Page 57 of Cruelest Kiss and Fairest Blood
“Did my monster scare you?” I’m sure I already know the answer.
“I was only scared that you may bite Cassius’s head off. Aside from that, your monster is really quite lovely.” She blushes. I don’t know how to respond. My monster is a living nightmare. My own cheeks heat, matching Lenore’s. “And my army of beasts fare well. Small but mighty. Ready to topple kingdoms at my command.” She pats the ground next to her.
Dropping into a crouch, I steal another kiss. This one is deeper. Savoring the taste of her lips as they press against mine. “Good morning.”
“Morning.” She bites her lip, holding back a giddy grin.
I drop down, stretching my legs out in front of me and leaning back on my hands. “Good morning to you as well, tiny beasts.”
Most of the animals scatter. A few remain. “They will get used to you,” Lenore encourages.
One animal approaches, sniffing my leg before crawling up onto my lap. It’s the damn weasel. I shake my leg. “Get off me, Weasley.”
Lenore smacks me on the thigh. “It’s Beazel the Weasel and I thought you were trying to make friends?”
Taking a deep breath through the nose, I relent. “Fine.”
“Just hold still. Let them investigate you.”
“Investigate? As if I’m some criminal?”
Lenore narrows her eyes. “You do remember what it is youdo, right?”
“That’s beside the point.”
She smiles, shaking her head at me. “He’s hopeless, you guys.”
More of the animals return. A few of the braver ones inch closer. The weasel climbs onto my legs, making his way higher. The feel of its tiny feet pattering against me is unnatural. I stiffen. My words come out as a harsh whisper. “Roseheart, get it off me.”
Lenore giggles. “Why are you whispering?”
“He’s getting ready to attack. Look at him.” The animal in question stomps around on my lap, spinning in three circles before lying down.
“Guard your loins, he looks ready to strike,” Lenore says, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
A small black and white bird lands on my shoulder. “Look at the positioning. This one’s going to peck out my eyes.”
Lenore’s laughter fills the meadow. “He’d better not. I would miss your eyes terribly. And your loins.” She winks at me.
“That would be tragic. What good would I be to you without them?” Leaning in halfway, I wait for Lenore to close the distance between us. No matter how many times I kiss her, it’s never enough. Like drinking from an endless stream but never slaking your thirst.
My hand grips her waist as she meets my mouth, trailing down to her thigh. The unmistakable outline of a weapon takes shape beneath my finger.
Reluctantly, I break our kiss. “We need to talk about your dagger.”
Lenore presses her lips back to mine. “No, we don’t.”
I give in for a few seconds longer before pulling away once more. “We do. How much training do you have?”
“A little. I use a training sword when I practice with Gestin.”
I press two fingers over her lips to silence her. “Tell me, Roseheart, is there a sword strapped to your thigh?” Gripping her skirts, I bunch them up on one side, allowing myself access to her leg beneath. The usually cool metal of the dagger is warm against her skin. “Hmmm. This doesn’t feel like a sword.”
Lenore bites her lip. I give her inner thigh a light swipe before dropping the dress. “Harrow.” She pouts.
Planting a chaste kiss, I whisper, “Earn that. Show me you can defend yourself and I’ll use my tongue to show you what a good girl you’ve been.”
Lenore’s cheeks darken. I love that her blood is so visible beneath her fair skin. It allows me to see exactly when she’s affected by something. Her gaze is still fixed on my mouth.
