Page 42 of The Tricksters Deception

“Partners? Lovers? Husbands and wives?” The redness that had been building up on his face is really dominant now.

“Y-you know?” He questions.

“I mean, I think so. I asked Gecko about it after we got back the last time because I thought I might have hurt you somehow, but he said his mother told him it was reserved for special circumstances. Is that incorrect?”

“I mean, t-that’s mostly how it is. They’re just really sensitive, in a good way.” As his grip loosens on my wrist he finally looks directly at me. “So if you know what it means, what does that mean?” I tilt my head to the side and wait. His grip on my wrist has completely loosened, and he slides his palm up my arm till it reaches my neck. I drop my arm and use my hands to brace myself on the balcony as he steps forward, his other hand finding its way around my waist. My heart thumps a thousand times in the moment leading up to his lips touching mine. They’re softer than I expected, and warmer. This was a moment we’d both been wanting, and it was one we didn’t want to stop. I felt him push his entire body against mine. I don’t know if he felt similar, but this whole time waiting for this moment felt like a thirst that couldn’t be quenched until now.

“Ew!” We both jump and part at Gecko’s voice. “I didn’t want to see that!”

My gaze stares around the room we had found our way to. I know the King lives in luxury, but this seems far too gracious a gift for me – to live here, to call this place my home. Still, I'm beyond grateful. Corvu stands by the door, and I feel his gaze watching me as I step deeper into the heart of the room, fingers trailing the rich fabrics of the bed. Everything about this place is beautiful, yet, I find myself focusing on two things.

Corvu and the bed.

I know it’s wrong, but more than anything, I want him to stay with me. The quarters seem far too big for me to spend the night in on my own, and I know his company will be more than soothing. “Will you stay with me here tonight?” I ask him. Corvu’s look says enough – he doesn’t want to be disrespectful in any way, and I'm sure this isn't easy for him. After all, it seems like Tricksters aren't liked in this world so how likely is it a woman would have invited him to bed before? “I promise I’ll behave,” I add. “I just don’t want to be here on my own.” Corvu hesitates for a moment, and I wish that I could know what’s going through his mind, but at last, he nods his head. I give him a small, thankful smile, before my gaze falls on the bed. It is king sized, but still very close quarters. Even just the thought of being that close—of sleeping besides him has butterflies enter my stomach and my cheeks warm. I want to grab his hand, to lay down beside him now, but I was still in my regular clothes. “I, um.” I turn to meet Corvu’s eyes. He is already staring intently at me. “We should go clean up and get ready for bed,” I tell him. Hearing my own words, my eyes go round, and the hot sensation of my cheeks only intensifies. “Separately, I mean. Not the sleeping. Obviously, we sleep in the bed together. You’re not sleeping anywhere else.” A nervous laugh escapes me.

Corvu steps closer, his lips lifting up at the side where a glint of his fang shows once more. “You are remarkable to look at when you’re anxious, do you know that?” He whispers, reaching toward me to tuck my hair back behind my ear. I close my eyes and melt into his hot touch. It soothes me. “We aren’t going to do anything you aren’t comfortable with,” He tells me, surprising me with his ability to soothe me even further. His words, always right in their timing it would seem, seem like velvet in the way they kiss the air and I find myself staring up at him again. His gaze is steady on mine and I’m very aware of his hand which remains by the curve of my cheek. “I don’t want to push you. You might not be able to handle it.” I chuckle at his playful words and, though it eases the tension between us, I find myself wishing he would push it. His touch feels nice against my cheek, and I want him to touch me even more. I wonder what it may feel like, to have those fingers explore my body. “You can go first,” he says, slowly moving his fingers away from my face and gesturing towards the bathroom. The spot misses his touch instantly. I know it is bad, but I find myself clenching my thighs together at the thought of more of him—I find myself curious of those things he thinks I couldn’t handle. I bite on my lip as my thoughts continue to wander.

“Okay,” I force out the words, though they don’t sound very certain. “I’ll go first.” Corvu stares at me as I leave the room. I only turn toward him when I near the bathroom door, but I could feel his eyes on my skin. I decide to leave the door ajar as I undress. I know he’s a gentleman – he’s been nothing less than this far, but I hope he could see the movement and flickers of revealing skin before I settle into the steaming bath, which must have been prepared some time ago since the fiery embers are almost out. The water is hot and almost burning my skin, momentarily feeling like that may wash away my sinful thoughts, but it doesn’t.

Not really.

The bath is too big and too lonely. I find myself wondering what might happen if he was in here with me. If he had of joined me. Would he help wash me off? Would he kiss down my back? Allow his hands to explore my body? Would I get to feel his bare body against mine? Would he kiss my lips and press his body against mine? I don’t know, but I long to know.

After I’m done in the bathroom, I wrap myself up in a silk, violet robe that was neatly folded on one of the counters, clearly for my convenience, and I exit the bathroom. Corvu is seated on the bed and stands at my entrance, his dark gaze washing over me and drinking me in in a way that makes me feel tingly. His eyes seem to wander to the area of my chest a lot. If I was more confident, I might’ve dropped the robe, but instead I just say, “Your turn,” as I offer him a seemingly innocent smile. As he leaves to clean up himself, I wait for him on the bed, feeling the way the delicate fabric clings to my skin. As Corvu returns, I notice that he’s wearing pants and nothing else, his dark hair still wet. “Are you ready for bed?” I ask him.

“Definitely,” he replies. The candlelight's in the room seem to dim a little, and I move underneath the covers. Covru gets into bed beside me, and I can feel the weight shift on the mattress as he moves closer. Silence surrounds us momentarily before I speak up.

“Will you spoon me?” I ask. A chuckle escapes his lips. It seems like somewhat of an inside joke now.

“Of course.” I smile and wriggle back into him, and his arm wraps around me and I feel his warmth as my back meets his chest. Every groove of our bodies is perfectly meshed together, and I smile cheekily as I wriggle my backside a little against him.

“Don’t,” he warns, “I’m trying my very best to behave.”

“And what if I don’t want you to behave?”

There’s a small silence before I feel his lips at my shoulder, lightly kissing my skin. I even feel the sharp edge of his fang graze against my skin. “Then I might start doing this,” he whispers.

Goosebumps roll over my skin and my body instinctively arches back into his. “Would you give me goodnight kisses, then?” I wonder.

“Depends where you want them,” He murmurs against my skin.

“Hm.” I hum for a moment before I grab his hand and guide it toward my lips. “Here?” He follows my lead and grants me with a kiss. It soft and fleeting, yet still my body reacts with adrenaline as it shoots signals to one singular place. “And here,” I whisper, moving his hand to my neck. His lips shift down my cheek without a moment of hesitation. I can feel his hot breath tickling there and I shiver in response as his lips meet my neck. He trails soft kisses against my skin and I gather the courage to drag his hand down to my breast. “And here,” I prompt him. He exhales slowly, seemingly caught off guard, but allowing his hand to linger there for a moment longer, before his mouth lowers right above my breast.

“A little insatiable, aren’t you?” He murmurs, “I thought you promised you’d behave.” Still, his lips dip lower, leaving a small trail of kisses around my nipple as his sharp fangs drag along. He’s teasing me with them now, I’m certain of it.

“I am behaving,” I correct him, because what I want to do is far more than this. My entire body shakes in Corvu’s embrace, trembling and pulsating for him, as I struggle to catch my breath. The world around us momentarily becomes blurry, but it is a soft kiss that he plants on my lips that brings me back.

“You’re impossible to resist, Tia,” He whispers against my lips, “, but I’m begging you, go to sleep, before I do something unsavory.”

Chapter twenty-three

The next morning I wake up in the giant bed I had slept in the night before I originally left Skiora. Sandy knocks on the door and enters, laying out a lovely casual purple dress for me. It's made of hesen fabric, perfect for warmer days like today.

“This afternoon you must return to change into ceremonial wear for your knighting,” she smiles.

“Knighting?” I question, getting up out of bed in a pair of pajamas I picked up from a thrift store that say ‘I Heart New York’. Sandy seems very interested in my clothing, unaware that I brought back a dress for her.

“Yes, the King has to knight you in order for you to join the King’s Guard. He’s very excited to have you.”

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