Page 16 of Whispers of Ruin
When she realized he was aroused, her first instinct was to jump up and run as far as she could from him. She pictured sprinting across the open sky as she sought to run away…
No, not him, but the emotions he stirred within her. Emotions and sensations she hadn’t experienced in hundreds of years and had never expected to feel again.
But as she lay there, she became acutely aware of the growing ache between her legs as she was comforted by the warmth and strength surrounding her. His build was lean, but the man was all chiseled muscle as he enveloped her.
What she wouldn’t give to roll over and run her fingers over his chest, down his abdomen, and toward his erection. He’d be hot and thick in her hand, and he’d groan while she stroked him, arching into her touch, demanding more, until she couldn’t take it anymore and she straddled him….
Kaylia broke the thought off as a rush of desire and guilt pummeled her. Her nipples rubbed her bra, her breath came quicker, and every part of her begged to turn into him.
He wouldn’t turn her away; he was already aroused and part dark fae. He’d welcome her, he’d feast on her, and he’d fuck her until she begged for mercy.
She’d relish every second of it, too… even if she shouldn’t.Fabian.
The reminder of her dead fiancé helped douse some of the longing being in Brokk’s arms had awakened, but while it should have eradicated it completely, it didn’t. She didn’t understand why Fabian’s memory didn’t completely eliminate her desire for another man.
Hewas the one she loved, the one she’d vowed never to forsake, even if they were never officially bound by marriage. Yet, here she was, lusting after another man and one who was also partvampire.
The word sounded like it should be something gross in her head, and not too long ago, it would have been, but she didn’t feel repulsed by it now. Yes, a vampire had killed Fabian, but that vamp wasn’t Brokk.
Kaylia closed her eyes while a tumult of grief, yearning, self-loathing, and rightness bombarded her. She didn’t understand how this could feel right, but it did.
Maybe it was because it had been centuries since anyone last held her and she’d felt any desire for a man, but there it was, low in her belly and growing with every minute they spent together. And it was so wrong.
She squeezed her eyes shut as memories of Fabian flooded her. He’d been so handsome with his light brown hair and warm brown eyes.
He had this special way of looking at her that radiated love and made her toes curl. When he touched her, she came alive beneath his fingers and the passion of his kisses.
It had taken her a while to fall for him, but once she did, she’d tumbled head over heels into it. He’d been her everything.
But as Fabian’s face floated before her, the image of another man with dark blond hair and striking blue eyes replaced it. And once Brokk’s face was there, her musings turned lustful again as she pictured grasping his pointed ears while he bent his head between her thighs.
She was a traitor, a betrayer, and awful for longing for another man, but she was also wet and alive in a way she hadn’t been in too many years to count. She’d forgotten what it was like to feel this way, and as much as she hated the guilt bombarding her, she also welcomed how her nerve endings tingled and her heart raced.
She was supposed to marry Fabian; their lives were meant to be forever entwined and would have been, if that vampire hadn’t ripped him away. It didn’t matter if it had been centuries since Fabian died, she’d given her heart to him, and immortals didn’t often do that.
Love was a bond for eternity; even the dark fae king, Tove, had known that….
But Tove also had sex with other women after he lost his wife.
That’s because he was a dark fae and required sex to feed and live. You’re a witch, so what’s your excuse for wanting another?
She was a witch but also a woman with needs… even if those needs hadn’t stirred in centuries. However, things had changed alotin her life recently.
She’d stopped locking herself away in the crone realm, a realm she’d loved dearly, but it was her hiding spot from the world. It was a sanctuary she’d turned into a thriving, beautiful place and a prison for herself.
Looking back, she could see that now. She’d turned it intoherprison. She’d kept herself away from any suffering that might come from living in the realms… but also any of the joy.
Sure, there was plenty of joy and life in the crone realm, but it was easy to have those when you knew there was little that could ever harm you there. And while no one wanted to experience pain, it was part of life. It was what made the good moments better.
And there had been no temptation in the crone realm. Sure, they had a few visitors from the other realms, some of whom had been men, but for the most part, she’d barely interacted with a man since losing Fabian.
It was no wonder that once locked in the embrace of a man again, she’d feel desire. She may not be a dark fae who thrived on sex, but she was a sexual being, even if she’d been celibate for the past three hundred or so years.
Still, though all of this made sense, it didn’t do anything to dissolve the guilt churning inside her. She was a woman with needs, but wanting Brokk when her heart belonged to another was wrong.
Squeezing her eyes closed, she buried the yearning in her belly as she carefully wiggled her way out from under Brokk’s arm and leg. It took some maneuvering, but she finally managed to free herself.
She instantly regretted it as the cold rushed in to embrace her, and she missed the strength of his arms around her, but she’d made the right choice. Glancing back, she was glad to see he remained sleeping soundly, which was convenient considering her bladder was far from empty, and there was nowhere to go discreetly around here.
