Page 35 of Aria's Ascension

Snorting, she leaned over to eye the water in which he was standing.

“Harmless, my ass! If we’ve got alligators in the sewers of New York, there’s no telling what kind of creatures are waiting in the depths down there. And you’re covered in blood! You’d be ringing the fucking dinner bell!”

He wasn’t even trying to hide his laughter by the time she finished. Grabbing his horns, she pulled his head out of her boobs and glared down at him.

He made at least a passing effort to choke back his amusement at the expression on her face and stroked his big hand down her spine soothingly.

“I would feel the ripples if there was anything big hiding down there, but if it eases your mind, I shall only go deep enough to bathe us.”

Aria opened her mouth to insist they didn’t need a bath that badly, but a trickle of cum slid down her thigh just then.

Hunching her shoulders, she grumbled under her breath about alligators and alien river monsters, but very slowly, very carefully climbed down his body and dipped a single toe in the water. When nothing jumped out and tried to eat her, she lowered herself until she was standing in the shin deep current.

Gazing back up at him she asked, “You’re sure it’s fresh water?”

“I am.”

Still wary, but at least slightly reassured, she took a very quick bath, splashing water on herself to clean off the blood and sex, but she never stopped scanning for surprise visitors.

By the time she finished and bounded out, Tirox had only managed to clean his legs.

Safe on the bank, she turned back and stood guard for him while wiping off the droplets clinging to her. The cold air in the cave against her wet skin made a shiver track down her spine and had goosebumps rising on her arms, but her body adjusted before she could bemoan the complete lack of available clothes or blankets. Within seconds, she was warm and comfortable.

At leastoneof the modifications Zhrovni did to us was useful for more than just killing people.

Her gaze flicked to Tirox standing naked and wet in the river, his muscles flexing as he scrubbed the blood off his skin. A flash of his mouth between her legs and how incredible it felt had her breath hitching.

Okay, so the hypersensitive skin isn’t so bad either.

When he finally joined her on the bank, fatigue was pulling at her. She didn’t protest when he scooped her up into his arms that time, just relaxed against him and let him carry her to where Kix was lying.

Tirox settled her next to her unconscious mate and lay on her other side, positioning himself between her and the cave opening. Snuggling in against Kix, she laid her head on his chest and threw a leg over him, so she’d know if he moved while she slept, then reached back to draw Tirox against her.

Within seconds, her eyelids felt weighted, and she was struggling to keep them open.

“We should nap in shifts, just in case,” she murmured.

“Sleep, my beauty. I shall watch for danger,” Tirox responded quietly, his voice a low rumble against her back as he began running his fingers through her hair, the movement slow, hypnotic.

“‘’Kay. Wake me up when it’s my shift.”

Lulled by his gentle stroking, and the knowledge that he wouldn’t let anything happen to them, she was asleep before she heard his reply.

Chapter 21

Aria was coaxed out of a deep, dreamless sleep by soft, rhythmic sucking on her nipple. Exhaling on a moan, she pried her lids open to slits and gazed down her body.

Expecting to see Tirox, she was instead surprised to find glowing, blue eyes staring back at her.

Relief and arousal swept through her, speeding her pulse. Reaching for Kix, she slid her fingertips down theVof ridges on his forehead and over the bridge of his nose.

“You’re awake,” she breathed. “Are you okay?”

In answer, he lit up, the veins of bioluminescence on his arms coming to life just brightly enough for her to see that he was hovering above her on all fours. He appeared unharmed, but he didn’t speak or cease his delicious tugging on her stiff tip.

“Kix?”

He finally released her nipple, only to growl, “Need you.”

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