Page 68 of Split or Swallow

She’d always known he was big; it was an undeniable truth. But to have him in her mouth meant feeling his length in a different way—it meant her lips straining to take him, it meant her jaw being pried open beyond what she thought was physically possible. When he hit the back of her throat, she winced.

“Relax, Tem,” his voice came from somewhere above her.

Tem tried to obey. But it was an impossible request. She couldn’t take him—he was simply too big.

Suddenly, Caspen pulled away, leaving her empty.

Then, to Tem’s complete shock, the basilisk knelt down in front of her. Her heart skipped several beats as his chest, then his shoulders, then finally his blazing eyes came into view.

“You must relax, Tem. It is the only way.”

Even when he was kneeling, he was still taller than her. She shook her head, looking down at her hands.

“I don’t think I can.”

“Tem,” he cupped her chin in his palm, pulling her gaze up to his. “You can do anything. Of that I am certain.”

His eyes were completely black. They bore into her like bottomless pools—darker than the deepest corners of the cave—darker than death itself. Tem felt a part of herself cower at the sight. But another part liked what she saw. She recognized his darkness, and she felt a kinship with it.

Caspen shifted his weight back, lowering himself even further for her.

“Try it from here,” he said. “If you need to rest, use your hand.”

He released her chin, letting her determine when she was ready to try again.

In the absence of his touch, Tem took a moment to simply breathe. Her mouth felt numb, and her palms were damp. All of her was damp.

“Tem,” Caspen whispered. “Do you want to stop?”

She shook her head. “No.”

He leaned in, and the temperature rose several degrees.

“Are you sure?”

A fire flared within her. Of course she was sure. She’d been sure ever since she was thirteen and realized she wanted to kiss a boy. Caspen was the one slowing their progress. Caspen was the one holding her at arm’s length. Caspen was the one who refused to have sex with her even when his duty demanded it.

She was sure. Even if he wasn’t.

Without another word, she lowered her head. Except this time she didn’t try to take him all at once. This time she let herself explore, lifting him with her hand and trailing kisses all the way down his shaft. She swirled her tongue where the base of his cock met the swell of his balls, immediately aware of the way his hand returned to her hair when she did it.

Now, with Caspen on her level, Tem could relax.

She took her time, pacing herself even though the last thing she wanted was to go slow. His cock was warm, every vein standing out beneath taut skin. Tem worked her way back up his shaft, taking only his head into her mouth and sucking on it gently. Caspen gave a sharp intake of breath, his fingers tightening in her hair. When she was sure she had his full attention, she took him as deep as she could, over and over, losing herself in a motion that felt as steady as the tides. Vera had made it sound so clinical—like a transaction to be performed. But that wasn’t true at all. Tem could never have anticipated there would be a rhythm, a harmony, a flow to it that was as natural as her own heartbeat.

With each dip of her head, Caspen’s groans grew more desperate. Eventually, his body began to move beneath hers. Tem breathed through her nose as he took control, thrusting into her mouth with sudden urgency, tilting his hips up so that his cock slid smoothly in her throat.

Then out.

Then in again.

Tem closed her eyes, surrendering to him completely. She realized he was sending her pulses—taking care of her while she took care of him, ensuring she felt just as much pleasure as he did. She could barely stand the heat between her legs. Her wetness was dripping down her thighs, and if the task at hand didn’t require so much focus, she would have tried to touch herself at the same time.

At some point during the experience, Caspen’s presence entered her mind.

His consciousness curled around hers like a vice, gripping her at the base of her skull. The edges of her vision blurred, and she was suddenly light-headed. A moment later, strength entered her, and she realized it came from Caspen. She felt his energy join with hers, her mind clearing immediately as he fortified their connection. Tem found she could go on, quicker than before, and she sensed Caspen’s approval, feeling it in the back of her brain as if he were nodding inside her mind. It was an overwhelming sensation being intertwined with him like this. Tem knew she could do nothing but give in—there was no fighting his presence, and she did⁠n’t want to anyway. She only wanted to please him, and it was clear she was doing exactly that.

Caspen’s breathing was ragged and strained; his thighs were slick with sweat. Tem knew from the way his moans had progressed that he was completely at her mercy. She was his weakness—the one thing he would never be able to fully resist. He needed what she was giving him.