Chapter 24
24
I was floating. The agonizing flames eating up my insides were gone and had been replaced by a different kind of burning as the liquid heat of potent desire invaded my blood. I came to with a sharp gasp, my hands fisting in the sheets as I writhed on the bed, my back arching from the throbbing ache settling between my thighs.
“Sophie, are you okay?” I recognized Henry’s deep voice and saw him hovering over me, his features drawn, and his eyes panicked.
I couldn’t focus on anything else but the curling sensation in my very core as I stared up at the Lord, his perfect face mere inches from mine. Driven to the brink of madness with desire, I fisted one hand in his shirt and another one in his hair. His eyes widened as I pulled him to me, sealing my mouth to his. He sucked in a breath, his lips parting, and I took advantage, deepening the kiss. A moan escaped me when our tongues touched, but Henry abruptly broke the kiss, throwing himself off me and into the nearby chair.
My lips tingling, I lifted off the bed on my elbows, pinning the Lord with a stare. He stared back, both of us breathing heavily. I didn’t understand why he’d broken the kiss and was desperate to get his mouth back on mine.
“I know it’s difficult, but you need to control yourself,” Henry said, briefly closing his eyes and running a hand through his hair.
I didn’t want to control myself. My mind was hazy with desire, and I didn’t want to come back to reality.
When Henry met my gaze again, his eyes were several shades darker. He swallowed thickly, his throat bobbing, making me wonder if I was not the only one who wasn’t in control.
“It’s just the effects of my blood. You had a lot of it. It will pass,” he explained. “I can leave to make it easier,” he rasped, rising to his feet.
“No, stay.” I grabbed his hand, the cool touch eliciting a pleasurable shiver from me.
He looked unsure, his gaze darting to the door before returning to me.
“Only if you promise to behave,” he said with a heavy sigh.
“I promise,” I said quickly.
Henry shot me a skeptical look but sat down on the edge of the bed.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, his eyes searching my face.
I felt fine, not taking into account the pulsing ache between my legs.
“I’m alive,” I stated the obvious.
“I thought we weren’t going to make a habit out of me saving you,” Henry said with a soft smile.
“I thought you left me,” I admitted.
He frowned as regret flared in his eyes.
“I’m sorry you thought that. I did leave when the Dark Witches came for you, because I didn’t think I could take on so many by myself. I went to New Haven and got Isabelle. She helped me break into the temple and save you.”
Looking down at my chest, I found I was wearing a clean white tunic and black leggings. Memories of what had transpired in the temple rushed in, and a shudder rolled through me as I remembered the excruciating pain. I swore I could still feel the remnants of it as tiny tremors racked my entire body. The memories overwhelmed me, threatening to pull me under, but I forced myself to breathe through the panic attack, willing my heart to slow. I knew the gaping hole in my chest had healed—I could feel it. Just like I could feel the burning shards of ice that coated my insides because I had failed.
“My blood doesn’t activate the amulet,” I said quietly, meeting Henry’s gaze.
“I know. I heard the witch say so when Isabelle and I broke into the temple.”
“And you still saved me?”
I didn’t know why I found that so shocking. I’d seen Henry in a different light during the past week, but he was still a vampire. Once he’d learned my blood didn’t activate the Tear, he hadn’t needed to risk his life to try and save me. He could have gotten the amulet and fled. Yet, he’d saved me and given me his blood to heal my wound. Perhaps he was better than me because even after everything we’d been through together, I still planned to kill him.
“Of course I saved you. Was I supposed to let you die?” Henry said, his eyebrows pinched and his tone affronted. He dipped his chin and chuckled low but without humor. “I am not a monster, Sophie. Even if I look like one.”
“You don’t,” I whispered, and his gaze snapped to mine.
He didn’t look like a monster.
Quite the opposite, I thought as my gaze glided over his chiseled features, snagging on his well-formed mouth before moving lower to his broad shoulders and hard chest.
A shiver skated over my skin as I imagined what it would be like to feel the weight of his powerful body on mine.
“Sophie,” Henry warned, his nostrils flaring.
“Can you do something for me?” I breathed, my voice low and husky. Henry’s eyes fluttered closed as I reached up and skimmed my fingertips down his cheek. “Don’t push me away,” I whispered, my mouth so close to his, we shared a breath.
The Lord grew incredibly still and seemed to have stopped breathing as I brushed my lips over his, shivering at the soft contact. My next inhale got caught in my throat as everything slowed, and my attention zeroed in on his mouth. I angled my head and brought my lips to his again. A heartbeat later, Henry kissed me back, his lips cool and firm as they moved against mine. His sharp fangs grazed my lower lip, eliciting a gasp from me, and I opened up for him as a thrilling sensation invaded my blood. I flicked my tongue over his, and Henry groaned, his hand coming up to cradle the back of my head as he kissed me slowly and thoroughly, ratcheting up my desire. By the time he pulled away, I was breathless and wanting more. Needing more.
Fisting my hands in his shirt, I pulled him on me as my back hit the mattress. A low, rough sound came from Henry as he brought his mouth to mine again. He hovered over me, holding himself up on his elbow as he kissed me. I felt each stroke of his tongue in every part of me, wishing he would press his body fully down on mine, leaving no space between us. He kept his distance, but his hand lifted to caress my cheek before moving lower, gliding over my chest to my stomach before settling between my thighs. A raw moan escaped me as his fingers brushed over the very center of me, touching me where I ached. They settled over the throbbing point at the apex of my thighs and began moving in slow, steady circles. I rolled my hips into his touch, desperate to increase the pressure. The thin material of my leggings provided little barrier between his fingers and my flesh, but I wished there was nothing between us. I wanted to feel his cool touch on my flushed skin. I craved it.
The strokes of my tongue against his became more forceful, more demanding as I threaded my fingers through his hair, tugging on the silky strands, urging him to do more, make me feel more. A deep, rumbling sound left him as he dragged his hand up, sliding it under my tunic. His cool fingers brushed the skin along my lower stomach, right above the band of my leggings, making me shiver as desire pulsed between my thighs.
My own hands started to explore, gliding over Henry’s powerful body until one dove under his shirt while the other one brushed over the rigid length straining through his pants. His body jerked, and he made that rough sound again, sending a ripple of arousal straight through me. Suddenly, he broke the kiss and pulled away, quickly putting distance between us, leaving me alone on the bed. He stood by the door now, breathing hard, his pupils dilated so much there was hardly any blue left in his eyes. I knew the hunger in his gaze should terrify me, but instead, I felt another wave of intense desire roll through me.
“I should go,” he rasped.
What?
“No, please.” I sat up in the bed.
Henry let out a ragged exhale, closing his eyes and shaking his head.
“You have no idea how much I want to stay,” he ground out.
“Then stay,” I said, or maybe begged; I wasn’t sure. I would give anything at that moment to make him not leave this room.
His eyes were more blue when he looked at me again.
“You are not yourself. You will regret it if I stay.”
When he turned and opened the door, panic set in as I realized he was going to leave me like this, aroused and desperate for release.
“Don’t leave me like this,” I whispered.
His expression was pained as he walked out.
“Get some rest,” he said with a heavy sigh, closing the door behind him.
With a grunt of frustration, I threw myself back on the bed and waited, hoping he’d come back to finish what we’d started. Several long minutes passed until I realized he wasn’t coming back. I would have to take care of the pent-up desire myself, wishing it was Henry’s touch on my body instead of my own.