Page 116 of MidKnight
When I was quieter, he raised one hand and gripped my neck tight at the base of my skull. He pressed in then down. Then he repeated the motion, petting me. Pulling the tension out of my body. The movement gradually turned my muscles limp. I took a number of long shuddering breaths.
I swiped at my swollen eyes and met his steady blue gaze. “Why didn’t you fight back?”
He gave a sad half-grin. “I was trying to give you all a chance to get there. Trying to get as much info as I could. I didn’t see the ice—”
I punched his chest lightly. “That was stupid shite. You’re supposed to keep yourself safe.”
“No. I’m supposed to keep you safe.”
I shook my head. “You should have used your power.”
“And let them know it was me? That they already had exactly what they wanted?” Declan shook his head fiercely. “Sard them.”
“I agree. Sard them all.” I pressed my hand against his chest and realized I was covered in blood. “Oops. Sorry.” I pulled my hand back and stared at it.
Declan shifted and pulled me up. “Let’s get cleaned up.”
He moved toward the subterranean stream. But I balked. “I’m not getting in there,” I said. “That’s where she came from.” The nameless sea sprite who’d killed him.
“Shh,” he calmed me. “We won’t get in.”
He brought me over to the edge, and we followed the water down, away from the cavern filled with death. We wound our way along the narrow ledge for a bit until the cave opened up again into another cavern. This cavern looked as though it belonged to fairies. It was breathtaking. The roof was full of tiny, twinkling blue lights. They looked like tiny stars or chandeliers.
I looked up to see Declan’s response and saw the same awe reflected in his eyes. When he noticed me watching him, he turned toward me and smiled.
“May I?” he gestured at my invisible cloak.
I shrugged, grinning but still sniffling from my crying fit. “You don’t like me as a floating head?”
“I love you—any way I can get you,” Declan replied.
I smiled and the tears threatened again.
“Except for crying, Peace. No more,” he scolded as he stripped the invisible cloak off me and laid the plush fur on top of the rock. The inside was visible when it was laid out and I could make out the different shades in the gray rabbit fur. When he saw I only wore a stained man’s shirt beneath the cloak his eyebrows lifted.
I shook my head. “Later. I’ll explain later.”
Declan pulled off my shirt. Then he dipped it into the water, letting the current pull out some of the worst stains.
“Sit down,” he told me.
I sat on the soft fur of the cloak.
Declan wrung out the shirt and came over to me. He cleaned me gently, wiping away all traces of blood and grime. He took care even to clean the beds of my fingernails with small swipes. Declan moved from my hands to my torso. He dragged the makeshift rag slowly up my stomach, circled my breasts, and then back down. Goosebumps followed in his wake. He wiped my hands, held out my arms and swiped all the way to my armpits, tickling me slightly. He swiped from my feet upward, tracing lazy circles on my calves, under my knees, and then up higher.
“Shouldn’t you swipe down?” I asked as he brought the cloth up my inner thighs.
“I don’t know, should I?” Declan asked, his eyes burning into me. He leaned closer as he swiped the rag up over my hip and around my inner thigh. He braced himself on one hand and leaned into me as he wiped the other hip and thigh in the same, slow seductive manner.
My breathing started to become shallow. He was so close I could feel the warmth of his body. It contrasted the chill of the water that had raised goosebumps on my skin and pebbled my nipples.
Declan’s eyes stared into mine as he cleaned my most intimate spot gently. One swipe then another. A small circle.
My lips opened in tiny silent moans.
He never broke eye contact. He never touched me, other than with the rag. He just softly swiped again and again until I thrust my legs open desperately.
When I did that, Declan sat back on his knees and said, “Now you do me.”
