Page 173 of Eldritch
“Fucking hell!” He shuddered, and his palms gripped my backside, pressing me against those wicked little prongs that reached out for my flesh with every stroke.
I mindlessly dug my nails into him as that agonizing hunger coiled low in my stomach, needing to be filled. The vibration sank into me, shaking my thighs as he circled his hips beneath me.
My stomach clenched, muscles tight.
A mewling cry leaked out of me, my arousal spilling across the steel with each drag of his erection. “Zevander, oh, gods.” The heat and pressure swelled inside of me like a boiling kettle, pulling and tugging at some invisible string that wound through my core. Fingers bruised my hips, where they gripped me so tight, I thought he might crush my bones. But there was no pain. Only a dull and numbing ache as the pleasure inside of me expanded, pressing against my muscles. The vibration surged, and I raked my fingers down his chest, my muscles locked so tightly they might’ve snapped any moment.
Light exploded at the back of my eyes, and a tingling warmth dispersed across my limbs, through my stomach and chest. I cried out, breasts jutting outward as I arched my back, letting it ripple through me like a tidal wave.
Fingers dug into my hips and he cursed, a ragged and raw sound tearing out of him like a violent storm breaking through the calm of a cloud.
I felt the warm burst of his release painting my flesh, and looked down between us, watching it smear across our bodies as I circled my hips against him. The physical, messy proof of his pleasure. Pleasure that I’d given him. Shuttering my eyes, Irecalled those last moments over again, smiling at the echo of his curse, the seconds before he’d surrendered himself.
I opened my eyes to see him staring back at me, a look of awe carved into his expression.
“You are fucking divine,” he rasped, dragging me to his lips for a kiss.
Starved of breath, I pushed up to break our fused lips, and the sight that met my eyes stole my breath all over again.
Five jagged gashes across his chest sent a gurgling dread to the pit of my stomach. Blood trickled from the wounds I’d inflicted, and I raised my hand, examining the traces of it smeared across the metal fingertips.
“Don’t.” Zevander gripped my wrist, breaking me of the cold shock that chewed at my ribs. “I wanted this. I wanted every second of it.”
“But I …” I couldn’t bring myself to say aloud what I’d done to him. How I’d gouged him with such brutality and hadn’t even noticed through my euphoria. Tears formed in my eyes, the shame of what I’d done clawing at my heart as I wriggled to get loose, but he tightened his hold and yanked me forward until my breasts pressed against those vicious wounds.
“This is what I need. You asked. I’m telling you. I need this. I need to watch you drowning in the pleasure that I give you.”
“While I mutilate you? Is that not what she did to you? Is that not how you suffered?”
“You’re wrong. This is the first time I’ve ever felt something more than the pain. I saw the flush of your face,” he said, brushing his knuckles over my cheek. “The parting of your lips for breath.” His thumb caressed my bottom lip. “I’ve never watched something so beautiful in my life. Like the sun breaking over the horizon. It was ecstasy.”
“I put scars on your body, Zevander. Scars I’ll have to look upon and be reminded of the pain I caused you.”
“I’ll never look upon them as a painful memory. Those wounds mark the first time my heart beat for something more. The first time I gavewillingly.”
Tears slipped down my cheeks, and he thumbed them away.
“Don’t punish yourself, Lunamiszka. This was the most exquisite moment of my life.”
I couldn’t begin to imagine how, or why, but it was not my place to judge him for it. He could’ve lied to ease my conscience, but the contentment on his face spoke otherwise. The usually deep lines of tension in his brow had softened a little, and I ran my non-gloved thumb across it to confirm for myself.
“I could never live with myself, if I harmed you.”
“Now you know my pain. The only thing I fear in this world.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead, his palm gripping the back of my head. “I torment myself with the notion of setting you free sometimes. Sparing you of this cruel lust for pain. And there are moments when I imagine I have the strength to follow through. But I can’t. I could burn every village and person in it, and it would be as effortless as blowing out a candle. But I do not possess the power to let you go.”
“Promise me you’ll give up that silly notion.”
His palm gently gripped the column of my throat. “Promise you’ll never try to escape me.” He pressed a kiss to my lips.
“Even if I wanted to, and I don’t, it’s too late for me now. Your hooks are firmly rooted inside of me.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “And, by god, if you turn that into something sexual, I’ll scream.”
Zevander chuckled and kissed me again. “I’ll refrain. This time. Just know my hooks are ready and willing to drag you out of those pious thoughts anytime.”
“I think we should get your wounds cleaned.” As if sensing the unease blooming inside of me again, he cupped my face.
“My obsession knows no bounds, moon witch. I’d tear apart the heavens and sacrifice my own soul for you.”
I gave a reluctant smile, unable to peel my gaze from those vicious gashes. “I would never ask you to sacrifice your soul for me.”
