Page 25 of Her Immortal Mate

"Drink," I command, pressing my wrist to her lips. She hesitates for a moment, her eyes flicking open, meeting mine. I see the question in her gaze, the slight tremor of fear. "Trust me, Mae," I say, my voice softening.

She nods, her lips parting. I press my wrist against her mouth, feeling her tongue dart out, tasting me. She sucks gently at first, then harder, her eyes locked onto mine. I can see the effect my blood has on her, her pupils dilating, her breath coming in short gasps.

I continue to pump my fingers in and out of her, my thumb finding her clit, circling it. She moans against my wrist, the vibration sending a jolt of pleasure through me. I can feel her growing closer, her body tensing, her muscles clamping down on my fingers.

I pull my wrist away, applying pressure to her clit, my fingers moving faster, driving her towards the edge. She cries out, her body convulsing, her orgasm crashing over her.

I bring her wrist to my mouth, biting down, letting my numbing agent fill her again. She gasps, her body trembling as she is hit with wave after wave of pleasure.

I drink heavily, her blood sweet and rich. Her taste fills me, igniting something primal within me. I growl, my fingers continuing to move inside her, drawing out her pleasure. Shewrithes beneath me, her moans filling the cave, echoing off the walls.

"Eike," she gasps, her voice ragged. "I...I can't...it's too much."

"You can," I say, my voice firm. "Let go, Mae. Let me see you come undone."

I increase the pressure, my fingers moving faster, my thumb circling her clit. She cries out, her body convulsing, her muscles clamping down on my fingers. Her orgasm hits her hard, her body writhing, her scream filling the cave. I ride it out with her, my mouth gentle now, bringing her down slowly.

When she finally stills, I look up at her. Her eyes are closed, her chest rising and falling rapidly. I kiss her neck, her cheek, her lips. Her eyes try to flutter open, but it's clear that her body is tired and overwhelmed.

"Sleep," I whisper, pulling her against my body and wrapping my wings around her. I hope that she will survive this.

I will never forgive myself if not.

I hold Mae through the night, feeling every twitch and whimper. Her skin burns against mine as the Change works through her system. I do everything I can to ease her, plying her with more bites and orgasms when her fangs rip through and her wings tear through her back. But she handles it well.

Dawn creeps into the cave entrance when her eyes finally snap open. She bolts upright, hands clutching at her throat.

"It burns," she gasps, her new wings unfurling instinctively. "Eike, I'm so thirsty."

"I know." I brush her hair back from her face, taking in her sharpened features, the silvery sheen to her skin. "We'll fix that. Can you stand?"

She nods, wobbling to her feet. I catch her elbow as she stumbles, adjusting to her altered center of gravity. Her wings flex and fold, responding to muscles she's never used before.

"Everything's so... bright. Clear." Her head swivels, taking in details that human eyes would miss. "I can hear water running somewhere."

"Half mile west." I guide her to the cave entrance. "Ready to hunt?"

"Yes. Please." The desperation in her voice tugs at something primal in my chest.

Not to mention the fact that she is still naked.

"Maybe you should get dressed-"

"No," she snarls. "Need to hunt."

I nod, helping her to the mouth of the cave. I don't hear anyone in the forest and clothing might overwhelm her anyway. If she wants to hunt naked, then fine.

"Trust your instincts," I say. "Your body knows what to do."

She launches forward with surprising grace, running between the trees and toward the deer — or the version of deer on Protheka, it has three horns and some other slight differences — that I could hear in the cave.

Mae's eyes lock onto the prey, her pupils dilating. She dives for it, leaping in the air and landing on it, her new strength letting her bring it down in one swift motion. Her teeth find the jugular automatically.

When she lifts her head, blood staining her chin, her eyes are bright with satisfaction. "That was... incredible."

Pride swells in my chest. "You're a natural." I land beside her, watching as she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. "How's the throat?"

"Better. Much better." She flexes her wings, still stained with dried blood from the Change. "I feel... powerful."

---