Chapter 203 Chapter 202
"Really?" Rayena muttered, still rubbing her shoulders. She stared at it. "I didn't notice it before." No wonder that place hurt when she woke.
"Well, there you have it. That's all of my messy childhood laid at your feet."
He groaned and lay back down on her chest, this time looking at her. Rayena blinked away the tears in her eyes, but more kept coming—and failing.
"Still, that's so horrible. I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that," she whispered, tentatively reaching out to cradle his face, but her hands froze midway. She wanted to give him a hug so bad.
He shrugged, rubbing his face against her palm, purring like a cat seeking cuddles. Smiling, she wound her arms around his neck, resting her head against his. She felt his body relax as the tension bled off him.
"Talking about it has made me feel better," he revealed quietly. He sighed, rubbing his face against her breasts and breathing her in. Taking a nipple into his mouth, he sucked on it, and a soft moan spilled from Rayena's lips, pleasure igniting within her.
She arched against his lips, warmth sizzling in her chest, as he pulled on her nipples with ardent tugs. He released the nipple with a pop, purring afterward.
He lay against her again. "I still don't think I can take you outside of my rut, however," he murmured, his voice despondent. Rayena held her breath, her body filled with pain for this male.
She gingerly caressed his back. "We'll walk through that," she promised. "We'll do that together." She heard him rumble, a conflicted expression crossing his face. "Still, thank you for telling me this. I promise never to take it for granted."
"Thank you for listening..." he murmured, sounding sleepy. He gave a long yawn and loosened his hold on her, allowing more breathing space. She continued patting him, occasionally running her fingers through his long, two-toned hair. Before long, gentle snores filled the chambers.
Rayena smiled at seeing him asleep, his expression one of perfect peace. Soon, a wave of drowsiness hit her, and she gave a tired yawn, drifting into sleep as well.
The next day, Rayena saw the extent of Xenon's passion on her body. Not only was she still unable to walk, she noticed that the scratches were way more than she had anticipated. The bruises on her body had faded into an ugly purple hue now, and she still hadn't gotten used to the pulsing mark on her neck.
"That will never fade even if all else does..." Xenon had told her when she asked about it. "It's to show the world that I've marked you as mine. You're off-limits," he growled possessively, kissing the spot.
"Are we mated then?" Rayena muttered, glancing at him.
"Not yet. I would have to complete the mating ritual for that." He frowned slightly. "We're not ready for that."
"Oh..." she mumbled, trailing off. Strangely, she'd wanted to be mated to him. Whatever that meant, she hungered with the need to be permanently bound to him. It was all she could think about after he'd told her.
Now, she was alone in his chambers, having just finished eating and doing her embroidery. He'd gone for a council meeting earlier, and she didn't know when he'd be back, so she sought to fill her time with this.
She heard footsteps approaching, and her heart began pounding, strangely attuned to the sound. The doors to his chambers flung open, and Xenon strode in. A smile broke on her lips, happiness flooding her veins. "Lylall!"
His gaze zeroed in on her, and with only a couple of steps, he was in front of her, lowering himself so he could get on eye level with her. "Hey..." he growled, eyes crinkling at the sides. She giggled, dropping the blanket she was embroidering.
"Hi yourself. How are you?"
He shrugged. "I could be better. What have you been up to?" he asked.
Rayena glanced around her, showing him the embroidery she was currently making. "Still unable to walk, so I'm doing this."
Xenon winced, letting his head droop to her lap. She giggled, unable to resist touching his hair.
"Would you like me to massage your thighs?" He groaned, riding her dress up as his hands slid underneath them. "It could help loosen some muscles." He murmured in a low voice, eyes glinting. Rayena shivered at the touch but shook her head.
"No, but thank you for the offer."
She didn't want things to escalate beyond that simple massage, and judging from the glint in his eyes, she noticed he was thinking the same too.
"How about a walk? You've been cooped in doors all day, you need the fresh air. I'll carry you."
"I'll take that. Thank you very much." She said, grinning. "Can we take my basket with me though, I want to continue with my embroidery."
"Of course."
He scooped her up in his arms while she busted out giggling, and taking her bridal style, carried her out of his chambers, her basket in one hand. He led to the gardens and Rayena sighed as fresh air hit her face, the scent of sweet smelling flowers filling her nostrils. Lylall was right, she did need this.
He continued on a leisure pace, giving her time to small the grass, the feel the warm afternoon breeze against her skin. "So refreshing!' She murmured, snuggling against him. He smiled down at her.
"One day I'll take you on a run on my back, through the woods. I think you'll like that more."
Rayena gasped. "Really? That would be splendid! I can't wait!!"
"When you've fully healed." He promised.
"I'll be looking forward to it." She said, smiling at him. He nodded. Settling her down on a bench, he sat next to her and handed her basket to her. Muttering her thanks, she brought out the blanket she was embroidery for him and soo continued from where she stopped, acutely aware of how he was watching her.
"Who taught you how to do this?" He asked, fascinated. She glanced at him.
"My mother. She's a better embroiderer than I am." Rayena answered. A wave of sadness crashed over her at the memory of her parents and she sighed.
"I miss her. I miss them both actually. Our parting time was so short. I don't even think I got to say goodbye." Blinking away the bluriness in her vision, she tried to focus on th design in front of her. "I wonder how they're doing."
"I'm sure they are fine." She heart Xenon groan, and she when she looked at him, she saw a tenderness he didn't think he was capable of shining in his eyes. "They have to be."