Page 74 of Rage

“You look happy, Batya.”

“I am.”

The silence hung between them for almost a minute. The air swelled with words that were still being left unsaid. Finally, Adelaide broke the quiet.

“I’m happy you’ve found your place, honey.”

Batya nodded.

“Thanks, Mom.”

It felt good to be who and where she was meant to be.

Epilogue

The night was cold but Batya barely felt it. Blood rushed through her veins, heating her body in a way only few things could. She should be exhausted from the battle she’d fought but her energy level was still so high, she was almost buzzing. As she stripped off her uniform, memories of the previous few hours flashed in her mind.

The mission started smoothly but the rebels knew to expect them now. It never took them long to gather their people to join the fight. Yet, they still lost – Castille’s squadron was just too skilled. Too deadly. Her breath hitched at the thought of him. The way he moved during combat was like poetry she never tired of reading.

And then there was the blood. After months of watching him kill the enemy, her anticipation at seeing him lick the blood from his knives never waned. Glancing in the bathroom mirror, she noted the blood that speckled her face. Sometimes, it was easy to forget that she was just as much of a badass as her lover.

Just as she stepped into the shower, he barged into the bathroom. His dark brown eyes focused on her while he shed his clothes.

“I was wondering when you’d get here, Castille,” she said, grinning.

While they were careful in the beginning, she was sure everyone knew their ritual by now.

“You know Khyron likes to talk,” he muttered.

Batya laughed and extended her hand to him. She knew exactly how to get his mind off his second in command but first they needed to get clean. Fighting the urge to ravage him right there, she focused on removing the fight’s residue from their bodies.

A smile crept across her face when he hardened in her hands.

“I’m clean. Let’s go,” he muttered.

Squealing, she sprinted to the bed as if his long strides wouldn’t catch up with her. By the time she climbed on, he was there to flip her over on her back. He captured her mouth, his tongue savouring her taste as if they hadn’t done this a hundred times.

When he pulled away, she ran her fingernails down his chest, increasing the pressure as she went. Large welts rose in seconds.

“I like the sight of that.”

“Speaking of sight…”

He reached over and pulled a cloth from the drawer in her nightstand. A small whimper escaped her as he tied the blindfold around her temple. Soon after, she heard the tell-tale sound of padded wrist restraints. Longing made her core pulse.

Without her sight, she strained to determine his movements but still jumped when the chill of steel touched her ankle. Castille snickered and slid the curved blade slowly up her calf to tease her inner thigh. When she squirmed, he switched to the other leg and started at her ankle again.

“Patience, sweet girl,” he whispered.

Batya took a deep breath to settle her thundering heart but the need for more still throbbed between her thighs. The bladelingered on her inner thigh and she fought the urge to twitch. A little knick and she was sure the sight of crimson trickling down her thigh would bring out the ravenous desire he was barely keeping under control.

But he lifted the blade from her again. This time, it circled her areola, teasing her hardening nipple with the sharp tip. Curling her toes, she pressed her thighs into the bed and wondered if he saw the wetness dripping from her. Perhaps he did because she lost the sensation of the blade moments before he sunk two fingers inside her slick sheath.

“Oh, Castille.”

He groaned and took her nipple into his mouth – his teeth gently scraping her sensitive flesh. Batya’s lips parted in a soft moan as she ground her clitoris against the heel of his hand.

“Naughty.” His breath was hot on her breast and she shuddered when he pulled away again.

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