Dante took one of my hands and pressed it against his lips. They were firm, and soft, and warm. He kissed my knuckles. “I wouldn’t lead you down a path I didn’t think you needed to take. You can kill a person with your kiss alone, but only if you want to. If you don’t want to kill them, you’ll just…”
“What?” I asked, unable to bear the anticipation.
“You’ll drain them.”
“Drain them?”
“They’ll be left feeling tired, empty, and you won’t be able to feed from them again for a while, not without hurting them.”
“So, I’m still hurting them.”
He shook his head. “Not as long as you don’t rely on only one person to feed on, but that’s something you’ll deal with after you’ve gotten stronger. Right now, you need to focus on gaining your strength again, no matter how much you may not want to. I promise you won’t hurt the person you’re feeding from as long as you know when to stop.”
“And what if I don’t?”
“You will. It’s instinct.”
Morticia suddenly jumped on the bed, causing Dante to pull back and sit upright. I stroked her, and she purred loudly, nuzzling her face against mine. I looked up at Dante, past the cat, and sighed deeply, letting my eyes close and relaxing deeper into the most comfortable bed I had ever slept in.
“Maybe I just need some sleep,” I said.
“You’ll wake up tired,” Dante said. “I promise you.”
“Yeah, well, maybe I’m different from all the other succubi.”
Dante stood. “Maybe you are, but you won’t be different in this. Sooner or later you’ll need to feed, and when the time comes you have to embrace it. It’s part of your gift, part of you. Go and take what you need, because you’ll need a lot of it. You’re young, new, your powers are growing. Now more than ever, you need to get used to feeding.”
I sat up. “You just said I can’t feed off the same guy too often. What the hell else am I supposed to do? The mansion is on lockdown.”
Dante turned his head low and smiled. “Good thing there’s more than just one guy in this mansion, huh?”
CHAPTER SIX
Unleashed
Sleeping didn’t help. Maybe it was because I had barely eaten a thing besides breakfast. Night had gathered by the time I woke up. My head was feeling three sizes too big, my stomach was cold, oddly numb, and my eyes could barely keep open. I reached for my painkillers, which were sitting on the night stand, and took some, but even after lying in bed for fifteen minutes after, the pain didn’t subside.
Morticia, who had slept beside me, got up, stretched, curled around herself, and settled on the bed again, probably ready to sleep another four or five hours. I wished I could join her, but I was too uncomfortable to fall asleep again. The pounding in my head, the coldness in my stomach, these feelings kept bringing me back into the world of wakefulness and deprived me of the relief of sleep.
Finally, when I couldn’t handle it anymore, I stood up and walked toward the window. A dizzying rush hit me all at once, but I was able to stop myself from toppling over like a flower in a storm by grabbing hold of the chair in front of the desk and using it to help me get to the window. Outside, a bright moon loomed high above the German mountains, dazzling the tips of dark trees with silvery light.
My eyes moved along the forest—the forest I had almost been killed in—trawling over the glittering treetops before stopping just at the edge of the tree line, where a little cottage sat with its chimney puffing serenely into the night. The living room light was on, and quietly I thought Aiden is in there, and thinking his name did something to me.
For an instant no longer than the space between breaths, the pain in my head subsided.
I gripped the window ledge more tightly and moved closer to the glass, fingers lightly brushing it, tracing the outline of the cottage’s roof. I remembered our kiss, remembered how we had chased each other’s lips and what that had felt like. It had been powerful, almost magical, until I had ruined it by taking too much. Only, I hadn’t been myself—I had been compelled to hurt him. What would have happened if I hadn’t been made to hurt him?
No, I thought, I can’t. And as soon as the thought formulated within my mind, the pain returned—a sharp throb, like a spike being drilled into my brain. I winced and caught sight of my face in the window. Skin too pale, eyes too dark, perfect for a rave, but not for much else. Dante was right; sleeping hadn’t helped, which meant food probably wouldn’t help either, nor would painkillers. I had to do what he had told me to do. I had to sleep with someone, but that meant hurting them, or at least draining them.
Weren’t they the same thing?
I continued considering Dante’s words while staring out at the cottage on the other side of the grounds. The thought that I could, if I wanted to, get what I needed from anyone in the mansion had crossed my mind. Vik, Raphael, even Liam—they were all gorgeous, and I would have been lying to myself if I said I hadn’t thought about what they were rocking under their shirts.
I shook my head and let my forehead rest against the window, sighing. “Fuck it,” I said, and I spun around, grabbed my leather jacket from behind the door, and left the room. I hadn’t changed out of the clothes I had come down to breakfast in, hadn’t even taken off my boots, so at least I didn’t have to worry about finding clothes and possibly ruining whatever little momentum I had managed to scrounge out of myself. I was out of the bedroom and walking down the main staircase in three minutes flat. Another two minutes, and I’d made it half way into the frigid courtyard. Another five, and I was walking up the short, cobblestone path to the little house at the edge of the trees.
Aiden’s house.
Stepping up to the door, running purely on adrenaline now, heart pounding behind my ribs, I took a deep breath and banged my fist against it repeatedly, unceasingly. Behind it I heard movement, footsteps hurrying, and then Aiden pulled the door open, his face white with worry. When he saw me, he immediately checked behind and around me, looking for anyone who may have been chasing me.
“Lilith,” he said, “are you alright? What’s going on?”
I pressed my hands against his chest and pushed him into the cottage, then shut the door with my foot, not losing sight of him for even one second. “I hurt you when we kissed.”
Though the confusion was clearly visible on his face, he caught up to the conversation pretty quickly. “I passed out,” he said. “The fall hurt me more than you did. I still have the lump on the back of my head.”
“So, I didn’t hurt you?”
“You did, just not as much as you think. Is this about before? What is it you need?”
I squared up to him, pushed him against the wall with my chest, and reached for his lips with my own, taking the kiss as if it belonged to me, as if it had been my birthright. Aiden hesitated only for an instant, but then he pushed one hand into my hair and held my waist with the other. He responded to the kiss by allowing his lips to part slightly, giving my tongue permission to find his. His mouth was hot, and soft, and wet, and the kiss was deep, electrifying, and the more we kissed, the further away the pain in my head began to feel.
I broke the kiss and stared up at him, breathing ragged, searching his eyes for signs of dizziness and wariness but finding none.
“What… was that about?” Aiden asked.
My breaths shortened, quickened. I took hold of his face. “Just kiss me again,” I said. This time he didn’t hesitate. He tilted his head toward mine and pressed his lips against mine as if that had been their single purpose in life.
I shrugged out of my leather jacket and let it drop to the floor, then I slipped my hands into the hem of Aiden’s shirt and began to tug it up and over his head, leaving him shirtless and pinned against the wall. I stared at his chest, his abdomen, and saw the line of dark hair trailing into the band of his pants. Feed, I thought, and I kissed his neck, his chest, his collar as my hands worked at his belt, but Aiden pulled my mouth up to hi
s and kissed me again. Then he picked me up and, with my legs wrapped around his waist, carried me into a small bedroom before tossing me on the bed.
He arched over me and continued to kiss me, one hand in my hair, the other on my stomach. I could feel his fingers slipping into my shirt and moving up, exploring the landscape of my abdomen before finding the crest of my right breast and cupping it gently. I moaned into his mouth as my entire body pulsed with delight at his touch, a sensation I had felt before only magnified a hundred-fold.
“Take me,” he whispered into my mouth. “Take whatever you need.”
“Yes,” I begged. “Yes, let me have you, Aiden.”
I kicked my boots off, shimmied out of my pants and underwear, and pulled my t-shirt off, tossing it aside without a care in the world, leaving myself entirely exposed and laying in front of him, legs gently rubbing together. But I didn’t feel vulnerable or apprehensive; I felt powerful. The look in his eyes, the hunger, the lust, the want—those emotions were already replenishing my energy. Drip by drip, I could feel my strength returning as if rapidly bouncing back from a long illness.
I sat up and frantically removed his belt buckle, then undid his jeans and let them fall to the floor in a pool around his legs. Just as quickly, I slipped my fingers into the line of his boxers and pulled them down too, freeing him and, for one hot instant, simply staring at how magnificent he was, how strong he was. I wanted more than just to have him inside me, but right now with my energy as low as it was, what I wanted took a back seat to what I needed.
So, I took him in my hand, wrapped my other hand around his waist, and allowed myself to lay back on the bed, bringing him close to me and allowing him to fit into the space between my legs. Wet, warm, pulsing lightly, vibrations reached the pit of my stomach and echoed through me as if I were hollow. All of this from simply being naked with him.
It was a thrill, exultant and exquisite, and when I guided him into me and felt that first push—that moment when the two of us joined—I couldn’t help but moan loudly and dig my fingernails into his shoulders. I drew my nails up and along his skin as he began to rock, slowly finding his rhythm, causing my breath to hitch with each inward push. Then we were swaying together, my legs wrapped around his torso, his hands planted on either side of my head, his nose buried in my hair, one of my hands exploring up and down his back, digging in sharply at times, while the other worked on my own, quickly incoming orgasm.
Maybe he sensed its approach, or maybe I told him in a moment of euphoria so intense I may have slipped out of myself, but my orgasm, the tightening of my thighs against his midsection, triggered his own, and we moaned together. I pulled him in deeper, and exulted in the sudden and penetrating warmth that had begun to radiate within me, starting at the central point between my legs and reaching every last corner of my body, every last inch of nerve.
I shuddered with pleasure and shut my eyes to further sink into the feeling, to let it last longer, reach farther. My entire body tingled for a full minute after, as if I were filled with fireflies dancing inside of me. I wanted more. I knew I wasn’t done feeding, but for now, I was satisfied, satiated. As I lay there stroking Aiden’s back, I realized I had never fully understood the meaning of the word satiated until right that very second, sharing that bed with Aiden after what had been the most intense and unforgettable ten minutes of my life.
The best part was, when he leaned his head down to kiss me, his eyes were awake, alert, and still hungry. I knew he wasn’t hurt. Dante had been right.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Afterglow
Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump. The beating of Aiden’s heart against my ear was the only sound in the entire cottage. Absently, I found myself drawing patterns into his chest with my fingertips. We were still naked, our legs entwined under the covers, completely warm despite the frost steadily growing outside. An hour had passed, and we had been intimate again since that first time—twice, in fact.
Aiden was generous, probably the most generous guy I had ever been with. Most others only cared about their own enjoyment, their own satisfaction. Not Aiden. Despite being tired and drained, as Dante had said he would be, he had stamina for me—plenty of it. I knew we couldn’t have sex again because doing so ran the risk of hurting him, but he seemed to be happy enough exploring my body with his hands, his mouth… and I hadn’t been in a position to stop him.
“How are you feeling?” I asked, breaking the silence.
He was quiet for a time. “Weird,” he said, “and tired.”
“Why weird?”
“I don’t know, it’s difficult to put it into words. I’ve never felt anything like this before.”
“But… are you hurt?”
He shook his head. “No. This isn’t like the last time. I didn’t feel you… stealing something important this time.”
Intent, I heard Dante’s words echoing in my mind it’s all about intent. “Good… I would hate myself if I had hurt you.”
He brushed my hair lightly, and I shut my eyes and enjoyed the feel of his hand on my head. “Did you… I mean, was I…?”
“My one and only choice?”
“Yeah…”
I took a breath. “Does it matter?”
“No, I’m just curious. There’s a lot of good looking guys in this place.”
“I’m not saying no, I just…”
“What about Dante?”
I turned my eyes up at him. “Dante… couldn’t give me what I needed.”
“Oh?”
“I needed you, or one of the others. But I chose you. I wanted you.” Aiden’s lips tugged into a smile, and that caused my own to brighten my face. “What?” I asked.
“Nothing. It’s just… I’m glad you chose me.”
Silence returned to the room. I shuffled around slightly, further hitching my leg up along his thigh, grinding up against him and drawing my arm across his chest. I settled my head into the nook of his armpit and nuzzled his chest with my nose, allowing my eyes to close. I sighed deeply and melted into the feel of his warm body next to mine.
“Could I ask you a question?” I asked.
“Sure.”
“Why do you live out here? Why don’t you live in the mansion?”
Aiden shrugged, but said nothing.
“C’mon.” I opened my eyes and looked up at him. “Don’t give me that whole outcast stuff; I want the truth this time.”
“I don’t think anyone wants me there.”
“Why do you think that?”
“I don’t know. Because I’m different.”
“We’re all different, Aiden, that’s why we’re here.”
“You asked.”
I arched an eyebrow. “I asked, and I want the truth. Everybody wants you back at the house. I know they do. Vik, Liam, Raph, they don’t know why you choose to live out here on your own.”
“Not buying it, huh?”
“Nope. Not for a second.”
Aiden smiled, but his smile faded quickly. “This, me living out here, this was all Leo’s idea.”
“Leo? What does he have to do with this?”
“He wanted to… keep me separate. He kept going on these lectures about how we’re… better. Demons are better than others.”
I perked up and propped myself on my elbow. “Seriously?”
“Leo is a purist. I don’t know why he is the way he is, and I don’t think he means to be the way he is—”
“Having spent a day being pushed to my limits by this guy who, by the way, didn’t like me from the very beginning, I have to disagree. I think he is every bit the dick he makes himself out to be, and I almost can’t believe you’d just do what he says like this.”
Aiden’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I didn’t want to tell you. I didn’t think you’d understand.”
I reached for his face with my hand, but his cheek was cool. “Look, I don’t mean to judge, okay? I’m just… I’d like for you to move into the house, and I don’t think
you should be scared of what Leo might think or say.”
“I’m not scared.”
“Okay, maybe scared was the wrong word.”
“He’s my mentor. he’s taught me everything I know—things that have seen me through a couple of scrapes with the reaper, or have helped me to help other people, like the other night with the werewolf.”
“So, you feel like you owe him?”
“Big time.”
“That’s still no reason to separate yourself from your only neighbors. People who think you’re pretty cool.”
Aiden put on a bemused look. “You think they think I’m cool?”
“I can’t speak for them… but I think you’re pretty cool. I wouldn’t be sitting here in your bed naked, otherwise, would I?”
He shrugged, but kept the playful look on his face. “I don’t know. I thought it was because you needed a snack.”
“Please. I could have gotten a snack anywhere else, but I came here because… I don’t know. I like you. I like the other guys, too, but… I don’t know. Don’t make me explain it, okay? And don’t change the subject!” I slapped him jokingly on the arm.
“You know Leo’s gonna flip his shit though, right?”
“So what?”
“So, he’ll probably take it out on us in our training. You more than me. I’ve gone through most of my training, at least, but he’s only getting started with you.”
“Hard work doesn’t scare me. The thought of not having you near me, that’s scary…”
“Why?”
“Because. I haven’t been here long, but you, Liam, Vik, and Raph—even Dante—you’ve all made me feel special. Wanted.” I shrugged, smiled. “I want you near me. Now, just say yes and stop making me get soppy.”
Aiden grinned. “Alright fine. I’ll move back into the house.”
“Good.” He went to pull himself up against the headboard, but his arms gave way, and he let himself fall back on the bed, grimacing.
“Are you okay?” I asked, putting my hands on his chest.
Serpent's Desire: A Reverse Harem Urban Fantasy (The Last Serpent Book 2) Page 4