Page 35 of The Death God
Slowly, so slowly, Gregory leaned forward. His lips were warm and soft as they touched Thanatos’, and he curled his fingers in Gregory’s shirt. Cupping the back of his head, Gregory angled him how he wanted him and deepened the kiss. Thanatos relaxed his jaw and allowed him to take what he wanted. Heat rushed through him, and he mimicked Gregory’s motions only to moan when Gregory’s tongue caressed his lip. He did it again, and Thanatos met the tongue with his own.
Gregory went deeper, took control, and soon Thanatos was whimpering in his hold. Sliding his hands from his chest up to his shoulders, Thanatos then broke free and rested his head against the wall. “Wait.” It came out breathy and frail.
Gregory made a sound at the back of his throat before kneading Thanatos’ neck with the hand that had been cupping the back of his head. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” He answered without thinking. Was he okay? Yeah, nothing hurt. His heart was racing uncomfortably fast, but it wasn’t pain.
“Can you be a little more convincing?”
Thanatos blinked and focused on Gregory. He looked scared, and it had a laugh bubble out of him. “Are you okay?”
“Now I’m more worried than before. Is this hysterics? I’ve seen people laugh only to then start sobbing.”
Thanatos frowned at him. “What are you talking about?”
“Did I overstep? Push too far? Have I caused you harm?”
Staring for several seconds, Thanatos then shook his head. “I’m not harmed.” He gestured at himself. “You can see I’m not harmed.” What was wrong with him? Maybe he had some lingering nightmare. Thanatos had woken up many times convinced he was gravely injured. Maybe it was the same for Gregory, only he believed he’d hurt Thanatos instead of being hurt himself.
“I meant inside. If all I had to worry about was bodily harm, I’d have bent you over the kitchen table and fucked you days ago. I’d have you screaming my name in no time.”
White-hot fear shot through him, and before his brain caught up with what he was doing, he kneed Gregory in the balls only to continue to kick and punch as he bent over.
A strong hand caught his knee, then another curled around his wrist, pinning it to the cool surface behind. Gregory flew up into a standing position, his body flush against Thanatos’, pushing him into the wall. He was no match for a vampire and probably wouldn’t have been a match for Gregory even if he’d been human.
“Shh, deep breaths.” Gregory spoke calmly against his ear while Thanatos was panting and shaking.
“Easy, baby, I’ve got you.” The hand holding his wrist let go, and Gregory cupped his cheek. “Breathe. Relax.”
Exhausted, Thanatos slumped against Gregory and leaned his head against his shoulder.
* * * *
Gregory curled his arms around Thanatos and took his weight. What the hell had happened? They’d been kissing, Thanatos had been fine, then…
“What did I do?” He played through the scene again. Was it that he’d said he’d have Thanatos screaming his name? It might have triggered something. He didn’t think Thanatos’ screams had been from pleasure in the past. Fuck, he was an idiot. “I won’t make you scream. Ever. It’s like a saying, it doesn’t mean anyone has to actually be screaming.”
Thanatos didn’t answer, his breaths were still ragged. Gregory glanced at the bed. Would going back to it be a good or a bad idea?
“Baby?” He stroked his hand up and down Thanatos’ back, trying to soothe him. Shit, he wasn’t good at these kinds of things. He had no problem killing people, but the people needing to die for this were already dead. What else could he offer Thanatos?
“Thanatos? Tell me what I did wrong. We can’t have this happening when we’re at the party.” He didn’t give a damn about the party, but maybe it would get Thanatos to talk.
“Tables. No tables.”
Gregory stilled. Tables? Bend him over the kitchen table. “Okay, no tables.” He wouldn’t have anyway. People eat there, and with them walking in and out of the kitchen as they saw fit, Gregory would never…Thanatos was his, he wasn’t sharing what they did with anyone. “I wouldn’t have.”
The small motion could’ve been a shrug, but Gregory wasn’t sure.
“Anything else?”
“Tables, chairs, white walls, blood on beige linoleum.”
Gregory tightened his arms around him despite knowing it might set him off, but for fuck’s sake. “We don’t have any white walls, and we don’t have any beige floors, no one is going to bleed, and I asked you to come to my bed, not any other furniture.” Though it was good to know because Gregory’s mouth sometimes got away from him, and he said things he hadn’t thought through. He was smart like that.
“Come on. Let’s get some food.” He leaned back to look into Thanatos’ eyes. Haunted, not at all like they’d been when he’d woken up. “There you are, gorgeous.” He winked at him, and Thanatos huffed.
“I’m not the gorgeous one.”
