"Ineededthis to be for you, Lu," Az murmured softly. "I needed to touch you, to feel you. I needed to leave my mark on you." His hand moved to the side of her neck, and she knew, then, what he meant. He brushed her white curls to the side, revealing the sight of Bastian’s claim on her throat.
Now that she focused on it, she felt the way the fang marks throbbed with her every heartbeat.
Just like the pulse between her thighs, as his large hand cupped her.
The restlessness within her was growing too vast to be ignored. Her demon seemed to sense it, for he slowly, reluctantly, pulled his hand free from between her thighs. She trembled at the loss of the warmth of his touch. He had not… entered her, but she still felt bereft without him there, holding her, claiming her.
Luella’s chin rested on Az’s chest, dazed eyes blinking up at him, as he slowly—without looking away from her—brought the hand that had been between her thighs to his lips. His fingers glistened with wetness. Her breaths came ragged as he placed his fingers on his tongue, lips wrapping around them.
A deep, atavistic groan rumbled through him, and an answering, breathy sound slipped from her parted lips. Wind battered against the side of the ship.
"Az," she whimpered, not sure what she was asking for.
He seemed to know, for he pulled his fingers from his mouth and cupped her cheek, tugging her lips to his, and taking her mouth with passionate care. It was the end of their foray into pleasure, but not a true ending, merely for the night. It brought her down and made her soft and pliant against him. But the storm outside seemed to have moved to her, cracking against the inside of her chest.
As he pulled away, she whispered against his lips, tasting a tang of berries and heat on them, "Where is Bastian? I need… to see him."
His amber eyes darkened further—not desire, but… jealousy.
Still, he kept his voice calm as he replied, "Whatever you need, Lu."
She wasn’t sure why she felt like shehadto see the vampire, but the marks on the side of her neck ached, and she couldn’t rid herself of the memory of his scarlet eyes and searching handsand desperate groans as he took from her, nor could she forget how he had seemed so despondent as he finally pulled away from her. Their thread was twisted and dripping with loathing. She needed to make it right.
16
BUT A WHISPER OF AIR
LUELLA
Her legs felt unsteady, not just from the ship’s sway. A restless heat licked through her core, curling her toes against the wood as she followed Az. The demon held her hand tightly to him, their sides so close together that their shadow was merged. In his other hand, the stolen sconce, illuminating the way.
She had left her ruined gown and borrowed cloak on the floor of the room, and Az had tugged his large shirt over her head—it smelled like him. She resisted the urge to bring the fabric to her nose and inhale.
The demon seemed to know where to go as he led her through the rocking halls of the ship.
Her ears strained, but she heard no fearsome, ravaging storm, only the soft trickle of light rain. Had the worst of it passed?
Az gripped her shoulders, making her look up at him. "You stay away from the bars, okay? I don’t know what state he will be in."
She licked her lips, nodding.
The saltwater in the air was even more potent where they were, and a small port window let in dark light and vast sea. Her heart stuttered, and she quickly looked away.
A large, wooden door was set into the wall, and Az shouldered it open, forging ahead of her, their fingers still entwined. She couldn’t see around him, but she saw strange shadows on the ground, like slats.
The muscles in Az’s bare back flexed. He turned, amber eyes finding hers. "Stay by me," he warned, stepping aside to let her, finally, enter the room.
Iron bars lined three identical cells, rusted and bent. There was no light, and the room would have been in utter darkness if not for the sconce in Az’s grip. A small hook by the door held an assortment of keys, jangling slightly as the ship rocked.
"Bastian," Luella breathed, "you’re caged."
Red eyes peered at her from the darkness, where the vampire lounged on the ground, black hair disheveled and head tipped back against the wall. There wasn’t even abed.
The irony was not lost on her. At one time, the vampire had come to see her in a cell, the demon by her side, trapped behind the iron bars, as well. Now, they watched him freely, whilehewas the one trapped.
She found herself walking closer, but a strong hand grabbed her side, forcing her to still.
"What did I say, Lu. Not too close," Az grumbled. "He’s not… himself."
