Page 31 of Vathia
“You absolutely will not. I would be a shit male if I let you do that. You can have the bed. Now why don’t you get a bath ready for yourself and I’ll run down and grab the food so you aren’t disturbed. I’ll be back.”
He leaves before I can get a word in edgewise even though they said they would send it up. Maybe he’s gone back down to speak with her. My eye twitches and I sigh. It takes a moment to notice where the tub is located: near the window with no dressing screen. No wonder he left to get the food. Maybe I should be thankful for the privacy, but I’m tired andmy emotions are running high, and nothing sounds better than a bath right now.
I make quick work of turning on the taps and filling the tub with water as hot as I can get it. I waddle over to the small stand that holds soaps, salts and bubbles for all your bathing needs and dump a bit of each in the tub, leaving the bar of soap nearby. My muscles are killing me and I momentarily worry about how I’ll get into the tub, knowing that I can’t lift my leg very high off the ground.
Fuck.
I keep throwing nervous glances at the door as I painstakingly strip down, and when the tub is full and bubbles cover the top, I try to climb in and instantly realize that isn’t going to happen. So I do the only logical thing I can think of and lean against the metal rim and slowly roll into the tub so I don’t splash water everywhere.
I fail, but that’s a problem for future Ravina.
My muscles begin to relax and I groan deeply at how amazing the hot water feels against my body. As the aches dull, so does my mind and my eyes begin to flutter. As I’m lulled into a sense of comfort, my traitorous mind wanders back to the moment on the beach when Aemon wrapped his shadows around my neck.
It was such a bastardly, domineering thing to do, but I couldn’t help but be overcome with need for him. I was so mad, but never have I wanted to be ravished more than in that moment. My hands trail down my body, needing relief from the heat that seems to be growing in my lower stomach these past few weeks—I now realize it is because of the bonds. Being around my mates. All the confusion I’ve been feeling towards them. The heated looks they give me. I damn near broke the moment Jesper touched me earlier.
My fingers graze my swollen clit and I gasp.
“Well this is a beautiful sight to walk in on,” Aemon purrs as he places the tray down on the bedside table.
This time I gasp for a whole other reason, removing my hand. He moves over towards me and settles at my back, and I turn to peer up at him, feeling extremely vulnerable.
He gives me a look of pure need that has me clenching around nothing. “Relax, I’m just going to massage your neck. I know you’re sore; you’d be good at hiding it if I wasn’t so attuned to your body.”
I sink deeper into the water, hiding below the bubbles. “Just a massage and nothing else,” I state, even though I want so much more.
His warm, calloused hands graze my shoulders and my flesh prickles with awareness. “Until you beg for my touch, Little Dream, I won’t go further. You have my word.”
I nod, not trusting my voice to say anything else.
Those hands of his feel as if they’re made of pure magick as they dig into the knotted muscles of my neck and shoulders, and a deep groan escapes my lips causing me to stiffen. When he doesn’t say anything I begin to relax again.
By the time he’s done, I’m a puddle, and I wish he would do that all over my tense and knotted body.
“Would you turn around so I can get out and get dressed?” I ask.
He chuckles. “Of course. Just tell me when you’re decent again.”
I wait a moment while he settles on the far end of the bed, staring at the wall, making sure he doesn’t turn around. Then ever so slowly, I manage to get out of the tub. I’m still hurting a lot and it takes some maneuvering, but within a few minutes, I’m dried and dressed in my tunic and panties. No need to get fully dressed in leathers again if I’m going to sleep.
“Okay, it’s safe to look.” Moving with next to no grace, I head towards the steaming bowl of stew and a thick cut of buttered bread. “Thank you for grabbing the food. I didn’t even realize how hungry I was.”
He takes the other portion. “Of course. Are you still in pain? Don’t lie to me this time.” He fixes me with a stern look.
Dipping my bread in the thick gravy, I take a bite while thinking of what to tell him. I settle on the truth. “My thighs, hips and lower back hurt the worst, but I’ll be okay.” And I will be. I was in just as much pain when we first got to Kraryn and I survived. Although, I’m not looking forward to the flight back if I wake up tomorrow feeling the same way I did last time.
He nods in acknowledgment and we finish our food in silence but it isn’t awkward, it’s comforting.
When I finish the last bite, Aemon takes the bowl from me and places it back down on the tray. “Lay down on your stomach. I’m going to help you with your pain. If you want, of course.” His face stays blank, but his eyes betray him—it was the same look he used to give me when he really wanted to do something but didn’t want to give away how much.
The small memory makes me smile. “I suppose that’s okay.” Even after all this time, I still don’t want to tell him no. Yet, as I lay on my stomach, I’m overcome with nerves, but not just that—excitement. I want Aemon to touch me, I realize.
His hands fall on either side of my hips and he begins, staying overtop of my tunic. He works the muscles deeply, using his thumb to push in circular motions, and I have to bite my lip to stop me from responding.
He works his way down to the sides of my ass and then lower, heading to my bare thighs. I’m not sure if it’s his warm hands kneading into my tender flesh or if I’m just that wound up, but I moan.
Aemon’s hands freezes. “We should stop,” he whispers.
“I’m sorry—”
