Licking Merry
AURORA
Abeautiful woman walks through the doorway in a tan trench coat. She's a little older than both Talon and I. Thick, curled dark hair falls over her shoulders, and her makeup is heavy, dramatic and sensual.
As Talon closes the door behind her, she takes me in, brows lifting in surprise.
There's no preamble. I'm naked and adorned.
"Aura, this is Merry."
"Hi." She waves a little shyly.
I do my best to give her a reassuring smile, but I'm out of my depth. Not only because this is a new playing field where the rules aren't as clear and it's an unfamiliar setting, but also because Talon just dropped his feelings on me like it was nothing.
Despite having an immunity to my power, sometimes I convince myself he lusts after me the way everyone else does. That he is victim to my power, and my actual self is a far distant being.
Well, he blew that out of the water.
My hot guardian made it completely clear that I am far from perfect, and that he sees all my unattractive qualities, and he wants me just as I am. All that I am.
The volume on my screaming hunger dialed down as I took that in. Now I'm standing here, and I’m supposed to feed off this woman and not acknowledge my heart is in a vise grip, like he reached into my chest and gripped it with his fist and hasn't let go.
Some part of me doesn't want him to let go.
"You're..." Merry scans my form up and down before glancing back at Talon with uncertainty. Her gaze lingers on his scales.
"We're from the Realm of Roses. You said you didn't discriminate against race," Talon says, brows furrowing but he's already anticipating a problem. It's what he does. Assess and mitigate risk.
Half her mouth quirks up in a smile. "I was going to say you'rebothvery pretty."
"Oh, uh, thank you." Talon says. His tone is gruff, and it occurs to me he rarely hears that. I certainly don't tell him. I figured he's always been painfully aware of how gorgeous he is, but maybe he's not. People seem to whisper it from a distance rather than have the courage to say it to his face.
"You're also beautiful," I tell Merry, meaning it.
I’ve always believed beauty lives in everyone, in the way creases of compassion line the face, or how desire can turn awkward limbs into poetry. But the truth is, most of the people I’ve been sent to feed on weren’t just flawed. They were predators. Monsters with charming grins. Feeding off them didn’t feel like stealing, it felt like justice.
Merry is different.
She’s kind. Open. Eager, yes, but not desperate. Not dark. And that scares me more than anything. Because it means I can’thide behind morally gray lines or pretend I’m doing the world a favor.
This is for me. For survival.
And I don’t want to ruin someone soft and good with my hunger.
"So, you like to watch?" Merry asks Talon.
"You said you were okay with that,” he says. Always confirming the rules and boundaries.
"Oh, I am," she says, her hands fiddling with the belt of her trench coat. "Though if you decide to join in, I wouldn't be opposed either." A hunger deepens in her eyes, and she looks back and forth between us.
Talon and I exchange a look. She doesn't know what he is. With our silent exchange we agree there is no reason to elaborate more than is necessary.
"Thank you, but I prefer to remain an observer in this event." He's polite, but firm.
She nods, moving her attention to me. With seductive grace, she comes to stand before me. "Well, shall we get started?"
"Yes, please," I say. The hunger inside me roils and rips in excitement. "May I?" I ask, poising my hands over her coat ties.
