Page 69

He hissed, scratching the side of his neck.

“Please. For me?”

His look of disappointment didn’t go unnoticed.“Xa,” he said, exasperated.

“Thank you.” She zipped the satchel back up and slid it away. “How did you find me, anyway?”

Kryxis leaned in and took a lock of her hair. “Scent. Followed.” Heat rose up her neck as he let the lock of hair slip through his fingers before he went to crouch beside her. “Saw you.”

Her eyes drew down to the rest of him. His wounds seemed to be doing okay, despite all the creeping around in vents he’d done. She reached out and gently pressed her fingers against his chest, beside one wound. “Didn’t tear anything at least,” she commented, brushing her fingers along some of his broken scales. “Probably should still clean them better though…” Her fingers drifted lower. When Kryxis didn’t move, she lifted her gaze to his face and found him staring at her, deep red eyes searching hers.

Without taking her eyes off his, she reached up and touched his face, brushing away a smudge of dirt with her thumb.

Kryxis’s pupils expanded, his nostrils flaring. He took hold of her wrist firmly in one red hand and pressed his face into her palm, rubbing his mouth against her. His eyes darkened as his black fangs slipped from his upper lip, grazing her just enough not to bite down. His tongues flicked out and brushed along her wrist, slow like he was tasting her.

Dani didn’t pull away, even as her hand trembled against him. She watched him, at first fascinated, as a low heat spread across her body.

“I don’t think I have the strength to say no to you,” she whispered.

Kryxis growled softly, almost like a purr. “Don’t fight,lillak.”

“You called me that before. Lillak. It’s an endearment or something?”

“Endear…?”

“Like pretty?”

Kryxis smiled. “Xa,” he hissed against her palm.

She pulled her hand gently away, and he let it go, studying her carefully.

Dani rose from her seat. “I want you to follow me.”

Kryxis slowly straightened. “Anywhere,” he answered.

Catching her breath, she turned for her bedroom, knowing full well he was right behind her. Slipping into the bathroom, she went over to the shower and slid the glass back, turning it on. The water came down from above like rain. She glanced back at Kryxis and eyed his dirty black pants. “Take those off.”

Kryxis obeyed, shrugging them away. Bare before her, she saw nothing between his legs save for two v-shaped slits. She felt no reason to be disappointed. Knowing how different alien anatomy could be, she could only suspect what he was hiding. Heart pounding, she stripped off her shirt and pants to stand naked with him, wearing only the necklace he had made her. His sharp gaze took her in, making her shiver. She’d been seen by many other men but not like how Kryxis saw her now.

She stepped into the shower, not taking her eyes off him. “Come, join.”

Kryxis once more obeyed. He stood beside her under the cascade of warm water without saying a word. Reaching behind her, Dani pressed a button on the wall that would mix the water with a special wash, to help clean him of the dirt and grime.

Before she could decide what to ask of him next, he was already closing the distance between them. She jumped when his tail trailed across her thigh and along her back, making her laugh nervously. She craned her neck up to him as his blue hands drifted to her hips, pulling her in, while one of his red hands brushed along her neck and collarbone. Tilting her face back, he traced his talons across her cheek and jaw. A sharp thumb grazed her bottom lip before slipping between her teeth.

She bit down playfully, and he hissed, baring his teeth as if the sight pained him. “Lillak.”

Dani smiled as his thumb slid away. This time she reached for him, letting her hand drift across his muscular thigh and over to…

She gasped and glanced down, her eyes widening.

What he had been hiding between his legs was now exposed. Not one, buttwohard cocks, one red and slick, the other a deep blue with shallow ridges.

Dani cursed out loud then covered her mouth. Kryxis didn’t seem disturbed by her reaction. Instead, he brushed the damp hair from her face like a lover, while his blue hands rubbed her thighs.

“It’s okay, Dani,” he purred.

He was trying to console her. She licked her lips, noticing her mouth was dry. Nowthatwas something new. And for the first time in years, she suddenly felt very self-conscious.