Now that she’s calm in my arms, her breathing even and her eyes fixed on me, I can finally let my attention shift to something I’ve been aware of for some time but had to set aside—the faint, delicious scent of her blood. It’s been teasing my senses ever since I found her, stirring my cock even as I tried to calm it. Vólkins are drawn to the scent of blood in a way that’s difficult to describe. It calls to our instincts, but I was never hard because of it.
“You’re hurt,” I say, more of a statement than a question. Carefully, I lift her hand, examining the small cuts and bruises littering her skin.
“It’s nothing.” She attempts to pull her hand away, but I hold firm.
“Let me help,” I insist. “Our saliva has antiseptic properties. It will help heal your wounds.”
Noël watches me, her eyes fixated on my mouth as if she’s both curious and uncertain about what I’ll do next. Her cheeks turn the subtlest shade of pink. I’ve seen that color before... when she first caught sight of my cock. So that isdefinitelyblushing.
“Really?” she asks, her voice betraying that tiny spark of wonder.
I nod, holding her gaze. “It does. We vólkins heal quickly, and we can help others heal too.”
Her eyes study me, and I can see the intrigue in them. This is good. She isn’t planning my death, for now.
“We have many abilities,” I continue, “beyond what you might expect. Our senses are heightened—we can see in thedark, hear even the faintest of sounds, and track scents over great distances. We can also speed up healing through a form of energy transfer.”
Her brow furrows as she processes what I’ve said. “Energy transfer?”
“By focusing our energy, we can help others heal more quickly. It’s a skill that takes time to master.”
She glances down at her hand where it still rests in mine before looking back up at me. “What else can you do?”
“Many things,” I say, “but let’s start with healing you first.”
I bring her hand to my mouth, eyes locked on hers, letting her know exactly what I’m about to do. I trace my tongue over her cuts, slowly, and her fingers twitch. Her skin is silken, warm, so real on my tongue. The slightest taste of blood hits me, awakening the beast deep inside, but I push him down. This isn’t about hunger. It’s about her. About the way her body responds to me, the way I can feel her pulse under my touch. Each stroke of my tongue feels like claiming a piece of her, and I can’t help myself. The connection pulls tighter with every breath. That hint of sweetness from her cunt is teasing me again.Yield, Theron.
Noël’s curious eyes follow my tongue, and they widen as the cuts heal before her.
After I’ve tended her hand, I trace my tongue over the tears that still cling to her cheeks, tasting the salt and sorrow they carry. She looks at me, startled. Will she pull away?
“Can you heal my soul too?”
“I wish I could, Noël.”
She shifts in my arms. Her plush lips part as she searches for the right words. “I wanted to wash myself in that stream,” she finally says, her voice quieter than before.
I nod. “Then we’ll go back.”
Keeping her secure in my arms, I turn around. It feels so natural to carry her like this, her small body fitting against meas if she belongs here. Because she does. I could get used to this, holding her, keeping her close. Even though I know she’ll protest eventually.
Right on cue, she shifts again, crossing her arms. “I can walk,”
A grin tugs at my lips. “I know.”
She rolls her eyes, and I chuckle, but I don’t stop walking.
As we move through the forest, I can feel every creature around us—bears lumbering farther into the brush, boars moving quietly, and smaller animals darting away. None of them dare come close. They know better than to cross paths with their Lidéren. I wonder if Noël has noticed, if she’s aware of the power radiating from her, even in this state.
I glance down at her. “Have you seen any animals since you’ve been here?”
A hint of pride creeps into her voice as she says, “No. I was careful not to attract any predators.”
I suppress the urge to smile. She’s pleased with herself, and I’ll let her have this. She doesn’t need to know that no predator would have dared approach the leader from the prophecy, so I hold my tongue and keep walking.
But then she hesitates, a slight smirk crossing her lips. “Except for one.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Me?”
