Chapter 20 #2
Her tone was defeated, and I hated that.
I didn’t want her to think this was a hopeless situation, I simply wanted her to understand where he was coming from.
I rushed to add, “With that being said, when we interfered in Thaicia, that was the first time I’d ever seen Elijah deviate from a mission’s objective, and that was before he’d even had the opportunity to get to know you.
He risked her ire and backlash for you even then.
He risked the safety of this empire by bringing you here, and I think he now struggles with how easy it was for him to decide between his duty and his heart in that moment.
If I had to guess, he’s struggling more now as his feelings for you deepen. ”
Kyella perked up, smiling to herself before gracing me with it. “Thank you. I’ve been trying to figure out what makes him tick and why some days I see hope for us, but then others I find myself giving up completely.”
Elijah needed someone to keep pushing him, so I hoped she wouldn’t give up.
Before I could respond, wanting to lighten the mood for our date, she slipped her hand from my elbow and raised her brows at me playfully. “Okay, enough serious talk. How about this? I’ll race you to that red tree in the distance. Whoever wins gets whatever they want.”
Little did she know that’s exactly where I’d wanted to go anyway, and that was a bold bet to make. Whatever I wanted probably wasn’t on the table. Kyella brought out a side of me, inspired desires in me that had never come to the surface before.
“You sure you want to do that, darling?” I drew out, already feeling a surge of darkness that was normally buried deep trying to push forward.
Her eyes flashed in challenge as she offered me a wink and turned to spring away from me.
“Shit,” I cursed, realizing that with her head start and her lithe frame, she would absolutely beat me. Considering the stakes though, I more than wanted to win.
Holding on tightly to the basket, I sprinted after her, loving the feeling of the wind whipping around me as I zig-zagged in and out of the trees, trying to find shortcuts to our destination.
But as Kyella came into view, looking back over her shoulder with a defiant smile, I was slammed with a desperate need I’d never experienced before.
An image flashed through my head of catching her and trapping her beneath me; keeping her pinned, completely at my mercy. That was when my instincts kicked in.
Letting out a growl, I dropped the basket and put a burst of speed on, loving the surprise that flashed across her face at the sound. Also that I had nearly caught up to her.
That’s right, darling. I’m going to catch you.
The sweet scent of her desire blew on the breeze, heightening my need and causing me to hyper-focus on her.
Pumping my arms to go faster, I heard her heartbeat thumping wildly from pure exhilaration, her eyes sparking with a tiny bit of fear that caused the predator inside of me to break out from his chains.
All rationale went out the window as the base of the large tree came into view and we broke from the brush.
I leapt towards her, tackling her to the ground, cradling her head from impact and rolling with her until we came to a stop.
I pinned Kyella beneath my large frame, not allowing for an inch of space, my predatory instincts riding me hard and demanding I deny her the opportunity to escape.
I’d caught her, so she was mine. She would always be mine.
Her eyes were wide with excitement as I zeroed in on the wildly pulsing vein at her throat.
A groan came from me as I felt my fangs lengthening, wanting to sink into the soft flesh and spill the blood from her vein.
Leaning in to do exactly that, I growled as her legs came up to kick me away.
She took me off guard, actually moving me back an inch as she laughed and tried to shoot off again, rising back to her feet to continue this little game.
“Kyella,” I growled, feeling a dangerous energy roll underneath my skin. “Get back here.”
I easily closed the space between us, causing her to let out a sound of surprise at how fast I could move, before wrapping my hand around the front of her pretty throat.
Pulling her soft frame against me, I snarled, feeling her ass grind right against my cock.
She wanted this, so I didn’t hesitate to fist her hair and turn her neck, exposing one side of it to me.
A whimper came from her as she pushed her ass back against me, only serving to further drive me crazy with need.
A need to claim her, a need to show her who she belonged to.
She had to understand, to know, that she was mine.
The woman brought out this urge to dominate her, and it was only heightened when she tried to run from me.
Another needy sound left her throat that caused my cock to pulse painfully.
Trying to fight through the intense hunger and blind desire for her, I breathed softly against her neck, making her skin break out into shivers.
“I want to devour you, darling. I want the warmth of your blood coating my mouth as I wring every ounce of fucking pleasure from your perfect body. I want you to beg me for what you want. For what we both want.”
She reached back to grip my back with her nails, scratching hard enough to draw blood. I groaned, my eyes nearly rolling back in my head.
Then she whispered. “You didn’t win the bet. I did. So I get what I want.”
My voice was hoarse as I rasped out, “What is it that you want?”
Nuzzling her neck with my nose and scraping the tips of my fangs against her skin, I barely restrained myself from sinking them in. It would be so easy, and I knew she would taste divine.
Turning her neck to give me further access, my chest rumbled at the submissive move, wanting to reward her for the action. Her voice was breathless as she said, “The first thing I want is for you to drink from me, Kolvar.”
Fuck, those words were my undoing. I imagined it was hard for her to ask for something so boldly, so I didn’t waste time. I gave her exactly what she wanted. Moving my hand from her neck to cradle the side of her face, I struck instantly, sinking my fangs into the pulsing vein.
I nearly fucking came on the spot as euphoria flooded my senses with the taste of her.
Groaning and tightening my grip on her, I barely recognized that she’d moved her other hand back to tease the waistband of my pants before sliding her fingers underneath.
She whimpered as she wrapped her hand around my cock, her fingers unable to close around its size.
Kyella began to stroke me as she moaned my name, clearly enjoying the moment as much as I was.
I continued to devour her, feeling suspended in time, completely isolated, wrapped up in our own universe.
The feel of her hand wrapped around me combined with the sweet taste of her blood managed to bring me down from the thrill of the chase, and slowly my rational thoughts returned.
Holy shit.
Forcing my fangs out of her neck, I licked my lips clean as she turned to face me.
“Fuck, darling. I’m so—” I began, needing to apologize for whatever the fuck had come over me, but she cut me off by dropping to her knees and looking up at me.
“It’s okay. You need to drink my blood anyway.” She looked at me from underneath her lashes. “Reading today, I found that the only way to gain immunity from my bite is to drink my blood…and I’ve been craving to drink from you.”
“You have fangs,” I said in shock. When she said she wanted to drink from me, she hadn’t meant it in the same way as before.
“They just popped out as you tackled me, like they knew we were going to fight you.”
I could barely understand words, my mind so focused on the fact that she was kneeling in front of me, steadily stroking my cock.
Fuck. I was going to come right away if she didn’t stop.
I moved my hand down, running my fingers along her jaw and tilting it up as my other hand went to stop her, but her scowl had me freezing.
“I won, Kolvar, and I want to try something new with you.”
Fuck, this sliver of dominance challenging my own was going to fucking kill me—hell, this woman was going to kill me. And I would die willingly.
Her eyes softened as her tone shifted to one of uncertainty. “I mean, if that’s okay.”
It tugged at my heartstrings, and I reached to smooth the hair on the top of her head, unable to help but tighten my grip. “I would let you do anything to me, darling. I just…I wanted this date to be all about you, and somehow these urges overcame me and it became about me.”
“I love it,” she admitted, blushing a beautiful shade of pink. “It was thrilling. I loved the chase and trying to escape you… It turned me on.”
Yeah, I was completely fucked.
She added breathlessly and a bit quickly, as if nervous, “I trust you, Kolvar. I knew you wouldn’t hurt me. You took care of me at my worst and held my secrets from those you love when you didn’t have to.”
I crouched down to her level, unable to have this conversation with her in such a submissive position. Kyella was my equal. I tilted her chin up as her gaze moved from my cock to my expression, her eyes sparkling with heat and affection.
The sun was setting over the moment, and a beautiful glow surrounded her, my brain sealing the image away. I couldn’t believe what she was saying.
“You can have whatever you want from me, always,” I murmured. “The true prize is your trust though.” Because I finally knew I held a special place in her heart, even if it was a small one.
Her breath caught as she offered me a gorgeous soft smile…and then she nibbled my lip.
“Do you trust me as well? Can I do what I’ve been wanting to try?”
I stood up, and my cock, hard as fuck, jutted out in front of me, her hand wrapping around it once again. “You can do whatever you want to me, darling.”