Chapter Thirty-six
Sylvan frowned as they walked into his suite. “I can’t understand how we could run out of glucose solution. Whoever has been doing the ordering at the main med station must be completely incompetent.”
“I’m sure it will be fine,” Sophia said, closing the door behind them. “Liv said she can get some from the other side of the ship in an hour or two.”
Sylvan tried to repress a sigh. An hour or two sounded like an eternity at the moment. Especially when he wanted Sophia so badly he could almost taste the salty-sweet flavor of her skin. When all he wanted to do was take her to bed and part her thighs while she offered him her throat. Stop it, he ordered himself. Stop thinking that way. You’re only making it worse!
Sophia shivered. “I’m chilled to the bone. Do you mind if I take a quick bath?”
“Of course not. Be my guest.” Sylvan was relieved. Maybe she would spend the next few hours soaking in the bathing pool. And though the thought of her naked and wet would be a torment, at least she wouldn’t be in the same room with him, where he could see her beautiful body under the thin tharp and smell her devastatingly feminine scent.
Sophia headed for the bathroom but then she hesitated and turned back. “You could join me, if you want. You look really tense. I could, ah, rub your back.”
Sylvan raised an eyebrow at her. “Join you naked in the bathing pool?”
“Well…” Her cheeks were suddenly pink again. “Yes. Why not?”
Because I want you. Because even the thought of you slippery and wet and naked makes me feel like I’m losing my mind with desire. “It’s a bad idea,” he said shortly, frowning. “A very, very bad idea.”
“Oh.” Her face fell. “I just thought…never mind. I’ll just be a minute.” Quickly she went to the bathroom and shut herself in.
Sylvan felt terrible for turning her down so abruptly but it was obvious she didn’t understand. He was right on the edge of reason, his blood burning for her as it never had before, even after the second time he’d tasted her. If he allowed himself to get too close… I have to keep my distance from her until I can get to the sacred grove. Have to keep her at an arm’s length until the priestess can cool my blood. Otherwise I’ll do something we’ll both regret for the rest of our lives.
* * * * *
“Okay,” Sophie muttered to herself, shedding the tharp and draping it carefully across a shelf. “This is not working. Time for plan B.”
The only trouble was, she had no plan B. She’d never tried to seduce anyone before and she had no idea how to go about it. Obviously just offering herself wasn’t going to work. Sylvan was on his guard against her. He was so certain that he would hurt her that he wasn’t about to touch her with a ten foot pole. And that’s what I need, she thought as she dipped her foot in the bathing pool. His hands on me. And his mouth. If I could get him to go that far, I’m pretty sure I could get him to take me all the way. But how could she get past the wall he’d erected between them and get him to touch her?
The bathing pool was beautifully hot and having no answers, Sophie decided to take a soak and think about it. Liv had promised to stall for as long as she could, so Sophie figured she had a good two or three hours to work on Sylvan before he finally got fed up with the situation and went to fetch the glucose himself. In the mean time, she had to think up some kind of plan for the seduction—even though she had no idea what she was doing.
She hissed as she lowered herself into the pool. The hot water felt wonderful on the rest of her body but it stung the small wound Xairn had made on the inside of her knee fiercely. Ouch! Wish I’d had Sylvan heal that before I got into the pool. I should’ve asked him but—Wait a minute! Suddenly, it clicked. She’d been wondering how to get his hands and mouth on her—asking him to heal her knee was an excellent start. But only a start, she thought. I’ll have to get him to go further. But how? An answer popped into her brain. Of course! That should work. It’ll take a little subtlety but I think I can pull it off…
Sophie spent a little more time in the bath working out the details and then stepped out, feeling both refreshed and extremely nervous. Her plan seemed workable but how did she know if it would do the trick? She wasn’t exactly a legendary seductress. I don’t even have anything sexy to wear, she thought ruefully as she toweled off. I should’ve asked Liv to loan me a set of her naughty underwear. Of course then it would be really obvious I was trying to seduce him and this would never work. Still, if I had anything at all to wear… Her eyes fell on moss green tharp and she frowned. Maybe she did have something sexy to wear after all.
“Listen, MM2,” she murmured, taking the tharp off the shelf . “I know I said I’d never wear you again but we’re friends now, right? And you owe me one for that scene at the feast—you know you do.” She couldn’t be sure but she thought she felt a sense of agreement from the tharp. It was making a soft humming sound that seemed to indicate that it understood what she was saying and agreed with her. “Good,” she said. “So here’s what I want you to do…”
* * * * *
She came out of the bathroom much sooner than Sylvan had hoped she would. And she looked, if possible, even more lovely and desirable than when she’d gone in. The steam had given her fair skin a rosy glow and turned the little wisps of hair that framed her face into delicate ringlets. Even worse, the heat from the bath had brought out her scent—it drifted to his nose like an enticing perfume, warm and sweet and utterly desirable. It made him instantly hard, his cock aching for release. Sylvan shifted, hoping she wouldn’t notice the sudden bulge in his flight pants. But he was almost too busy looking at her to notice if she was looking at him.
Sophia was wearing the moss green tharp as a dress again and what a dress! It had a deep V neckline that showed the inside curves of her creamy breasts and outlined the tight points of her nipples clearly. The bottom was a long straight fall of soft green to her ankles, but there was a slit up the center that went to the middle of her thighs and showed her shapely legs quite clearly with each step she took.
Sylvan tried not to look after his initial assessment but it was difficult—almost impossible. Especially when she came and sat right on the couch beside him, so close their legs were touching.
“Mmm, I feel so much better.” Her voice was low and throaty—as contented as a cat’s purr. The soft, feminine growl seemed to go directly to Sylvan’s groin, making him harder than ever.
He shifted uncomfortably, trying to move his leg away from hers as unobtrusively as possible. “I’m glad.” His own voice sounded stiff and wooden in his ears—forced. But it was difficult to sound relaxed when he was more tense and agitated than he could ever remember being in his entire life.
‘Thank you.” She shifted toward him again, her knee brushing his and suddenly one of her sleeves slipped down her shoulder, baring most of her right breast. In fact, if her nipple hadn’t been erect, it might have slithered all the way down to her waist. As it was, though, the edge of the tharp caught on the tight point so that only the upper curve of her areola was revealed.
“Oh!” Sophia gasped, fumbling with the tharp . “I’m so sorry. This stupid thing…” She got the sleeve up and her breast mostly covered…and the other side promptly fell down. She grabbed for the tharp again, trying to get it to cover her but it was apparent it didn’t want to cooperate.
Instead of going back to its original shape, the front of the tharp formed indecently small triangles that clung tightly to her breasts. The upper points of the triangles started just above her nipples and barely covered the bottom curves of her ripe mounds. The final configuration outlined her jutting peaks and left most of the rest of her breasts bare in a way that was distractingly erotic—and so tempting Sylvan thought he might explode at any minute.
“There.” Sophia looked down at her chest uncertainly. “I think it’ll stay now. It certainly has a mind of its own.”
“You…you have to be firm with them,” Sylvan finally heard himself say in a hoarse voice. He forced himself to look away as Sophia spoke again.
“Sylvan, there’s just one thing…” She hesitated so long he was forced to turn and look at her again.
“Yes?” he asked, trying desperately to keep his eyes above her neck.
“The place where he—the Scourge commander—cut me to take out the tracking device. It still hurts… a lot.” She bit her lip, her lovely eyes filled with pain. “And well… if you don’t mind I was wondering if you could heal it for me. The way you healed my other injuries at the cabin.”
Kneeling on the floor in front of her, tasting her skin. I would start at her knee and run my tongue up the inner part of her thigh. Then I would part her legs so I could see her wet, ripe pussy. Her cunt lips would be swollen and sensitive, hot and wet with desire…No! Sylvan closed his eyes for a moment, trying to get control of himself. I can’t think that way. She’s asking me to heal her and that’s what I need to do. All I need to do.
“Sylvan?” she whispered. “Did…did I ask too much? Did I offend you?”
“Of course not,” he said in a strangled voice. “It’s fine. I’m fine. And certainly I can…can heal you.”
“If you really wouldn’t mind…”
“Not at all. I never want you to be in pain—especially when I can help ease that pain.” He slid off the couch and positioned himself stiffly in front of her. “Where is the wound again?”
“Here,” she murmured, pointing. “On the inside of my knee.”
Sylvan had been meaning to lean over and heal her from the side but Sophia spread her legs, beckoning him in. Somehow he ended up between her thighs, which were thankfully mostly covered—at least from mid-thigh and up—by the tharp.
Struggling to keep his composure, Sylvan bent his head to the small wound and lapped gently, laving it tenderly with his tongue as he savored the delicious taste of her skin.
Sophie hissed at first, in apparent pain, and then moaned softly as he continued to lick her.
Sylvan looked up. “Did…did I hurt you?”
“No.” She ran one hand gently through his hair, sending shivers of pleasure down his back. “It…actually, it felt good. But I am having pain somewhere el—oh!” Her words ended in a gasp because the slit in her tharp had suddenly opened up, exposing her all the way to the waist.
Sylvan tried not to look but he couldn’t help catching a glimpse of her soft little pussy with its neatly trimmed thatch of dark brown curls. Her scent was suddenly much stronger and even more enticing, making his cock and fangs ache with the need to sink deep in her flesh. He pushed the need away roughly and forced himself to look away.
“I’m so sorry,” Sophie was saying as she tried to get the tharp back together again. “Naughty MM2!” she scolded it. “You should know better than that!”
“It’s all right.” Sylvan rose stiffly and sat beside her on the couch again. “I’m, uh, fairly certain you’re healed now. But…” He cleared his throat, wanting to change the subject. “You were saying you had pain someplace else?”
* * * * *
“Well, yes…” Sophia blushed as she spoke. It really was embarrassing to be exposed this way, even though MM2 was only following orders. But it was kind of hot too—especially since she could tell she was affecting him. “My, uh…” She looked at Sylvan uncertainly. “My nipples and my…between my legs. I’m so sensitive there it’s almost painful. And they’ve turned dark red—at least my nipples have.”
Sylvan shifted beside her and she couldn’t help noticing the hard ridge of his cock outlined against the fabric of his black pants. “I told you that was a symptom of Blood Fever,” he reminded her hoarsely. “The deeper coloration and sensitivity should go away as soon as you take the antidote.”
“I know but it really hurts, ” Sophia said, trying to look pitiful. “I just wonder if it’s normal for it to hurt this much. I mean my nipples are so tight and achy and the inside of my…well, it just feels really sensitive and swollen.”
Sylvan frowned. “I suppose it’s possible the fever is progressing faster in you because you’re human.”
She bit her lip and looked down. “Do you think you could examine me? Just to make sure everything’s all right? I’m kind of worried.”
He hesitated for so long she was afraid she’d overplayed it. But finally he nodded. “Yes, I suppose,” he said in a low voice. “As long as we keep it completely professional…”
“Of course,” Sophie murmured. However, pealing down the tiny bikini-type top her tharp had formed turned out to be a little more difficult than she’d anticipated. Not because MM2 wasn’t cooperating—actually the tharp was doing its part beautifully. But because she really was nervous to be exposing herself so blatantly.
Her uncertainty must have shown on her face because Sylvan stroked her shoulder reassuringly. “It’s all right, Sophia, I’m just going to examine you. And I have seen you undressed before.”
“I know,” she whispered as she let the tharp fall to her waist. “I’m just…I guess I’m still just a little shy.”
“You have no need to be embarrassed,” he murmured, cupping her cheek. “You have the most beautiful body I’ve ever seen.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, feeling her cheeks get warm with the compliment. “That’s so sweet of you. Do…do you think my nipples are too red? I mean…” She nodded down at her jutting peaks which were a dark crimson. “Is that normal?”
Leaning down, Sylvan examined her closely—so closely she could feel his warm breath on the valley between her breasts. “You say they’re extremely sensitive?” he murmured.
“ Extremely .” Sophie nodded and it was no lie. Even feeling his breath on her skin was enough to make her hot and bothered.
“Does this hurt?” Gently, Sylvan ran the tip of one finger around her right areola.
Sophie moaned softly as the nipple tightened even more and a spark of pleasure shot from her breast to the vee between her legs. “It doesn’t hurt exactly but I can really feel it,” she admitted.
“And this?” He licked his lips and then placed a soft, close-mouthed kiss against the tip of her nipple.
“Oh!” Sophie jumped at the sudden jolt of pleasure the simple action gave her. “That…actually, that feels nice.”
“I thought my lips would be softer than my fingers,” he said, looking up at her.
“They are,” Sophie assured him. “They really are. In fact…it feels better than it did before…before you kissed me. Why is that?”
Sylvan cleared his throat. “Probably because I licked my lips just before I, ah, kissed you. Remember I told you the healing compound wasn’t just in my essence but in all of my, er, other fluids?”
“Of course.” A light bulb suddenly went off in Sophie’s head. Up until now she’d had no idea how to seduce him other than just getting him close and letting him see her. But now another idea presented itself. “Sylvan,” she said softly, looking up at him. “Do you think…would you mind doing it again? And with…with the other one too? I know I’ll be completely healed once I take the antidote but in the meantime, it really hurts and if you could ease the pain just a tiy bit…”
He closed his eyes for a moment and she could sense him struggling with himself. He was still deeply in need—his fully extended fangs looked lethal and sharp—but Sophie no longer had any wish to ask him to retract them. In fact, although they were still frightening, the sharp points had begun to look sexy to her. Because the sooner she got him to bite her with them, the sooner they would be bonded together forever.
“Please,” she whispered, touching his thigh lightly. “If you could just lick…just a little bit…”
“Of course.” Sylvan opened his eyes and tried to smile but she could see the strain on his face. “But…” He cleared his throat. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to retract my fangs. I’ll be very careful not to bite you but I know in the past you said—”
“Forget what I said,” Sophie murmured. “I…I’m not afraid of your fangs any more, Sylvan. I’m not afraid of you . And to prove it…here.” Rising up on her knees, she pressed forward so that the tip of one nipple rubbed against his lips. “Go ahead,” she murmured. “Suck me. Take me all the way into your mouth.”
“Sophia…” her name was a low groan on his lips, almost a prayer. “I don’t think—”
“It’s all right,” she said softly. “I know you won’t hurt me.”
Apparently unable to withstand the temptation anymore, Sylvan did as she asked and sucked her nipple between his lips.
Sophie gasped in pleasure at the sensation of his hot, wet mouth on her incredibly sensitive peak. Sylvan sucked her nipple gently but she could feel the sharp points of his fangs pressed against the curve of her breast, though he didn’t break the skin. To her surprise, the sharp little pain of his fangs pricking her increased her pleasure rather than dampening it. Tentatively, she ran her hands through his hair, holding him to her. Sylvan growled low in his throat and switched to the other nipple, lapping it tenderly before taking it deep into his mouth.
“Sylvan,” she whispered, pressing forward, wanting to give him more. “God, that feels so good .” Sparks were flying from her breasts to her pussy, making her hot, making her want him. She could feel herself getting wetter and wetter, more and more ready…
Then Sylvan pulled back and looked up at her. “You’re feeling better then?” His breathing was ragged but his eyes were determined.
Damn! Sophie’s heart sank. He’s only going to do what he has to in order to make me feel better. He’s not going to go any further unless I push him. Well then, she would just have to push.
“My nipples do feel better,” she admitted breathlessly.
“Good.” He started to sit back but she touched him lightly on the arm to stop him.
“But…but Sylvan. Where it really hurts is…you know.” She nodded at the juncture of her thighs and saw with a kind of pleasurable embarrassment that her tharp had ridden up, exposing her pussy again. “I mean, you don’t have to…to do what you did for my breasts,” she added hastily. “But if you could just examine me and make sure everything is all right…”
Sylvan put a hand over his eyes for a moment and made an agonized sound deep in his throat. “Sophia, forgive me but what you’re asking…it may be difficult for me to be professional.”
“That’s all right.” She stroked his arm gently. “You know I won’t be offended if you…you know, lose control a little.”
“But that’s exactly what I can’t afford to do.” He looked at her, his eyes half-wild with need. “I have to be careful with you, Sophia. So careful…”
“You won’t hurt me,” she assured him again. “I trust you, Sylvan.”
“You trust me too much. More than I trust myself,” he said grimly. “Very well, let’s take a look and make certain you’re all right. Lean back and spread your legs for me.”
God, if only he was asking me that for a different reason. Sophie shivered involuntarily but did as he asked. Her tharp parted obligingly, leaving her completely naked and open to him. She bit back a gasp at the sudden feeling of intense vulnerability. Part of her wanted to close her legs and cover up at once but Sophie squashed that instinct immediately. She couldn’t give Sylvan any reason to doubt that she trusted him. So instead of shutting her thighs, she opened them wider as he leaned forward.
“All right now.” Sylvan’s voice was dry—obviously he was trying desperately to remain impersonal. “Let me check your sensitivity first. Does this hurt?” Lightly he ran a fingertip over her outer pussy lips, making Sophie squeak and jump slightly.
“Uh, no,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “It…it mainly hurts on the…on the inside.”
“Very well.” He looked up at her briefly. “I’m going to spread you open, Sophia. Are you ready?”
It reminded her so much of the first time he’d marked her—tasted her—that her breath caught in her throat and a shiver of anticipation coursed through her body. “Yes,” she whispered at last. “Yes, Sylvan you can open me. I want you to.”
“And I want to, much more than I should,” he murmured, his voice hoarse with need.
He stroked her outer mound once more and then she felt the broad pads of his thumbs opening her, parting her pussy lips to bare her inner folds for his inspection. “Well?” she murmured after a long moment of silence. “Do…do I look okay?”
“You’re certainly very wet.” His deep voice sounded strangled. “And I can tell you’re a little swollen too. Mostly…mostly around your clitoris. Here…” Licking his lips, he pressed a gentle kiss to her throbbing clit.
Sophie jumped and moaned softly as he prolonged the kiss, parting his lips to lave her little bud with the tip of his tongue. She squeezed her hands into fists at the intense sensation. She was so much more sensitive now that even such a gentle touch made her feel like she’d been struck by some kind of sexual lightning. It felt so good but she needed more…so much more .
At last Sylvan pulled back, licking his lips. “Gods, your honey is so sweet.” His voice was a low growl of lust. He looked up at her. “Did that help or does it still hurt?”
Sophie bit her lip. “It helped some but to be honest, I’m still in a lot of pain. Could you…do you think you could…”
“Ease your pain?” His eyes were burning red and half-lidded with desire but his voice still had that stubborn ring to it, as though he was determined not to go too far.
“Yes, please,” Sophie whispered. “If…if you don’t mind.”
His eyes softened. “You know I don’t, Talana. Tasting your pussy is a great pleasure to me. Even if I’m only doing it to make you feel better.” He frowned. “But we’ll have to be careful. Your increased sensitivity will make it easier for you to come and I don’t…don’t think that would be a good idea right now.”
Because he doesn’t think he could stop himself from biting me, Sophie thought with a little shiver. Fear and anticipation were warring inside her, creating an emotional mixture more potent than anything she’d ever felt. God, how she wanted him. But she didn’t need his fangs in her thigh—she needed them in her neck, piercing her at the same time as he filled her with his cock. Unfortunately, she still had no idea how she was going to manage that but she would take what she could get for now.
“All right,” she said, nodding. “I…I’ll try not to come.”
“And I’ll try not to make you come,” he said seriously. “I’m just going to press my tongue against you and let you rub against me. That way you can control exactly how much pleasure you receive.”
It was an intriguing and embarrassing notion. “So…I’ll be in charge?” She raised an eyebrow at him and he nodded.
“Exactly.” He pressed a soft kiss to the inside of her thigh and looked up at her. “I’ll be at your service. Are you ready?”
Sophie nodded hesitantly. “I…I guess.”
“Then spread your legs wider for me, Sophia. Open yourself and let me in.”
Despite what he’d said about her being in charge there was a note of command in his deep voice that she found it impossible to disobey. Spreading her thighs wide, she leaned back against the leather couch and opened herself completely for him.
True to his word, Sylvan didn’t try to kiss her or tease her with his tongue. He didn’t even lap up the excess honey which had collected on her inner thighs. Instead he simply pressed the flat of his tongue against her, covering the entire length of her open pussy.
Sophie gasped at the sensation of enveloping heat. Even though he wasn’t moving it, his tongue seemed to be everywhere at once. It felt amazing—hot and wet and perfect—but she wanted more. And she could have more, couldn’t she? After all, hadn’t he told her that she was in charge?
Tentatively, she moved against him. Sylvan gave a soft growl and tightened his grip on her thighs. Sophie froze. Shouldn’t I have done that? Is he upset now? She dared to look down at him but when his eyes met hers, he nodded very slightly. Go on, it’s all right, he seemed to be saying. So his growl must have been one of lust—apparently he was as affected by what they were doing as she was.
Encouraged by his wordless approval, she did it again. And then again and again until she was rubbing against his tongue shamelessly, working herself against him as her pleasure built and built until she felt like she was going to explode. “God, Sylvan… Sylvan,” she gasped, burying both hands in his hair and pulling him closer. The delicious feeling of his hot tongue against her sensitive pussy was amazing— intoxicating and she was close…so close… But just as she was about to jump over the edge, he pulled back.
“That’s enough.” He was panting, his mouth shiny with her juices.
“Why?” Sophie was ready to cry with frustration. How could she ever seduce him when he was so damned determined not to let himself be seduced?
“Because.” He licked his lips with obvious pleasure but then looked at her sternly. “You were close, weren’t you?”
“Well…yes,” she admitted. “But…but how could you tell?”
“I could feel your body tensing. And your pussy started making even more honey, my numala.”
Sophie felt her cheeks getting hot but a sudden thought occurred to her. “You told me back at the cabin that it was a good thing to be a, uh, numala. That men, er, males who had one for a mate were envied. Why is that?”
Sylvan sat back beside her on the couch, looking uncomfortable. “We lack the hormones that the Beast Kindred have, which allow their mates to accommodate their shafts. So a female who makes a lot of cunt honey will have an easier time accepting a Blood Kindred’s cock deep in her pussy.”
“Oh.” Sophie felt like her cheeks must be on fire by this point. “I…I didn’t know.”
“It’s the same reason we make so much precum,” he went on dryly, as though lecturing her on the subject would take his mind off what they had just been doing. “For lubrication—to ease the way.”
“Well you are kind of large, uh, down there,” Sophie said, scarcely able to meet his eyes. “In fact…” Wait a minute. A thought tickled the back of her brain…a way to make him go even further.
“Yes?” Sylvan spoke politely, though it was obvious he was as on edge as she was.
“You…what you just said gave me an idea,” Sophie said candidly. “I know you don’t think you should, you know, taste me any more because I might accidentally come. But I’m still hurting and sensitive so I was wondering…”
“Yes?” he said again.
“Well…you said that the healing compound was in all your, uh, fluids, right?”
He nodded.
“But it’s strongest in your essence and in your…your, uh, seed?”
He nodded again. “But I’m not going to come in you, Sophia.” His voice was a low, dangerous growl. “That would be much, much too risky. I couldn’t possible hold myself back.”
I don’t want you to hold back! The words were on the tip of her tongue but she swallowed them back down. “You don’t have to,” she said instead. “I was thinking that you could just, you know, rub yourself against me. That way enough of your, uh, precum would get on me and make me feel better until I can take the antidote.”
“You are still going to take it?” He searched her eyes earnestly. “It’s very important, you know. I can tell by your increased sensitivity and the deep color of your nipples and pussy that the fever is progressing rapidly in you. You need to be cured.”
“Of course.” Sophie nodded. “Of course I want to be cured.” Just not the way you think! “But right now it still hurts…hurts a lot. Please, Sylvan… please?”
He ran a hand through his hair in obvious agitation. “So you want me to rub the head of my shaft against your open pussy without entering you? Without filling you completely with my cock?”
Sophie bit her lip. “I…I guess so. Do you…am I asking too much?”
“Only the impossible.” He laughed ruefully and then gave her a serious look. “Gods, this isn’t going to be easy but I can deny you nothing, Talana . Sometimes I wish I could.”
“It’ll be okay,” Sophie reassured him softly. “We won’t go too far.” She was already unbuttoning the pale blue shirt he wore to bare his broad, muscular chest. Hopefully he would take care of his pants himself. She might be in seductress mode but it would be really embarrassing if she had to go fishing around in his black flight pants and pull out his cock herself.
Thankfully, Sylvan got the hint and unfastened his pants. Immediately his cock sprang free, the broad, plum shaped head already shiny with precum.
Sophie bit her lip at the sight of it. Somehow she’d managed to forget exactly how very large it was, and how thick. Will I really be able to take all that inside me? Even though she was, as he said, a numala, could the extra lubrication her body made really enable her to take something so big in her inexperienced pussy? Well, I’m going to find out, she decided firmly. If she could get over her fear of his fangs, there was no way in hell she was going to let a fear of his size keep her from consummating this relationship. And besides, she wanted him inside her, wanted to feel that thick shaft filling her completely while Sylvan held her and called her Talana. She wanted to be his Talana—his mate—in fact as well as in name.
Here goes, she told herself as Sylvan motioned for her to straddle him. Just try to take it slowly or he’ll suspect and this will all be over before you can get anywhere.
She got herself settled with one knee on either side of his thighs, feeling her pussy part wide in the new position. It made her feel hot and vulnerable at the same time, being naked in his lap and spread out in such a shameless fashion. She was pretty certain that the old Sophie would never have done anything this blatant but she was the new Sophie now. She’d made a vow to herself aboard the Scourge ship—a vow to not waste another minute of her life—and she wasn’t about to go back on it just because the position she found herself in felt embarrassing and naughty.
“Is this good?” she asked, when she was settled comfortably. The head of his cock wasn’t quite touching her open folds but she hadn’t lowered herself all the way down yet.
“Very good,” Sylvan growled softly. “All right.” He put his hands on her hips and nodded down to where his shaft was jutting up between them. “I’m going to let you take the lead. Just take me in your hand and rub me against you.”
“L-like this?” Hardly able to believe she was doing it, Sophie wrapped her fingers around this thick, hot shaft and brought the broad, slick head to her slippery folds. She liked the feel of him in her hand—it was like holding a heated bar of iron covered in velvet. Even better, though, was the delicious friction of his flesh rubbing against hers. His precum felt warm and soothing against her swollen clit and the intimate contact made her toes curl with pleasure.
“Yes, exactly like that.” His deep voice was strained and she could feel his fingers gripping her hips tighter and tighter. Clearly this was a real test of his self control—a test Sophie was determined to make him fail.
“Thank you, Sylvan,” she murmured. “I’m feeling better already and I think it’s helping with swelling and sensitivity. See?” Reaching between her legs with her other hand, she parted her pussy lips with her middle and index finger. The new position gave him an excellent view of the head of his cock sliding over her swollen clit and slippery inner folds.
Sylvan groaned at the erotic sight. “ Gods ,” he said hoarsely. “Be careful, Sophia.”
“I’ve done this before, remember?” she reminded him breathlessly. When you were…were marking me for the second time in the cabin.”
“Yes, but then you were just rubbing yourself up and down my shaft,” he rumbled. “This time you’re rubbing the head of my cock against your open pussy. And since we’re both extremely wet, it would be very easy for me to slip into you.”
“You mean like this?” Deciding to take a chance, Sophie slid the broad head down the length of her slit until it lodged in the entrance to her pussy. At first she wasn’t sure he would fit but when she allowed herself to relax and spread her thighs a little wider, the spongy tip slid completely inside her channel, followed by at least two inches of his thick cock.
“Sophia, what are you doing?” Sylvan’s deep voice was a soft, warning growl but at least he made no move to pull out of her. In fact, he held himself completely immobile inside her, as though he didn’t dare to move an inch.
“I just wanted to feel you in me—just a little bit,” she whispered, biting her lip. Had she gone too far? The look on his face and the tension in his big body made her wonder for a moment. But she needed to go this far and farther if she was going to have Sylvan in her life permanently. “Please, Sylvan, don’t be mad,” she murmured, daring to cup his cheek. “It just felt so good on the outside and, well, I hurt on the inside too.”
His gaze, which had been almost scary in its intensity, softened at once. “I didn’t know you had pain on the inside as well.”
“I do,” Sophie told him, lying only a little. To be honest it was more like intense sensitivity than pain, but it was true that having him inside her, leaking precum in her unprotected pussy was making her feel better. She was even getting used to the thickness of his shaft—although she knew it was much thicker toward the base. “Sylvan,” she murmured, wiggling her hips just a little bit. “Do…do you think you could put it all the way in me? Just once?”
“To ease your pain?” he asked sternly. “Or do you have some other motive, Sophia?”
“Both.” She looked him boldly in the eye. “I’m curious. I want to know what it feels like to have you all the way inside me.”
“You’re taking a risk, you know.” But he was already moving, sliding the two inches she’d managed to capture along with the head of his cock out of her and then back in.
“How…how do you mean?” Sophie moaned as he pressed even deeper into her.
“My blood is burning.” His blood red eyes flashed, emphasizing the truth of his statement. “And filling you with my cock makes me want to do more than just fuck you—it makes me want to bite you. To bond you to me. And if I do that—if I sink my fangs in you and inject my essence while I fill you with my cum—you’ll never be free of me.”
“What…what if I don’t want to be free of you?” Sophie could barely get the words out. Despite his harsh words, Sylvan was fucking gently into her, entering her slowly, inch by inch, to allow her pussy to get used to the thickness of his cock.
“Don’t say things you don’t mean,” he growled, thrusting a little harder. “I know how you feel about me, about my fangs. I’ve looked into your eyes when I gave you an injection and I’ve seen the fear and pain there. I don’t want to see that look every time I make love to my bonded mate.”
“You won’t,” Sophia promised him softly. He was almost all the way in her now—she could feel him stretching her wider with every shallow thrust. Soon he would fill her completely. “I…I swear you won’t, Sylvan,” she murmured.
“How can you be sure?” He demanded, sinking the final inch inside her. “How can I be sure?”
Sophie sucked in a breath at the feeling of fullness. God, she’d never had anything this big inside her before. Looking down she could see the place where they were joined—the root of his cock thrusting up into her open pussy, filling her to the hilt. And yet it still wasn’t enough. But if she wanted more, she would have to convince him she meant what she said. That she really wanted him.
Reaching up, she pulled her hair to one side and bared her throat to him. “I offer myself to you freely, warrior, blood, body, and soul,” she said softly, remembering the words Nadiah had taught her.
Sylvan’s eyes flashed crimson with need. “I tell you again, do not say such things if you don’t mean them, Sophia!”
“But I do mean it,” she protested. “Take me, Sylvan—bite me. I want you to.”
“Gods, Talana,” he groaned. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”
“Yes, I do. And Nadiah told me what Talana means, you know,” she murmured, looking up at him. “She said that Blood Kindred only use it for their bonded mates.”
A look of sorrow passed over his face. “That’s true. I know I shouldn’t have started calling you that in the first place. It just slipped out the first time and after that…it felt so right.”
“I don’t mind.” Sophie’s heart was racing and her body was aching for something she couldn’t name—aching to have him move inside her, to fill her, fuck her, make her his. “In fact, I think…think you should make it a reality, not just a nickname.”
Sylvan frowned. “Are you truly serious? You want me to bond you to me? You want to be my bride?”
Sophie felt like a thousand butterflies had just taken flight in her stomach. “Yes,” she whispered. “I…I do, Sylvan. You know, I took a long hard look at all the problems standing between us a little while ago.”
“And?” he murmured, raising an eyebrow.
She shrugged. “And they’re not really problems at all. They’re just excuses I made to myself because I was afraid of you—afraid of feeling so much. I…I guess you could say that you thawed my heart too—the way you told me I thawed yours when we were dancing on Tranq Prime.”
“Oh, Talana.” He cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes. “Your heart was never frozen—it was just bruised.”
“Well, you healed it.” She smiled at him and wiggled her hips suggestively. “So please, Sylvan, heal the rest of me. Fill me with your seed and your essence—bond me and heal me at the same time. Make me yours.”
The look on his face was one of agony. “Gods, I’m still not sure if I’m doing the right thing but I can’t help myself. I need you too much!”
“I need you too,” Sophie assured him. “Please, Sylvan. Please…”
“As I said, I can deny you nothing. Sophia,” he said. Looking her in the eyes, he asked, “May I have your permission to penetrate you fully? To fill your pussy to the hilt with my cock?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, Sylvan—that’s exactly what I want.”
“Very well.” Taking a new grip on her hips, he pulled almost all the way out of her and then thrust back in.
Sophie moaned at the intense pleasure and spread her thighs wider, trying to be open enough for his thickness. “God, Sylvan, yes!” Grabbing his broad shoulders she dug her fingers into his flesh, letting him know how much she wanted him, how good it felt to take him so deep inside herself.
“Love the feel of you around me,” he growled softly, thrusting in again, even deeper this time. “I knew the first time I tasted you that you’d be able to take me. That you’d be deep enough and wet enough for me to sink my shaft to the root in your sweet, hot pussy.”
“God!” Sophie loved the way he talked to her while he fucked her—his hot, dirty words excited her almost as much as his thick shaft pounding into her over and over. Part of her could scarcely believe she was doing this, opening herself to him, letting herself go with such primal abandon. But another part—a part that had been buried for years and was only now emerging—gloried in her new sensuality. “More,” she begged Sylvan, digging her fingernails deeper into his shoulders. “Give me more . Take me harder .”
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he objected but she shook her head.
“You’re not. Feels…incredible. Please…”
With a low growl he redoubled his efforts. “Is this what you want?” he demanded, thrusting up hard and then grinding himself into her, rolling his hips to press the head of his cock against the end of her channel. “You want to feel me inside you, fucking you, making you mine?”
“Yes…God, yes ,” she almost sobbed. She could feel the pleasure inside her building to a peak. She just needed a little more…
Sylvan seemed to sense her need because one hand left her hip and slid across to the place where they were joined. Sophie cried out and bucked against him as she felt the broad pad of his thumb slide over her throbbing clit. The firm, knowing touch was exactly what she needed to send her into orbit. With a low, gasp, she felt herself beginning to come.
“Sylvan…oh God, I can’t…I’m…I’m…” She couldn’t get the words out but he seemed to understand. The hand that was still holding her hip tightened convulsively and his fangs seemed to grow even longer. He wants to bite me, she thought, still half delirious with the overwhelming pleasure that flooded her body. Not just wants to…needs to. But he’s still not sure. “Please,” she whispered hoarsely, looking him in the eye. “Please, Sylvan, do it. I…I offer the gift of my blood freely.”
“Sophia, I…” He shook his head and the look of agony was back in his eyes. “You have no idea how much I want to but I don’t think—”
Leaning forward, Sophie bit him on the neck as hard as she could.
It was the one thing Nadiah had assured her was guaranteed to make a Blood Kindred bite you—if you bit him first. Apparently it was a very erotic gesture and indeed, as Sophie sank her small white teeth into the strong column of his throat, she did feel incredibly sexy and primal. I want you, the gesture said in no uncertain terms. And if you won’t take me, then I’ll take you.
She tasted a small drop of blood on the tip of her tongue, salty and somehow delicious. And then all hell broke loose.
Sylvan pulled her away from his neck roughly and stared at her. For a long moment, Sophie was lost in his blazing eyes. All reason and logic was gone and the beast was there again—the same one she’d seen when he fought the Scourge commander. The one that had snarled at her when she tried to pull him from his prey.
She bit her lip at the sight. This is it. This is what I get. But this was what she wanted . And if this was the only way to get it—to get him —well then…
Heart pounding, she looked into those burning red eyes and bared her throat again. “Go ahead,” she said in a low voice, pressing the side of her neck to his mouth. “Bite me, Sylvan. I’d rather have a bite from you than a kiss from anyone else.”
There was no going back now. She felt his hot breath as he parted his jaws. As the sharp points of his fangs settled against her vein, the old fear rose up in her again and tried to crush her. Needles piercing me, nurses holding me down, the smell of rubbing alcohol, that sharp, gonna-get-a-shot smell…No!
It was the last thought that brought her out of it, that allowed her to push her panic aside. Because the only scent she smelled right now was Sylvan’s mating scent. Fresh and clean and rich and deep, it enveloped her completely, making her feel safe and loved, even as his fangs pierced her neck.
His scent made her feel safe and loved but the sharp pain of all four of his sharp points penetrating her vulnerable flesh still made her gasp and tighten her grip on his shoulders. God it hurts, it hurts, it… But suddenly the pain was gone. In its place was a warm, intoxicating pleasure that raced through her, triggering another orgasm almost at once.
“Oh!” she gasped as she felt herself tighten around his shaft. There was a heated, liquid rush inside her and she realized he must be coming in her as he bit her. And yet, he didn’t stop moving—in fact, it felt like he was just getting started. Another orgasm rushed over her and then another. Sophie moaned in disbelief. Feels so good. What is that?
My essence.
Sophie was startled. The voice in her head very definitely wasn’t her own. It sounded like Sylvan but how could he—
Because we’re bonded now. His mind voice was full of tentative joy. As though he could hardly believe his good luck and he desperately hoped she felt the same way.
Oh right—the mind bond. Liv had told her about it—about how you gained the ability to speak telepathically with your Kindred mate without a Think-me once you were fully bonded. So this means…we’re together now? Forever?
Yes. He thrust into her again, his hips rolling up in a deep, deliberate rhythm as he continued to fuck her. Forever, Talana. You’re mine and I’m yours. And I’m going to want to make love to you like this every day and every night for the rest of our lives. I’ll want to bite you too. To fill you with my essence. Do you mind?
Oh Sylvan… Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed the side of her throat harder against his mouth. Does that answer your question?
Indeed, it does. With a low growl he bit her again, this time sinking his fangs in deeper even as he sank his cock to the root inside her.
Sophie moaned as the fresh rush of pleasure washed over and through her. Love you, she whispered through their new link. Oh, Sylvan, I love you so much…
I love you too, Talana. Blood of my blood. My mate. My bride.
And then he was taking her higher and harder, making her his forever. Sophie gave herself to him completely, thinking that she didn’t know how she would stand the pleasure or the joy of knowing that they would never be separated again…
* * * * *
“You tricked me,” Sylvan accused as he kissed his new bride playfully on the cheek. They were lying in his large bed, having finally moved from the couch after the third time they’d made love. Even now they weren’t done but they were taking a break so Sophia could rest.
“Only a little,” she admitted, kissing him back. Her cheeks were flushed with pleasure but her nipples and the inside of her pussy had gone from crimson back to their usual warm pink, Sylvan noted with relief. Obviously the Blood Fever was completely cured. “I had to,” she went on. “You were so determined never to touch me because you were so afraid of hurting me. I had to do something.”
“How did you know that biting me would be the one thing I couldn’t resist?” He’d enjoyed it immensely—the feeling of her little, white teeth sinking into his flesh was one of the most erotic experiences of his life. But it wasn’t something he would have expected Sophia to do.
“Oh, well…you can thank Nadiah for that. She, uh, gave me some pointers on the Blood Kindred.” She looked down, tracing a pattern on the blanket with one finger. “She was also the one that told me that your bite would only hurt for a second before it became extremely, ah, pleasurable .”
“What?” Sylvan was shocked. “Nadiah is much too young to know things like that! She’s just a child.”
Sophia appeared to be trying to smother a smile. “She may seem like that to you but I think she’s grown up a lot since the last time you visited your home world.” She frowned. “Why didn’t you tell me yourself what your bite would be like?”
“Because I didn’t know—I’d never bitten anyone before. And the experience of being bitten seems to be different for different females.”
“Not according to the romance novels Nadiah reads.” Sophia grinned. “They seem to be full of swooning damsels in distress who can only be saved from certain disaster by the bite of a virile Blood Kindred warrior. She even has Kindred posters on her walls.”
Sylvan shook his head. “I can’t help feeling that she knows too much for someone her age.”
“Why, how old is she, anyway?”
“Twenty-five,” Sylvan said absently.
“Twenty-five?” Sophia stared at him blankly. “You do realize that I’m only twenty-four myself, don’t you?”
“What?” Now he was truly startled. “I had no idea you were underage.”
“I’m not.” She laughed. “On my world—well, in my country anyway—we’re considered adults at eighteen.”
“Becoming an adult and being sexually mature are two different things,” Sylan objected. “Residents of Tranq Prime come to sexual maturity much later than some other sentient species.” He frowned at Sophia. “Are you certain—”
“That I’m fully sexually mature?” She raised an eyebrow at him and grinned. “I think I just proved it, didn’t I?”
“I suppose…” Sylvan was still troubled by the idea that he might have taken advantage of her youth but Sophia didn’t seem bothered in the least.
“Come on, Sylvan, you shouldn’t be upset—about me or Nadiah. In fact, we should send her a thank you card—without her little pep talk I might never have gotten the courage to go after you.”
Sylvan frowned. “Send her a what?”
“You know—a thank you card. A little printed card with a verse or a poem in it? Sometimes they have funny pictures or sayings on them too.”
Sylvan was baffled. “I don’t understand. Why not just call her up and thank her over the viewscreen? Or tell her how we feel the next time we see her?”
“Because sending a card is nice . It shows you care and you’re thinking about the person you sent the card to,” Sophia explained. “And it…oh never mind.” She shook her head.
“No, really,” Sylvan protested. “I do want to understand your Earth customs.”
“Don’t worry about it.” She patted him on the shoulder. “You don’t have to be from another planet to not understand the importance of greeting cards—you only have to have a penis.”
He shook his head. “How does my shaft impair my inability to grasp your thank-you card custom?”
Sophia laughed. “I meant you just have to be male. Most Earth males don’t get the significance of sending a thank you card either. Anyway…” She stretched languidly and smiled up at him. “I’m going to let Nadiah know that she helped us—helped me —in some way. Maybe she could be in our wedding—as one of my maids of honor. Or…oh, no.” She sat up in bed suddenly, her cheeks going bright red.
“What? What’s wrong?” Sylvan was instantly on the alert. “Are you feeling ill again?”
“No, nothing like that. It’s just…I was kind of assuming a lot.” She looked down at her hands. “I mean, here I am planning the wedding, er, bonding ceremony and you haven’t even asked me to, you know, marry you.”
“Only because we haven’t stopped making love long enough to talk until now.” Sitting up beside her, Sylvan took her small, delicate hands in his and looked into her eyes. “Sophia Waterhouse, will you do me the honor of officially becoming my bride?”
“Oh Sylvan…” Her eyes suddenly brimmed with tears but she was smiling at the same time, making him marvel again at the enormous range of emotions Earth females were capable of. “Yes,” she whispered, pulling him down for a kiss. “Yes, yes, yes. And now we definitely have to have Nadiah in the wedding. So I can tell her I took her advice and went for it instead of holding back.”
“You should have waited,” he admonished her gently. “I had good reason to fear I would hurt you. My blood was burning—I was more beast than male before I bonded you.”
“You needed to be healed.” Sophia cupped his cheek and looked into his eyes seriously. “As much as I did. We healed each other—what’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing, I suppose.” Sylvan smiled.
“It wasn’t just Nadiah that changed my mind about you…about us , you know,” she said softly. “I thought I was going to die on that Scourge ship. And my biggest regret was the fact that I’d kept you away—held you at arm’s length because of my fears.” She kissed him lightly on the mouth. “I swore to myself if I got out of there alive I wasn’t going to let fear stand in the way of having the male I loved anymore.”
“ Talana…” He returned her kiss gently and then pulled back to look at her. “I’m so glad some good came of your ordeal. Although when I thought I’d lost you I wanted to die.” He felt a growl rising in his chest. “And when I saw that bastard crouching over you with a bloody knife I wanted to rip his throat out with my fangs. I thought—”
“But you thought wrong .” She put a hand on his arm as though to gentle him. “He didn’t hurt me or…or touch me inappropriately. That was what the AllFather wanted to do. Even though I wasn’t the one they were looking for, he still wanted to…to…” She shook her head, her face turning pale.
“Sophia…” Sylvan put an arm around her and looked at her with concern, but she shook her head.
“No, it’s all right. It’s over now and I’m not going to dwell on it. And like you said, some good did come of it. I finally got over my fear enough to let myself love you.” She looked at him shyly. “To return the love you gave me.”
“But are you sure? ” Sylvan couldn’t help asking. “Are you certain you won’t change your mind about my fangs? About being bitten?”
Sophia smiled. “ Positive . Here, I’ll prove it—show me your fangs.” When he hesitated she made a “come on” gesture with one hand. “Go ahead, let them come out. Or come down or whatever it is you do.”
“Very well.” Baring his teeth, Sylvan did as she asked, allowing his double set of fangs to extend completely.
“Good. Very good.” Sophia was staring at his fangs just as she’d used to before they were bonded. But now there was no fear in her face, only anticipation. She lifted her wrist to his mouth and looked into his eyes. “Now bite me,” she murmured throatily.
“Why?” Sylvan demanded. “You’re already healed.”
Sophia arched an eyebrow at him. “You told me back at the cabin that a Blood Kindred only bites for two reasons—to heal his mate when she’s ill or injured or to arouse her during sex. So bite me, Sylvan…” Her voice was suddenly husky, her lovely eyes half-lidded with need. “Bite me because it turns me on to feel you in me—any part of you.”
“Sophia,” he murmured hoarsely. “ Talana…” Taking her hand in his, he licked the underside of her wrist, tracing the delicate blue bracelet of veins with his tongue. She shivered under his touch and her breathing suddenly grew more rapid.
“That’s right,” she whispered as he pierced her tender flesh. “Now isn’t that a much better use for your fangs than ripping out someone’s throat?”
Sylvan stopped biting long enough to answer. “You probably should have let me do it, you know,” he said seriously. “The death I would have given him would have been gentle compared to whatever the AllFather will do to him for failing to bring you in.”
She shivered. “I don’t want to think about that right now. I just want to spend more time with you.”
Sylvan kissed her and smiled. “Biting or being bitten?”
“Both.” Leaning forward, she offered him her throat in a gesture so sensual it made his cock ache and his fangs fill with essence once more. “Warrior,” she murmured, “I offer you the gift of my blood freely. Will you accept it?”
“With all my heart,” Sylvan growled softly and then he was on her again, biting her, filling her, bonding her to him forever.