Page 25 of Thorn of Sorrow

“I’m nervous.”

“I know, petit oiseau.” I rubbed my cheek over his. “We both are.”

A tiny snort escaped him, making my cheek vibrate with the sound. “Why would you be nervous?”

Closing my eyes, images of my past surfaced, the atrocities I’d committed, and even now, I felt the monster stirring. “Because I feel too dark to bathe in your light.”

Like I would burn in the eternal fires for daring to want him. Despite what he’d gone through, Kyson was innocence, a purity I had no right touching.

“You’re not,” he whispered, as though afraid his confession would condemn his soul. “You might’ve been born a vampire, but I’ve felt your pain, your remorse, Giovanni. No one who mourns the loss of life is irredeemable.”

The male had no idea what those words meant to me. My entire existence I believed I was beyond redemption, a force meant to tear down rather than rebuild. The ultimate weapon of destruction for whom salvation was never an option.

Until now.

I wanted to be a part of Kyson’s life, to help him rebuild, and maybe, somehow, possibly rebuild mine too. “I love you.” The admission refused to be held back any longer. “Does that scare you?”

“Yes.” His arms around my neck tightened, and I could only pray he didn’t reject me. I’d never uttered those three words, and my heart was racing.

“No one…” He swallowed roughly. “No one has ever told me they loved me.” A small laugh escaped. “It’s frightening, but…it feels…good.”

I smiled. “Felt good to confess them, petit oiseau.”

In ways I never dreamed.

“Will you…” I felt him lick his lips, heard his heart pounding. “Will you make love to me?” he asked softly, tilting his head back before sealing his mouth to mine. Was he afraid I would say no? That wasn’t in the realm of possibility. I’d wanted Kyson for far too long, had craved him with a madness I hadn’t been able to shake.

Now that I was about to finally have him, nothing, not even the rising sun, could take him from me.

When his tongue slid over my fangs, any semblance of control I’d had vanished. I didn’t have control over a damn thing in that moment. Not when Kyson was giving me something I had no right to take.

Not when I felt responsible for ruining his life five years ago.

Not when a kernel of hope blossomed inside of me that I could be saved by this man.

He was my solace, but I wasn’t his. Yet, for some reason, Kyson wanted my retched-ass soul, and I wasn’t going to deny him anything he desired.

We fell toward the bed, but I turned at the last second, placing him gently onto his back while telling myself not to rush this. Not when I had something to prove.

Kyson’s worth. Not just to me, but also to himself.

Goddamn, he was breathtaking lying under me, a need in his eyes I’d never thought would be aimed at me. He bit my bottom lip, smiling as he lapped at the sting. I’d never met anyone like him, and maybe five years ago, my subconscious had known just how special he truly was when I’d offered to take him home.

But you failed to keep him safe.

Something I would always regret, but I was a selfish bastard, unwilling to walk away and leave him untouched.

My hand cupped the back of his head, the other slipping under his shirt. Kyson froze, but I couldn’t stop now. Not when there was a chance he might shut me out for good if I backed down.

I trailed my fingers over scars, mapping out his slim chest. He gasped when I tweaked a nipple, then he moaned into my mouth.

A sound I willingly devoured.

He was a sensual creature, responding to my every touch, and I wanted to wreck any hope someone else might have of stealing Kyson away from me.

For him, I would be whatever the male needed me to be. His lover, protector, friend, partner, and anything else that proved the depth of my love for him. Osiris had tried to break him. Instead, the demon had reforged Kyson into something untouchable, even if the male couldn’t see how incredible he truly was.

His hands skimmed over my dress shirt, and as we kissed, he undid the buttons one at a time, his fingers scraping my skin. His touch was electric, pure fire, and I wanted to rip the damn thing off, to feel his hands on me. But I forced back the urge and allowed him to explore my body, one button at a time.

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