Page 29 of Daughter of Shadows and Ash

She's not.

"I'm usually not the type to sit in the tavern and speak to a stranger for hours either."

You're definitely not.

"So, you're saying you've already bent your rules for me?"

"I wouldn't call them rules," I flashed him a smile. His reciprocating one made my heart melt in ways I didn't think would ever be possible again. I couldn't help but wonder how his lips would feel against my own. He must have caught me staring at his full lips, he licked his own as he brought a hand to my face, lightly stroking my cheek with his finger. The touch of his hand sent electricity across my skin, goosebumps creeping over every inch of me.

"I had a hard time letting you leave earlier, and even after you've graced me with your company, I find myself even more hesitant to let you walk out that door. Please, stay?" His finger glided under my chin, his face edging closer to my own. Our lips were a breath apart.

I swallowed, I couldn't deny I didn't feel the same. But the thought of being with someone even with the hallucination of Maël always in my head didn't seem right.

You need to move on from me Alora.

But we were...

I can't love you like I once did. Please, stay.

I could feel Maël's presence recede into the dark depths, it reminded me of all the times we've ever walked away from each other. Just out of reach, yet never too far from one another.

I brought my focus back to the man before me. There was something about him that was so magnetic, infectious, that I couldn't help but stay and speak with him, to get to know him. I was a moth drawn to his flame. I nodded my head. He smiled and stood, taking my hands with his as he quietly led us up the stairs. I heard Evangeline giggling somewhere in the tavern below.

Ryn brought us to the room towards the end of the hall, using the old bronze key to open it.

"After you," he held his arm out through the doorway.

I stepped inside, Jones didn't keep these rooms quite to Vanya's standards but they were cozy. A fire blazed in the far corner, while a made bed awaited with a small pile of quilts. Before I could decide whether to take up one of the chairs near the fireplace or perch upon the bed, Ryn shut the door and spun me until my back hit the rough surface. His hand still holding the knob now beside my hip, the other braced above my head as he leaned into me. He kissed his way up the column of my neck, stopping near my ear.

"Did I tell you how devastatingly beautiful you are?" His breath tickled my ear.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, turning my face to meet his, "You may have mentioned that before your rant about how amazing you are." He chuckled before capturing my lips with his. The kiss was softer than I expected, until it wasn't. His hand came behind my neck, tilting my head back allowing his tongue to coax my mouth open for him. Tasting me. I felt a tug towards him, yet his hands didn't move. As if my very essence was wrapping itself around him as he claimed my mouth harder. The kiss deepened, causing me to gasp as I ran out of breath.As much as I was desperate for the oxygen, I couldn't wait more than a second before melding back into him.

Ryn let out a deep growl as his hands slid down to my hips, then gripping my ass until he lifted me into his arms. My legs wrapped around his torso. He turned, bringing us to the bed and laying me before him. His blue eyes trailed the length of my body as he began unlacing my boots. I sat up and pulled my tunic over my head, the cold air causing my nipples to pebble. With a thud from my boots hitting the ground, he shucked his own tunic, bearing his chiseled chest to me. I assessed him hungrily, the man was built like a fae god. A sun tattoo covered the left side of his chest, light blonde hair lightly trailing down towards the V that guided my eyesight towards the growing bulge in his leathers, laces already undone. He smirked catching my gaze, hooking his thumbs beneath his pants to push them down.

"Eyes on me, Love," He commanded me as he peeled my own leathers from my body. I bit my lip as he knelt before me, placing my heels on either side of him at the edge of the bed. He pulled his hair from its last remnants of the bun and it cascaded towards his broad shoulders as he settled himself between my legs, hands pushing each thigh further apart. I held his gaze as he took his tongue and licked down my center, teasing my entrance. With every stroke of his tongue my body became alight with pleasure. Crying out as he took the bundle of nerves in his mouth. I tangled my hands in his long hair, giving up on maintaining eye contact as he had me barreling towards the edge. He slid a finger inside me, then two as he continued his assault on my clit.

"You're so wet, Love," he pulled his fingers from me and sucked my juices off them, giving a satisfied groan. He fisted himself. He rubbed his hard length through my slick cunt. He curled a finger towards me, "Come taste how sweet you are."

I tried not to audibly gulp. I've never touched a man other than that last night with Maël. I was out of my element with this man. I would be mortified to have my inexperience ruin this moment.

I crawled to him, looking up at his handsome face through my lashes as I brought my lips towards his length. He said to taste...I bent down, sticking my tongue out and pressing it against his skin. Tasting his skin and myself as I licked up his shaft. A hand tangled in my hair as I met his bulbous head and he guided himself into my mouth. I almost choked as he pushed towards the back of my throat, drool dripping from my lips.

"Just relax," he encouraged. I relaxed my jaw open, giving him more room to slide further in. I instinctively closed my lips around him, sucking him, moving my tongue around him.

He groaned as his hold on me tightened, "Just like that, such a good girl." He began to pump into my mouth, moving his hips faster with every thrust as I tried to keep up. "Is that greedy cunt of yours ready for my cock, Love?"

Ryn pulled his cock from my mouth and wiped a bit of drool off my chin with his thumb as he moved us further up the hard mattress, climbing on top of me. He peppered my body with kisses as he nestled between my thighs, lining himself up with my entrance. He wrapped his arms around me as he eased into me, working each inch until he's fully sheathed.

"Ryn-" I cried, my fingers wrapped in his golden strands again as he completely filled me. Stars formed behind my eyes as he thrust steadily. My body shook, is this what real pleasure is? It felt like my very essence was melding with his. I started falling over the edge, wave after wave of ecstasy crashing through me as I lost myself in the feeling of him.

I didn't think it was possible, but I felt him harden even more. The feel of his solid length sliding to that perfect spot prolonged my orgasm as he chased his own release. Claiming mymouth. I didn't think I could feel fuller until he was pumping his seed deep inside me.

When we finally untangled ourselves from each other, he went to the wash room, his absence making my heart sink. When he returned, he had a damp cloth that he used to clean the mess between my legs. The soft, caring touch more familiar to the warm man I met downstairs than the ruthless one who claimed me. He stopped as he looked at the cloth, a tinge of red smeared on it.

"You should've told me I was your first, I would've taken more care to be gentle." He looked at me worried, like he broke me.

I shrugged, soreness starting to creep through my body, "I didn't mind." The way he stared, as if something was on his mind. Awkwardness began to settle into me like a dark cloak. He asked me to stay with him, but now that he's gotten what he wanted, did he want me to leave? I recalled how it felt to be held by him, kissed by him. Connecting him felt like a missing piece of me slid into place. Was I just being naive?

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