Page 56 of A Shadow in the Reaping
For a long while we lie unmoving, Ashen's weight comforting on my body. I feel the storm of beats and breath in his chest as it presses against mine. When his lungs steady, Ashen layers kisses across my neck until it tickles and I laugh.
"That sound," he says as he pulls away. His gaze shifts between my eyes and then trails across the details of my face, landing on my mouth. "I cannot imagine your song could be better than that sound."
I laugh again and his eyes spark with delight as he sweeps an errant strand of hair from my cheek. "You haven't heard me sing anything by Celine Dion. I crush that shit. I'll make you cry, guaranteed."
Ashen smiles, the corners of his eyes crinkling. Up this close, I can see the tiny flecks of gold that warm the tones of brown. His smile slowly fades away until only his attentive gaze remains.
"Sing for me," he says.
I shake my head but smile. The way he looks at me, he knows that I will.
"Come on, vampire," he murmurs as he snakes his arms beneath my back and lifts me until we're sitting chest to chest, still joined at our center. He pulls the bunched-up dress over my head and the elastic free from my hair, running his fingers through the long strands.
"Sing what?" I ask as Ashen drags his lips across my neck up to my ear, biting my earlobe. It sends a shock of gooseflesh down my arms. The hot coil of desire turns in my belly and I close my eyes, my heart already raging as I feel him harden within me.
"The song from Bit Akalum," he says, and I tilt my head to catch his gaze with a question in my eyes. "I wanted to hear it in your voice. I thought if you could place your trust in me that maybe you would sing it for me one day." Ashen trails his fingers across my cheek and locks his eyes to mine. "I already knew who you were. That I wanted you, like this. That I would break any rule, that I would do anything for you."
I watch him for a moment. I must have the most surprised expression on my face, because a faint smile lifts the corner of Ashen's mouth.
"Did you hear me, vampire?"
I nod, trying to unlock the sudden tightness in my throat. I lean forward and press my kiss to his. When a rhythm starts to build between us, I pull away to hold my lips to his ear.
I've been sleepless at night
'Cause I don't know how I feel
I've been waiting on you
Just to say something real
I sing until there is no more room for words in passion, until even a siren song can't withstand the power of a kiss.
Chapter 25
Iwake to a heavy arm draped down the length of my back. Ashen's fingers trail a slow progression at the base of my spine. I open my eyes and there's a dim light in the room but it's still dark outside beyond the narrow windows, or at least darker, so it must still be night.
This should feel really fucking weird, waking up in a Reaper's bed on his slick, silky sheets in the Shadow Realm. But it doesn't. It feels like pieces have fit together in a puzzle I couldn't solve until now.
I draw in a deep breath and take stock of my body. I'm a little hungry but I don't want to bother with food. I'm tired but rubbery and relaxed. I'm sore but in a way that makes me just want more of what made me feel way in the first place.
When I turn over, Ashen's hand follows the flow of my movement, settling to trace the same slow pattern on my ribs. He's propped up with pillows, a large book resting against his legs.
"No sleep?" I ask, and he shakes his head. "Was I sleep talking?"
"No."
"Snoring?"
"No."
"Singing?"
"No."
"Farting? Not sleep farting."
"...maybe." Ashen smiles so I know he's only joking and we watch one another for a silent moment. His smile fades, the pattern on my ribs slows. "We need to talk."
