Page 24 of Deadmen's Queen

“I'm here,” I said quietly.

“Thank you,” she responded softly, her words just above a whisper.

The room fell silent once again, save for our shared breaths. Her's grew softer and more regular, and eventually her hand went limp in mine as she fell back to sleep. Hours ticked on, the moon climbing higher in the sky. The room was bathed in an eerie glow that cast long shadows over Paige's peaceful face. She looked so innocent in sleep, so unsuspecting of the darkness that surrounded us.

I lay there for what felt like an eternity, just listening to her breathe, watching the moonlight pass across her face. The tightness in my chest eased once she fell asleep, once I was in control again and there was no risk of her touching me, but I left my hand around hers as I began to drift away.

Almost immediately, my mind spun back into the past. Lying there, huddled under the covers, my eyes squeezed shut, praying he’d leave me alone if he thought I was asleep. He never did. The floor creaked under his weight, the sound echoing loudly in the quiet night. My heart pounded with fear as he approached my bed, his monstrous silhouette looming over me. I heard the clink of his buckle, and the sliding against the fabric of his trousers, could feel the supple leather wrap around my throat, cutting off my air as he dragged my legs over the edge of the bed…

“No, no, stop… please, no more..” I moaned, struggling against his vice-like grip, pinning my wrists down onto my back, as he dragged down the bottoms of my batman pyjamas with the other.

The memory of the pain had me jerking awake, gasping for breath, the memory of the belt around my throat still vivid in my mind. A hand settled gently on my arm, and I reacted instantly, rolling over and pinning my attacker beneath me, growling like the fucking beast I’d been nicknamed after. My hand found their throat and I squeezed tightly. Desperation and fear, pounding in my head, driving out any rational thought.

“Nate!” Paige gasped. Her hands scrambled at my hand around her throat, as she looked up at me, eyes wide with shock.

I blinked, easing my grip a little, but still struggling to process anything. She took a slow breath, inhaling whatever air I’d allow.

“Easy, Nate,” she said, her hands now resting on mine rather than pulling at it. “It’s me, it’s Paige,” Her soft voice filtered through the dark, twisted forest of my mind, like sunlight through trees and I blinked again.

“Paige?”

“Just breathe, Nate. Breathe.” I did, sucking in slow deep breaths, my body frozen in place, like I couldn’t control it.

“Paige...” My voice came out as a strangled choke. The words stuck in my throat as I tried to form an apology or an explanation - anything that could possibly excuse what just happened.

But there was no excuse.

“Nate, are you okay?”

“I'm sorry.” The words were a guttural rasp, torn from my throat with each ragged breath. “I didn't mean to...I didn't...”

“It's okay.” Her thumb made small circles on the back of my hand, her touch comforting rather than threatening.

“No,” I murmured after a moment, the word barely audible. “It's not okay.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” She asked softly after a while. I shook my head.

“I can’t.” I squeezed my eyes shut, sanity finally returning to me. “It’s too… I can’t.”

“That’s ok too,” she said.

I opened my eyes again, looking down at her. She was on her back, her hair silver in the moonlight, spreading around her head like some kind of fucking angel. Her skin was white, and her eyes dark and shadowed. Her lips were parted, and my hand was still wrapped around her throat. I liked seeing it there, though I would never have been as rough as I had been. I enjoyed choking in the bedroom, but there were safe ways to do it, and this hadn't been it. Still, the sight of her beneath me, my hand around her neck and the growing realisation that I was lying between her legs, had my cock starting to harden. Her breasts were soft against my chest, and my T-shirt and her underwear was the only thing between us.

My eyes met hers, and I could feel her heart beating a rapid staccato against my palm where it still lay against her throat. Something primal unfurled within me. Desire rose, sharp and insistent, stirring the beast within. I shifted slightly, feeling my cock press against her pussy and Paige breathed in sharply. I did it again, tormenting myself with the exquisite pleasure that was so close and so forbidden. She was Bast’s first, I reminded myself. And she’s a virgin. She couldn’t take my cock yet. She would be too tight, it would hurt her. She was too small anyway. Someone as small as her couldn’t take my cock… but fuck, did I want to see her try.

“Nate,” she whispered. She tilted her hips just a little, the tiniest movement against my hardness, that sends heat flooding through me. God, how I wanted her...needed her to quench this fire burning through me. But I couldn't. I wouldn't. I had to control myself before I lost myself completely. Before I ended up crossing the one line Bast had drawn in blood for me - Paige was off limits. And yet, here she was in my arms, her legs opening for me, her heat pressing against me, tempting me, driving me insane.

I rubbed myself against her again, my eyes locked on hers. She gave a breathy moan, pushing up to meet me. I was only wearing my briefs and a pair of sweatpants, but it felt like an iron curtain between us. I took my hand from her neck, instead capturing her wrists and pinning them above her on the pillow, pressing myself hard between her legs. She moaned louder.

“Nate!”

Fuck this.

I reached down between us, dragging up her T-shirt so I could see her incredible breasts, pale and inviting in the moonlight. My arousal twisted into a monstrous beast, lunging for control. Desire raced through me, obliterating any lingering remnants of my nightmare. I lowered my head, taking her nipple into my mouth, flicking it with my tongue. Her chest arched into me and she whimpered.

Desire swamped my senses as I teased the other nipple to a hardened peak, loving the way she writhed beneath me. Each caress caused a hiss of pleasure to fall from her parted lips.

“Nate...” She whimpered again and I looked up to see her eyes half-lidded with pleasure.

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