desire showed on her features. At my words, her eyes went half-lidded, her nipples puckered even more under my tunic. Her soft pink lips parted and there was one thing I found I could not deny myself.
Leaning forward, I caught her bottom lip with mine, sliding my hand into her white hair, catching the back of her neck. I held her in place as I gave her my kiss. She froze at first, shy, unsure what to do. But then my leikavi let out a shuddering breath against me and when her tongue darted out to taste me on her lips, I captured it and suckled.
Her startled gasp filled the space between us. My cock bobbed, my dakke swelling and throbbing, my seed beading at my tip. My grip on her tightened, my need surging. I hadn’t taken release since the night of the jrikkia, when she’d watched me from the shadows. Remembering her curiosity, remembering her needy, greedy little gaze on my cock only stoked the roaring fire that was beginning to consume me.
You need her to trust you, that rational part of my mind reminded me.
Would she trust me after I gave her the rough fucking on the floor of my voliki that I craved? Or would she look at me like I was a barbaric brute, with her scorn?
For some reason, I couldn’t stomach the latter. Not with her.
But her lips were so sweet, her tongue warm and tentative against mine. I kissed her the way I wanted to mate her…thoroughly. I pulled away when I felt her little nails curling into my chest. When had she placed them there? Her dull little claws were dug deep, clasping me to her.
I’d been right. Though sheltered, my leikavi was a sensual creature, one who needed to be introduced to the pleasures of the flesh.
With time, I told myself.
When I unclasped my hand from the back of her neck, it shook.
Her gaze was still half-lidded, that warm desire still directed at me. I was unused to the females I took to my furs looking at me like that. With…softness.
The females I mated all knew what I was and I knew what they were seeking. They wanted a piece of the story I’d found myself woven into…the tale of the Mad Vorakkar, who laughed as he killed and fucked like a snarling beast. They wanted a piece of a Vorakkar, all while knowing I would never take a Morakkari, a queen.
And so, they looked at me with lust and possession and always, always fear. Like I could kill them as easily as I fucked them.
But Vienne, this little vekkiri kalles, sitting so sweetly in my lap, clutching me to her, who had knowingly teased me with the sight of her breast through the almost-transparent tunic, looked at me with warmth.
Maddening.
It was discomforting when I longed to stroke her hair in response. It was discomforting when I wanted to kiss her more gently this time, like she was…cherished.
Vok, I cursed.
This was why I didn’t get close to females.
Because as much as I hated that she looked at me like I wasn’t a monster or a crazed beast…I also craved that softness in her gaze.
“I need sleep,” I said, my tone gruffer and more cutting than I’d intended.
She swallowed, blinking. Right before my eyes, I watched that softness fade. I watched realization and wariness return.
When it did, when I saw a little bit of her fear, I felt more in control. I felt relief.
Sick in the head.
Lysi, always.
“All right,” she whispered, her lips still reddened from my kiss.
I stood, bringing both of us up, and setting her on her feet. The fire was dying but I didn’t bother to throw more fuel onto it. We would be warm enough through the night.
She hesitated at the end of the bed, still standing next to the low table, as I climbed underneath my mound of furs. I almost groaned with pleasure. I’d pushed my body hard the past few days and now it was time for much-needed reprieve.
“Come, kalles,” I rasped, sliding my gaze over her. The furs brushed my hardened cock, tickling over the heated flesh.
Hesitantly, she walked to the other side, her bare feet brushing the carpet. The dying fire illuminated the outline of her body in the tunic. She was small, thin, but her hips were gently flared. Her light grey eyes seemed to glow as she looked down at me. Her beautiful hair had begun to dry but the ends