Page 70 of Crossing Between
He looked back, a question in his eyes.
"What does that word mean? The one you keep calling me?"
His cheeks colored slightly. "It means 'sweetheart' or 'lover' in the old language of my people."
"I like it," I admitted, warmth spreading through me at the endearment.
His smile widened, and he squeezed my hand once before releasing it. "Goodnight, Zoey."
I started to watch him walk away, his wet hair leaving a trail of droplets on the carpet.
"Elias?"
He turned around. "Yeah?"
"I don't want to be alone tonight, please."
Chapter 39: Zoey
Elias's eyes searched mine, the glow in them intensifying. "What do you want, Zoey?" His voice was low, almost a growl.
The question hung between us, weighted with possibility. My heart hammered against my ribs as I gathered my courage. There was no going back after this, but I didn't want to go back. I wanted to move forward.
"You," my voice barely audible even to my own ears. I cleared my throat and tried again, more firmly this time. "I want you, Elias. All of you."
His breath caught, his pupils dilating until his eyes were almost entirely black save for that otherworldly glow. "Are you certain?" His tentacles curled and uncurled at his sides, betraying his agitation. Or was it anticipation?
In answer, I stepped forward, closing the distance between us. I placed my palm against his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart beneath my fingertips. "I've never been more certain of anything in my life."
For a heartbeat, he remained perfectly still. Then, with a groan that seemed torn from deep within him, he surged forward, capturing my lips with his. This kiss was differentfrom the ones we'd shared earlier, it was deeper, hungrier, more desperate. His tentacles wrapped around me, lifting me effortlessly as he carried me into my bedroom.
He laid me on the bed with surprising gentleness, his tentacles withdrawing just enough to give me space. His eyes, those beautiful, inhuman eyes, roamed over me with such naked longing that I felt myself flush from head to toe.
"Tell me if you want to stop," his voice was rougher than I'd ever heard it. "At any point."
I nodded, unable to form words as he slowly began to undress me. His tentacles assisted his hands, caressing each newly exposed inch of skin with a touch so light it made me shiver. When I was finally bare before him, he paused, drinking me in with such admiration that any self-consciousness I might have felt evaporated.
"Your turn," I managed as I reached for him.
He smiled, a predatory flash of teeth that sent a thrill through me, and obliged. I watched, mesmerized, as he revealed himself to me. The broad planes of his chest, the defined muscles of his abdomen, and the trail of hair that led downward.
I swallowed hard as he removed his last article of clothing. He was magnificent, every part of him. Human and kraken alike, a perfect blend of both worlds.
When he joined me on the bed, I reached for him eagerly. Our bodies pressed together, skin to skin, and I gasped at the sensation. It was like electricity arcing between us, flowing through every point of contact.
"Do you feel that?" he whispered against my lips.
"Yes," I breathed, understanding he meant more than just the physical touch. There was something else happening. Something magical.
As his lips traced a path from mymouth to my jaw and down my neck, I became aware of a strange tingling sensation. It was as if my soul was reaching out to his, tendrils of my essence seeking his. My Soulbinder magic recognized something kindred in his kraken nature.
"Our magic," I gasped as he found a particularly sensitive spot just below my ear.
"I know," he growled, the vibration of his voice against my skin sending shivers down my spine. "I can feel you, Zoey. All of you."
His tentacles explored my body with a curiosity that was both innocent and deeply erotic. They mapped the curve of my waist, the swell of my breasts, the arch of my back as I pressed closer to him. One tentacle trailed down my stomach, pausing just above the juncture of my thighs, a silent question.
"Please," I was beyond pride or hesitation now.
