Page 76 of Cursed Lifeline

“But not from this life? Is that what you’re trying to tell me?”

I grin before placing a kiss on her flushed cheeks. My hand falls from the back of her neck and gently presses against the small of her back. It may not be fitting; it might be pushing the limits, but I’ve craved the feel of her body pressed against mine for too long not to indulge.

She steps further into me, and it takes all my willpower not to taste her lips. Not to savor every inch of her body. Not to worship her until she comes apart in my arms like she did clutching white silk bed sheets a century ago as her pleasure rolled down the back of my tongue.

The memory of her intoxicating flavor causes me to release a primal groan. A moment later, a wanton purr slips past her lips as if she remembers the feeling of my mouth pressed hungrily between her thighs.

Boundaries that we’ve never crossed before beg to be explored.

Just tasting her in this life won’t be enough.

But before we indulge in a hunger that will never be sated, we need to focus.

For this to work, I need to slowly bring her memory back to life. I need to gently show her everything that’s changed and everything that will always remain the same. When it’s time, I need to remind her of the curse. I need to teach her what I’ve learned since she’s been gone and tell her my plans to break it.

Esme’s chest rises and falls quickly. Flustered, her eyelids flutter as I hold her close in my arms.

Kiss me, her thoughts plead.

Take me, make me yours.

Her breath hitches as my heated exhale feathers against her lips. I read her mind as her thoughts regain more memories of our past. It comes back to her in snapshots, little trails of breadcrumbs that slowly lead her to all that needs to be unraveled. The ball the first night we met. The card game. Our first dance. The garden bench under the magnolia tree. But her memory only conjures happy flashbacks. Not the horrors.

I remain hopeful one day they’ll lead her to the bigger picture and show her what’s at stake. Until then…

“Are you hungry?” I ask, pulling back and giving her space to digest everything we’ve just said. Everything we just felt. Everything she’s slowly remembering.

Picking up her hand, I lead her to her chair and brush my thumb over the inside of her wrist. Feeling her pulse beat wildly, I take a deep breath to keep my wits about me.

She’s so tempting. So trusting and innocent.

Maybe she’s not ready for the fight that’s to come.

“Not really,” she whispers. “Not anymore.”

I nod in understanding.

“Are you?” she asks timidly, lowering herself into the chair I pull out for her.

Leaning down once she has been seated, I growl, “Famished.” She grins as I back away and stride around the table to my seat. “My appetite craves a delicious treat it has been denied for over a century.”

As I sit down, she shocks me by asking, “You mean me?”

Her hand slowly rises to her neck, insinuating maybe I was the one to end her life previously.

Angered that she’d think such things, I debate telling her how wrong she is to assume I hunger for her blood, though I can’t fault her for sharp instincts, and so, in the interest of starting her training now, I say, “My thirst for you has only grown over the last hundred years.”

There’s more truth to my words than she knows. Yes, the monster inside has always screamed for me to take her life. But when she finally remembers our past, she will know there are so many more things I long to do with her.

My mouth salivates as vulgar, filthy desires fill my thoughts.

Like my tongue between her thighs as they wrap tightly around my neck, holding me hostage to the only heaven I’ll ever hunger for. Or the flavor of her essence as I devour the sweetest dessert I’ve ever licked and sucked.

Picking up my wine glass, I take a sip and almost spit it out when she says, “Something tells me sex is not what you’re talking about craving.”

Sitting my glass down, I choke on the fermented grape juice and harshly clear my throat. Gracefully, Esme touches the rose petals sitting in the center of the table and refuses to meet my eye.

“Making love to you is most definitely on my mind.” She blushes but doesn’t look up. “Unfortunately, doing so might come with consequences I’m afraid neither of us want to accept.”

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