She could hear the pots and pans in the kitchen, catch bits and pieces of the conversation being held there. Outside, a squirrel yelled angrily as it fled from its tree and crashed into another branch. Her eyes opened. She could make out every grain of wood on the door, and see the scratches upon the brass handle.
She closed her eyes again; she was too tired to assimilate everything now. Liam lay beside her, his strong arms encircled her as his firm body spooned hers. She could smell herself on him, in him. She could hear the thumping of his heart, and the blood that pulsed through his veins.
"The world is different."
She didn't have to look at him to know that he was awake. "Yes, it is. It will take a little while to get used to, but eventually you'll adapt."
"It's so loud."
"That's the worst part. I'll teach you how to tune it out."
"Soon?" she asked hopefully.
"Yes. How do you feel?"
He pushed back strands of her hair. She turned slightly to look at him. His face was as magnificent as she recalled, but suddenly she could see every bristly hair on his cheek, and jaw. She had thought his eyes a pure green, but there were flecks of gold within their depths. She frowned and closed her eyes again.
"I'm tired," she whispered as she stifled a yawn.
He dropped his head to her shoulder. "You need to feed."
A tremor of revulsion and delight racked through her. Suddenly, she was very hungry, but she knew that food would not satisfy her. "Come here."
She opened her eyes as he pulled her into his arms and rolled her over. She looked down at him as her hair fell across his chest. He smiled as he pushed her hair over her shoulder. The marks on her neck were vivid against her creamy skin. He eased the bandage from her chest off. His eyes focused on the scratches that marred her delicate skin, but they appeared to be healing well. Her gaze followed his and she gasped.
"You'll heal faster now."
"I can see that!"
He stroked her cheek with his thumb. She turned into it, nuzzling him as her eyes drifted closed. "Are you hungry?"
Her eyes sprang open. Surprise, revulsion, and obvious hunger radiated from their depths. "It's all right," he said. "You only need to feed off of me, remember?"
Her gaze traveled down to his neck. A spark of something shot through her, something that she didn't understand, but it rocked her body. She quickly looked away, ashamed, and frightened. "It will be just like last night," he soothed.
He could feel the tension in her, the yearning to fight against him and what she was feeling. He remembered that feeling. He had fought so relentlessly in the beginning, but in the end the demon had given in to Beth's demands, and its own urgent needs. He had been repulsed and frightened, but it was a feeling that had faded.
"I know how you feel, it will fade Sera, I promise. But you must. The change isn't complete yet, not until you feed. You need the blood." That spark shot through her again and a shudder ripped her. "I fed for the both of us yesterday."
Her body was trembling with the turbulent battle she was waging, and her eyes were flashing from blue to violet, to a vivid red. Her elongated teeth caused blood to flow forward as she bit into her bottom lip. She whimpered as she instantly released her lip.
Liam's eyes were locked on that trickle of blood. He pulled her down to him, lightly licking her lip as he used his saliva to close the wound. Her teeth pressed against his lip as he stroked her mouth with his tongue. He pulled her away from him and guided her head down to his neck.
"Sera you must," he urged.
She shuddered again. Her mouth was warm and wet as her teeth pressed against his neck. He shuddered in anticipation as his hand dug into her skull. He wanted this so bad that his entire body was tensed with anticipation and his breath was frozen in his lungs.
"Sera," he breathed.
Her teeth sank deep. Liam's hands convulsed on her as a wave of pure ecstasy shot through him. Her mind opened to his. In the beginning her hunger was the only thing he could sense, but it started to ease as she filled herself on him. Then, other emotions began to come through. He could sense her revulsion, but beneath that was pure pleasure. He could feel the possessiveness that radiated from her, the urge to mark him as hers and he smiled as he recognized the feeling.
A sense of completeness began to steal through him as he caressed her hair and her back. She whimpered as she squirmed against him. Her desire slammed into him with a force so fierce that it hardened him instantly. Her thighs parted as her hands dug into his neck and she bit deeper to convey her urgency to him.
He rubbed his cock against her, pleased to find her wet with longing. He slipped into her, stretching her tight muscles as he filled her completely. She sighed in contentment as her bite eased and he filled her in every way.
***
Sera woke again sometime later. She felt sated, still a little tired, but utterly complete, and blissful. Her head was nestled into Liam's steel shoulder. She snuggled closer as she dropped a light kiss on him. He murmured in his sleep and turned to envelop her in his embrace.
