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having to ask.
The sun, you see. It s the source of strength and life for me as
much as for my land and my people. His mouth quirked with a
wry smile. Perhaps more so.
I shook my head, no less bewildered. What does that mean?
He still didn t touch me, but his gaze was as potent as a
physical touch, drawing me in, inviting more. It means, my Seth,
that if you had driven your stake against me on the night of the
new moon instead of the full, you might have had an altogether
different result.
I stared down at him as the full impact of his confession settled
into me. His gaze flickered across my face. After a moment when I
still hadn t managed a response, he gave me a crooked smile and
tipped his head in that mischievous way he had. It also means that
I was, perhaps, somewhat less than honest when I insinuated I
couldn t be killed at all.
Why are you telling me this?
You re afraid of me. He lifted one hand and ran it over my
cheek, my neck, my shoulder. His thumb brushed down my throat,
following the vein. Because I m stronger than you. Because if you
place your trust in me and I m not worthy of it, I could kill you in
an instant.
I shivered as he laid out so boldly all the fears that tangled
within me.
He grazed his thumb over my lower lip, increased the pressure.
What I am telling you is that we are not so unmatched as you
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might fear. Not tonight, with the new moon nearly upon us. He
reared up, covered my mouth with his and nibbled on my lip where
his thumb had just been. I shall fetch you a stake with a tip sharp
as a flint knife, if having it at hand would ease your mind.
All that, for a meal?
His mouth turned down, his brows lowering. Not for a meal,
Seth. For you.
I let my breath out slowly, shut my eyes. I don t want a stake,
I murmured. I would likely forget I held it, and run you through
accidentally, and then where would we be?
He moved his hand to my back, ran it up and down in a light
caress, his fingertips barely brushing over my skin. What do you
want?
Promise me, I whispered. On whatever you hold most
sacred. Promise you will not hurt me.
I opened my eyes to see if he would make the oath or not. He
held my gaze solemnly as he said, I swear by the sun in the sky
and the breath in my body that I will not harm you, and should you
change your mind at any moment, I will stop immediately. He
cupped my face and laid a kiss upon my mouth. You have my
oath, my sworn word. On my honor. One hand trailed down,
fingertips resting against the pulse in my throat. I will make it
pleasurable.
Quickly, before I lost my nerve or talked myself out of it, I
squeezed my eyes shut and nodded. Aten slid his hands to the back
of my neck and drew me in. His lips grazed my throat. I repressed
the shiver that ran through me, reminding myself that he had
promised and I had consented. There was no cause for fear.
His word, that s all? a voice in the back of my mind mocked.
What value can you place on the oath of a man who lives on the
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blood of others?
None at all, really. But I was choosing to trust him. I wanted
him to be worthy of it.
He parted his lips and dragged his tongue along my throat. I
leaned in, deliberately pressing against his mouth and urging him
on. There was no point in doing otherwise.
The first, slight touch of his teeth against my skin made me
jump. I braced for it, my hands closing on Aten s shoulders. But he
only sighed and took his teeth from my skin, kissing me again with
only his lips.
Relax. He slid his hands over my back. I shivered at the
touch, too close to restraint for my liking. But I d consented, and I
didn t want to recant now. Seth, you must relax, or I won t be
able to keep from hurting you.
It was not reassuring. I shut my eyes, trying to force myself to
relax. I drew slow, deep breaths, urging my muscles to ease and
the tension to leave me. When I had done a moderately decent job
of it, Aten lightly scraped my throat with his teeth again. In an
instant, I was so tense I quivered.
I had a foolish urge to apologize, but before I could Aten
wrapped his arm around my shoulders and rolled, putting me onto
my back again.
I tried to struggle out from beneath his weight, but he writhed
down my body, freeing me from it, and lifted the folds of my kilt
aside. I only had time to draw a swift breath before he took my
cock into his mouth, swallowing my whole length at once.
I moaned and arched up beneath him, fear forgotten as his
wicked mouth made set me alight. I buried my fingers in his hair
and arched up, sliding against his lips in search of more.
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