longer, I open my mouth, my tongue reaching out to flick against his because I can’t stand any more of the teasing barely-there kisses. As soon as our tongues meet, he makes the sexiest groan I’ve ever heard, and the noise travels up his chest, pebbling my nipples, and then the heat between us works to consume us as we begin to devour each other.
Fingers digging into my scalp, he tilts my head right where he wants as he demands me to open wider, to taste everything he gives me. Our kiss owns me, heats me, connects me nearly as much as my blood did when it sunk into his body and our powers came out to play with one another.
With every swipe of his tongue and nip of his teeth, he brings my body to the cusp of something amazing, and I never ever want this moment to end. In my entire life, I’ve never felt such insane rawness and rightness with a person, and I could cease to be, right here in his arms, and be content.
He leaves my lips to travel down, giving me a chance to catch my breath, while he sucks and nibbles at my throat. Chills spread up and down my arms, and I grind against him again.
“Sweet Morningstar, you are exquisite…”
I laugh, and he pulls back slightly while I do the same. We both stare at each other, our chests rising and falling fast, arousal and desire as obvious as our swollen lips.
“Why are you laughing?” he asks, that soft smile I’ve come to love kicked up at one corner of his lips.
“Because. Nothing about me right now is exquisite,” I tease. “I’ve had nothing but sink baths for days or weeks or however long it is we’ve been down here, and all I’m in is dirty underwear.”
His golden eyes soften as he reaches up and tucks a strand of dark purple hair behind my ear, the move somehow just as intimate as our kiss was. “You are exquisite. Whether grimy in a dungeon or draped in the most precious of jewels. It’s still you, in my arms, just like this.”
I have to blink fast, surprised at the onslaught of emotion that tries to well up in my eyes. I smile and shake my head at him. “See? Cheesy. Are you sure you’re a demon? I thought they were all tough and brutish?”
His brilliant smile shouldn’t be as dazzling as it is, considering the conditions he’s been kept in, but it is, the sight nearly knocking my socks off.
And the sound of his laugh? I don’t care if he is a demon. It sounds like my version of Heaven.
His eyes dance with life, so different from the empty, hopeless look they used to have. “Oh, Sable. I don’t deserve you.”
I want to tell him that he does. That he’s the one who deserves the world, but I don’t—another Hallmark moment getting caught in my throat.
“So, did it work?” I say instead, drawing myself up. Toreon sits up with me, and holds me to keep me on his lap, though I notice he has to adjust himself a bit.
“It worked,” he replies, and I look down where he nods at the floor. The trio of cuffs that were once solid black now gleam with liquid light, the drips lazily floating inside.
“They’re beautiful,” I say honestly, reaching out to touch one. I hesitate, but Toreon gives me a nod.
“It’s safe.”
Skimming my fingertips over one, I feel the warmth it gives off. “That is so cool,” I murmur. “Too bad it’s for Morax. He doesn’t deserve power that’s so breathtaking.”
Toreon makes a noise that says he agrees. “Could you make something like this on anything else? Get us a way out of here?” I ask curiously.
He shakes his head. “This cage and my chains have heavy magic imbued in them. I’m only able to use my power when he explicitly tells me.”
I nod, because I didn’t expect it to be that easy, but I had to ask. I pull back and study him, my eyes sweeping over his face. “But you’re okay? You don’t need more…blood?” My cheeks instantly go pink just at the thought of my reaction. If I have to give him blood again, I’m not sure I could stop myself before I stripped him down and took things too far.
Toreon shakes his head, which both relieves and disappoints me. “No. Your blood is incredibly potent. It usually takes a lot more blood from