Page 66 of Mortis

Inside me, brilliant sparks burst into life. They raced through my chest, my mind, every corner of my body. It felt as though the blood inside my veins had turned to something effervescent, fizzing so violently I half expected my horns to pop free and bury themselves in the ceiling. Behind me, my tail whipped back and forth with such enthusiasm it stirred the air, and my heart hammered against my ribs louder than a war drum.

The Beast crept to the forefront of my consciousness. Not to seize control, but to witness Teddy through my eyes.

This is . . . He is . . .

A gentle pressure gathered behind my forehead. My fingers twitched where they rested against Teddy’s waist. As though the Beast wished to reach for the mortal Himself. To confirm he was real.

Time lost all meaning, and when Teddy finally drew back, I instinctively tightened my hold on him, as though terrified he might slip away. His gaze searched my face. For a heartbeat, my crimson irises glowed. The light reflected in Teddy’s blue eyes before fading once more.

The Beast had never stood this close to my consciousness without trying to overtake me.

This time, he merely watched.

Teddy smiled. His thumb brushed gently across my cheekbone. “I bet that was strange for you.”

Then his focus shifted ever so slightly. Not past my eyes, but into them. As though he could somehow see beyond me to the Beast within.

“For both of you.”

“I enjoyed it!”

The words escaped before I could stop them, louder than I intended. Heat flooded my face, and Teddy giggled. He lowered his gaze for a moment before peeking back up at me through his dark lashes. Combined with the shy curve of his smile, the look was almost hypnotic. Like an incubus tempting its prey.

And I had no desire whatsoever to escape.

“Would you like to do it again?” Teddy asked, and I nodded immediately.

He removed his apron and threw it onto the kitchen counter. Then his smile widened, and he rose onto his toes.

“Then follow my lead.”

Didn’t he know?

I’d follow him anywhere.

Teddy captured my lips once more. A quiet moan escaped me at the contact, relief flooding through me as I felt that intimate touch again. Unlike the first kiss, which had been slow and tentative, this one was urgent. Hungrier. As though Teddy wanted to pull me impossibly close. His lips parted, and I instinctively mirrored him, trusting his guidance completely. Our mouths moved together in a rhythm I was only just beginning to understand.

As the unfamiliar motions became more natural, something inside me answered in kind, and my own urgency grew. His tongue slipped between my lips. It tangled with my own, and a deep growl rumbled from my chest before I even realised I’d made the sound.

We only broke apart when Teddy needed air. Part of me wished he were a demon too. Though I still breathed out of habit, it wasn’t something I required to survive. If Teddy no longer needed air, I feared our lips would never part again.

Without breaking the kiss, I slid my hands from his waist to cup the backs of his thighs. I lifted him, and a surprised squeak escaped him as his hands flew to my shoulders. Smiling against his lips, I carried him a few steps, carefully settling him in an empty space on the kitchen countertop.

Now the difference in our heights was far less pronounced.

Now I could reach him properly.

One hand buried itself in his hair while the other settled against the small of his back. I used it to draw him closer, and when his groin met mine, Teddy groaned. The sound was low, breathless, and utterly intoxicating.

His hand drifted upwards, fingers curling carefully around one of my horns. My body responded before I could stop it and every muscle tensed. Pleasure surged through me, so overwhelming that my cock, which had been straining impatiently beneath its protective pouch, finally slipped free. It rose from my fur, pushing into the narrow space between us.

Teddy broke the kiss with a startled gasp. “Oh my . . .”

His chest rose and fell rapidly, his glasses sitting crooked on his nose. Colour flooded his cheeks and spread over the bridge of his nose, while his glassy eyes remained fixed on the thick length glistening with its own natural lubricant.

My heart sank.

“I’m so sorry,” I murmured.