Total pages in book: 401
Estimated words: 390373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1952(@200wpm)___ 1561(@250wpm)___ 1301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 390373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1952(@200wpm)___ 1561(@250wpm)___ 1301(@300wpm)
“I…I love the way you feel inside me,” she whispered.
I smiled against her cheek. “I know.”
Poppy laughed. “So arrogant.”
Giving her braid a teasing jerk, I drove her down until her chest touched the bed. Then I fucked her, driving into her relentlessly as I held her in place.
The first wave of her release took me over the edge. I came with a shout, spilling into her as she spasmed around me, milking my cock as my gaze fixed on the bluish-green veins of her throat.
Hunger twisted my gut. My jaw throbbed, and before I knew it, my arms were tightening around her, and my mouth was inches from her neck.
My lips brushed the skin there. Poppy shivered against me, either unconsciously or purposely tilting her head, exposing herself more to me. The throbbing increased.
I couldn’t feed from her. Not right now. I knew that, but her blood called to me.
All those years of restraint and self-control meant nothing in her presence. Never did. But I couldn’t. Drinking from her now would weaken her, possibly even send her back into stasis. Even knowing that, my lips peeled back.
What was I doing?
Fuck.
Pulling my head back, my eyes slammed shut as the need to sink my fangs into her vein burned through me.
The knowledge that feeding from her so soon would weaken her should’ve pushed the need down, but as fucked up as it was, it still took a couple of moments for me to do it.
Breathing raggedly, I forced myself to move so I didn’t have my full weight on her, then kept my arm around her waist and rolled us both onto our sides. Working my leg between hers, I pulled her flush against my chest.
I kissed her damp shoulder as I listened to her fast breaths. “You okay?”
“I don’t think I can move.” Poppy cleared her throat. “But other than that? Perfect.”
“Good.”
My arms tightened around her as she relaxed into me and we lay there, letting our bodies cool and our hearts slow.
My eyelids felt heavy, begging me to let them lower. Fuck, I was tired. But I had a feeling if I caved to the need to sleep, it would be a good day before my eyes opened again, and I couldn’t let that happen.
“Talk to me,” I said.
She was quiet for a moment, her confusion adding a tartness to the thickness of her concern. “About?”
“Anything,” I said, and then she wiggled that ass of hers. I groaned again.
She stilled, then looked over her shoulder with a raised brow.
My eyes narrowed on her. “You’re not talking.”
She settled back against me. Seconds ticked by. My eyelids were starting to feel like they carried the weight of iron, and my thoughts were getting a little hazy—
“I saw Vikter,” Poppy announced.
My eyes snapped open in surprise. Damn, if that didn’t clear away the remnants of my blade-sharp hunger. Using my arm around her waist, I rolled her so she was on her back. “Come again?”
“I saw him at Mount Lotho,” she elaborated, turning her head toward me.
“Really?” Damn. “How is he?”
“Good,” she said as I tasted her bittersweet emotions. “He was just like he was before. Nothing about him was different. I think he lives there.”
“With the Fates?”
Poppy rolled onto her side to face me. Her shaky breath teased the skin of my chest. “Yeah. They seem to be used to one another. He was the very first viktor. Like all the others were modeled after him.”
I frowned. “How old is he?”
She laughed. “He has to be old.” She paused and idly traced her fingertips across my biceps. “He knew we got married.”
“I’m sure he had great things to say about that.”
Her lips curled into a smile against my skin. “He said he knew you loved me.”
“He always was observant,” I remarked, remembering my interactions with the grouchy bastard. The only thing we even remotely saw eye to eye on was Poppy’s safety. And even then, we weren’t always on the same page. “I’m glad you got to see him.”
“Me, too. It’s not so hard now to picture him instead of seeing him… Instead of only being able to see him as he was the last time I saw him.” She shifted, brushing against my semi-aroused erection. “He apologized.”
I willed my dick to behave itself. “For what?”
“For not intervening when it came to the Duke.”
The mention of that fucker was the quickest way to get my dick under control. “Good.”
She pulled back and lifted her head. “Cas—”
“The Duke’s time ran out the moment I discovered what he was doing to you.” I could hear the coldness in my tone as I looked down at her. “Vikter did nothing to stop him.”
“He couldn’t,” Poppy argued. “Even if he wasn’t a viktor,” she continued, “he wouldn’t have been able to do much. He would’ve ended up reassigned or worse if he said anything.”