Page 26 of Once Upon a Demon's Heart
“Do you blame me? Wouldn’t you do the same?” he chides.
I think on it for a few moments, then shake my head. “No, I wouldn’t. I actually don’t mind you, Kalel.” The admittance feels like a forbidden secret to share.
His muscles stiffen. I long to see what expression he’s making, but don’t dare to move.
“Why?” His voice has a pained twinge to it.
“Because you’re making sure I’m punished for my sins. You take care of your troops. You put your kingdom before anything—no matter what. I was trying to desert mine, remember?” I cling to the blanket, unsure why I’m sharing this with him, but it feels good to get it off my chest.
He’s quiet, considering my words maybe but before he can respond, a throb of pain tears through my abdomen. I curl into myself, pulling my knees up to my chest, and whimpering at the ebbing muscles.
Gods why did Venus have to be my mother?
Kalel flinches. “What’s wrong?” His hands unfurl. He forces my chin to him and assesses my face. “You’re in pain.” His voice trails off like he’s confused.
Another wrack of pain twists my stomach. This time I cry out and my hands clutch around my abdomen. Tears prickle in my eyes.
Now he seems to understand. He goes deathly still and takes a few staggered breaths.
“Fuck.” His tone is graveled, and I can feel his Adams’ apple bob as he pulls me closer, trying to uncurl me from the fetal position.
“No. It hurts.” I barely get the words out. It feels like a sword has impaled me. The ache only grows and the need to be filled becomes unbearable.
Kalel hesitates, not knowing what to do, but he softens his voice. “Alira, let me help. I had Nikolai teach me some healing tricks last night that will soothe the pain.”
Nikolai? Is that the healer’s apprentice? The blood drains from my face.Oh gods, he learned tricks to “soothe” my heat pain from him?
He tries once more to bring my back straight against his. I groan at the ache but let him move me this time. I’d do anything for this feeling to go away.
It hurts… it feels like he’s killing me all over again.
“You need to let go,” he whispers as he moves my hand away. I clutch onto the blanket desperately. Another strong cramp rolls through me and I choke on my breath. “Shh, it’s okay.” He starts purring again and splays his palm over my abdomen.
If it didn’t feel like someone was tearing out my uterus, I’d be bothered by the intimacy of this, but it feels like I’m losing my mind more by the second.
I grit my teeth, preparing for the next wave of pain, but Kalel digs his fingertips into me enough to make me jolt. A second later heat is directly inserted to my core—now I’m certain it’s essence sharing. The pain lessens considerably. My muscles instantly relax, and I only now notice how sweaty and out of breath I am.
Kalel nuzzles into my neck. I’m assuming instinctively and not as a show of adoration, but it makes my heart flutter all the same. “Better?” he asks, sounding a little out of breath himself. He massages my abdomen, and a small whimper escapes my lips from the relief.
“Yes,” I whisper, shutting my eyes and letting my mind catch up. The more lucid I become, the more I wish I wasn’t. Kalel’serection is massive. It has grown out of his pants and is reaching halfway up my back. Neither of us have shirts on and I can feel the wet beads of his precum dotting my spine.
Oh. My. Gods.
Chapter Nine
ALIRA
The ache starts to return.How could it not with something as filling as he is up against my back, waiting for me?
Pretend you don’t notice.I advise myself and try to focus on how good his palm feels as he kneads my stomach. It’s euphoric and oddly erotic, as if he’s preparing for a breeding session.
My blood goes cold at the thought of that.
Kalel’s breathing is erratic, but he manages to say calmly, “Did you eat anything today? I didn’t see you around the campsites during lunch or dinner. You can’t keep skipping meals, Alira, you’re already so thin.” His lips coast the ridge of my shoulder and send shivers rolling through my entire body.
“I wasn’t hungry,” I say softly.
“I can’t feed if you don’t. So, I need you to eat something, okay?”
