Chapter 47 #2
I tightened my hold around her waist. “I don’t like that. If you can’t sleep, I don’t care if I’m across the damn sea, call to me and I’ll come.”
“I’m not calling you for every horrid dream. I’ve handled the mare demons for turns on my own. I’ll be fine.”
I lifted my head. “But you don’t have to be alone anymore.”
Livia held my stare for a long pause, then kissed me slowly for a breath before she swatted my shoulder. “By the way, you have horrid manners.”
“I do.” I pressed a kiss to her throat, then opened the pouch from Alistair. “I have something for you.”
Livia’s eyes brightened when she removed the pale necklace. Runes etched and painted in liquid gold lined the slender piece, along with a matching pair of filigreed earrings. “Erik, they’re beautiful.”
“For a queen.” I fastened the clasp of the necklace behind her, my fingers lingering on the warmth of her skin. “No one will forget what will happen should they touch you now.”
A groove formed between her brows as she inspected the earrings. “These are made of bone.”
“They are.” I touched one of the gold runes on her necklace.
“Bone from…?”
I gripped her chin, drawing her lips close to mine. “Anyone touches you, then you wear them around your neck.”
“Gods, these are…” She blinked at the necklace. “The assassins?”
Her stun left me wondering if I’d gone too far, shown too much of the darker pieces, but after a moment, Livia crushed her mouth to mine. She dug her fingernails into the back of my neck, drawing me closer, as though she couldn’t stand a sliver of space between us.
She broke away and whispered, “I would follow your darkness across the skies and seas.”
I went to kiss her again, but she pressed a finger to my lips. “Although, you should know, everyone you just tossed out of here was here to help you for when we go to my father, and—”
“Songbird.” I trapped her face in my palms. “I have been pulled from you for the better part of two days. My patience is spent. Do you wish me to go after them and praise their efforts, or do you want me inside you?”
Livia swallowed. I tracked the movement down the slender curve of her throat. She didn’t hesitate before her hands were clawing at my belt. I tore away her dress and bodice with as much frantic need.
I didn’t have time to move us to the bed before Livia yanked my hips, pulling me off-balance, only to land with her back to the wall. One palm flattened next to her head, the other dragged along the length of her thigh, up the divots of her ribs, to the swell of her breast.
Livia jerked when I pressed my thumb against the hardened peak.
My teeth scraped across her neck. She moaned and reached her hand between us and curled her slender fingers around my shaft.
Blood abandoned my head. Couldn’t be helped.
With every touch, this woman had my body raging for more, like a boy who couldn’t control his own damn cock.
After a few slow strokes, Livia bit her lip nervously and shoved me back.
“Too much?”
She shook her head and stopped my heart when she turned me around, so my back was to the wall, then lowered to her knees.
My blood overheated, sweat prickled over my brow, and she’d done nothing yet. Merely looked up at me, a sly smirk on her lips. “Do you like this?”
A deep moan slid from my throat. I threaded my fingers through her hair. “All I need is you. That is what I like. All of you.”
In truth, no one had done this. Worshiped me.
Trysts were done with lanterns doused, faces turned, and emotions deadened. To see Livia, hands across every scar, her body heating for more of me, it was another blow to the shields I tried to keep between us.
Livia’s tongue swiped out and teased my tip before wrapping me with her soft full lips. Heat blazed over my face. I fought to keep my bleeding senses as she swiped her tongue back and forth.
My body grew rigid and trembled from the pent-up pleasure as Livia dragged her hands up and down my legs. One soft palm curled around my length, stroking me in time with her hot mouth. The bones in my weak leg threatened to give out, forcing me to use the wall as a sort of crutch.
A hum vibrated from her throat and I was undone. “Livia, you feel so damn good.”
What a sight—those full lips wrapped around me, her mouth taking me in like the taste of me was her deepest desire. Unbidden, I rocked my hips. She gagged and a tear slid from the corner of her eye.
“Shit, sorry,” I said through a rough breath, and tried to give her distance.
Livia let out a muffled kind of hiss and wrapped her arm around my hips, pulling me back.
“There, love. Gods, right there.” I winced when the burn of release grew closer. Blood boiled in my skull. I wanted her body clenched tightly around me. I wanted to spill into her. With an agonized growl, I tugged on her hair and eased her mouth away.
Her face was flushed, lips glistening, and she looked at me like she’d done something wrong.
“Perfect, Songbird. You’re too perfect.” Each word slid out in a pant when I heaved her off her knees and spun her around so that once more her back was to the wall.
No time to stumble to the bed, I gripped beneath Livia’s thigh and hooked it around my waist. I teased the tip of my length against her entrance. “Together.”
Livia nodded frantically and dug into my shoulders, whimpering and nipping at the lobe of my ear. There was something feral, almost primal, about the way she crushed me to her. After everything, it meant she wanted me. She was here because she wanted me; she wanted the Ever.
I was not a good man, but I was a man who kept his word. Should she wish to return home, to leave me, I would be nothing but an unfeeling wretch, but I would honor my word. She hadn’t asked yet. I’d live in a way that she never needed to.
I aligned my crown and nudged just beyond the opening of her seam.
Livia arched and bucked her hips, pulling me against her, until I slid deep inside.
We groaned in unison. Her eyes fluttered.
I forced mine to remain open, consumed by her gentle features, her pleasure, the little smile in the corner of her mouth.
My hips rocked at a punishing pace. The slap of our skin echoed through the room and created a furious collision of our bodies. My fingers pinched the peak of her breast, and I licked the other. Livia bit her bottom lip. She tugged at my hair.
Deep, long thrusts had my pulse like fire in my head. A maddening spin that left me feeling out of control and in control all at once. Then I pulled out.
Livia cried out in protest, but promptly swallowed it down when I took her other leg and lifted her in my arms.
She locked her ankles around my waist, arms around my neck. “Erik, I’m close. So close.”
“With me, love. You come with me.” I slammed back inside.
Livia drew in sharp moans, as though she couldn’t breathe, but when I tried to slow the pace, she cursed and rocked against me like she wanted to bruise me for being so foolish.
With my name ripped from her throat, a violent shudder ran through her body.
Her walls clenched around me; Livia whimpered as her body writhed through the violence of her release.
I followed a heartbeat after, going still as I spilled into her.
I held her legs around my waist, head back, the final pulses of release throbbing between us.
Livia’s chest rose in heavy breaths. “Serpent.”
“Songbird.” I kissed her pulse point, breathing her in.
“I love you. Every dark, beautiful piece.”
Like a fist wrapped around it, my throat tightened. Words failed me, so I kissed her. I kissed her until she understood I would crush worlds for her. I would cross the skies and seas to chase her light.
I’d never stop.