Page 77 of Fallen from the Stars

“Me neither,” she said.

The pad of his finger traced a circle around her nipple. “I will remember for next time.”

Tentacles guiding her legs along with his movements, Vasil leaned upright, withdrew from her, and lay down on his back. As he did, he turned her around to face him and eased her down atop him, entering her once more — this time slowly. Once his shaft was buried deep, he wrapped Theo in his arms and drew her close, winding his tentacles around her legs.

Theo laid her cheek against his chest, listening to the beating of his hearts. He ran one hand gently up and down her back while the other smoothed over her hair.

For a moment, Theo was speechless. This was…cuddling. The narrow seats in the pod would have made this difficult, but this bed wasperfect; too perfect. So perfect that her eyes misted with tears.

How much had she longed for this, for this closeness, for this sense of security? To have someone care about her? She’d gone without as a child, when she needed to feel those things the most, and had told herself as an adult that she didn’t need them at all. And now…

She didn’t know what she’d do if she lost him.

Theo sniffled, unable to keep the tears from falling.

Vasil’s hands stilled.

“You are crying,” he said softly.

“No, I’m not.” Her traitorous voice was thick with emotion.

“You are. What is wrong?”

“I’m not crying.”

“Then you are… What is the word?Drooling? All over me.”

She gently smacked his side. “I am not!”

He moved a hand to her chin and made her look at him. Fresh tears flowed down onto his hand.

“Tell me what is wrong, Theo.”

“I love you,” she blurted.

His eyes gleamed their impossible, beautiful silver, and his lips slowly turned up into a smile; the way his face brightened reminded her of the radiance of a sunrise, but his expression was more captivating than anything she’d ever seen in the sky.

Vasil shifted his palm to her cheek and brushed away her tears with his thumb. “Then why do you cry?”

“Because I’m scared. I’ve only felt something vaguely like this once, but it wasn’t…wasn’t nearly as strong as what I feel for you, and I lost him.”

He stared into her eyes, his smile softening a little. “I love you, too, Theo.”

Her heart leapt, and her tears came in earnest. Vasil pulled her against him and stroked her back soothingly, but she could only cling to him and cry harder.

“I fear losing you constantly,” he said. “I have always been aware of how dangerous Halora is, but it is all the more terrifying now that you are here. I will doeverythingin my power to keep you safe…and to be with you always.”

Somehow, her love for him grew in that moment. She didn’t know how this kraken, who’d declared herhisfrom the moment he saw her, had forced his way into her heart so quickly, but she knew he was there to stay.

She sniffled again, rubbing her wet cheek against his velvety chest.

“No more crying, Theo.”

She hiccupped. “I said I wasn’t crying.”

Vasil chuckled; the light shaking of his body reminded her that his cock, still quite erect, was inside her. The motion sent fresh ripples of pleasure through her.

“You do not need to feel shame with me, Theodora. You are mine, and I am yours. We are as one.” His shaft pulsed inside her, and the tendrils around its base stroked her flesh. “Shall I provide you a distraction from your thoughts for a while longer?”

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