Page 145 of Aine

Damien’s face is back in my neck before I can process what’s happening, his teeth nipping at the skin in warning. I squeal as his teeth clamp and pull, his actions rough as he reacts to my suggestion for him to beg.

Damien may do many things I ask, but begging seems to be where he draws the line.

“My intelligent, dominating mate. Can I please mark you?” He groans, surprisingly giving in to my request. “Please let me feel you. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. It’s all I ever think about. How pretty you’d look with my mark.”

His tone lowers into a whine I didn’t even know was possible from him.

“Please, Aine. Please let me mark you. I promise I’ll make it so good.” His hands slide to my waist and softly rock me against him.

I smirk, grabbing his head and shoving his face back into my neck. He continues to whisper into my skin, begging, but the words are muffled.

“Please.” I gasp, desperate for it.

I’m thrown onto my back the second the plea slips from my lips, Damien’s body moving to hover over mine. I can tell he’s pointedly keeping a good chunk of his weight off me as he grinds his pelvis against mine. I have half a mind to joke about his earlier comment that he doesn’t want this to be sexual, but I decide to let it be. I’ll be happy either way.

“Is it okay if I bite you harder than before?” he asks. “It’ll hurt more, but our bond will be deeper.”

“Do it as hard as you can.”

Damien chuckles. We both know he’d kill me if he did that, but he knows what I mean. I can handle a bit of short-lived pain if it means our bond will be big and deep for the rest of my life. It almost makes me wish I’d have bit him harder.

His adorable purr starts up again as he searches for the spot where he wants his mark to live. I open my mouth to tease him, but all thoughts leave my mind when he finally sinks his teeth into me.

My gasp is loud as a burning pain immediately begins to spread, pulsating from my neck and down my shoulder. Damien’s grip tightens as I instinctively try to move away, his chest lowering to press into my own and hold me still until he’s finished.Fuck.I remember it hurting the first time he bit me, and I can tell he’s going deeper this time around.

I grunt when he finally pulls away and licks the wound.

“You don’t have enough of my blood in you.” He grumbles as he pulls away to glance at his work. He’s not a fan of my dislike for the transfusions, but I’m grateful he doesn’t push. I take just enough to keep me strong and energized, and not one drop more.

“It’ll take a few hours to heal. How do you feel?” Damien asks.

I can feel his sheer delight as he looks down at me, his eyes continually darting to my neck. He struggles to hold back a smile as he waits for my reaction, his lips twitching every few seconds before finally spreading into a grin.

“I don’t really need to ask because I can feel it myself,” he brags, earning a laugh from me.

Eager for him to experience the bond as I have these past few weeks, I try to push my love into his body. His eyes widen as he feels it, a subtle blush covering his cheeks.

Damien lies back on the couch as he basks in it, his arms moving to wrap around my waist as he pulls me onto his chest. We rest for a long minute, enjoying one another’s warmth as he prods around in my head.

“It’s time to clean you off.” He breaks our silence as he stands and hoists me into his arms.

There’s a noticeable bounce in his step as he carries me up the stairs, his bliss outweighing all his other emotions. I can’t help but chuckle at it, happily letting him care for me.

Damien finally sets me down so he can get the shower ready, and I sneak behind him so I can wrap my arms around his waist as he adjusts the temperature. He lets me, his body soft and relaxed within my hold.

“We should lie low for a few days so we don’t steal Alex and Olivia’s thunder,” I say as we step into the shower.

I can tell Damien’s not excited as he grudgingly agrees, the man clearly not a fan of the idea of hiding our marks. My body feels light as I lean into him and let him wash my neck, his movements slow as he takes special care not to injure the sensitive skin.

“When do you plan to furnish my office?” I ask as we grab our towels.

Damien shrugs, a sly grin spreading over his lips.

“I don’t know,” he eventually responds. “I didn’t realize you were in such a hurry. I quite like you working out of my office.”

I snort and roll my eyes as Damien smacks my butt and convinces me to lie down while he makes us dinner. He usually hates when I eat in bed, and I feel giddier than I’d care to admit as he hand feeds me some meat dish I’ve never eaten before.

He eyes the few crumbs that slip from my lips with poorly hidden contempt, and I laugh as he dramatically brushes them off the sheets with the back of his hand.

---