Ah, but you have my fires in your veins, I tell her, my thoughts aroused and pleasant. I pull her against me again and bury my face against her breasts.

She goes stiff against me, and I know she is thinking too hard about that other human. Did he hold her like this, I wonder, and my mind is filled with gnawing jealousy at the thought. I growl low in my throat, wanting to rip him apart. I regret that I let myself be talked out of my vengeance. The rage threatens to boil over once more.

“Dakh?” she whispers. “Are you all right?”

I will be. Just let me hold you. I press my face against her skin and breathe in her scent. In. Out. Sasha. Focus on Sasha. She still wears clothes on her lower half, and I slide a hand down her bottom, tracing it. You will take these off?

“My jeans? I can, sure. Just don’t rip them, okay?”

I will not, but you must take them off. My claws long to touch all of you.

I can feel the quiver in her thoughts. She does not know how to take that, and it fills her with unease. So much unease. It frustrates me. Why does she think I will yet hurt her? Nothing would be further from my mind. She is everything to me.

She finishes removing her layers and then studies me, her eyes sad. “You’re mad at me.”

Not at you. I pull her into my arms again.

“You look unhappy.”

I am unhappy. My mate does not want my touch.

“Maybe you’d be better off finding yourself another mate.” Her voice is as sad as her eyes.

I want no one but you. My thoughts are fierce with my frustration, and I can feel her flinch against me, which only makes it worse.

“I told you it would be like this.” Her words are a mere whisper. “You’re asking something of me that I’m not sure I can give.”

I will not accept it. I know that she likes certain touches. I must discover which ones make her want to mate and which ones she pulls away from. Let us kiss, I tell her. Show me how to do it to please you.

“Oh. Well, um.” She puts a hand on my shoulder, and then her brow furrows. “With you on your knees, I’ll need to lean in to kiss you.”

What is the best way to do this?

“There’s no best way, really. Just what’s most comfortable. Our faces should line up, and that might be hard to do if you’re like this.” She gestures at the fact that I’m looking up at her.

I ponder this. If she sits down next to me, I will be taller than her once more, and I will not have the pleasure of touching her. An idea hits me, and I shift my weight until I am sitting on the floor, my legs crossed in front of me. Then, I pull her down against me and cradle her so she straddles my thigh. I can feel the heat of her cunt against my leg, and now I can put my arms around her. I like this.

Sasha’s thoughts are full of surprise. She leans forward against me, her hand going to the back of my neck as she struggles to keep her balance. Her bad arm is still bound with the wrappings she put on it, and she keeps it against her chest as she moves in. I am pleased to see that with her on my thigh, we are closer in height.

Is this better? I ask her.

“Are you sure you want to hold me like this?” She seems embarrassed. “I’m straddling your leg.”

I like this. I like feeling your cunt against me.

Her cheeks flush red, and I can feel the embarrassment sweep through her again. How strange that she wants to hide her body at all times. As if I do not plan on putting my mouth there shortly.

With her legs spread to straddle my thigh, her scent permeates the air and my mouth waters in response. I love the musky, delicious smell of her body, so feminine yet primal. I slide my hands down her back and then glide one over the healing wound on her hip. Does this pain you?

She shakes her head. “I barely notice it anymore. The healing ointments we have at the store help. And it’s really just a scratch.”

I am still upset that she hurts, though. I slide my hands forward, rubbing over her ribs. And these? Do they still pain you?

Under my touch, she squirms a little. “That tickles.”

I can feel the flick of desire rush through her at the touch, though. I say nothing. I want her to relax into my touch, and to do so, I need for her to let down her guard. So, demonstrate a kiss for me.

“Oh. Right.” She seems distracted, and I can tell from her thoughts that she is still thinking about how her thighs grip mine between them. How her cunt presses against my skin. Her attention is scattered, but she focuses and gazes at my mouth. “You want me to just…lean in and go ahead?”

I nod. Do as you like with me.

She scoots a little closer, narrowing the distance between us, and as she does, her cunt rubs against my thigh. I can feel the bolt of desire that shoots through her, though outwardly, Sasha shows no expression. Her fingers tighten against the nape of my neck. “I’m going to put my mouth on yours, and then I’m going to add my tongue, all right?”

You do not have to explain as you go, I tell her, brushing a strand of long, dark hair off her shoulder. We share thoughts. I will know what it is that you do.

“Right. I keep forgetting.” She smiles nervously at me. And I keep forgetting I can talk to you like this, too.

You can. I like that. Your thoughts are almost as warm as your cunt.

Oh my Lord. Don’t say things like that.

Why not? I enjoy your cunt very much. I want to explore it with my face.

Her eyes go wide.

I am distracting you, I tell her, amused at her response—and the quiver I know I felt inside her. Kissing?

Kissing! Yes. She leans forward and then pauses, her gaze meeting mine. It’s as if she needs reassurance before she lowers her mouth and brushes her lips across mine in the softest of caresses.

I remain very still. The feel of her touching me is like no pleasure I have ever felt before. She moves in a little closer, and her thigh brushes against my straining cock, but I do not care. My thoughts are entirely of that soft mouth as it grazes over mine again. Sasha gives me one light, fluttering kiss, and then another, and I can feel the pleasure spike through her. She likes these gentle, brief touches of her mouth to mine, and I will let her continue them for as long as she wants.

23

DAKH

It grows more difficult to hold still as she kisses me, because I want more than just the light touches. I want to feel her tongue flick against mine like she suggested in her thoughts. I want to pull her against me and feel her breasts against my skin. I want her cunt to rub against my thigh once more. I want so many things from her.