Page 57 of Dark Night Golden Dawn
He had a dreamy look in his eyes, as though he felt as come-drunk as she did. “I… I want to…” he murmured. His skin glowed still, warm against hers.
“I know the Illuminated do that when they fuck,” she reasoned.
A wary look flickered over his face, so quickly she almost missed it. “They do, you’re right.”
“Then why won’t you bite me?”
He pulled away from her. “We’re turning into prunes. Let’s get out.”
She pulled him back. “Is it me?”
“Yes,” he snapped, stalking out of the shower.
Harlow froze, her body reacting to the tone of Finn’s voice immediately. A flush of shame burned her cheeks. He stood, dripping on the bathroom floor, his face twisted immediately in distress. “That… didn’t come out right. Come out of the shower, all right?”
He held his hand out to her, but she couldn’t move. It wasn’t fair for her to hold him responsible for always speaking in a calm tone, but the way he snapped at her reminded her of Mark, and now she was stuck.
Finn’s fingers grazed her chin, lifting her eyes to his. “I’m sorry I snapped. I’m a little wound up. Can you give me a beat?”
His voice was steady now, as though he knew exactly why she was stuck in the shower. She took a deep breath and stepped out, and let him wrap her in a warm, fluffy towel. There was something at work here she didn’t understand. “Do you want me to wait for you in the bedroom?”
“Thank you, yes,” he said, squeezing her arm. “There’s a robe on the hook there.”
She saw it, and knew it was his when she slid it on. His scent was all over it and she breathed it in, letting it comfort her. Harlow went to work lighting the fire and when Finn came out of the bathroom, dressed only in a pair of loose grey sweatpants, she made every effort to stay in her chair.
“Will you sit with me?” he asked softly.
She’d meant to give him a little space, but she liked that idea better. He sat in the chair opposite hers and opened his arms. Her movements were slow, careful, in case he changed his mind, but as soon as she was within reach, he pulled her into his lap.
“I’m sorry I snapped,” he said, stroking her damp hair. “What I said didn’t come out right.”
“It’s okay,” she replied, her voice tentative. “Mark was... unpredictable. I know that’s not your fault…”
Finn pressed kisses to her cheeks, then her lips. “Thank you for telling me though. I’m pretty even tempered, but this, biting you. It scares me.”
Harlow’s forehead wrinkled as she tilted her head, signaling that she was ready to listen.
“Every time I’m inside you, I desperately want to bite you,” he whispered.
“You can,” she insisted. “I’m not afraid.”
“But maybe you should be.”
“You’re not a vampire,” she scoffed. “The Illuminated don’t kill with their bite. Everything I’ve ever heard is that it makes sex… better.”
That’s notexactlywhat she’d heard. What she’d heard was that it made for one of the most mind-blowing orgasms ever, and frankly, she wanted that. She wanted that with him.
“Yes, that’s how it usually works.”
“So you’ve bitten other people?”
Finn’s cheeks flushed red. “Yes.”
Now her cheeks flushed. “But not me.”
“If I bite you it will be different.” His eyes fell closed and he pinched the bridge of his nose. “The way I feel about you changes things. It could change my bite.”
“What do you mean?”
