Chapter 41
Volik
My heart gives an extra beat at the sight of her.
And I wonder if she can feel it.
Then I see her hand over her heart, and the edge of my mouth pulls up.
She can feel it.
Nix pushes her chair back from the desk and stands.
I want to jump the distance between us, want to be next to her immediately.
But I want her to come to me even more.
I know we still have so much to discuss, but she asked me to leave this morning. And I did. So I need her to close the distance now.
She takes one step.
The room goes silent.
She glances at the seated students. Then her next step turns into several.
I do not fight my smile. And I am glad of it when her eyes focus on my mouth.
She stops with barely a foot of space between us. “Hi.”
I open my mouth to taste her exhale. “Good morning, Flower.” Her lids flutter at my voice. “I brought you breakfast.” I lift my hands, showing her.
Her lips move as she silently repeats my words.
My head tilts as I try to read the expression on her face.
Is she upset with me?
I lift my hands higher, showing her the coffee in one hand and the bakery box in the other. I know she cannot see the cupcake, but I found the exact one she dropped yesterday.
She looks at my offering. But instead of taking it, she steps a tiny bit closer as she looks up into my eyes.
“Are you…” She glances back toward the students again, then lowers her voice to a whisper. “Are you okay?”
I nod once. “Da.”
“I mean… are you sore?”
My lips pull into a smirk. “I think I am the one who should be asking you that.”
“Volik!”
She’s trying to scold me. I know she is. But hearing her say my name…
My chest rumbles with a purr.
“Stop it.” She whispers her demand even as her pupils dilate.
My lips part as my fangs throb with the need to taste her sweet sangue again.
Our heartbeat speeds up.
Nix shifts closer, and I am about to sacrifice the breakfast I bought her and pull her into my arms, but then she presses her hand to my stomach. And every muscle in my body clenches.
Her throat moves as she swallows.
“Nix.” I keep my voice as quiet as she did, but there’s a warning in my tone.
A promise of consequences.
But my mate does not step away; she pushes her hand harder against me.
Understanding the cue, I walk backward.
I keep my eyes on hers, and when she glances up, behind me, I lean forward, putting my face close to hers, as I lower my head so I can fit through the doorway.
She follows me out, pushing me another few steps.
I do not look away from Nix, but I can tell that we are alone in the hall. For the moment.
Hand still on my stomach, Nix has her head tipped back to meet my gaze.
She’s not a short human, but she’s short compared to me.
“Tell me.” I lean forward, increasing the pressure of her hand against my body. “Why are you asking if I am sore?” A wonderful thought has me leaning even closer. “Are you concerned for me?”
“I just—” Nix huffs. “Yes. Okay? I am.”
My pulse picks up. “Why?”
She clenches her jaw.
I tip my head. “Are you concerned or annoyed?”
“Right now? Both.”
I breathe in her scent with a low rumble. “I like that my mate is feisty.”
She narrows her eyes at me.
“Why are you concerned for me?” I shift closer. “Tell me.”
Her expression softens. “I saw the videos.”
I lift a brow.
“Of you…” She flexes her fingers against my stomach. “Growing.”
My lips quirk. “Did you like watching those, Mea Unica?”
“I’m serious.” Nix reaches up with her other hand and lightly smacks my chest.
Gasps come from the open door of the classroom, and Nix yanks her hand back. But only the one she just tapped me with. The other stays pressed to my body.
“Hold this.” I push the coffee cup against her palm.
She takes it, I turn my palm toward the door, and I yank it shut.
One of the students who was huddled near the door lets out a yell of surprise. But when Nix starts to turn her head, I place my finally empty hand against her cheek. “You are so beautiful.”
My mate sighs and leans, just a bit, into my touch. “Thank you. You’re very handsome.”
That new purr rolls through me, and I know she can feel it where we touch.
She is concerned for me. And is complimenting me.
I want to touch my perfect mate with both hands.
Want her to touch me with both hands.
I grab the coffee cup back from her.
Jump to the wall. Set the items on the floor. Then jump back.
A bright light—a flash—flares through the glass panel in the door behind Nix. Followed by hissed admonishments.
But I do not care if students are watching this part.
I place one hand against her chest, over her warm skin, feeling our heartbeat, strong and steady. I slide the other into her hair until my palm is against the back of her head.
Her hands reach for me at the same time, pressing against my stomach, sliding up.
Holding her in place, I lean down and press my mouth to hers.
My eyes close.
Pure perfection.
I part my lips. And so does she.
My tongue slides into her mouth. And she moans.
My fingers flex against the back of her head as I move my other hand higher, away from her heart, until I am palming the front of her throat.
Soon.
Soon, I will have this part as mine too.
I pull back from the kiss just enough to speak. “I am okay. The change did not cause me any pain.”
Her hands move over my chest. “Promise?”
Our lips touch as she says the word.
So I repeat it. “Promise.” I kiss the corner of her mouth. “The change felt good.”
“What do you mean?”
I consider telling her about the headache I had for days, but I do not want to make her more concerned. So I give her the other half of the truth. “It meant I had found you.”
Nix shifts onto her toes and presses her lips against mine.
She kisses me.
My tongue dances with hers, then she sucks it into her mouth.
Our pulse doubles. My cock starts to thicken. And when I inhale…
Cherry-drenched orchids.
The rumble that leaves me is loud enough to rattle the door.
“Volik.” Nix almost laughs as she lowers back to her heels.
“You are… aroused,” I growl.
It is not a question.
I can smell it, that tinge of cherry giving her away.
Gods. What will she smell like when she’s bleeding? Down there.
Her eyes drop. “So are you.”
I shift my hands to her shoulders, keeping the connection, while also stopping myself from rubbing my body against hers.
She lifts her gaze slowly back up to mine. “Why are you in a robe?”
I look down, watching as she trails a finger along the edge of the material over my chest. Then she pulls it back, revealing bare skin.
My spine curls at the feeling of her skin against mine. “Flower.”
Nix tries to flatten the wool back into place. “You can’t wear this.”
“It is all that fits.”
Her eyes meet mine. “What?”
“Bigger, remember?” I lift a brow. “My clothes do not fit.”
She looks down again.
I almost confirm that my undergarments do not fit either. But the way my cock is starting to tent the robe says it for me.
“Well,” she huffs and drops her hands to her sides. “You need to find something else to put on. You can’t just… bare ball under that.”
A laugh scrapes out of me.
She ignores my reaction. “And you can’t just stand here all day.”
I narrow my eyes. “Why not?”
She rolls hers at me.
Nix. Rolls her eyes at me.
I do not recall anyone, in the past two hundred years, doing such a thing.
Another purr leaves my chest.
She crosses her arms, which only brings my attention down. To her chest.
To her tits.
I purr louder.