Page 146 of Crown of Briars
“How?”
“I have to be holding it in my hand. Diamonds make me bolder, but when I’m holding them in my hand, they grant me speed and endurance.”
He arched an eyebrow, his lips curling upward. “Endurance, you say? And it’s on your thigh?”
My legs clenched from the dark, sultry tone of his voice. Slowly, I nodded.
He glanced down to my legs, then dragged his gaze back up to mine. Shadows swelled around me, and the cuffs around my wrists tightened. “Last chance to turn away,dannahla,” he breathed. “I told you I wouldn’t touch you until you begged.”
I leaned closer to him. “I’m not begging. I’m demanding.”
His pupils flared. With inhuman speed, he dragged over a small table, the wooden legs groaning against the floor. He slid the table under me until it was against the door, then hoisted me on top so we were at eye level. My legs wrapped around him, drawing him closer. His fingers pushed up my skirt, exposing my thighs and my sheathed dagger.
I waited for him to draw the blade, but his fingers lingered on my thighs, inching upward. His hands were calloused and warm, and each touch sent fire coursing through my veins. His claws slid up and up, the sharpened points bringing a flood of awareness shooting through my body.
My head rolled back against the door, my eyes closing as an onslaught of sensations seared through me.
Varius leaned in, his breath hot against my throat, then pressed his teeth right in that space between my shoulder and my neck. He didn’t push hard enough to break skin, but a line of fire exploded along my skin as he dragged his teeth up and down my throat.
“Stones,” I whispered, my hips bucking against him.
“You trust me not to pierce your skin?” he murmured.
“Yes,” I rasped. “I trust you, Varius.”
He hummed against my throat, then swirled his tongue in circles over my flesh. My skin pebbled, and I let out a low moan.
His left hand slid up my thigh, then drew my dagger. In a swift movement, he placed the hilt in my hand. I clasped it tightly and felt a surge of energy. My hands jerked, pulling against his shadow cuffs. One hand worked free, and I used it to grip one of his horns.
He let out a feral sound, something between a growl and a snarl, his body going perfectly still.
“Youarestronger,” he hissed, his eyes fiery as he stared me down.
I tugged on his horn, dragging his face back to mine before plunging my tongue between his lips. His fangs brushed along my tongue. Cool mist tickled my hands as his shadows tugged on my wrist once again, dragging my hand to where the other one was still tied. I kept the dagger hilt clenched tightly between my fingers.
“Will you keep me tied up the entire time?” I asked.
He smirked. “I suppose you’ll have to wait and see.” He sank to his knees, then spread my legs open wide, baring me to him.
I froze. I wasn’t expecting this. “What—What are you doing?”
“I want to taste you first,dannahla. I want to devour this sweet arousal of yours and see if it tastes as good as it smells.”
My toes curled. Would he really…lickme there? Gerard had never done such a thing.
Varius sensed my hesitation. “Unless you don’t want me to. I can stop, Sybelle.” All amusement left his voice.
I shook my head, my insides quivering with anticipation. “No,” I said breathlessly. “No, keep going. I want you to.”
His eyes sparked with desire just before he buried his face between my thighs. I let out a sharp gasp, stunned by how his hair and nose tickled the most sensitive parts of my thighs.
And then his tongue met my center, and my world cavedinward. Sparks ignited in my blood, firing through my body. My hips jerked, and he flicked his tongue against me.
My head fell backward with a thud, and I moaned. He licked me, each stroke hard and unyielding. His tongue slid in deeper, thrusting further than I thought possible, hard enough for me to see stars. I gasped, unable to speak or even think as he ravaged me. The coarseness of his tongue against my slick core sent me reeling.
“So delicious,” he growled, and his breath along my throbbing center made me cry out again.
His tongue drove deeper, tracing circles, moving faster and harder until the tension within me was coiled so tightly I thought I might die. I clung to my dagger, my palms covered in sweat. Without the strength of those diamonds, I might have passed out. It was too much.Too much.
