Page 37 of Bound to Death

His hips moved against mine, and I fisted the bedding, biting back another moan because the friction was unreal. It hadn’t felt like this since he drank my blood earlier. Something about being here made my body extra sensitive.

“Not exactly. It’s not important. What you need to understand is that what you are to me…who you are to the Horsemen, I can’t be sure he’ll help. He’ll want a favor in return. He might ask for something I’m unwilling to give. So, I’ll keep you here when I go to him. It’s the only way to ensure your safety,” he whispered huskily, his thrusts rhythmic.

My spine curved, tantalizing ripples of sensation spreading from between my legs to my lower stomach. But I was frustrated and wanted to hear everything. I pushed off the bed, free of hisshadows, and got him onto his back. His eyes widened like he hadn’t expected it. Maybe because he was used to being the one in control.

I could get used to this.

I sat up and swiveled my hips experimentally. He sucked in a sharp breath, hissing in that weird snake language of his again. His hands clung to my waist, leading it into harder rolls, and I realized his pants were gone. Probably became shadows like that first night. I wasn’t exactly upset about it.

The piercings were fucking amazing against the sensitive skin between my legs. I slid over him a few times, holding the powerful beast down by the arms, but I never let him inside. And by the way his abs tensed and hardened to prominent mounds, he didn’t like it. He was frustrated I wouldn’t give him more.

Good.

“You still haven’t told me why I’m a target. Who am I to you guys?”

He grabbed me around the throat, bucking up into me. Pleasure swept down my thighs, and I bit back a whine. It was too fucking good, but I wouldn’t let him win. Not when I had the high ground. I nearly laughed at the thought, but the head of his cock brushed my clit and explosive sensation hit my hips again.

“Ah, fuck,” I groaned.

But Thanatos finally gave me what I wanted. An answer. “You’re mine. It doesn’t matter who you are to them. Still, you should know the truth. Your soul is one of four the Horsemen can deliver to start the apocalypse. I was meant to take it the day we met, but…” I stopped breathing, listening intently as he whispered his confession. “It doesn’t matter what you were meant to be, Asha. They’ll have to find a way to kill me first because I won’t let anyone else have you. I’ll never stop until you’re mine forever.” His voice was so thick and strong I couldn’t reply right away.

“The soul you’re taking—”

“It’s not what you’re thinking,” he interjected, sitting up and fusing our bodies together. He brushed his fingers through my hair before grabbing a handful and yanking my head back. Licking from my collarbone to my ear, he finally sunk his cock into me. Gasping, I shuddered against him. “The soul is Michael’s lover. God sent her to serve in the Underworld for eternity as punishment for her crimes.”

Crimes? I wanted to ask so many questions, but I was lost to how good it felt for his pulsating length to grind against impossible places inside me. The harder he thrust, the tougher it became to do anything other than moan his name and curse my weakness to pleasure.

“Shit, you’re so tight, little raven,” he growled, driving into me faster. “I promise to tell you the rest, but I need to have you first.”

I couldn’t argue because I wanted the same thing.

Sucking on his lips and tongue, I swiveled and fucked myself on his lap. Neither of us spoke, just moved in perfect, wild sync. I clawed at his hair and traced his jaw’s shape with my tongue. Kissed along his face and enjoyed the way his body felt against mine; how his muscles strained and moved to fuck me the way he and I liked.

He responded by sinking his fangs into my neck and driving me down on his cock harder, angling his body so he could reach deeper. His shadows crept closer, eager to touch, but he sent them away like he couldn’t bear the thought of anything but him touching me right now. His hands bruised the skin of my hips from lifting and dropping me down on his thick length with growing urgency. But before I reached that elusive edge I wanted nothing more than to throw myself over, something burned through my chest and rose into my throat.

Out of nowhere, I started to cough. Dark liquid splattered across Thanatos chest, glimmering ominously in candlelight. He looked down in confusion as I coughed harder, lungs sputtering and failing to take in air. Terrible sensation hit my chest all at once, and I groaned.

“Asha!”

My vision swam and blurred. The world went topsy-turvy. I didn’t realize I was collapsing until Thanatos rushed to keep me from falling back. His shadows swooped in to help. I coughed harder. Liquid sprayed over my hand as I tried to crawl away from him, confused and disoriented.

The feeling in my body was terrifying. I’d never felt anything like it. Swells of pain enveloped every nerve, set my skin ablaze, burned me from the inside out. Dark red liquid poured from my mouth, and I wiped it away to look at it in the light painting a streak across the bed.

Blood?

Another uncontrollable coughing fit struck, crippling me for a second.

“Come here, little raven,” Thanatos whispered. I was lifted into his arms then laid out over the bed. “Fuck. It’s already starting. I need to get to Hades before the coma takes you.”

Was this it? I didn’t even get a final orgasm? Rude.

It was surreal to think that this might be the last time I saw or heard him. I wasn’t sure what came after, but I had to hope it didn’t hurt this much; that the pain was gone and so was the sadness. That’d be nice. What was weird as pain scorched my flesh and I couldn’t seem to catch my breath was that all I could think about was how much I’d miss him.

We hadn’t been together long, but Thanatos made an impression on me. He’d proven that there were good men out there, even if they took souls for a living. It was a shame we didn’t have more time. I would’ve liked to explore what this wasbetween us. What he meant when he said I was his. Or why him saying it didn’t ring of toxic masculinity; it made me feel safe and loved.

His voice was distant. I tried to say something, but another fit hit me, and all I could do was cough. Before I knew what was happening, everything was dark and quiet. I was here but gone. Numb but warm. Safe but alone.

Chapter Eighteen

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