Page 88 of Blood of Two Crowns

“Do you want to take a shower? And then we can crawl in bed?”

My breath caught before I managed to infuse my voice with every ounce of steadiness I didn’t feel. “That would be a dream come true, Mareina.”

The idea of sharing a bed with mysoulboundagain was nothing short of an answered prayer.I pressed a lingering kiss to the top of Mareina’s head before shifting us so I could sit up.

Mareina’s grip tightened on me. “Do you mind if I join you?”

My cock promptly thickened in response, drawing a silent curse from me. Overcome with the longing that the idea of her joining me inspired, I couldn’t manage words to respond. Instead, I scooped her into my arms and carried her to the bathroom.

Willingthe shower on, steam curled through the air as every nerve in my body lit up with anticipation. Outside of the sound of the running water, silence stretched between us as we stood mere inches apart, hesitating to undress. There was so much I needed to say to her. To apologize for. To express. But I recognised that now, was not the time to put any more emotional burden on her.

However, before I could step into that shower, there was one thing that I couldn’t wait for an apology. “I have to apologize… I can’t help?—

Mareina’s eyes dipped between us, and the ghost of a smile appeared on her lips. “I don’t take your erections as a personal insult,soulbound.”

My heart squeezed to the point of pain at the endearment. The first-ever. The tension between us lifted a little and Mareina took the opportunity towillher clothing away. My eyeballs practically shook under the strain tonotallow my gaze to fall upon her nude perfection.

She turned and stepped into the shower, taking my willpower with her. My eyes landed heavily on the thick curves of her ass and thighs. I swallowed my groan, willing my fighting leathers away. My cock sprang forward, already hard as the fucking tile beneath my feet. I couldn’t help but notice the way her eyes fell from my face to my cock, demanding her attention, and thenblushed.

A deep groan escaped me as I stepped beneath the scalding hot water raining down upon us. Mareina reached for a bottle of cleanser, lathering a loofah before taking one of my arms in her hands and working it over my skin. Surprise illuminated the dark, hollow cavern of my chest, followed by the meeting of our eyes, something unspoken passing between us.

I’m sorry.

Mareina continued her ministrations, taking extra care as she worked over the sharp black armored protrusions that had formed over parts of my arms, shoulders, and legs when I’d made my transformation after ouraltercation.

Iwilledthem away, slipping them beneath my skin, lest she cut herself on them. She gave a soft gasp. “I didn’t know you could do that,” she murmured.

“Only with the armor... The rest, I’d have to glamor.”

I’d developed mixed emotions about my changed appearance. How the lush, dark feathers of my wings had beenreplaced with bat-like membranes. The thick, lethal horns that now grew from my head.

Before my transformation, I’d always kept the inhuman parts of me glamored, but now, I hadn’t often bothered even though every time I looked in the mirror, I only saw a monster. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel a pang of insecurity in front of Mareina. The thought had me willing away my horns, wings, and tail.

Mareina shook her head, searching my gaze and no doubt discovering all my insecurities. “Please, don’t. I want all of you.”

Sudden emotion clogged my throat. I managed a nod, bringing forth my tail, horns, and wings.

“What about the armor?”

I shook my head. “I don’t want to accidentally cut you.”

She reached for my wings, gently brushing the loofah over them. Every muscle in my body tensed.Including the ones in my cock.

“Is this ok?”

A tight groan escaped as I nodded. “Yes. It’s just… intense.”

Mareina remained still behind me for a moment before her fingers gingerly caressed a stripe up the length of my wings, and I swear tofuckI felt the beginning of an orgasm tingle at the base of my spine. My hips gave an involuntary thrust as I failed to stifle a soft growl. Her night-blooming rose scent thickened in the air, denoting her arousal.

This was becoming torture. A sweet, delicious torture but torture nonetheless.

“Maybe we should just skip my wings.”

The suggestion felt like shards of glass on my tongue because that was the last thing I wanted her to do when every stroke sent delicious currents of energy straight to my engorged, aching cock.

Instead of heeding my suggestion, Mareina continued the gentle glide of her fingers. Every muscle in my body coiled tight and trembled with restraint, only relaxing briefly when she stopped to shift in front of me. My cock slid against her abdomen as her hands coasted over the planes of my chest. Gradually working lower.

Before she could reach my cock, I snagged her wrists in my hands.

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