Page 68 of Heir of Darkness

He played with the soft strands of her hair, waiting for her to wake up. It was the most beautiful color he had ever seen in his life. The hints of auburn amongst the strands of brown he hadn’t noticed before. Like this he could even see the little freckles on her cheeks. Strangely enough, none of them stretched over her nose. Her eyes, that were always wide in disbelief at him, were closed, but he wanted nothing more to see them and the shade of forest green he had become obsessed with. They were similar to the color of the trees outside, the same ones she had grown to enjoy running around.

She groaned, stretching her body out before she finally opened her eyes. She looked around the room in confusion before she found him.

“Good morning, my little moon,” he said.

“What time is it?” She rubbed her eyes. She tried to sit up, but he pulled her back down onto his chest.

“It’s almost eleven, but if you’re tired, go back to sleep,” he said.

She shook her head. “No, I should get up. I’m sure you have a million things to do today to prepare for your party.”

“Fuck the party. I think I know where I would rather be,” he muttered, flipping Luna onto her back. He buried his head in thecrook of her neck, relishing in the laughs she gave him. He could listen to that sound all day, every day.

“Is it safe to assume you had a good time?” she asked.

He pulled back, looking at her with a “duh” look on his face. “I think I’ll have to fuck you again to make sure.”

Luna raised her brow. “Just one more time?”

“Well, one more time after that, and then another after that, and then another one after that. Could be hundreds of times. I like to be thorough.” He grinned, wrapping his mouth around her nipple before biting down softly.

Luna cursed, arching her back. “I need a shower,” she said when he moved to the other breast.

“Perfect. I’ll join you.” He picked her up, carrying her into the shower. The water was scalding the way she enjoyed it, but he put up with it. Especially when he got to wash her hair and then move onto her body. He took his time gliding the soap over every inch of her skin, teasing her until she was the one kissing him first. He promised to go slow when she mentioned being sore, but when she was pressed against the glass door begging him to go faster, he couldn’t help himself.

He buried his head in her neck while they came together and then rinsed off once again just as the water turned cold.

Valerio threw on a pair of sweats and went out into the kitchen to make her something to eat. He scrambled eggs on the stove, motioning to the water and pain meds he had set out for her when she finally made her way out of the room in only his sweatshirt and a pair of underwear.

He could feel her eyes watching his movements, staring at his body. He let her stare without bringing attention to it. She was free to look as much as she wanted; he was all hers. He plated the food and handed it to her, fighting the urge to feed her himself.

“Did you have a good birthday?” she asked. She lay with her legs on his lap when they finished eating.

“If every birthday is like that, I think I’ll enjoy getting old,” he told her. “How are you feeling?”

“Sore,” she said. “But it’s not bad.”

“Was I too rough on you?”

Luna’s cheeks turned red. “No. Actually you could stand to be a little rougher.”

He let out a loud laugh. “Those books are rotting your mind.”

“Well, if you don’t, I know someone else will,” she said in a sing-song voice.

He heard the joke in her voice, but he saw red before logic could meet his brain. He was on top of her in a second, tracing her chin with his fingers. “Try it,” he said. “See if anyone could fuck you better than I could. Poor bastard couldn’t even get within 10 feet of you before I intercepted him with a knife in the throat.”

Judging by the way her eyes darkened, he knew she was turned on by it. Of course she was. Luna loved this side of him just as much as she loved the other sides of him. She was perfect for him.

“I wouldn’t want to be with anyone else,” she said, leaning up to trace her fingers around the chain on his neck. “Never.” And just like that, he couldn’t figure out what made him so mad in the first place. That was her effect on him. She ran her fingers through his hair. “Now, I need to go home because I have no idea what I’m wearing tonight.”

He would have preferred to never leave the cabin and to keep Luna with him there for the rest of his life, but she wanted the party and he wanted her happy. They drove back to campus, and he walked her up to her apartment, only leaving once she was safely inside. He would see her in a couple of hours; it wasn’t a big deal. Only it was to him. He had no idea how he ever went seven years without seeing her, but Valerio knew for sure he would never do anything like that again.

TWENTY-SIX

LUNA

Luna sighed,a grin on her face when she turned around to go into her room. Blair and Cecilia blocked her in the hallway with looks of curiosity on their faces. Luna put on a more neutral look. “Good morning,” she told them.

---