Page 47 of Kingdom of Ashes & Bone
“I don’t think—” I began, only to cut myself off as Zion jerked, then lunged at the bleeding arm in front of him. Fangs descended from his mouth and bit down hard into his brother’s arm. Zariah winced, but didn’t jerk away.
“Is he … feeding?” I asked warily.
Zariah blinked slowly. “Yeah. I feel … Phew. That’s a lot.”
Zariah slumped over the bed, yawning as Zion drank and drank. The paler Zariah got, the more worried I became, even as color began to flush Zion’s face again.
“That’s enough,” I chastised Zion.
He growled at me, the sound distorted coming from his human throat.
I doubled down.Enough!I shouted through our bond, and pushed his face away. Zion detached from Zariah with a pop, and rolled toward me, wrapping his arms around my body and snuggling into my chest.
“I guess he’s good,” I said lamely, now trapped in bed.
Zariah laughed and yawned as he sat up, wiping his forearm and pulling a pair of pants on from underneath his bed. “You stay here with him. I'll help with the recovery efforts.”
“What?!” I protested. “No! I want to help! You can’t—”
Zariah put a hand on Zion’s side, and the other on my head. “Mari, please. I can’t focus on helping my people unless I know Zion is taken care of. That you are taken care of. Make sure he eats and recovers. Make sureyoueat and recover. Please, for me?”
Urgh, I couldn’t resist when he gave me those puppy dog eyes.
“Fine,” I relented. It wasn’t like I could go anywhere anyway. Zion had me in an iron grip.
“Good.” Zariah grinned. “I’ll be back when the job’s done.”
My jaw dropped as he climbed up the window and jumped out. A flash of gold scales later and the dragon was in the air.
“Show off,” I muttered darkly, turning in Zion’s arms so we were face to face. “Are you feeling better?”
He squeezed me tighter, his lips and teeth dragging against my neck. Zion’s pelvis pushed against mine, letting me know exactly where his thoughts lay, conscious or not. Fangs descended from his gums and pricked at my sensitive flesh.
“I probably can’t fly,” he said, so nonchalantly I almost missed it.
“What?! Your wings?” I gasped, wanting to know more but Zion was clearly focused on other things.
“It was worth it. It’s all worth it if I never fly again,” he slurred, almost as if he were drunk.
“I think you need to calm down,” I grit out, feeling him poke into my backside.
Zion bit down on my neck, hard.
I couldn’t scream—every muscle in my body tensed instead as his fangs pierced my neck and he drankfrom me. I didn’t want to deny him what he so desperately needed since he couldn’t suck Zariah dry; Zariah was needed to help in the recovery efforts.
And yet through the pain, something else was blooming. The wound burned, sending warmth and fire straight to my core and igniting my blood. The initial pain had only lasted a moment, a brief flash that was now numbing over and leaving behind a delicious, wonderful floating sensation, similar to when he’d made my limbs go numb in the past. Without thinking about it, I pushed my hips against his.
“Down,” he rumbled, detaching from my neck and pushing me onto the bed on my stomach.
I barely had a moment to breathe before my pants were around my ankles and he was rubbing up behind me. The wound on my neck bled and ached and burned, but it felt raw and cathartic.
Zion leaned over me, his tongue rougher than normal as it dragged over the wound. The pain faded into that blissful numbness as the wound healed.
“My marks. My mate,” he growled into my ear.
Sounded good to me.
His arm wrapped around my neck and pushed me up, arching my back up against him as he lined himself up with my center, and thrust in.
