Page 267 of Of Sins and Sacrifice

He stops me. Pushing my hand away, he leans in and licks the blood trickling down my skin. He makes his way from my navel to the valley of my breasts and up my neck, not letting even one drop go to waste. He cups my breasts as he continues to suck on my flesh even as my wounds heal.

I let out a ragged breath. From the corner of my eye, I see his chest is healing, too. His bones are regenerating while his skin is slowly mending together until the only trace of his madness are the smudges of blood painting his skin red.

Grabbing my blade, he cuts through the remaining material of my dress before roughly pulling it with his hands and throwing it to the side.

I’m almost bare except for a scrap of material covering my privates.

Leaning forward with deliberate slowness, he presses a torturous kiss to one breast before lavishing the same attention on its twin. His lips trail a path of electric sensation down the valley between my breasts until they reach the curve of my stomach. With delicate care, he places a tender kiss just below my belly button before pressing his cheek against my stomach.

The heat radiating from his body warms me from within as he wraps his hands around my hips and holds me close.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been dreaming about this,” he whispers in a low voice, his breath hot against my skin.

“How long?” I ask, unable to hide the excitement in my voice.

He smiles against me, his lips grazing over my flesh.

“An eternity? Maybe more?”

A shiver runs down my spine at his words, sending sparks of anticipation through my body.

“I want to see more.” He raises his head slightly so he can look into my eyes. “Can I?” His fingers trace over the side of my hip, hooking onto the material of my underwear.

My mind is reeling, but I manage to nod in consent.

All the reasons why he shouldn’t do this flash in my mind, but with each passing moment, they seem less important than the desire coursing through my veins.

“I suppose it’s only fair since I’ve seen all of you too,” I murmur, trying to sound nonchalant despite the fluttering in my stomach.

“And you’re all about equality, aren’t you?” He raises a playful brow.

I nod again, feeling a surge of confidence and vulnerability all at once.

“Uh-huh.”

“Good girl,” he praises in a husky voice that makes me blush from head to toe.

With a swift motion, he slices the sides of my underwear with a sharp blade. I gasp in surprise and irritation. “That was the only pair I had,” I protest, trying to cover myself.

He clicks his tongue disapprovingly. “I’ll buy you as many pairs as you’d like when we get to Paris,” he offers nonchalantly.

My fingers thread through his unruly hair as I try to process his words. “Paris? Is that where we’re going?” I ask, intrigued.

He nods, a proud smile on his face. “My parents live in France, and I have a beautiful house just outside of Paris. Remember when I said I would take you to my sanctuary someday?”

A feeling of anticipation builds in my chest. “Is that where your sanctuary is?” I inquire, unable to hide my curiosity.

He grins mischievously. “Yes, and I can’t wait to see your reaction when we arrive.”

“Why? What’s so special about it?” I press.

“Let’s just say that I built it with my future wife in mind,” he explains, his gaze lingering on me.

I raise an eyebrow in response. “Future wife? You’re getting ahead of yourself.”

He chuckles and gazes at me with affection. “I have no doubt that you will become my wife, my female, my everything…”

“I might be persuaded…” I tease, though a smile tugs at the corners of my lips.

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