Part 31 (2/2)

Somehow, death seemed better.

Another painful spasm gripped her back. She sucked in a breath and forced it out between her teeth.

She would not call out for Nika. She would not repay years of her sister's companions.h.i.+p and kindness by letting her suffer through the birth of this thing along with Tori.

Nika deserved better.

”It's time, isn't it?” she heard Zillah say from deep within the shadows outside her cell.

”No,” lied Tori.

”Have you called her yet?”

”Who?” she asked, just to make him mad.

He stepped out from his hiding place to where she could see him. Excitement made his black eyes sparkle. He smiled as he unlocked the door and stepped inside. ”Don't worry. I can be patient.”

”Wait as long as you want. I'm not calling her.”

”You will.” His words rang with complete confidence. ”Before our child is born, you will.”

Chapter 20.

Madoc woke up in his own bed. Sunlight filtered through the closed blinds, giving a soft glow to the room. Nika was tucked beside him, curled into his body. Her slender fingers splayed over his waist and her cheek rested over his heart.

He was a bit fuzzy on how he got here. The last thing he remembered was being in Tynan's room.

He turned to look at the bedside clock to see how much time had pa.s.sed. Sitting in front of it, obscuring the red numbers, were four bottles of sports drink. A note was taped to the top of one.

Rehydrate. You're going to need it. T.

Tynan.

So, the attack on Nika and the blood oath hadn't been a bad dream.

In the s.p.a.ce of a heartbeat, he relived the entire event. The panic of knowing something had happened to her, the fear of losing her, the need to make it better and never let anything ever happen to her again. It all slammed into him, robbing him of breath.

Madoc rolled over and wrapped his arm around her, thanking whatever G.o.d was listening for her safety.

Nika squirmed in his too-tight embrace, so he relaxed the pressure. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s slid over his bare chest, and he could feel the velvet drag of her nipples against his skin.

She was naked. He could feel it now, all that soft, warm skin sliding against his.

They were both naked.

Madoc couldn't remember how that happened, but before he had time to ponder it, a wall of l.u.s.t crashed down on him, making him hard. He gritted his teeth against it, struggling not to crush Nika in his embrace.

Her eyes fluttered open and she gave him a smile so sweet it nearly broke his heart. ”You're awake,” she whispered. ”How are you feeling?”

Like shoving his c.o.c.k into her. He didn't say that, though. He kept his lips pressed together, knowing that if he opened them, he'd kiss her. And if he kissed her, he wouldn't stop until he was driving hard and deep inside her.

Nika frowned and rose to her knees, pressing her hand against his head as if checking for fever. ”Are you okay? Tynan said you needed to drink a lot.”

He understood her words, but he couldn't seem to care about responding. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were beautifully bare, hovering near his head. She reached over him for a plastic bottle, and Madoc couldn't stop himself from s.h.i.+fting just enough to capture her nipple in his mouth.

Nika gasped and moved closer, flowing over him, lining herself up so he didn't have to stretch his neck to reach her.

He grabbed her shoulders, holding her steady while he kissed his way to her other breast so he could taste it, too.

”I'm not sure we should be doing this,” she said, breathless. ”You're dehydrated.”

He didn't give a f.u.c.k about that right now. All he cared about was whether she was wet enough to take him.

She pulled away, and he let her go only because he really wanted to get her under him. Before he could manage to move her there, she slipped away and rolled over his body until she was standing on the floor beside the bed. She grabbed one of the bottles and thrust it at him. ”Drink. Sanguinar's orders.”

If that was what it would take to get her to comply, he'd do it. He sat up, ripped the cap off, and guzzled the bottle down, staring at her the whole time. A trickle escaped the corner of his mouth and Nika's eyes followed it down his chest.

She licked her lips as Madoc tossed the empty bottle to the floor.

Nika knelt on the edge of the bed and leaned forward. Her tongue met his skin, following the path the liquid had taken down his torso.

Madoc's body clenched. He felt her sliding inside his head, poking around. He didn't want her to see how raw his need for her was, how consuming and demanding. He wanted to be gentle with her. Go slow. Make up for what he'd done before.

He gripped her arms and pulled her up until he could kiss her. Her mouth was soft and sweet against his. Her lips parted to let his tongue slide in and taste her.

He groaned, knowing no other woman would ever taste half as good or go to his head quite like Nika did. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't resist her. She was his weakness, and, at the same time, everything he'd ever wanted.

This time, he wasn't going to lose control. This time he was going to treasure her, go slow and give her the kind of pleasure she deserved. Even if it killed him.

Her hands roamed over his chest, making his lifemark s.h.i.+ver in delight. Her fingers were warm and supple as they kneaded him, tugging him closer as her breathing sped up against his mouth.

She pulled her lips away and stared at him with eyes a much darker blue than normal. Her pupils swelled, her irises thinned out, and her eyelids were low and heavy, as if she was having trouble keeping her eyes open. A bright pink flush was spreading out over her neck and chest, so pretty he couldn't stop himself from kissing it.

He worked his way down her neck, nipping and kissing as he moved down. Nika's pulse pounded in her neck. He flicked his tongue against the luceria, and it sent a shock of power winging through his body.

Her sharp intake of breath told him she'd felt it, too.

”Like that?” he asked.

An incoherent moan was her only response, but she tilted her head to the side, inviting him to do it again.

He did, and this time, that shock went straight to his groin, making him hiss in a breath against the acute pleasure of it.

The link between them throbbed, and he could feel a frantic kind of need spilling out of her. He recognized it as s.e.xual frustration and wanted nothing more than to ease her, but not until he knew she was ready. He couldn't stand the thought of hurting her again.

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