Page 44 of A Monstrous Claim

He shrugs slowly and drops his gaze to the floor. “Ross offered a hefty bounty if we’re able to track the human down alive. There’s no telling how many others will do the same.”

Fear zips up my back. I haven’t considered what might happen if other monsters figure out I’m still here, and I doubt Azarius has either.

“So what? I’m a wanted fugitive now or something?” I ask, crossing my arms tightly over my chest for some kind of comfort. Another question blossoms to life in my mind, and as much as I don’t want to know the answer, I ask it anyway. “Do you think Rafe would hand me over to them?”

He doesn’t say anything at first, but after a long moment he finally lifts his gaze to meet mine. The uncertainty in his eyes is clear, which only fuels my fear. He offers me a hand, which I take, and he guides me to the spot between his legs. His fingers intertwine with mine, making my chest flutter nervously, and his other hand finds my waist.

“Rafe is unpredictable,” he says with a straight face. “But I swear I’ll do everything I can to protect you.”

For a moment I can do nothing more than lose myself in the impossible blueness of his eyes and the sincerity of his promise. The comfort his touch brings staunches my fear and gives me hope.

Hope that we will find a solution to get me out of the monster realm, and that we will figure it out sooner rather than later.

Hope that Rafe doesn’t sell me to whatever monster comes knocking.

Azarius gives me hope.

Even if things were completely different—if I wasn’t being held captive in another realm and he hadn't claimed me to save my life—I would still be drawn to Azarius. From the moment we met, I experienced something I hadn’t felt in a very long time. We had a connection. A spark.

He’s gorgeous in either form. Sweet and compassionate. He’s always making me smile, even when it’s not intentional. He really is a catch. And now he’s vowing to protect me from harm.

How can I not swoon for him?

Overwhelmed by the sudden urge to close the distance between us, I lean in to kiss him.

What starts as a light brush of my lips against his, quickly escalates to a deep yearning kiss that takes my breath away. His lips dance expertly against mine and his grip on my hip tightens, pulling me slowly toward him.

My knees go weak, and I lean into him for support.

He wraps his arms around me and pulls me close, which intensifies the electric feeling thrumming through me. Then his hands slide down my back and over my ass. He hooks his hands around my thighs and uses them to pull me into his lap so I can straddle him.

The change in position and the closeness of his body spark my libido to life, and as his lips continue to dance against mine, the spark swells to a steady burn. Since keeping my distance, I’d almost forgotten how incredible our scene in the dining room had been, and the image comes rushing back in detail.

I can’t fight the desire to feel him in me.

Fingers, tail, tongue, cock.

At this point it doesn't matter what he does to me, as long as he does it soon.

He breaks our kiss and moves his mouth to my neck, kissing and sucking until my eyelids flutter closed. A moan escapes my lips.

“Do you want me to fuck you?" he whispers against my skin.

I nod, and he kisses his way to the other side of my neck, sucking tenderly as he goes. I grind my hips against him, my swollen clit desperate for attention.

"Say it," he says in my ear, his deep voice sending a wave of pleasure vibrating through me. I can already feel my wetness soaking into the material of my pants at his command.

"Please." I barely recognize my breathy voice.

Both of his hands grip my ass and squeeze, pulling me down onto the lump in his pants. He's hard and ready, but he's holding back, not rushing anything.

If he’s trying to make up for the first time, he's succeeding. Immaculately.

"Please, what?"

His hands slip under my shirt, fingers brushing against my stomach before inching their way higher. I knead my bottom lip between my teeth, anticipating his hands on my breasts, but his fingers stop just shy.

"Please what?" he says with a little more grit.

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