Chapter 36
CASSIE
As Severin began to tease her nipples, Cassie felt Ravik’s big hands settle on the insides of her knees.
She tensed immediately—she couldn’t help it. Even though she had agreed to this—had practically begged for it in a roundabout, deeply embarrassing way—having a male between her spread thighs made old memories rise up before she could stop them.
She couldn’t help remembering Mitch rolling his eyes and refusing point blank the one and only time she’d asked him to go down on her.
But even worse was Sskarth’s long, thin forked tongue flickering against her in a way that felt more creepy than pleasurable.
And always, she felt the awful self-consciousness of being exposed and vulnerable and wondering if the man looking at her was secretly disgusted or put off by how wet she was or her taste or smell.
But Ravik didn’t look disgusted or put off—he looked hungry.
Not Hunger Virus hungry, thank God—not white-eyed and snapping and mindless. This was something else—something hot and intense and purely Kindred.
His golden eyes were half-lidded, his nostrils flared as though he was breathing her in, and his big hands were careful where they rested on her thighs. He was so much larger than she was that he could have pushed her open easily— could have simply taken what he wanted.
But he didn’t…he waited.
“Cassie?” he rumbled, his deep voice vibrating against her inner thighs as he looked up at her. “May I taste?”
The question made something twist inside her—not just need this time, but emotion. Because he was asking—even with his eyes heavy and his breathing rough and his big body practically shaking with the effort of holding himself back, he was asking for permission—trying to make her feel comfortable.
Cassie swallowed hard.
“Yes,” she whispered. “But gently.”
“Gently,” Ravik promised.
Behind her, Severin’s arms tightened slightly around her upper body.
His bare chest was warm against her back—not furnace-hot like Ravik, but solid and warm and steady.
One of his hands remained cupped around her breast, his long fingers brushing lightly over her aching nipple, while the other stroked along her side in a slow, soothing motion that made her shiver.
“Breathe, sweetheart,” he murmured close to her ear. “You’re safe. Ravik won’t hurt you.”
“I know that,” Cassie said, though her voice sounded embarrassingly shaky.
“Then let him give you pleasure.”
The words were soft, but there was something in them that made her pulse jump. Severin sounded like he knew exactly what she needed and was determined to help her accept it.
Being ordered to do something by a man usually annoyed her…this time, it made her even wetter.
“I…I’ll try,” she promised.
And then Ravik lowered his head and began to taste her.
The first touch of his mouth made Cassie jerk in Severin’s arms.
“Oh!” she gasped, her hands flying down instinctively to Ravik’s hair. “Oh—God.”
Ravik froze at once.
“Stop?” he asked hoarsely, looking up.
“No.” Cassie shook her head quickly, her fingers tightening in the thick black strands. “No, don’t stop. It just…surprised me.”
Because his tongue was nothing like Sskarth’s—nothing at all.
Ravik’s tongue was broad and hot and soft where it stroked over her aching pussy—not thin and flickering and strange. He licked her carefully at first, as though learning her shape…learning the places that made her breath catch in her throat and her hips shift.
The warm, wet sensation spread through her whole body in slow, molten waves as he licked her, and the terrible clawing ache that had been tormenting her all day eased somewhat.
“Oh my God,” she whispered as Ravik licked her again, this time deeper. “That feels…that feels really good.”
A low sound of satisfaction came from the big Beast Kindred.
“Tastes good,” he rumbled against her. “Cassie tastes so fucking good.”
The vibration of his deep voice against her pussy made her moan and arch, which pushed her breast more firmly into Severin’s hand.
The Blood Kindred made a rough sound in his throat and pinched her nipple lightly—not hard, just enough to send a sharp little spark of pleasure through her.
“That’s it,” he murmured. “Don’t fight it, sweetheart. Just spread your sweet pussy and let him taste you.”
“I’m not…not fighting,” Cassie protested weakly, though she knew it was a lie.
She was fighting—fighting the need, fighting the embarrassment, fighting the old belief that this couldn’t possibly be for her. That men didn’t really want to do this. That if they did, they would get bored or impatient or make her feel ashamed.
But Ravik didn’t seem bored—he seemed enthralled. A low growl of pleasure rumbled in his throat and his big hands slid under her thighs and lifted them slightly, opening her more fully to his mouth.
Cassie stiffened for half a second, then realized he wasn’t forcing her—he was supporting her.
The big Beast Kindred was holding her open in a way that made her feel exposed, yes, but she also felt deeply desired.
It was like he wanted all of her and wasn’t going to let her hide from him in any way.
“Ravik,” she moaned as his tongue found her clit and began to circle it.
“Mmm, sweetheart—what’s he doing now?” Severin murmured in her ear. “Is he licking your hot little clit?”
“Y-yes,” Cassie panted. “That’s exactly what…what he’s doing. Oh!”
“Good,” Severin tugged her nipples, sending sparks of pleasure through her body. “There. That’s what you need. Let him stay right there.”
“You’re very…very bossy for a scientist,” she panted.
His mouth brushed her temple, almost a kiss.
“Only when I’m right.”
She would have laughed if Ravik hadn’t chosen that moment to suck her clit gently into his mouth and tease it with his tongue.
The laugh turned into a moan as pleasure shot through her so sharply that her whole body tensed. Her fingers clenched in Ravik’s hair and she heard him growl.
She pulled her hand away quickly, worried that she’d hurt him but he looked up, his golden eyes lazy with lust.
“Why did Cassie stop?” he rumbled.
“I thought…thought I pulled too hard,” she said.
Ravik shook his head.
“Too hard is good,” he growled. “Love to feel that my mate is enjoying herself.”
“He likes it when you pull his hair,” Severin murmured. “Ravik doesn’t mind a little pain with his pleasure. Neither do I, for that matter.”
Before he had finished speaking, the big Beast Kindred had ducked his head again and was back to business, sucking and licking her clit.
Cassie moaned and wove her fingers through his thick black hair again. God, so he liked having her pull his hair and grind against his mouth. The knowledge sent another rush of heat through her, and for a moment she forgot to be embarrassed and just let herself feel.
Severin’s hands moved over her breasts, slow and teasing.
He cupped them, lifted them, brushed his thumbs over her nipples until they were so tight and sensitive she could hardly stand it.
Every touch seemed to connect directly to Ravik’s mouth between her thighs, making the pleasure build higher and hotter.
And then the bite wound on her arm pulsed.
Cassie gasped and opened her eyes.
The reddish-gold glow was back—brighter now—flickering under her skin like a tiny trapped flame. For one terrifying second, panic cut through the pleasure.
“Severin,” she gasped. “My arm!”
“I see it.” His voice was tight and focused, but he didn’t stop touching her. “It’s brighter, but your pulse is steady. Are you in pain?”
“N-no.” She shook her head, panting. “No, it feels—oh God, Ravik—”
Ravik had not stopped. If anything, he seemed more determined, licking her with deep, hungry strokes that made her thighs tremble. His hands tightened under her legs, holding her open while his tongue worked her clit in slow circles that made the glow in her arm pulse in time with the pleasure.
“It feels like what?” Severin asked, bringing her back from the pleasure.
Cassie wanted to glare at him, but she couldn’t seem to focus enough.
“Good,” she admitted, mortified. “It feels good. Like it’s connected to…to the pleasure somehow.”
“It may be,” he said. His voice had gone lower, rougher. “The bite site is probably where the viral concentration is highest. If your body is using pleasure to fight the infection, the wound may respond to the same hormone surge.”
“Can you please not talk about hormone surges while…while his mouth is on me?” she demanded breathlessly.
“Mmm, sorry, sweetheart—I’ll try to keep my theories to myself while Ravik is eating your soft little pussy,” Severin murmured in her ear.
Cassie wanted to say something back but just then, Ravik slid one thick finger carefully inside her, making her moan.
“Oh, God!” she gasped, arching her back as her body welcoming him with embarrassing eagerness. She was so wet now there was no resistance—only a deep, aching pleasure that made the frantic need inside her ease a fraction.
“Good—just open up for him,” Severin murmured. “Is it getting better?”
Cassie nodded, unable to speak for a moment because yes, the aching inside her was definitely easing. It wasn’t gone—not nearly—but it was certainly getting better.
The sharp, crawling need in her blood seemed to settle under the combined pressure of Ravik’s mouth and fingers and Severin’s hands on her breasts. It was like her body had been screaming in a language she didn’t understand and the two Kindred had finally started answering.
Ravik curled his finger and found a place inside her that made her cry out and buck her hips.
“Oh! There—right there!”
Ravik growled against her pussy and did it again.
Severin’s arms tightened around her.
“That’s it, sweetheart. Tell him what feels good. Ravik needs to know how to make you come.”
“He seems…seems to be figuring it out,” Cassie gasped.
“He’s Kindred. Pleasuring a female is our deepest instinct.”
“Well, your instincts are…are excellent,” she panted.