Page 51 of Deadly Maiden

He inserts a finger, then squeezes in another as he methodically fucks me with them…four, whole, world-shaking thrusts that almost jerk me off my feet and make me gasp into his mouth. Though trees surround us, we stand in the middle of the road. As he slowly withdraws his fingers, I clench on him, and my eyes are closed. Two fingers are pressed to the seam of my lips. I open my eyes then my mouth, and I let them in.

When he backs away merrily sucking on those fingers, while eye-locked with me, I am amazed at how shaky he has made me. I’d happily fall to my knees and suck onhimif asked. But…we regroup, rearrange clothes, smile at each other and continue onward. I’m breathless and giddy.

We do seem to agree on what is best in life—not what I’d expect from a powerful dragonshifter— and the way he handles me is…just… I recall how he boldly inserted his fingers and feel myself get wetter.

I cannot stop peeking at him. I will be jumping on him once we find somewhere with a bed. If he doesn’t jump me first.Gah.Many filthy thoughts swim in and stick around, distracting me.

Life and death, remember. Nothing is resolved.

We amble onward, and pass the crossroads, and I keep my hair well covered. I have more questions begging for answers, but I wait until no one else is nearby.

“So, am I wrong in this? You don’t precisely know why the king, and I guess the queen too, wants me arrested? Except that it must concern my necromancy. You think it’s that but what if, maybe, they just want to get into Slaedorth Fortress?”

“That is possible. Who knows what that place contains. An army of the undead would not be controllable by them, or not without a necromancer helping, but there may be other weapons? No one has succeeded in entering the gates for these past twenty years.”

“Huh.” The road crunches underfoot. I glance at Rorsyd’s bare feet. He seems fine, and I move on to what I wanted to say because I need to know more.

To trust him absolutely is a whole other matter than fucking. No matter how glorious a fuck that was. My body tingles.

Stick to the question.

“What are you thinking? You look concerned?” He reaches for my hand and holds it as we walk, smoothing his thumb over the back of my hand. Happiness is this dragonshifter comforting me.

I move in and bump my shoulder into him, bringing our arms closer.

For a while we walk like that, content in each other’s company.

“What am I thinking? This. Your vow is a very personal thing that you kept for twenty years. A very strong thing to do. Why? Just because my parents were at that battle, it doesn’t seem enough. I need to ask this. Sorry, but did you know someone they killed?”

His sigh is loud, and he scowls at me but in a worried way. He plays with my fingers.

“I should’ve said this before. There was someone. Is it that obvious? Where did you get your brains from, girl? Please don’t say from some fae at the graveyard.”

I snort at that then miss a step due to doubling over laughing.

“Sorry. I should not laugh.” I make my expression more serious. “Go on.”

“It’s okay. I made the joke. Very well.” He exhales loudly. “My friend Orish was killed by your parents. He was also a dragonshifter, and he died in flight.”

Orish!The battle was named after hisfriend?

I’ve stopped walking, but Rorsyd maintains his grip on my hand. He brings it high and presses his mouth to my knuckles.“Forgive me for that omission, and I will forgive you for…for simply being the easy target of my wrath.”

I make anOwith my mouth. “I’m at a loss. I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry, so sorry, but… How?”

“How did they kill a mighty dragonshifter in dragon form? I call them darkthings. Black creatures of death. This…” Now he releases my hand, gestures widely. “They sent this swarm of little flying darkthings at him, and they ate him from within, burrowed into his mouth, burst out his skin. He fell to earth. He’s still there, where he fell.” His mouth is a straight line, old grief clearly gripping him.

That description is horrifying. Now I can understand his stance on evil and his vow.

“It was a long time ago.” He shrugs then he goes to one knee, takes my hand again, holding it in both of his. It’s as if he is begging my forgiveness, but really, I’m not certain who should be forgiving whom.

I think it through. Darkthings. Anathema. Could it be the same? Perhaps, but I’m not sure. If he saw Anathema, what would he think?

“Again, I am so very sorry, Rorsyd. I wish this were not so.”

“Same here.” He smiles wanly. “Twenty years have passed, but I still recall his death as if it were today’s death.”

“Come here.” I tug, and when he rises, I walk into his arms as he opens them. I rest my cheek against his chest, listening to the slow beat of his heart. “Together, we are better than this. We can heal. Or I hope I can heal you.”

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