Total pages in book: 218
Estimated words: 205594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1028(@200wpm)___ 822(@250wpm)___ 685(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 205594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1028(@200wpm)___ 822(@250wpm)___ 685(@300wpm)
I do, eyeing his large, sharp teeth. Surely his bite won’t involve nearly as much…sawing. I swallow hard as he delicately turns my hand over and lifts my palm toward his mouth. “Be gentle,” I whisper.
“You are not a female that likes gentle.” The way he says it is like a caress, his breath playing over my skin.
“You’re right, but—” I gasp as his teeth sink in.
A hot, sharp pain shoots through me, accompanied by an odd curl of pleasure. The way he bends over my hand, his teeth deep in my flesh…it should not look as seductive as it does. He immediately lifts his head and swipes his tongue over the wound, lapping up the blood.
“Oh,” I breathe.
“If it makes you feel any better, you are delicious,” he tells me, licking my palm again as he gazes at me. Another curl of pleasure ripples through my belly at the sight, at the drag of his tongue over my tender, abused skin. “And now we are almost done.”
“Will you put the ink on the bite for me?” I ask. I’m not good at applying my medicine, and I suspect I will be equally poor at this.
He nods, picking up the vial and giving my heated flesh another swipe of his tongue before dousing it with ink. I whimper as the dark ink stings at my fresh wounds. Gods, I hate pain. Hate it. But Nemeth’s eyes are bright with pleasure and wonder both as he gently binds my hand, wrapping up the bite so it can have the chance to heal. “I will tend them both in the morning.”
I take my throbbing hand back and study it, the bandages soaking through with inky blood in the shape of a bite. “Now are we mated in the eyes of the gods? In the eyes of your people?”
“Almost.” There’s a feral light in his eyes as he regards me. “The marriage must be consummated.”
“Well now. This is my favorite part.” I beam up at him and tug at the bow at the front of my dress. “Wanna do it in front of the altar? Shock the gods? Or should we go back up to bed—”
He puts a hand over mine, stopping me before I can unlace my dress. “Now we must do the ceremonial chase.”
Another hot curl of pleasure slides through my blood. “A chase, mmm?”
Nemeth nods, unable to pull his gaze from me. “A good Fellian male gives his mate a chance to run from him, and then he hunts her down and gives her his knot, claiming her as his for all time.”
“It sounds positively barbaric.” And absolutely filthy. I am so ready for this. He needs to be prepared for the worst chase ever, because I am going to let myself get caught, and caught hard. I lick my lips, and I love that his gaze flicks to my tongue. I smile, feeling powerful and sexy, knowing I’m about to be fucked thoroughly. “How much of a head start do I get?”
“Start running and you shall find out,” he all but purrs to me.
Chapter
Forty-Eight
Istare at him, eyes wide. I just…run? Flee from him? I’ve never done such a thing before. It seems a little silly, but as Nemeth straightens to his full height, his wings flaring out, I can see he’s deadly serious. This is part of their ceremony, and I’ve agreed to be Fellian.
So it seems I must be chased.
I glance around the large, empty downstairs chamber. Other than the pillow in front of the altar and the wood wedged around the door, it’s barren.
“Start running,” Nemeth tells me in a whisper-soft voice. He pulls off his belt, his movements slow and deliberate. “Make it a good chase and the reward will be all the sweeter.”
I hesitate. There’s something both menacing and arousing about his stance, about the way he casually removes his vest next, his gaze locked on me. I look around again, but there’s nothing to hide behind, nowhere to go. I’m trapped in this tower, and whatever fleeing I do will be quick. Even so, I grab two handfuls of my skirts and cross the room, my heart starting to pound hard in my chest. There’s an exciting element of terror to this whole “chase” concept.
It should not be nearly as arousing as it is, yet I’m somehow excited.
I rush across the room from him, strategically placing myself nearer to the stairs. I turn to look at him, and Nemeth is stripping off the last of his clothing, revealing his enormous body and straining erection. My body throbs at the sight, the breath catching in my throat. Part of me just wants to fling myself to the ground, to give up on the idea of a chase and just let myself be caught.
But the chase is important to him. Important…and it’s exciting in a naughty, thrilling sort of way.