Page 10 of Welcome Home
I lean my head to the side, listening. Her soft, spaced-out breath tells me she’s asleep. My love must be exhausted. I crack my neck before outstretching my left arm, splaying his fingers wide. The tearing starts at the tips, followed by a deep-set, burning pull. A familiar one, after nearly four hundred years of existence, it should be. The pain doesn’t hurt in any traditional sense anymore, although I remember my horror the first time it happened. The first time I shed the brilliant, excruciating pain that had me begging the gods in heaven for death. The skin at my fingertips peeling backwards slowly like a glove, the soft squelch of it separating sends a strange thrill throughout my body.
Cora can never see me like this. It would break her. She’d be…sickened by me. By the real me, the me that belongs in the shadows brought to light by wicked tales taught to children to keep them in line. How many times have I donned the skin of a loving father and cradled his children, telling tales of myself… the creature under the surface? I grit my teeth watching intently as it pills back further, the thick almost rubbery organ starts to gray immediately, the illusion of life I give it fading as it splits far up my arm. I flex my fingers, reveling in the way the cooler air inside the house nips at it painfully. Each whisk of air feels like a slap, it's fucking brilliant. It’s been two months since my true skin has seen the light of day and even then, it had only been exposed for forty-eight hours. The near translucent appearance of it is masked by the burst blood vessels torn from the borrowed skin. I nearly smile, trailing my fingertips along the smooth white banister. For the first time, my true skin is touching something of hers. Aside from him, of course, the thought resonates in my cock despite the pain. Making it jerk to life. The cool banister eventually gives way at the top of the stairs. I sigh deeply, wanting nothing more than to caress her with my true skin, no matter how uncomfortable it would be for me at first. After weeks, months, years of being covered, every touch is painful.
I roll my wrist before tucking my arm behind my back as I reach our bedroom door.
Our bedroom door.
Listen to yourself. You’ve broken more than one cardinal rule since you’ve taken this skin, Vosz. What I would give to hear that name from her soft lips. My father would lash me half to death if he knew what I’d been up to. Never in my three hundred and ninety-five years have I made a mistake quite as extreme as Cora. Whatever comes from it, I'll take it. It’s worth it to be close to her, to have more than his tainted, biased memories of her to sate me for however long our pitiful existence lasts. I turn the doorknob, not surprised when it’s locked. A quick rough flick of my wrist snaps the mechanism open. I'll replace it for her later. Can’t have my sweetest love hiding from me. I half expect hysterics when I enter the bedroom, frowning when I find it empty. My eyes land on the bathroom door slightly ajar. Her breathing hitches for a second before settling again. The sound of water lapping against her ivory skin.
It's not safe to sleep in the bath, Cora dear.
I pay no mind to the bloodstain still visible on the carpet; I hate that she was hurt almost as much as I hate that she was scared of me. A chuckle escapes from my throat as I enter the bathroom. I suppose it would be terrifying to be confronted in the shower by the husband you murdered all those months ago. By all rights, my girl has handled herself well. There’s been limited vomiting. She hasn’t torn any hair out or dissolved into madness. All very good things. Her eyes flicker underneath the thin skin of her eyelids. The intricate network of carmine, plum and navy decorating the surface pulls at my heart.
How could he have ever hated you?
My eyes dip to her pert exposed breasts, her ginger colored nipples are pebbled as they sit just above the water. I bite down on my inner cheek as my cock stirs, his obeying the signal straining against the muddy gray flannel pajama pants I'm wearing. The water kisses and teases the delicious swells of her breasts as I lean next to the tub containing her languid body. Everything in me begging, no screaming for me to lean in and taste her. I follow her stomach, the soft puff towards the bottom he used to critique her on, the way her hips swell perfectly. When my gaze gets to the dips in them at the top, I find myself biting back a groan as my cock throbs painfully. Her pretty slit sits exposed, barely masked by the murk of the water. I remove my exposed hand from behind my back, hissing quietly through my teeth as it dips into the lukewarm water. It’s excruciating and worth it. I don’t hesitate to seek out her core, watching her closely as she sleeps. The blood from my arm releases from my true skin, tinting her bath ever so slightly pink. Running the tip of my finger across her soft, shaved center, another concept that never made sense to me. Her lips part slightly as she arches up, pushing her needy core harder into my finger. I give my girl what she wants. The taste of blood fills my mouth with the effort to keep my finger against her. Her cunt every bit as overwhelming to my sensitive skin as I hoped it would be. I withdraw slightly, eliciting a faint whimper from her lips.
So needy.
A smirk pulls at my lips as I go deeper, my large two middle fingers testing her little hole before pushing them inside slowly. Careful to keep my nails retracted, something even after all these years is difficult. She stirs but doesn’t wake. Her breathing growing choppy as I push them deeper inside her. Swallowing a pained grunt, the feeling of her tight walls around my true skin is like touching the sun. I shove them in deeper, letting my thumb find that little pulsing nub. She moans, rocking her hips in tune with my fingers, her core clenching and unclenching with the need to be filled.
Goddess, she’s beautiful.
I watch her small tongue dart out, wetting her bottom lip slightly before she clamps down on it. Holding it hostage between her teeth. My body moves before my brain gives it permission to as I free myself from the soaked muddy pants, fisting my cock. I squeeze it tightly, pumping it in tune with her, letting her take what she needs from my fingers. My true skin inside her sends a drop of pre-come pooling at the head. I use my free thumb to wipe it across the head, smearing it there, wishing it were her lips. I keep up that pressure on her clit, drawing small circles as her whimpers and moans grow louder and more desperate. I rock my hips harder into my hand, fucking it the same way I will her. Imagining I'm nested between her thighs, tracing the outline of her hardened nipples with my tongue.
“Oliver…” She moans, making me fall still, seconds away from my own cusp. I set my jaw, my heart hammering in my chest. Her eyes never open. Anger seeps into my soul, polluting an otherwise life-changing moment.
Not Oliver my love, Vosz. I'm your Vosz.
Her breath hiccups as her core tightens around my fingers. My hand works harder against my own cock catching up to my girl as she flutters around my fingers sending ripples of agony up my arm while she comes apart. Mewling loudly, she writhes and grinds into my hand.
Fuck Cora…
My breath hitches as heat rushes to the pit of my stomach. I erupt, waves of pleasure slamming through me as I come on the floor beside the tub. Her eyes flutter open and my heart stops dead in my chest, the throes of ecstasy long gone. I jerk my hand free of her as she shoots up in the tub, yelping, her pretty eyes frantic. I jerk my arm behind my back, shaking free most of the water before quickly urging the skin back into place. A nasty business when it’s rushed, but I fight to keep my face neutral, best I can. Her juices still clinging to my true skin trapped underneath his-
My…my skin.
I bring my arm back out, unable to hide the smile as she covers herself with her arms. Her fingers pruned after being submerged for so long as she cups her breasts. Her cheeks flushed scarlet. “What the fuck were you doing?”
My smile grows. “Does it require a special explanation?” I don’t hide the pride in my voice. Even if it is a little unbecoming, I'm content up here riding around on cloud nine. I tuck my cock away judging by the incensed look on her face She wouldn’t be thrilled to see it right now. “You can’t fucking do that.”
I roll my eyes, frustration shoving to the forefront and wiping clear my previous notion of bliss. “And why can’t I? You’re my wife.”
“I am not your wife! That's not how consent works either way!” She looks away, the flush in her cheeks trailing down her neck. I grab a towel from the rack, stalking back towards her.
You're so fucking cute when you're shy.
“Your body seemed to consent just fine; it was greedy for it even.” I taunt gently, ignoring her recoil as I reach in, letting the water out before she notices the pink hue. Standing, she reaches out for the towel. I hand it over reluctantly; I’d hoped to have the chance to dry her myself before my little…distraction. “Well, that doesn’t matter. I wasn’t willing.”
I ignore the retort on the tip of my tongue. “I apologize my love. I’ll make sure youandyour body consent before I pleasure you again.”
She scowls, her eyes tired and worn. Extending my hand, I offer to help her from the tub. My chest tightening as she regards it like a venomous snake, and she hasn’t even seenmeyet. I go to leave the bathroom, allowing her the space she needs before I take a shower. Without warning, a surge of doubt floods in, swallowing the warmth she placed in my chest. In all my years…all the memories I’ve stolen, the personalities I’ve assumed and the lives if taken for my own… I’ve never fallen inlovewith a memory of a person. Until Cora. Everything about her called to me in a way I’d never experienced. Those two months I hid away, watching his life through dreams, and flashes…all I saw was her. I knew I had to come back; I had to have Cora. I never wanted to hurt her, I just wanted-
“You apologized…” She whispers, sitting on the edge of the tub, eyeing me with no small amount of caution.
I half turn back towards her slowly, glancing over my shoulder. “I upset you. Of course, I apologized.”
She scoffs, shaking her head. “How bad could I ever have let it get that a mere apology from him rips my heart in two?” Knuckles pop as I clench my fists, willing myself to stay in place despite how badly I want to go to her; to wrap her tightly in my arms, giving her a spew of nonsensical reassurances. Making over every promise he never kept.
