The Darkest Fire

CHAPTER TWELVE

Kiss her? "I shouldn't. I can't." Though gods, Geryon wanted to, desperately, and found his gaze straying to her lips. They were lush and red. Glistening. His mouth watered for a taste of them. His horns, sensitive to his emotions as they were, throbbed.

Those pretty lips dipped into a frown. "Why not? You said you liked me. Did you lie to spare my feelings?"

"I would never lie to you. And I do like you. You are beautiful and strong, the finest thing I have ever known."

"You think me beautiful? Strong?" Pleasure lit her expression. "Then why won't you kiss me?"

"I will hurt you."

Her face scrunched adorably in her confusion. "I don't understand. You've never hurt me before."

"My teeth…they are too sharp." He didn't add that his hand were too toxic, his strength too mighty. Were he to lose control of himself and squeeze her, which was a possibility considering how much he desired her, she would be hurt. Scared, too. Perhaps even irreparably damaged.

"I'm willing to risk it," she said, placing her palms on his thighs and burning him soul-deep.

He both hated and loved his half-armor at that moment. Hated because it kept him from skin-to-fur contact. Loved because it blocked her gaze from parts of his monstrous form. "Why?" What reason could she possibly have for wanting to place her luscious lips on something so…disgusting? Mere curiosity would not drive a female to such an act. Evangeline had vomited the moment she'd first spied his changed appearance. "I could tolerate what you were, but I can not tolerate…this," she'd thrown at him.

"Because." Twin pink circles painted Kadence's cheeks, but she didn't turn her gaze.

"Why?" he insisted. He placed his hands atop hers. Gulped at the headiness, the silkiness.

"You saved me."

So she was grateful. His shoulders sagged in disappointment. Did you truly expect her to desire you? No, he hadn't expected it—but he had hoped. "It would be dishonorable to kiss you for such a reason."

Though she remained on her knees, she rose until they were merely a whisper apart. "Then do it because I'm desperate, needy. Do it because I've suddenly realized how quickly something can be taken from me, and I wish to know some part of you before I'm—"

"Before you're…" he managed to choke out. She was desperate? Needy?

"Do it," she pleaded.

Yes. Yes. Geryon could no longer resist, dishonorable or not. He would be careful, he vowed. So careful. He bent the rest of the way, softly pressing his mouth against hers. She didn't pull away. She gasped, lips parting, and he swept his tongue inside. Her taste…so sweet, like a snowstorm after a millennium of fire.

"More," she said. "Deeper. Harder."

"Sure?"

"More than I've ever been."

Centuries had passed since he'd kissed a woman and never while in this form, but he began thrusting his tongue against hers, rolling them together, retreating, then going back for more. When he felt his teeth scrape hers, he stiffened. And when she moaned, he tried to pull away. But her arms slid up his chest, one anchoring around his neck, the other caressing a horn. So sensitive was the protrusion, he had to grip his thighs, nails sinking deep, to keep his claws off her.

"Like?" she asked.

"Yes," he managed to grit out.

"Good. Me, too." Her lush breasts pressed into his chest, her nipples hard and searching.

She enjoyed his kiss? Tremors rocked him, their tongues beginning another dance, his muscles tightening against the strain of remaining exactly as he was. With every moment that passed, every breathy sound that emerged from her, his control snapped a little more. He yearned to toss her down, climb atop her and pound, pound so hard he would brand himself on every inch of her. Inside every cell.

"Stop," he finally said. "We must stop." He jerked to his feet, away from her, already mourning the loss of her taste. He kept his back to her, panting, his heart racing.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked softly, and there was a catch in her voice.

Oh, yes. You stole a heart I could not afford to give. He'd promised never to lie to her, however, so he merely said, "Come. We have waited long enough. We have demons to hunt."