do this properly. So I contented myself with this sensual moment, knowing I would wear her scent for the rest of my meetings.
“You’re beautiful,” I whispered. “And my favorite distraction.”
She mumbled something in reply, her pleasure high consuming her. It was also probably the early hour. My meeting with Yavi had taken place first thing this evening, which explained my craving to return to Willow so soon.
“He wanted to talk about a food shortage,” I told her. “Can you believe that?”
More mumbling came from her, causing me to smile.
“I wish we had time to shower, but I need to get back for another meeting.” I didn’t mention Lilith’s name, because it sometimes seemed to upset Willow—another fault of her society programming.
She didn’t reply, just sighed in contentment beneath me.
“I’ll be back soon, pet,” I promised, kissing her again. “Dream of me.” I compelled her to dream just a little while longer and grinned when I heard her moaning in my wake.
Yes, I truly did enjoy her in this blissed-out state, and I couldn’t wait to take her there again later tonight.
19
Willow
My body vibrated beneath Ryder’s tongue. He’d spent the last two weeks waking me up in a similar fashion, calling me his “favorite kind of breakfast” each time.
I screamed as I came undone for the third time, my muscles tight and strained from the forced release. But then his mouth claimed mine, filling me with the delicious flavor of our mingled lust and blood.
He left me boneless on the bed as he rolled off of it to go take a shower. Sometimes he pulled me in there with him and coaxed me to my knees, but today he mentioned having an early meeting with one of the region’s sovereigns. Something about a food shortage, which, I suspected, translated to insufficient blood reserves.
Or had that meeting already occurred?
I couldn’t remember, my mind a bit fuzzier than this morning. I didn’t ask questions, instead choosing to revel in the rapture coursing through my system.
Ryder had remained true to his word about not sharing me. I’d been nervous last week when he took me to a social affair in the city, but he hadn’t allowed anyone to touch me, let alone snack on my vein.
Life with Ryder was borderline enjoyable, something I never could have anticipated. But I also knew better than to lose myself in the false hope of a future. While Ryder didn’t seem to be tiring of me yet, I knew it was only a matter of time.
Perhaps it would happen after sex. So far, we’d only engaged in oral and hand-driven pleasure. Just last night, Ryder had come all over my chest and rubbed his seed into my skin before demanding I sleep in that state. I’d been too exhausted to argue, just as I was too tired to leave the bed now to wash his cum off of me.
I studied the moon outside, noting its full shape.
How many lycans are roaming around in wolf form right now? I wondered. Are they hunting down humans, or was the moon chase held at a different time of year? I pitied the humans who were sent to the holding pens for that purpose, just as I used to feel for those relegated to the breeding camps.
I still couldn’t fully remember what happened to me with the lycans. Every night I dreamt of something important, but I seemed to forget the second I woke. I just kept visualizing dark green irises smoldering with sadistic intent. They were particularly bright in my mind now, staring back at me each time I shut my eyes.
I shivered, not wanting to know what it meant. Yet the moon outside didn’t make me feel any better. If anything, the pale white rays coming from it left me even more uneasy.
Something isn’t right, I realized, taking stock of my quivering limbs. Ryder had left me in this state before, but not quite like this.
My stomach clenched, shooting an odd sort of agony through my senses. I gasped and curled into a ball, fighting the shock of pain.
Maybe I hadn’t woken up yet. This reminded me of my nightmares, the searing torment I felt all too often from my time in captivity.
I blinked, confused. What’s happening?
This all had to be in my head. I was fine moments ago, reveling in the afterglow of pleasure. Then I went wrong somewhere. I tried to recall what happened, where I’d gone, but the seconds began to blend together into a fuzzy ball