Page 111 of A Dawn Of Blood

For a moment, I remain speechless, my heart hurting for him. “No,” I say with a shake of my head, “I know who and what you are, Cain, so please, don’t worry about me.”

I move to get closer, but he retreats, expelling a frustrated breath. “I’m not being selfless here. I don’t want to see you with anyone else, but…”

“But what?”

“I did get to know you, Anna. Who you really are is the best person I’ve ever known. Back in your room, I ended up snapping at you, but… you were honest with me even though it didn’t suit you. So I know you do care about me on some level, the way you seem to care about everyone.” He shakes his head. “Insisting on seducing me—”

I open my mouth to protest, but he doesn’t let me. “I know the goal isn’t to hurt me,” he says in a soft voice. “You’re securing a powerful ally in a fight you deem worthy of the sacrifice, and in the process, you’re giving me more than anyone’s ever given me. It’s just that…” He grits his teeth. “Itdoeshurt simply because I know.”

I frown. “Know what?” I ask on a whisper.

Running his hand through his hair, he blows a bitter laugh through his nose. Then he glances away, wincing. “Look, I think it’s obvious by now that I won’t be able to make myself leave. If you want me to stay, I’ll help you do whatever it is you want todo, I’ll protect you from any harm that might befall you, I’ll care for you in any way you let me.” He locks eyes with me again. “I only have one condition.”

I nudge him to talk.

He turns dead serious. “I ask you to drop the pretenses.”

My eyebrows shoot up.

He gets closer, a plea in his voice. “I know you’re not faking being attracted to me, but I need you to stop faking… having those kinds of feelings for me. I know none of it is real. I mean — a woman like you loving a man like me? That’s the lie I simply can’t bear and I will never be able to come to terms with it, Anna—”

It’s by coming to throw my arms around him that I cut him off. He stiffens, but he doesn’t protest. I lean to whisper in his ear, “I’m not trying to trick you, Cain, my feelings for you are all as real as they get.” I pull away to look deep into his eyes, finding tears welling inside them. “And I know you think you’re not worthy of love,” I keep whispering, “but isn’t the fact that I already love you enough to make you realize you’re wrong?”

When I pull away some more, I don’t let him reply. I take his collar off.

His eyes widen. I lift my hand to touch his face and he lets me. I brush my fingers down the curve of his cheek, watching his breath catch.

The next thing I know, he’s wrapping his arms around my waist and crushing my body to his.

And the touch of his lips on mine, it’s at the same time so fierce and so gentle, I can do nothing but get completely lost in it.

*

Without knowing how or when it happened, I find myself standing in the middle of his room, my breathing shallow. He’s broken the kiss and pulled away ever so slightly, his chest falling up and down.

I hold my breath in anticipation.

Without taking his eyes off me, as gently as if I were made of glass, he starts work on unbuttoning my shirt. It’s just as it was with both Jericho and Orpheus and no one else — the intensity of his attention making me feel as if I’ve never been truly seen or touched before. Mesmerized, I watch him do the last couple of buttons and slide my shirt off my shoulders, his throat bobbing up and down and a muscle in his jaw jumping when his eyes land on my breasts. Still as gently as if he were afraid to break me, he slides one hand around my nape and the other around my waist, lowering his head to give my nipple a slow lick. A moan escapes my lips.

He stiffens. He lets out a groan, the grip of his hand on my waist turning brutal. For a second, I think he’ll snap. Then he collects himself and just keeps exploring, slowly and gently.

And I don’t know what’s driving me more crazy. His touch. The feel of his lips on my skin. How extremely focused he seems to be on every breath I take, every shiver that runs down my spine, every sound I make. It’s like he’s cataloging my every reaction to everything he does to me.

Once he gets me naked, though, he makes a point of not looking at me. I’m so eager for him, I move to take his pants off. He stops me, instead gently gathering me in his arms and getting me in bed. I play along, wanting to give him whatever it is he needs right now. It makes me inhale sharply, when he spreads my legs and gets his head between them. My heart starts pounding even before I feel his mouth on me.

He keeps being maddeningly slow and gentle, until I’m panting, tugging at his hair and writhing under his touch.

Then, just as I think the pleasure couldn’t be any greater, something sweeps all over my body, making my eyes fling open only to realize it’s his shadows caressing every inch of me.

Closing my eyes shut and biting down on my lip, I fall apart in his arms, my entire body spasming. He keeps licking and kissing until my breathing goes back to normal.

Then, whenIset out to makehimfeel good, he does let me take his clothes off, but he doesn’t let me do anything more than that. He gathers me in his arms again and buries his face in my neck. There’s a moment of silence before he demands, “What you said last time, say it again.”

I know exactly what he’s talking about. “You’re mine and I’m yours.”

There’s a frown forming on his forehead, as if he can’t believe it. “The last bit, again.”

“I’m yours.”

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