Page 69 of Palingenesis

Those glazed eyes shift, something I can’t follow as he sucks harder on my talon.

The sound that escapes me is unruly and wild. A call of mating.

He takes me deeper into his mouth, lips wrapping around the flesh that meets the hard nail and for a moment, I see what the great beyond must feel like.

The existence after this one.

It explodes beneath my skin, flittering like feathers teasing, and I bask in the glow of what’s coming.

My release is on the horizon, cresting close enough to taste in the smoky air that I gulp down like a creature deprived and—

He bites me.

Chapter 36

Shannon

I may have just made the biggest mistake of my life, but I couldn’t resist dishing out some of the bullshit that Ilios keeps peddling to me.

His mind meld shit has become too close to pleasurable that I had to do something.

Now he’s howling loud enough that it hits my chest like a wave, the front of his pants darkening with what has to be cum and gripping my face right back.

The tips of his nails are sharp, though he’s managing to not puncture the skin of my jaw and neck despite how hard he’s holding onto me.

He convulses, hips jutting into the air.

I’ve definitely done it now.

Releasing his finger, his arm drops to his side and I inch towards the opposite side of the bed. Maybe he won’t open his eyes or notice if I jet outta here. I flick my gaze to the open door, the one I’ve yet to see the other side of since I was brought in here.

At least, not while I was lucid.

My leg twinges when my feet touch the floor, the ache through my shin making me sink my teeth into my bottom lip to swallow the sound. I hope. It seems to do enough of the job because Ilios hasn’t moved. Hasn’t stopped humping the air.

Fuck, if that isn’t hot.

Examining that thought is for later; now is for escaping.

It’s only been a few seconds, but he’ll come down any minute and realize that I’m making a break for it–again.

Clearing my mind and forcing a breath as silent as I can muster, I vault off the bed and toward the exit. It hurts to run, and it’s probably doing more damage than good, but I can’t stop.

I can’t stay here.

Not with him, or anyone.

I’m a magnet to the toxic, destined to be alone for all eternity or else it’ll wreck me.

And Ilios? He’s going to wreck me.

For the first time in what feels like months, I let myself remember.

The floodgates open, blocks removed and I remember.

All the fights and all the problems I had with Henry rush to the forefront of my mind, building heat behind my eyes.

My own father glowering at me when the tests came back profound.