Page 25 of The Succubus's Song

“Fuck!” Finley let out a startled yelp, and something crashed. Mara panicked and jiggled the doorknob. It didn’t budge, and without thinking, Mara threw her shoulder into the door. She didn’t restrain herself and nearly cracked it in two, but the door swung open, and Mara went stumbling into the bathroom.

The mirrors were foggy, and the entire bathroom was covered in thick steam. Mara couldn’t see the shower or Finley, but she ran blindly forward, images of Finley passed out on a tile floor stuck in her head.

“Finley—”

“Whoa, what the fuck—”

Mara suddenly capsized into something solid and went tumbling to the ground in a heap. The steam cleared out. When Mara’s vision cleared too, she realized she was lying on top of a very wet and nearly naked Finley.

He had managed to wrap a towel around his waist, but Finley stared up at Mara with a shocked expression on his face. For a moment, neither of them moved as the tension between them came back with a vengeance and increased tenfold.

Mara could feel his warm skin under her palms, and she eyed the way his wet hair stuck up in nearly every direction. The steam from the shower clung to Finley, matting the dark hair that covered his body, creating droplets that dripped down his throat.

His throat.

Every muscle in Mara’s body tightened as her eyes stayed glued on his throat. She could see the blue vein underneath his skin, twitching with every pump of his heart.

The thin fabric of Mara’s dress and Finley’s cotton towel did very little to hide Finley’s growing attraction to Mara—and she prayed he couldn’t tell she was just as aroused. She could feel herself clenching around nothing, every fiber of her being pleading for her to take her pleasure—in every way possible, to satisfy the need growing inside of her.

Mara had frozen solid. The bathroom was creating a sauna-like effect that only magnified Finley’s scent. If she moved, she didn’t know if she would be able to restrain herself. Finley swallowed thickly as he placed his hands on Mara’s arms as if he was going to help her off him, but he made no move to do so.

“Um,” his voice sounded strained, “you came back.”

“I did,” Mara squeaked.

Mara could hear the blood pulsing through Finley’s veins. He bit his lip, and Mara’s fangs snapped out at the sight. Her feral instincts were singing. She had him right where she wanted him—pinned underneath her, wet and vulnerable and hers for the taking. Any predator worth their salt would’ve devoured him by now.

“Finley…” Mara exhaled slowly. “I’m going to move very, very carefully,” she warned him. “Whatever you do, do not move.”

“What?” Finley looked confused as he peered up at her. “What are you talking about? Also, I feel like we’re really breezing over the fact you’re in my apartment…”

“I’m serious,” Mara snapped, and her vision started to condense to a singular point. “I need to get out of here, or I’m going to feed from you again.”

“What?” Finley, remarkably, did not look disturbed. “Is that what you’re worried about?”

“Please,” Mara screwed her eyes shut and pleaded with him, “do not make this any harder. My control is about to snap, and you smell so good…” Her voice trailed off in a whimper. Mara realized with another painful tremor that she was so desperate for Finley. She was no longer the predator; she was the prey of her own need.

Her need for Finley.

“On one condition.”

“What?” It was Mara’s turn to be stunned as Finley broke her out of her thoughts.

“You can feed from me on one condition,” Finley repeated himself. Mara went to war with herself. On one hand, she already knew that it was a miracle she hadn’t killed Finley the first time. There was no guarantee she’d have that sort of restraint a second time. On the other hand, he was offering, and she was so desperate for another taste of him…

“What is it?” Mara choked the words out, sounding like she was about to cry. Finley stared up at her, never breaking eye contact, and slowly began moving his hands up and down, stroking Mara’s arms in a calming manner.

Mara whimpered, feeling like her mind and body were ripping her apart. She shook with restraint and could feel her nails scratching down Finley’s chest as she tried to stay still.

“Ssh,” Finley murmured, sounding a little bit like he was speaking to a wild animal, which, in a way, he was. “It’s all right, Mara. I’m safe with you.”

“N-no.” Mara shook her head, her eyes starting to fill up with tears. “You d-don’t know that…”

“I do.” Finley nodded, his tone resolute. “I’m safe with you. You wouldn’t let anyone hurt me, would you? You wouldn’t let your sister hurt me.”

“Never,” Mara hissed immediately, a few of her tears breaking free. “She’ll never touch you.”

Finley chuckled, smirking slightly. “See? You won’t let anything hurt me, and that includes you.” Mara wasn’t convinced, but Finley took that opportunity to give her wrists a soft squeeze. “I believe in you.”

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