zuri on the couch, and Reverie settled on the table with a custom-made wooden card holder in front of her.
She practically disappears behind them once the cards are all slotted into place, but we’ve learned how to make it work over the years.
Zuri quickly builds up a pile of matches, and I turn accusing eyes on her as she claims another pair from me.
“You’re cheating,” I say.
Zuri gasps, “I would never!”
Asher looks between the two of us, his brows furrowed.
“How do you cheat at Go Fish?” he asks.
Surprisingly, Reverie is the one who answers him. I’m glad to see her starting to come out of her shell.
“She’s probably listening to our heartbeats. That’s how she normally cheats, anyway," Reverie says with a giggle, then ducks down behind her cards.
“Huh,” Asher says, eyeing Zuri. “Clever.”
Zuri’s lips start to curve up on one side, but she quickly corrects it.
“I’m simply using the skills I have at my disposal,” she says, and I roll my eyes.
The game ends with Zuri taking over half the matches, and Reverie coming in second. So far, things are… going. I wouldn’t necessarily say everyone’s getting along, but they’re not outwardly hating each other, so it’s something at least.