“I have imagined many things in this bed,” he admitted. “Particularly when I was missing you.”
“What sorts of things?”
“To start? Just this.” He kissed me softly. “Just let me have you, right here. This has been my impossible dream.”
“Have me, then,” I whispered. I surrendered to his delicate kisses, sharing in his breath, feeling him with my lips and my tongue. It was surreal to love him here, to hold him and caress him in the place he called home. Even the simple pleasure of running my hands over his skin felt like a miracle.
He repositioned us to lay between my legs, and my heartbeat took off at a feverish pace. Just feeling the weight of his naked body against mine was enough to make me squirm, but Thanatos took his time. His kisses remained soft and slow, even as he stroked against me with his hard length. He still touched me so gingerly, like I was a fragile thing under threat of falling apart.
“You don’t have to be so careful anymore,” I reminded.
“I know,” he said quietly. “But I will enjoy this on another night. Right now I cannot bear to touch you in any way but gently.”
I stroked my nails lightly down his back, grinding against him by needy instinct. “Take me gently, then,” I said, my voice rough with longing. “I’m yours.”
Thanatos interlaced our fingers and pressed my hand down into the soft sheets beneath us. “Mine,” he breathed, and he eased himself inside of me.
We moaned together. I wrapped my legs around his waist, whimpering, arching my hips until his cock stroked the spot that made me melt. At long last, it was true, and our truth sent my desire soaring: after everything we’d faced, we finally belonged to each other. Everything I wanted was here in this bed in the realm below.
I squeezed my muscles around him, drawing a hiss from his lips. He nipped my bottom lip, then pulled the kiss deeper, all while thrusting into me with slow, full strokes. Oh, this transcendent feeling. It was all I could do to keep from spiraling into unrestrainable moans. I dug my nails into his back instead, clinging to him fiercely: my love in life and beyond.
“Don’t stop,” I whispered, feeling so perfectly, delightfully full. “Please, don’t ever stop.” He rocked into me harder as if in answer, making me arch my back and draw a sharp breath.Static and needy elation flooded over me in waves, in sync with his thrusting and the delicious sounds of his shuddering sighs.
We said nothing more after that. When he covered me with kisses, I knew what he meant them to convey. The way he held me told it all:Don’t you dare leave me again.I told him with my passion that no, I would never. I would adore him always, for to love like this was all I could ever desire. We chased our peak together until his ecstatic moans pulled me over the edge, and we came, trembling, in each other’s arms.
19
“Wake up, my love.”
I stirred with the soft coaxing of Thanatos’ voice. I felt him there, warm and strong, his body curved around mine. I felt the gentle stroke of his fingers through my hair, smelled his familiar, comforting scent. A smile tugged at my lips, and I opened my eyes, expecting sunlight.
The dim Underworld air came into focus instead. His bedroom looked no different than it had when I’d dozed off in his arms. “Is it morning?” I asked, shaking off my disorientation.
“No such thing. Not here.” Thanatos pressed a kiss to my forehead. “But I believe it is close at hand, up above. I thought I should wake you with some time to spare before I go.”
“Oh. You’re leaving so soon?” I couldn’t hide my disappointment. We had only just forged our forever here. I could tie him to this bed fordaysand it wouldn’t be enough.
“Souls to meet and souls to take,” he reminded me with a smile. “I cannot cease to be what I am, even though Imighthave broken the rules just a tiny little bit. Perhaps especially because I have done so.” His grin widened with the remembrance of his mischief, and he tilted my chin to kiss my lips. “But you know that I will always return for you.”
“Yes. And I will be here, waiting.”
“My forbidden dreams, made real.” The joy on his face had me grinning reflexively, too. Thanatos sat up, stretchinghis wings, and I untangled myself from the bedsheets to sit alongside him. “Are you hungry?” he asked.
“No,” I realized. “Though I probably should be by now. Is that normal?”
“Hmm. I do not think we have any information about what ‘normal’ might be for you.”
“Really? None?” I scrunched up my nose. “What about the other mortals who were made eternal?”
“Your situation is unique. You were the Oracle of Hades. Now you walk his realm, immortal, revived with his own blood. Such a thing has never happened, nor will ever happen again.”
“It might take some time to figure out how the Underworld affects me, then.”
“Yes. But do not be dismayed by this,” said Thanatos, running his nails lightly along my spine. “Just let me spoil you for now, and we will learn together.”
I smiled instinctively at the thrill of his touch. “I won’t argue with that.” I captured him with a kiss, deep and invigorating. “I hate to say it,” I added, “but our first order of business might need to be finding me some clothing.”
“Right. Hmm. I will have to call someone to figure that out. Honestly, I have no idea where such things are kept around here, much less how to dress a woman. Usually clean clothes just appear in my closet while I am away.”
