Page 73 of Invidia

“Let me,” she murmured.

“Tallulah…” I warned. “This is the blood of one of your kind. You don’t need to do this.”

“You’re only covered in his blood because you were protecting me. Us.” Her hand briefly touched her stomach before she lowered the bar into the muddy-looking water. She gently tugged my arm toward her and methodically scrubbed every inch of my skin. I didn’t so much as blink as she cleaned around my claws, worried I’d twitch and slice her fragile skin.

Once I was clean, I emptied the basin and dried off while Tallulah brushed her teeth, rinsing her mouth several times, and I began the laborious process of pumping water into the bath.

Tallulah didn’t have any blood on her, but the stench of her terror was clinging to her skin, making me fucking crazy. I never wanted to smell fear on her again. She should never feel it for as long as I lived.

How could I make sure that happened? The mating bite would help. I’d at least be able to feel if she left the realm.

Maybe she should start carrying around weapons, too. I would suggest to Astrid that she source some appropriate ones.

And no more dates with Aither, or anyone else, for that matter. I intended to be every date Tallulah ever had from now on.

She didn’t say a word as I shredded her clothes to ribbons, gently pulling the strands of ruined fabric away from her body, pausing for a moment to smooth my hand over her belly.

Usually, I wouldn’t be so cavalier with her clothing, knowing how much effort she put into making it, but I never wanted to see these things on her again. I wouldn’t be able to look at them without seeing her in that cage, her fear coating the air around us. No. I couldn’t bear it.

I guided Tallulah into the bath, nearly falling over the edge when she grabbed my arm, insisting I go with her.

“Stay,” she pleaded. “I swear, I am strong and independent ninety-nine percent of the time, but right now, I need you.”

“You have me,” I assured her, sitting on the bench that ran around the edge of the bath and pulling her onto my lap, cradling her in my arms.

We were both restless, our hands traveling over each other’s bodies, checking that we were still there. That we were safe, and whole, and together.

“I love you,” Tallulah mumbled against my shoulder, brushing soft kisses over my skin. “I hope they let us stay here awhile. I’m not ready to sleep apart from you.”

“I bought the cottage.”

“You did?” She sat back, smiling up at me with shining eyes. “Really?”

I hummed in agreement, giving her hip a gentle squeeze. “I did. But we’re going to spend a few days so you can properly rest. There are a thousand things that need doing at that place, and I suspect you’ll try to do all of them immediately.”

She hid her laugh against my throat, the gentle scrape of her blunt teeth making my cock stir beneath her thigh.

“You’ve got me all figured out.” Tallulah’s scent bloomed—her joy mingling in with the heady smell of desire.

“Not entirely,” I admitted. “But I intend to.”

“Can you take me to bed now, please?”

I had us out of the water instantly. Tallulah laughed as I attempted to roughly dry her off, swatting my hand away so she could do it herself before wrapping the towel around her body and sauntering into the adjoining bedroom.

“Tell me now if you don’t want my bite,” I told Tallulah, guiding her onto her back on the bed. The towel fell open instantly, and I guided her legs the same way.

“I want it more than anything. I want you. I want to build a life with you, a family with you,” Tallulah breathed, looking up at me with shining eyes. Finally, finally, the look in her eyes from the night of the ball, from our very first night together, was back. It was trust, and hope, and adoration, and I felt like a fool that I’d ever squandered it.

I kissed my way down her body, occasionally taking a moment to taste her skin, and inhale her glorious scent.

“Legs up, Tallulah. It’s been too long since I tasted this sweet cunt.”

She made a somewhat desperate sound of agreement as she pulled her knees up to her chest, pinning them perfectly in place while I swiped my tongue through her sweet, glistening pussy.

A purr rumbled out of my chest, and I did nothing to hold it back as I licked up every drop of slick I could reach, greedily demanding more from her body.

I moved my hands to the back of her thighs as she came, squirming away instinctually, but I wasn’t done with her yet.

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