Page 259 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
A corner of his mouth tips up in a sad smile. “Sweet seraphim..."
My hand cups the side of his face and I stroke the apple of his cheek with my thumb.
His chin trembles slightly. This enormous, formidable god with such a gentle spirit...
I am in love with him.
Terribly.
Irrevocably.
I want to say the words so badly, my throat aches from the force with which they try to crawl out of me, but the dam there remains steadfast with fear.
Instead, I rise with a question on my lips. “May I lay beside you?”
Lazarus huffs. “I truly thought you’d never ask.”
He rolls onto his back, scooting over to make room for me and lifting the blankets as I peel off my fighting leathers.
I climb in beside him, curling myself into the nook of his firm body.
My heart swells to bursting from the feeling of his skin pressing against mine.
Lazarus’ eyes search mine. It still feels strange to think of him by this name, but with each repetition it becomes more natural.
“Do you remember the night we met?”
I grin softly. “How could I forget?”
Lazarus’ hand reaches up to cradle my jaw. “I wanted you so badly. From the moment I saw you. Saw and felt your delicate, but resilient, and oh so wounded soul. I wanted more than anything to steal you away, right then and there.”
Gods.
Why do those words make my eyes burn?
My gulp in an attempt to swallow back my swiftly rising emotion is audible. As the first tear falls, Lazarus presses a kiss to it, and licks it from his lips.
The words come out a tremulous whisper. “I wish you had.”
He huffs a soft laugh. “You would have hated me.”
I give a wet chuckle. “Viciously, yes, but I’m certain it wouldn’t have taken you long to cure me of it.”
His eyes search mine. “You know that it’s me, right? That I am one and the same as my form that remained. That it is the same soul, the same mind, the same magic, the same... heart.”
I nod, heart aching for him as my tears burn anew.
I’m practically choking on the words,Yes, I love you,and the fear that keeps them stuck in my throat.
So I lean in and press a kiss to his lips. Lazarus immediately grips my waist and pulls me more firmly against him as a deep groan of relief reverberates through his chest.
My soul sings as his mouth slants against mine, tongue sweeping and caressing, teeth nipping and desperate as he rolls me beneath him, and my legs part. “I don’t think you understand how desperately I need you, Violette. I need you more thanI’ve ever needed anyone or anything. I would do horrible, cruel things for you—to keep you.”
Sucking his lower lip into my mouth, I sink my teeth into it before sucking away the hint of blood that blooms, and growling my reply. “You are mine. Do you understand? You couldn’t leave me if you fucking tried.”
The amber of his eyes glows like embers roaring to life in a burst of flame.
“Are you certain, little seraphim? I want your soul bound to mine—for all time. Many years from now, when your soul passes into Avernus, I will retrieve you from Mors’ realm. I would destroy it, and everyone in it, to find you if he or his daughter do not give you back to me. Or would convince him to let me join you there.”
