Page 31 of Love & Monsters
“Oh, god. No—No, you didn’t hurt me.” I grabbed his wrist and pressed my face into his hand. “Vadric, I’m fine. I promise.”
That’s what his concern was for. This giant demonic monster didn’t think he could be gentle with me and must have been worrying that he hurt me. Despite the pleasant soreness I felt now, I was better than alright.
“Good.” It sounded like there was more in the air that he wanted to say but didn’t. Instead of saying anything else, Vadric guided us both to sit near the fire as the bird roasted and charred in the dancing flames.
“Um, thank you for dressing me.” I tugged at the front of the black top I wore. “I didn’t realize I was tired enough to sleep through that.”
How was a monster gentle enough to accomplish that?
“You slept through the entire night and most of the morning. For such a soft thing, you were unmoving like a rock.” When Vadric looked at me with those yellow and black eyes, a smile pulling up the corner of his lips, a carefree laugh slipped out of me before I knew it was happening.
“Well, I guess I needed it. Although I didn’t know I could fall asleep outside. I was never really one for camping.” I shrugged, picking at random pieces of grass between us.
“What is camping?” Vadric asked. That made me pause.
“Camping is almost like what we’re doing now. It’s kind of how humans return to the wild. Like an outdoor activity where people leave their homes, sleep under the stars or in tents, and maybe hunt or fish. I would go hiking sometimes, but not very often.” It was peculiar to talk about the human world like this.
“Human lives sound strange. These are all common things here. We frequently need to stay on the road during a long journey. Sleeping outside and hunting are customary parts of that.” As Vadric spoke, his hand fell over mine, twisting blades of grass. I still wasn’t used to the size of his hand and marveled at his blue skin and long fingers. He leaned closer, and I found myself frozen, staring at him.
“We come from very different places,” I said, feeling the weight of that statement in my soul. Breaking eye contact, I lifted our entwined hands to run the fingers of my opposite hand over Vadric’s knuckles.
“Yes, we do,” he agreed. “That just means there is more for me to learn from you.”
Without warning, Vadric dropped my hand and grabbed me by the waist. He easily lifted me off the ground and settled me into his lap. My heart started beating a mile a minute as soon as I felt his toned body flush with mine and my legs straddled him.
“Will you kiss me again?” Vadric’s voice asked softly. He appeared like the type of beast that would take what he wanted without asking. Knowing that he asked made me want to do anything he could think to request of me.
“You want me to kiss you more?” A heated blush spread across my cheeks. Like a schoolgirl being asked for a kiss from her crush. I placed my arms over his shoulders, trying not to giggle at the absurdity of this situation.
“I think I like it.” Vadric’s pupils dilated, and his eyes went almost entirely black as his gaze skimmed my lips. His arms went around my waist, hugging me to his wide chest as the gap between us decreased and our faces met in the middle.
“I like it too,” I said. Then our lips collided.
Kissing a demon was riveting. My curiosity and desire to know and explore him overshadowed the secret fear lingering in the back of my mind that at any moment, he could still decide to turn on me and devour me. Dangerous and erotic thoughts mingled as heat flushed through my core.
My right hand traveled from his shoulder, up his neck and landed on Vadric’s face. Under my fingertips, I felt the slight line on his cheek and thought about all those sharp teeth in his mouth. I shuddered, but only pressed my mouth harder into his as we kissed.
I pressed my tongue against Vadric’s mouth, and he parted his lips for me. My tongue tangled with his carefully as I felt the pointed tip of his entwining around mine. It pulled my tongue deeper into his mouth as he sucked on it, eliciting a moan from me.
Something nicked the side of my tongue. A sharp stinging sensation followed. I yelped into his mouth, realizing that one of his teeth must have cut me. Regardless, Vadric didn’t stop.
His hands moved on their own, rising over my body and holding my face still. I squirmed in his lap. He overpowered me and easily kept me in place. Vadric’s tongue continued wrapping around mine and I could taste the tang of my blood seeping from the cut.
Vadric growled with satisfaction against me and sucked the blood from my tongue. At that moment, claws of panic wrapped around my throat and speared down my spine. My heart lurched as his grip on my face tightened, as if he were preparing to swallow me whole.
A powerful need to get away, to get out of his grasp, took hold of me and I pushed harder against his chest. His tail curled around my thigh, and it felt like every part of his body was trying to absorb me into his.
One little taste of my blood and bloodlust overcame him again. The thought returned to my mind that perhaps he would eat me now that he’s had a taste. And I didn’t think I was lying when I told Vadric I wasn’t afraid of him anymore, but this genuinely scared me.
I smacked my palm against his chest, trying to pull my face away, but he was too strong. His hands could easily crush my skull like a grape. Sudden hot tears spilled from the corners of my eyes. With our mouths locked together, I couldn’t breathe.
But why… Why was I still so damn turned on?
Was it the fear and lack of oxygen? Were those things melding with my recent desire for him and changing something in my brain?
It felt like he was opening new doors in my mind that I never knew were there. I was still scared of Vadric, and I feared him right now. But there was something disturbingly erotic about knowing he drank my blood. That he wanted to taste me in that way, and that he could fuck me like he had last night.
Something in my mind woke up with those racing thoughts. The fear and terror that Vadric conjured in me was also exhilarating. I think I wanted it, and I wanted more.
