Chapter 7 Dusha Moya
❀ Maeve ❀
I froze.
It was an impossible choice. The wolf or the unknown?
Something whizzed by my head, saving me the trouble of choosing. I turned at the loud thud behind me.
The young soldier lay dead. Blood trickled from the point where a small silver dagger lodged in his head.
What happened next unfolded too fast to follow.
The crouched creature rose on two feet. It towered over me, clad in a maroon leather cloak that covered every inch of skin.
The soldiers back at the carriages had approached, alerted by the sound of the body hitting the ground. On seeing the cloaked figure, they charged.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!” Thunderous footfalls brought them closer.
My savior flashed past me at an impossible speed, slashing the throats of all the soldiers.
He opened all the cages with a swipe of claws. Then flashed in front of me once again.
Slack-jawed, I stared as the hood fell away, and in the light of the moon, Nikolai stood before me.
“You came for me…”
He lifted me, and I locked my legs around his waist.
His fiery gaze met mine in a soul searing glance.
Then he ran.
He was so fast my hair streamed behind him like a shimmery silver river, and I had to tuck my face into his chest. I inhaled deeply, relishing his scent.
The wind rushed past our bodies. It felt like flying.
I cried silent tears into his chest, tightened my arms around his neck.
After some time, already feeling drowsy and safe in his arms, he stopped.
I heard the sound of rushing water, opening my eyes as he set me gently on a riverbed.
I knew this river. Lyssa’s Crossing.
It passed through the middle of District 2, named after Queen Lyssa, the Crimson Wraith of Veilmoor.
It was said that during the war, she managed to cross this river toward IronWolf territory before being intercepted by the Lycan King, Alpha Mordane.
Then they’d fought, leading to her capture and death.
Nikolai wordlessly led me to a smooth rock, and as we walked, I stared at his impressive height and the porcelain skin that glowed in the moonlight.
For a place with a history of bloodshed, it felt very romantic with him leading me as he was.
When we reached the rock, he turned to face me. He brushed a thumb over my jaw.
“Forgive me. I never meant to turn you away.”
“Then why?”
“I was drawn to you the first time I saw you, after you let me into your mind. Even more when I tasted your nectar.” A resolved look flashed in his eyes. “I have no desire to fight it anymore.”
“Fight what?”
My heart sang at the way he looked at me, his eyes like twin pools of blood reflecting my flushed face.
When his lips dropped to brush mine, butterflies exploded in my stomach.
“You… are my eternal,” he whispered.
He pressed his lips to mine before I could speak. My questions evaporated under his cold touch.
The kiss was soft, and short, and I missed him the moment he pulled back.
“Let me wash you.” Said like a question, so I nodded.
The bath was tender, soothing, and at the end of it, my bones felt like jelly. All I wanted to do was rest.
Nikolai shed his cloak and wrapped me in it, lifting me bridal style into the forest. I pulled it tighter around my body, sighing at the luxurious feel of the silk inner lining.
Small creatures tittered and scampered as we passed, the rich smell of the forest soothing my raw lungs.
I didn’t see where he took me, but when I opened my eyes, we were in a room not unlike the crypt-like one in District 3.
Ridged stone walls, a bed, fur rugs, and candles.
He laid me gently on the bed.
I drifted in and out of sleep while he rubbed a eucalyptus-scented ointment on my skin.
After, he coaxed me into eating a simple meal of braised chicken, roasted potatoes, and vegetables.
When at last my head touched the large, feather-stuffed pillow, I sank into a fitful sleep.
❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀
The metallic smell of blood, mixed with smoke from a burning forest invaded my senses.
The dull roar of an army, a thousand strong, spread out beneath me.
I stood on a ledge, my sleek silver sword glimmering at my side.
The Lycan charged. I swung, and missed.
Suddenly, an arm wrapped around my throat, squeezing, and I sank my fangs into the Lycan’s throat.
My eyes snapped open, my gasp loud enough to wake the dead.
Nikolai’s arm tightened around me.
I looked up to find him staring. His eyes, the most expressive part of him, and also the part I loved the most, regarded me curiously.
“Bad dream?”
“Yes… a nightmare.”
It was probably from our proximity to the location of the war and my subconscious thoughts.
I started to snuggle back into his neck when I noticed the bruises.
“Oh gods, did I do that?” I ran my fingers over the pink and purple marks.
“Yes, you appeared to be trying to eat me.”
His tone was serious, but his eyes sparkled with amusement.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be. I would gladly be your sustenance.” He purred.
A smile pulled at my lips before shrinking back.
He’d called me his ’eternal’. I didn’t know much about vampire tradition, but did that mean he liked me? Was I his girlfriend now? What about the mating ceremony?
“Something bothers you.”
Instead of answering, I crossed my leg over his and straddled him, naked. I intended to make love to him, hopefully without his earlier excuse getting in the way.
His gaze swept over my face, spreading heat wherever it touched.
I bit my lip and focused on running my hands over the soft, unblemished skin of his rock hard torso.
My fingers traced the planes of his abs, down the sexy V that led to the unmistakable proof of his arousal. Moisture pooled in my mouth. I swallowed.
I met his hungry gaze again, then glanced away. I noticed my dress and shawl on the wall, hung and… clean.
My brows lifted. “You washed my clothes?”
“I did.”
Warmth tickled my skin, pooling in my core where I felt him grow hard underneath. His hands rose to caress my hips, and I dipped down to kiss him.
By the time I came up for air, I was dripping over his hardness, the fabric between our centers drenched. I coaxed his briefs down with my feet.
My heart thudded against my ribs as I fought to hold his stare.
He was so controlled, beautiful.
Intimidating.
“Relax, dusha moya.” He said thickly, still kneading my flesh, tracing my ribs, my spine. “Don’t rush, explore.”
I gazed up at him, my lips curling, then slid down his legs to rub my cheek against his jutting cock.
I didn’t miss his sharp intake of breath when my hand lightly gripped his length. And again when I ran my tongue from his base to the bulbous tip.
“So… warm.” He gasped. I smiled into his shaft.
After more tentative licks while my core throbbed, I took him in my mouth, stretching my jaw as far as it would go, and still, I couldn’t take him all because of his size.
Watching him like a hawk, noting his every reaction, I tucked the lessons away in the back of my mind, a trick to recall for when I found myself tested before the Matrons.
I’d managed a few seconds of hollowing my cheeks and sucking him, when his breath hitched and his grip tightened in my hair.
“Fuck…” he groaned, “come here.”
His claws pinched my hips as he drew my weight upwards, higher… higher… until he perched me on his face.
He nuzzled my sex, making me gasp. I gripped the head board.
“Need to taste you…” he growled against my flesh.
My back arched at the first contact. After that, my mind blanked.
His wet tongue licked and prodded. He wasn’t quiet. Groaning and sucking until he wrested loud moans from my lips.
My eyes flashed open in climax as I cried out, dazed.
Then he dragged me back down to lay atop him, gripped my thighs, and rolled so I laid on my back and his body covered mine.
Muscles taut, chest heaving, he pressed his lips against mine. I suckled his tongue, tasting myself, tasting him.
He pulled away to cradle my nape.
“Relax…” he breathed.
I nodded.
Our gazes locked.
My breath stuttered as he positioned himself.
Anticipation coiled tight inside me.