“Look at me Katherine, please,” Lucian gritted out between thrusts.
Her eyes found him and she didn’t fight the dark safety that enveloped her. She felt her defences drop and her heart leap out from its cage. She wanted to feel bathed in his love and she gave herself over to the sensations that were coursing through her body.
She writhed against Lucian, carnal moans of passion leaving her mouth as she rocked her hips to meet his. He released her hands and ran his possessively over her body, his mouth greedily tasting hers. Katherine bit down on his bottom lip as his fingers reached between them and began to strum on her sensitive nub. They both groaned out their pleasure.
Their movements became frenzied as Lucian pistoned his hips into her relentlessly. Katherine felt as though she was about to burst as the pleasure grew quickly like a bright light illuminating her from the inside.
“Lucian, yes,” she cried out, as she dug her nails into his back, clutching him to her.
Lucian kissed her desperately as he continued to take her in hard, punishing thrusts. Her climax struck her like lightning and she shattered around him, her body clenching his thick shaft as she threw her head back.
“Katherine!” Lucian choked out as his hot seed filled her.
Never before had she felt such complete and overwhelming euphoria.
Lucian whispered sweet nothings reverently into her neck as he slowly rolled his hips into her, drawing their pleasure out until all that remained was a lingering tingle of warmth. Hot, wet kisses peppered her skin and Katherine smiled up at the ceiling. The moon shone in brightly, casting the room in a cool blue glow.
“Come, my darling,” Lucian soothed as he lifted her and pulled back the sheets, “get some sleep.”
Katherine couldn’t think of anything better as she snuggled down and buried her face into his warm chest.
“I love you," she mumbled as sleep pulled at her.
Lucian pressed a tender kiss to the top of her head and hushed her.
“Sleep now.”
A chill tickled her heart as she fell into a deep and satisfied slumber.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Lucian
Lucian slipped from the bed just moments after Katherine’s breathing evened out into a steady, slow rhythm. He paced to his shower room and with an agitated flick of his mind, turned the water on to as hot as it would go. He needed to purge himself of the overwhelming guilt he felt.
He barely registered the hot sting of the water as he ran his hands through his hair. She loved him.
He didn’t deserve her love. Despite vowing to never drink from her again, he had lost himself in the moment and the only reason he hadn’t sunk his fangs into her tender flesh while he pounded into her was her quiet denial.
She didn’t want him that way. She didn’t want to be fed upon and he had no right to do so. She was forbidden. He knew he should give her over to the elders so the appropriate protections could be put in place, but damn it he was too damn selfish and possessive to let her go. He pounded his fist against the tile cracking it. He took slow breaths and tried to rein in his temper.
He had no right to her love. She was a magnificent soul that had opened and entrusted him with her fragile heart and he had the audacity to try to feast upon her, to covet her and keep her to himself. Even knowing it was wrong, Lucian couldn’t deny the warmth and desire he felt to keep her with him always.
Making him no better than the monsters of his kind who would enslave her for her rare and highly sought-after blood.
She loved him and he so desperately wanted to be worthy of such a prize. He couldn’t keep her, nor should she want to stay with him. She had her dreams and a whole life ahead of her, filled with opportunities and successes and days in the sun. Lucian could only imagine how radiant she would be with the sun glinting off her golden hair. All he could offer her was a paltry existence, a long and lonesome life in the shadows with only himself for company. Friends would come and go. She wouldn’t be able to pursue her aspirations of being a lawyer, how could she represent anyone when she couldn’t step foot in a courtroom during daylight hours? And the elders would eventually learn of her blood and would likely imprison him, leaving her all the more alone and betrayed.
He could never be worthy of her love. Everything he was would never be enough. If he wanted to do right by her he would let her go. Let her go and then disappear, putting as much distance between them as possible. The thought of leaving her unprotected pained him deeply. He would do what he could, but he wouldn’t turn her over to the elders. They would stifle her and keep her from her dreams in their fervour to protect her precious blood.
He stormed out of the shower, hastily drying himself as he went. He had an ally to visit and a couple of phone calls to make. So determined with his plans, Lucian ploughed straight into Katherine. He quickly spun catching her in his arms and steadying her.
“Miss. Daxton, my apologies.”
Katherine giggled at him, “you seem quite agitated, Lord Nightingale. Perhaps you should come back to bed?”
Her sweet unsuspecting eyes were alight with humour and Lucian hated himself for what he was about to do, but it was necessary to ensure her future happiness and safety.
“I’m afraid not, Miss. Daxton,” he extracted himself from her hold and summoned a suit from his closet. The items appeared and draped over one of the chesterfield wing-backs.
“That is so cool,” she said from behind him.
“Quite,” Lucian said, determined to keep their painful interaction
