Page 31 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
Terror manages to spike enough adrenaline in me to send my legs and hands flying again, but it’s only to be quelled by his closed fist.
My consciousness feels like it’s slipping away, like sand through my fingers, when, suddenly, the weight of his body leaves me.
Distantly, I hear shouting, glass smashing. My consciousness wanes briefly, and when my eyes open, it’s to see a familiar set of broad shoulders and bright, dark blue eyes. Blood splatters his handsome face as his fists rain down upon our attacker.
When the male’s face is no longer discernible, Lucen spits blood—the attacker’s blood. His gaze lifts to find mine. “Raia.”
He scrambles over to me, slipping in blood halfway and catching himself as he kneels beside me. “Oh, gods, Raia..."
His gaze falls to my torn dress—my nudity. Lucen pulls his jacket off, draping it over me, before dragging me into his arms as my eyes remain locked helplessly on the sight of Thessaly. Eyes now glassy and vacant stare up at me. One arm, badly twisted, is angled towards me. My fingers wrap around his still-warm hand.
My friend.
The light my dear, sweet, precious friend cast upon this dark world is forever gone.
My body shakes from the violent sobs working through my body as Lucen clutches me to his chest. Eventually, the district’s militia arrives. Lucen speaks with them. They try to speak with me, but I am inconsolable, and the words I manage to speak are unintelligible.
Eventually, we’re asked to leave so they can cordon off the crime scene. Lucen’s eyes are red as he cradles me against his chest. Horus swoops down, perching on Lucen’s shoulder, oddly silent––as if he recognizes this is a moment to set aside rivalry. The concern in his dark eyes is palpable as he watches me shake like a leaf, but my tears have dried. Lucen carries me to our front door, what was mine and Thessaly’s. Panic flares in my chest,sending my claws curling into the front of his shirt. “Please, don’t make me sleep in there alone. I can’t. Not without…”
My throat struggles around a thick lump, and my eyes begin to burn again.
Lucen doesn’t make me finish my sentence.
“I’d be relieved if you came to stay with me, at least until you’re feeling better. I have plenty of space and live in a much safer area.”
Even Horus doesn’t vocalize a complaint.
RAIA
A FEW WEEKS LATER
“Ihonestly don’t know what I’d do without you.” Lucen’s dark blue eyes study mine, thumb stroking my cheek as we stand on his balcony. He presses a kiss to my forehead. “Our meeting was fate, sweetling.”
My heart squeezes.Sweetling.He uses the endearment often. Always insisting that I am sweet, despite my best efforts.
Lucen has taken me in and single-handedly nursed me back to some semblance of functionality, and throughout it, regardless of whether or not this male is mysoulbound,I have fallen irrepressibly in love with him. Just as I know that he has for me, even though we haven’t admitted such things yet. Nor have weactedupon them.
Lucen gave me my choice of spare bedrooms to choose from, and until recently, I’d been grieving too heavily to do anything other than just lie there and drown myself in sleeping tonics. But thanks to Lucen, I’m beginning to make peace with this new, unacceptable reality. And the closer I grow to him, the more desperate I am to act upon these newfeelings.To express my gratitude and love for him.
And to escape mourning Thessaly, however briefly.
Dressed in a silky nightdress with my hair hanging in dark, loose waves around my bare shoulders, I wait for him to return home from work—he works often and late, but he’s always eager to spend time with me when he returns.
I hope to seduce him,finally.
Leaning forward ever so slightly, my lips part. Lucen’s gaze drops to my mouth just as I lick my lips. One hand crawls into my hair to cradle the back of my head as his other hand curls around my waist, and he pulls me against him.
His words are murmured in the scant space between our lips. “You have no idea how badly I want you.”
I tilt my head to angle my lips more towards his. “I promise you, I do.”
His mouth lands on mine, soft at first, but quickly turns hungry.
A surge of sweet emotion hits me like a tidal wave—like all the yearning that’s been buried beneath my grieving is suddenly rushing to the surface.
My desperate hands tug his shirt up, and our kiss breaks only to pull it over his head. Lucen bends to scoop me up by the backs of my thighs. My legs wrap around his waist. Our kiss turns devouring as he carries me from the balcony to his bedroom and sets me on the edge of his bed.
Clumsy butterflies swoop and dive in my belly as I pull my nightdress off, and Lucen unbuckles his belt and removes his trousers. In my attempt to not stare, my eyes scan his room. It’s the first time I’ve properly seen it, having only ever briefly peeked or stepped inside.
