The Darkest Secret

Up and down she moved on him, savoring. Savoring until they were panting in each other’s mouth, silently gasping each other’s names, her nipples rasping against his chest, creating a decadent friction. His blood was heating, and that heat was seeping into her. Her blood must have been cooling because that chill seeped into him, wrapping them both in fire and ice, one sensation feeding off the other.

Too fast, he said, even though they were moving at such a leisurely, languid pace, hips rolling together, her clitoris grinding against him, her desire providing such a tight, perfect glide. Hurting?

«So…good…»

He licked his way to her jaw. Her ear. He nibbled on the outer shell, then dove inside. A shiver raked her spine and her lower body jerked against his. Another nibble and then he was licking down her neck. He stopped at the wild thump of her pulse and sucked, drawing the blood higher, just under his tongue. That earned another shiver from her.

«Amun?»

Yes, sweetheart. Gods, he would never tire of hearing his name on her lips. Tilt your head farther to the right.

She obeyed, and he sucked at the tendon between nape and shoulder. Her movements quickened, but the thrusts became shallow, her body riding him only part of the way. Sweetest. Torture. Ever. She kept him in a state of unwavering desire, his skin so sensitized even the caress of air stoked him higher.

«I–I love you,» she said.

W-what? Dare he hope she’d said—

«I love you.»

Oh, sweetheart. She was everything to him. Simply everything. After her declaration, there was no holding back. No going slowly, no taking their time, playing it safe, easing their way to climax. Amun rolled her over, releasing her hands to grip her knees and shove them as far apart as they would go. Tell me again.

«I love you.»

He pulled nearly all the way out before slamming home. Again.

A cry spilled from her lips. «I love you.»

Again. In, out. In, out. Hard, fast. The heat spreading, the ice consuming. He stared into her eyes, so deep, losing himself, glad.

«I love you.» Her nails dug into his back, drawing blood. Her head thrashed from side to side.

In, out. In, out. He released one of her legs and placed it between his own, his testicles suddenly rubbing against her thigh. The new position diminished the space between her core and his hammering erection, the rounded, weeping head scraping against her clitoris with every insistent inward pounding.

Soon she was gasping, incoherent. So was he. From pleasure, no hint of pain. And if he’d thought their first time intense, he learned the error of such a mind-set. She loved him. He owned her heart, just as she owned his. They were melded by more than their bodies. They were melded in spirit, part of each other forevermore.

Relief and ecstasy poured off him, enveloped them both, and without thought he closed his teeth over that well-sucked tendon. Immediately she gasped, went rigid. Her back bowed, her hips lifted, forcing him as deep as he could go, her inner walls clenching on him, milking him.

Amun erupted. He gave her every drop, filling her up, branding her, staking that claim.

Mine, mine, mine. No secret. Not to him, and not to his demon, and not to Haidee.

Finally, when he had nothing left, he collapsed atop her. She didn’t complain. She sagged to the ground, as depleted as he was. He barely managed to angle his body so that he wouldn’t crush her, but he didn’t move off her all the way, didn’t pull out of her. He was where he belonged, and he was loath to lose the connection.

Hurting?

Her eyes were closed, the long length of her lashes creating a fan of shadows over her cheeks. «No. Dead.» He chuckled. Then my woman is pleased? Even though she had to do most of the work herself?

She blinked open those pearl-grays. «So I am your woman?»

His humor drained in the face of her doubt. Now. Always.

«Will you—?» She licked her swollen, well-kissed lips. «Will you say the words, then?»

He smoothed his hands over her brow, not surprised to note that he was shaking. He had needed the words, so it stood to reason that she did, as well. He was ashamed he hadn’t said them before now. Had been so selfish, enjoying her declaration but not offering his own. I love you, Haidee. I love you so much I ache.

Tension seemed to drain from her, though he’d never felt her stiffen. «Do you forgive me for what I did? All those centuries ago?»

Sweetheart. What is there to forgive? You were as consumed by your demon as I was by mine.

Tears sprinkled from the corners of her eyes, then rained down her cheeks, streaking down her lovely skin. «My demon. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to hearing those words in conjunction with myself.»

But it’s true. You took a piece of Hate, but didn’t know to purge it. That piece bonded with you, became a part of you. That piece drove you.

She placed her palm over his heart. «Your friends will never understand that. They’ll never accept me.»

He cupped her jaw and angled her head, forcing her to peer up at him. You’re first with me. They’ll accept that or they’ll lose me.

«But I don’t want you to lose them. You need them.»

I need you.

«What if I accidently take their demons?»

You won’t.

«How can you be sure?»

Just like with me, you won’t want to. Therefore you won’t.

«You trust me that much?»

Yes.

Her arms banded around his neck and drew him down, allowing her to bury her face in the hollow of his neck. The tears continued to flow, icy crystals that broke his heart. Her lithe body rocked against him as she sobbed.

What’s wrong, sweetheart? I wanted to make you happy, not sad.

«I am happy. I’ve never been first before. I mean, for a while, with my parents, I was. After they’d decided to keep me, I guess, and before my sister was born. But then, when Hate tortured them, they begged him to take me, and that hurt me. Here, now, I know you’ll always put me first and I shouldn’t let you do that. Not for me. Not for anyone, and I’m babbling, I know, but if I let you do this, you’ll just be unhappy later on.»

He rolled to his back, fitting her atop him like a well-placed puzzle piece. Unhappy? Why, are you planning to leave me?

«No, you deliberately obtuse man. I’m too greedy.»

He found himself chuckling again. As long as I’ve got you, I can never be unhappy.

«Your friends—'

Will accept you. Or else, he thought.

Secrets remained quiet. Perhaps the demon knew the truth of their reactions, perhaps not. Either way, Amun planned to do everything in his power to ensure his friends did, in fact, accept his woman.

If they couldn’t, fine. He’d go. He’d miss them, always love them, but he’d go. If they threatened her, he’d go — but he’d hurt them before he did. If they tried to make him choose between them and Haidee, they’d lose. No question.

His heart beat for this woman. He lived for this woman. She’d endured travesty after travesty when she only deserved pleasure. He would now provide that pleasure. Nothing would stand in his way.