Page 197 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
The moment I follow Levi into the cushioned booth, he leans back, draping one leg over the seat while the other plants a foot on the floor. He pulls me to lie back on his chest. Azrael arrives with bite-sized morsels of bacon-wrapped dates, quiche, and fruit.
My mouth waters.
However, I do a double-take when Azrael pulls a bottle of massage oil from his back pocket. He gives Levi a nod.
“You feed her while I massage her feet.”
My jaw drops before a laugh of disbelief bubbles out of me.
“You two are going to ruin me. I’ll never be able to go without this.”
Azrael gives me a wicked grin. “That’s entirely the plan, darling.”
VIOLETTE
My senses are truly overwhelmed. Is this how royalty lives? Is this how my father lives? With constant attention, praise, devotion, and worship? It’s intoxicating. By the time the evening rolls around, I have to beg them to stop feeding, massaging, giving me orgasms, doting, and waiting on me hand and foot.
I feel glutted from receiving so much, and a little restless. Not to mention, I’m all too aware of what looms ahead. Not merely the murder of my father, and Levi’s unnamed nemesis—and Akashonly knows who or what Azrael’s enemy is—butsurvival.It’s going to be a bitter contrast to go from pampering to... surviving together in the wilderness. Half of me is dreading it, the other half just wants to get it over with.
The three of us are sitting nude in a hot tub on the heated deck overlooking the valley—my body draped over and held by both Levi and Azrael. It’s a level of attention I’m not entirely sure I’ll ever get used to.
I feel a little guilty ruining this peaceful moment, but I can’t seem to stop myself.
“Shall we begin the survival stage tomorrow?”
Stolen from his lost thoughts, Azrael’s gaze wanders from the view to meet mine. “It seems a little soon, no? We’ve only pampered you for a day.”
I heave a contented sigh. “Darling, I fear if I’m given anymore pampering, I’m going to lose my mind.”
Azrael smirks, but doesn’t argue.
Levi studies us, the interaction, eye bouncing between the two of us.
“What exactly does it entail?”
I nearly groan.
I am not looking forward to this.
“Essentially, we have to survive the wild for three days together. No magic is allowed, nor is the use of animal forms, or bestial extremities—wings, etc. We have to rely solely on our non-magical, non-bestial skills, and most importantly, one another. The only things we’re allowed to bring with us are the clothes on our backs, weapons for protection, and a few basic implements that can fit in our pockets.”
Levi gives a thoughtful huff. “Sounds like SERE school. Minus the weapons.”
I arch an eyebrow at him. “Which is?”
“Stands for survive, evade, resist, and escape. It’s part of spec ops military training where they dump you in the middle of nowhere, and you have to survive... to then later be captured. And then tortured, both physically and psychologically. And finally, escape.”
Azrael’s brows rise as he gives a nod of ascent.“Kinky.”
My guts clench trying to imagine such a thing. “So it’s an actual nightmare.”
Levi chuckles. “It wasn’t so bad. Depends on the person, I guess. Some of the guys in there were sobbing only halfway through, while others took it like water off a duck’s back.”
Intuitively, I already know the answer, but I can’t help but ask anyway. “And which category did you fall into?”
He smirks, giving me a look that says,Do you really have to ask?“The latter.”
It’s impossible not to admire this man. My toes nudge themselves into the palm of his hand, encouraging him to continue stroking the top of my legs. “And what do you think made the biggest difference?”
