Page 28

Aurora’s concern over the harm Rhaego might cause skittered through his brain like a spindly-legged sikta . He’d never lie to her. Not even if the truth made her doubt him.

Though her radiating aura of kindness hadn’t dissipated after their conversation, she’d become distracted. He’d worried she was busying herself in order to avoid him, but every so often she’d gift him with a brief kiss on the cheek. A female set on avoiding him wouldn’t do that.

Rather, her attention became absorbed with mastering Tuvastan cooking. Each day, he would lay out a few basic rules and give her a recipe to try. She seemed particularly interested in baked goods, though they were more difficult, in his opinion. After guiding her through the recipe after breakfast each morning, she’d set off.

Focus engrossed on her work, it was as though her mind went somewhere else. On the one hand, he ached to have her attention, seeking her sweet energy like the frozen mountains sought the touch of the sun. But on the other, it satisfied something deep within his soul to watch her work with so much passion and to be the beneficiary of the warmth she injected into everything she laid hands upon.

Kitchens, especially den kitchens, were often isolated places. Clean and sterile. Ready for the efficient execution of preplanned meals meant to impress.

After only a few days, Aurora had transformed their kitchen into something unfamiliar. Gathered herbs hung to dry in the windows between thin slices of strung fruit. On the counter, in a glittering blue decanter sat the flowers he’d gathered for her. She’d moved them here from where he’d placed them on the terrace. Undeserved pride puffed his chest whenever he spotted the little smile that turned up the left corner of her mouth when she caught sight of the flowers while working.

The air had changed as well. It was never clear anymore. It was filled with sticky delicious scents, sneeze-inducing roasting herbs, clashing odors, or smoke, depending on how successful her venture had been. But always filled. She’d turned someplace clean and practical into a world of chaos, warmth, and color.

Aurora worked to nourish, not impress. And Rhaego watched, purr held in his throat, as his little doe transformed the kitchen into a heart. A space that thrummed with energy. Pulsed with life.

And all this knowing she might leave at any moment. What would she do to a permanent space? Rhaego imagined a future in which every part of his home felt like this. Messy and comforting. A place brimming with personality.

His chest ached for that future.

After realizing this was the space she preferred to spend her time, Rhaego had transferred all his work down here, along with a spare table to set it at. When acrid smoke had filled the room yesterday, he’d also brought down a couple chairs and placed them in the rear garden so they could relax outside as the air cleared.

Whenever she needed a break, they’d sit out there together, sharing details about their lives while sipping on whatever tea she’d brewed. Thank the Goddess she’d mastered that quickly, or his stomach would never settle.

“I think this is gonna be a winner.” She grinned, setting a fist-sized steaming confection on the counter.

Aurora tried to break it apart with her fingers, scorching them as she had every other time. Rather than stop, she merely broke a piece off and tossed it from one palm to another until it cooled enough to hang on to. Rhaego smirked and shook his head.

He broke off a piece as well.

“I added some yibunt for luck and wellnefi leaves for clarity.” She popped the morsel into her mouth, and he did the same. “I think the mix…”

Her jaw slowed in time with Rhaego’s, and her head tipped to the side. He felt as though he were chewing on very supple tree bark.

She let out a long sigh. “At least it’s edible this time.”

“The texture is perfect,” Rhaego tried. He saw the telltale dimming in her eyes that usually preceded her admission of defeat for the day. Her sunshine-infused spirit always assured that she’d rise the next morning, enthusiasm restored, but he still hated to see her discouraged.

She stared at the ingredients strewn across the kitchen, jaw firming stubbornly. “One more try.”

He grinned, crossing to her. “I have something I’d like to do, if you’d be willing to end early today?” Rhaego was careful when making requests of Aurora. She had the odd habit of always saying yes to whatever he asked of her, and he refused to take advantage.

“Yeah. I can definitely do that.” She glanced around at her mess. “Just let me clean up first.”

“You cooked,” he argued, taking the rag out of her hand. “I clean. Remember?”

“I regret making that deal with you,” she grumbled, hands on hips. “It only counts if the food I make is edible.” Before she could block him, Rhaego snatched the remainder of the cake off the counter and stuffed it in his mouth. Ignoring the flavor of fresh-baked earth, he chewed.

She pursed her lips.

He managed to chuckle through his mouthful. Aurora had asserted her stance a few evenings prior when Rhaego had refused to let her help tidy after dinner. She’d argued that since he’d made the food, she should be responsible for cleaning. He’d scoffed at that before realizing the logic might work in his favor and would force her to allow him to tackle the much larger messes she made after her adventurous cooking.

“Go change into something warmer. The moons are still waking—waxing,” he corrected, using the terminology she preferred. “And the sky will be clear tonight. We may have a chance of spotting the sictiana .”

Her eyes rounded, bursting with eagerness. When her conflicted gaze drifted to the pile of molds she’d baked into blackened oblivion, he revealed his news: “Verakko sent word.”

Her energy turned nervous, body going still.

“We leave in four days.”

“Four,” she repeated, as if taking it in.

It was a hard thing for Rhaego to think about as well. So much could go wrong. And even if it all went right, he’d be bidding goodbye to Tuva, and he hadn’t yet said goodbye to his mother. Not properly.

He swallowed down the emotion welling in his throat. “And I will have to leave you on your own after the luncheon, so if you want to seek the sictiana we need to do it soon.”

“Are you sure you don’t just want to relax?”

He smiled, swiping a stray lock of hair out of her face. “It would be a respite. But there’s no use going unless we leave before sunset.”

Lip clutched between two teeth, she lifted to her toes, kissed him on the cheek in that way that made heat rise to his skin, and raced up the stairs.

Rhaego rushed to clean but only managed to get halfway through before giving up for the sake of time. He gathered a few things he’d packed early that morning in preparation for this trip, then set to packing a few others. By the time he was ready, excitement coursed across his skin like static electricity.

Aurora clambered down the steps, holding the skirts of her dress and cloak bunched in her arms to keep from tripping. “Remind me to get pants when we go into town for the next luncheon.” She let the bulk go, swishing her hips and hopping a little to ensure the fabric settled correctly. “I’d never forgive myself if I slowed down our escape because I’m trying not to eat pavement.”

He quirked a brow at her odd phrase, turning it over in his mind and smiling.

“Then pants you shall have.” He hefted the large pack over his shoulders. “Ready?”

She eyed the pack.

Can I carry anything? Rhaego could practically hear the words clawing to get out of her mouth.

He stared patiently at her, head tipped. After a moment, she released a clipped exhale, understanding it was pointless to ask.

His fever bubbled at that. The silent exchange wasn’t arousing or angering, yet heat built all the same. The connection seemed to awaken it. Knowing her well enough to guess the direction of her mind and her knowing him well enough to do the same.

They walked outside, Rhaego twisting through the door so his pack would fit. When they reached the den’s narrow pass he squinted up at the sky and chuffed loudly enough for her to notice.

Shielding her eyes, she followed his gaze, staring up into the rich blue. “What?”

Before she could stop him, he swooped in, scooping her into his arms and setting off in a run up the steps. “We must beat the sun, little wife.”

Her lips were pursed to keep her grin contained. “We have hours . I could’ve made it.”

“Perhaps I’m just impatient, then.” Rhaego kept his attention focused forward as he ran. Despite what he’d claimed, he didn’t think he could handle glimpsing the bounce of her full bosom. Not if he wanted to get them both up the mountain without a careless tumble.

Aurora grinned as they ascended, taking in the valley with as much enthusiasm as before but without red exertion staining her cheeks.

“I suppose that was easier,” she laughed when they reached the field of wildflowers. “You’re not even out of breath.”

He grinned. Maybe he was a little out of breath, but it wasn’t from exertion. “I brought this.” He extracted a screen from his pack and unfolded it. “I downloaded guides to all flora and fauna in this area. Point to whatever you’re curious about, and I’ll read the entry.”

A slice of guilt cut through him, forcing him to swallow as he spoke the omission. He’d packed the reading glass, and if she asked for it so she could read the information herself he’d give it to her, but he really hoped she’d allow him to participate in this way.

Aurora blinked at him, then as though overwhelmed with possibility, spun in place. Her gaze landed on each flower sprouting at her feet before she finally settled on one long stalk fitted with red cup-shaped blossoms. “What’s this one called?”

Rhaego smiled, scanning the flower with his screen. Had she selected that flower at random? Or had she remembered that Rhaego had plucked it for her when he’d first brought her here?

***

“How about this one?” Aurora pointed to a charcoal-gray plant, finger-shaped protrusions rising out of the base of a tree like coral.

Rhaego squatted next to her, holding out the screen as he’d done seven hundred times in the last hour. Though her curiosity was incessant, Rhaego never scoffed or rolled his eyes or groaned at her constant questions as they meandered through the forest, exploring and searching for sictiana evidence. He seemed happy to teach, sifting through the wealth of information at his clawed fingertips and relaying it in his delicious baritone.

Aurora allowed herself a moment to marvel at the enormity of his sturdy thigh as he hovered next to her, before breathing out a wishful sigh.

“ Xetrio variety. Edible. Uh,” he scanned the text, muttering about growth sectors and chemical composition as he searched for details worth noting. “Used by the unbato —a large animal from the south,” he clarified, “in their preparation of hibernation nests. The trees in their region defend themselves against xetrio by secreting a glucose-dense sap that coats the plant and spurs decay through fermentation. The unbato gather the decaying plant and stuff their second mouths full of it. The alcohol from the fermentation triggers their hibernation, and then they spend the next three months slowly digesting the rest of the xetrio and awaken when the plant has been completely consumed.”

She examined the little purple bugs crawling across the xetrio, almost too small to see. Eight legs. Arachnid? No. Antennae. “Is it used for food or medicine?” Aurora pressed her cheek to the ground, getting low so she could examine the underside of the plant. A spike of success hit when she spotted a collection of brown egg clutches.

“Yes, but never when raw,” Rhaego explained, rising from his squat. “We’d have to soak it for a week before it could be deemed digestible for either of us.”

He listed some of the nutritional benefits, and Aurora kept track of ideas in her head as he spoke. Could be good for spells needing long-lasting effects. She thought of the unbato. May work for dream walking or as a sleep aid. Rising, Aurora wiped her palms on her dress, adding to the dirt she’d given up trying to avoid. Normally she wouldn’t care. But normally she wasn’t wearing fancy dresses and trying to entice a gentle red giant while studying insects.

Would he look twice at her if she were in her utilitarian field gear?

“Shall I collect some for you?” Rhaego asked, hefting the basket of herbs, flowers, and stones she’d collected with the excitement of a kid at a candy store.

She eyed the plant longingly, then reeled in her greed. “No. We won’t be here in a week. I already have too much. You said I could bring two bags, and if I’m not careful they’ll be filled only with dried herbs at this rate.”

“Personally, I wouldn’t mind if you forwent clothing.”

Aurora twisted, grinning over her shoulder at him. He’d teased like this often, stirring heat in her belly, but he rarely followed up on his big talk. It was like he was afraid to let himself touch her too much. She imagined if she called his bluff and stripped down right here, he might run away.

“Oh really?” She stepped in close and clasped her hands behind her back, chest nearly brushing against his.

His gaze dropped, lips parting. Just as fever began to flood into his gray irises, though, he swallowed and forced his eyes to the sky toward the setting sun. “We should find a spot to set up before it gets dark.” Rhaego gestured ahead toward an area deeper in the forest, brows raised in question.

Aurora hid her smirk. Yep, he was holding back. “Good enough for me,” she agreed in a casual tone. She wouldn’t push him too much…not yet. But maybe she’d push a little.

As they meandered through the forest, she slipped her hand into his. “It’s too bad we didn’t find the flowers they cocoon in,” she babbled to cover the move and the awkwardness she felt when he didn’t grip her hand back. If he doesn’t hold my hand in ten seconds, I’ll let go, she promised, vaguely recognizing she was still prattling on about something out loud. “I hope it isn’t too bright tonight.”

Five…four… She could feel her palm getting sweaty. Goddess, he isn’t even speaking anymore.

“I’ve had a great time regardless.”

Three…two…

“But—” Her lips firmed as his fingers closed around hers. Heat rose to her cheeks. She chanced a glance up at him and found a red ring of fever heating his wide-eyed expression. “Uh…”

His fingers shifted, thumb brushing over her skin. “But what?” His purr rumbled to life, tickling her palm.

Whatever she’d been about to say evaporated. Electricity pulsed up and down her arm in time with his vibrating purr like a flashing neon sign. “Here seems good,” she blurted, scrambling for something to say.

The area was dense with gnarled trees and flowers. Insects floated lazily from blossom to blossom, and dappled light broke through the trees, highlighting sparkling spore-filled rays of sunshine. Rhaego’s grip tightened for a moment before he released her. Aurora brushed her fingers over her hand, missing the feel of his touch.

A creeping bug she’d initially mistaken for a flower caught her eye. She examined it as Rhaego dug out a few supplies. The insect had lavender fur sprouting out of its segmented back and a fat, pale green body beneath, giving the illusion that it was merely a stray blossom.

“Rhaego,” she whispered, coercing the insect into her palm and rushing over to him. “Is this a sictiana caterpillar?”

She tripped in her haste, but he caught her by the elbows, stabilizing her. Stooping, he narrowed his gaze on the insect. “I believe it is. Well done.”

A thrill ran through her, a renewed urgency spurring her to return the larva to its tree and set about hanging her moth trap. “Did you bring the white sheet I asked for?”

Rhaego watched her with a faint smile. He handed the nearly empty pack to her. “I believe it’s all there.”

Reaching shoulder-deep into the pack, she pulled out a neatly folded white cloth and shook it out. Where to hang it? She scanned the trees. A pair of branches a few feet away caught her eye. Trying not to trip over the pooling fabric of the Rhaego-sized sheet, she made her way to the trees, dug out the string he’d packed, and reached as high as she could toward a limb.

Her fingers brushed against its smooth bark, but it was out of reach.

Suddenly black claws and dinner-plate-sized hands appeared above her head. “May I, little doe?” Aurora craned her face up and found Rhaego peering down at her. Damn, he was massive, and whenever he called her little doe …

She nodded dreamily, insides melting, then stepped away so he could work. A blanket was laid out a few yards away in a relatively flat area. Fluttering started up in her belly when she saw the spread he’d set out. Trays of domed little treats, breads, and drinks lined the blanket, along with some other useful items.

Plopping down, she folded his discarded jacket and sighed. His firm ass and tree-trunk thighs were at a perfect viewing height from this position. They were in a place romantically where leering was okay, right? He hadn’t made any moves on her other than to mark her daily and place his vibrating hand on her low belly so , so close to where she wished they’d travel. And now her period had ended, so he didn’t even do that anymore. It was torture.

“Is this alright?” he called, forcing her eyes to unlock themselves from his ass.

“Perfect,” she breathed.

He stepped back, arms crossed, inspecting the slightly crooked sheet spread between the trees like a projector screen.

“Come sit down. It’s great,” Aurora called when his hands lifted.

His upper body rotated, his scrunched mouth and raised brow communicating his dissatisfaction with leaving the sheet crooked. She took the opportunity to remove her cloak, displaying the slightly-lower-than-normal neckline she’d selected.

His expression cleared, feet moving toward the blanket in an instant.

Like a charm, she preened internally.

The sky dimmed as they munched on the snacks he’d brought. Every so often, Aurora would rise, inspecting the plants and insects surrounding them as new ones woke for the evening. She set up a light in front of the sheet and powered it on, illuminating the white fabric to attract the sictiana, then turned back to Rhaego.

He sat formally on the blanket. Back straight.

Aurora popped a gelatinous confection into her mouth and chewed while scanning him. He’d carried her up a mountain, lugging a pack that must have weighed a ton, then followed her as she’d wandered through the forest getting distracted by nearly everything she saw. Why did he still look ready to hop up at any minute and do more chores? “Why don’t you take your vest off?”

Rhaego peered down at the beautiful yet stiff fabric covering his soft undershirt.

“We’ll be here for a while.” She sank to her knees on the blanket and knee-walked toward him. “You’d be more comfortable.”

And also I’d really love to cuddle up to you and feel your chest.

His mouth turned down, as though he’d never considered it. Slowly, he unlatched the clasps holding his vest together and shrugged out of it. Aurora bit her lip as the fabric pulled tight across his large pecs.

“Better?”

“If it doesn’t bother you, then yes.” He rolled out his shoulders and reclined back on his elbows.

Aurora scooted closer. “Why would it bother me?”

He didn’t have an answer, so he shrugged. A lock of his dark hair fell across his horn, and her fingers itched to brush it away.

“I want you to relax,” she urged, walking on her knees until she sat behind him. He’d twisted onto one elbow to watch her, so she pointed forward toward the sheet. “We should keep our eyes peeled. It’s starting to get dark enough now. Would you like it if I tended your hair?”

Rhaego’s gaze widened. “You…you don’t have to do that.”

“Would you like it?” Aurora pressed, hands lifting in preparation.

He swallowed, a sense of longing seeping into his expression as he peered at her fingers. “Yes.”

Aurora grinned. “Then turn around.”

Slowly, he did as she asked, but his muscles remained tense.

Let’s see if we can fix that, she mused, raking her fingers across his scalp between his horns.

A moan rattling with a purr poured out of him. The sound sent hot throbbing directly to her core. Would he sound like that during…

She shook the thought away, focusing on brushing her fingers through his thick, soft hair. A combination of triumph and arousal battled inside her as she massaged and scratched and brushed with her fingers, discovering the tight spots in his neck that made his triceps shake.

As she worked, the smell of his musk pierced the air, heavy and rich. The scent was intoxicating. Before she could stop herself, she began massaging his temples. His lids had closed long ago, but she watched his breath catch when she swiped her fingers over the supple skin below his horns.

The musk wasn’t oily or sticky. Apart from the extremely hydrated skin, she wouldn’t have even known he was producing anything. But the glean of a soft waxy substance coated her fingers.

She worked the substance into the rougher parts of his hair. Each time she collected more, his head dipped a little further, making her chest pulse with warmth. She crossed her legs and guided his head to rest in her lap.

Rhaego resisted at first, fevered eyes flashing open, the tendons in his neck straining to remain elevated.

“Relax,” she whispered.

“Are you certain? I should admit this type of attention is unusual.” His throat bobbed, jaw tensing.

“It seems like you’re enjoying it,” she pointed out.

He chuffed. “Too much.”

Aurora chuckled, scratching a path from his sideburns up around his ears, then down his skull to his neck. His lids drooped. “Stop worrying.” Curling forward, she pressed a kiss to the center of his forehead, between his stiff brows, and pulled his head down again. This time he allowed it.

His head was large enough that the spiral of his horns bracketed her hips. The vibration of his purr pulsed into her thighs, tickling her in very sensitive places. She tried to ignore it, but the longer she worked, the tighter that knot in her belly became.

Could she come just like this? A bone-conduction orgasm?

Aurora bit her inner cheek. She had to get herself under control. He was finally relaxing, eyes closed, a dreamy little smile playing across his full kissable lips. Lips she wanted to…

Stop it!

She forced her gaze away, trying to gain control of her unsteady breaths. The moth trap. That would be a nice, easy distraction. But before Aurora’s gaze could reach the sheet, something else caught her attention, and all the air rushed out of her lungs.

At this angle, she had a straight view down his body, and what she saw had a furious blush heating her face and chest. Straining against the stiff fabric of his pants was the largest bulge she’d ever seen. Her brain couldn’t quite process it, but her sex sure could.

Molten heat flooded her core as though screaming reassurances. It’s okay! We’ll make you super slick! We can take him! See?

“Aurora.” Her attention flicked to him. Awash in a torrent of arousal and shock, she didn’t even have the good sense to be embarrassed about being caught staring. His blazing eyes bore into her.

When he made to lift his head, she finally snapped out of it. Without thinking, she held him in place by his horns, realizing her mistake a second too late. His body shuddered, head tipping into her grip.

She should let go. She really should. But on the other hand…

He was turned on—a satellite would be able to see that.

And she was turned on.

And if they were both turned on, and kind of, sort of dating, then why should she stop? Her mind hissed at her, reminding her that the last time she’d been bold and kissed him, he’d literally reached for a weapon. She licked her lips.

But her hands still held his sensitive horns. And he wasn’t pulling them off.

Biting her lip, Aurora traced her palms over his horns, fingers gliding across the smooth ridges. She swirled her fingers together when she reached the pointed tips, then started the slow stroke all over again, eyes flicking between his face and his pelvis to watch as his sheathed cock jumped with her movements. Moisture pooled in her underwear.

On the next pass of her hands, she firmed her grip.

Faster than she could process, Rhaego sprang up and flipped until he was on all fours looming over her, with his knees bracketing hers. It was dark now, and his head was backlit by the starry sky, but the fever in his eyes glowed so fiercely it cast a dim rosy light. Her hands still hovered in the air where his horns had been a moment ago.

“You have to stop,” he grated. But even as the words hit her like a thousand tiny needles, his upper body swayed toward her and his glowing gaze crept down her body.

Aurora leaned up, closing the distance until their faces were only a breath away. “Why?”

“We’re too close to the heat,” he growled, gaze straying to her lips. “I don’t want to lose control.”

Her heart thundered. “Is that why you won’t kiss me?”

A groan slipped from his throat, his brows curling as though he were in pain. “I’m desperate to try, little doe. But the practice is unfamiliar to me, and I worry the taste of your mouth would leave me fever-stricken.”

Every inch of Aurora was overheated. Her soft dress was chafing and should be promptly removed. Lifting a shaky hand and brushing her finger along his drool-worthy jawline, she whispered, “I trust you.”

A sudden growl of frustration made her flinch. “ I do not.”

His head dipped to nuzzle her cheek, her throat, then the bare of curve of her shoulder. Her lids fluttered.

The fabric of her dress slipped across her shins, and she jumped when his hot fingers touched her knee. His claws scraped gently along her skin as he dragged his palm upward, hot breath heating her neck and making her dizzy.

Aurora didn’t care how desperate it looked. She planted her hands behind her and spread her thighs to give him unfettered access. Rhaego growled in answer, claws grazing her inner thigh. Close—so, so close.

The moan she’d been holding in burst out of her when he dragged his enormous knuckle over her panties, tracing the seam of her pussy. His tongue slipped across her throat, so hot it scorched, and all thought flew from her mind. When it returned, she noticed the cold air on her sex and realized he’d sliced through her underwear.

“How small are you, little witch?” he rasped, nipping the sensitive skin below her ear. “Let us find out.”

She could only whimper weakly and arch her neck to give him more access in answer. The sharp points of his claws vanished as he retracted them. Her breath failed, heart stuttering as Rhaego pressed one enormous finger into her entrance. His groan wasn’t exactly disappointed, more troubled. He pressed farther inside, running his mouth across her flaming skin as he did. “You could not take me in heat, beautiful.” His fangs grazed over her jaw. “Not yet.”

Aurora rocked her hips, impaling herself further as if to prove him wrong. She felt his smile against her ear. He delved his finger in fully, hitting her wall. Her inner muscles clenched around him, and he groaned again.

She tried to speak, tried to explain that it was because she wanted more , not because it was too much, but she couldn’t get anything coherent out. He’d begun move, finger slipping in and out in slow deliberate strokes.

“Good,” he rasped, making her tremble. He forced a second finger to join the first. The sting had her breath catching again. “Breathe for me,” he commanded, using his free hand to fist the hair at her nape.

Aurora focused on breathing, hips rocking in time with his plunging fingers.

“Just like that.” He pulled her head back by her hair, the slight sting helping to disguise the burn at her entrance as he tried to add a third finger. “I’ll need to stretch you, little doe.”

She moaned, her chest shaking as it collapsed on each forced breath.

“You smell divine,” he rumbled, stroking inside as far as he could, then pushing just a little farther. “Only a little more, then I’ll let you come.” His words puffed against her ear. “Hold on to me if you need to.”

In one slow thrust, he drove his fingers deep and spread them, pushing against her inner walls, forcing them to expand. Aurora gasped, clutching his arm and wriggling her hips.

“Stay put, love—just a little longer.”

But she wasn’t moving away. A ferocity had risen in her. She wanted more. His stroking, his tongue, his grip in her hair, and his growled guidance. She was ready to rip herself in two just to hear him tell her she’d pleased him.

“More,” she croaked, pleading gaze meeting his. “Please.”

The world seemed to darken, or perhaps the red in his eyes just glowed so brightly it outshone all other light. His hand slipped from between her thighs, and she cried out, panicked and empty. He hooked his soaked fingers around the neckline of her dress and wrenched it down, ripping fabric until her breasts spilled over her tight bodice.

Her nipples tightened in the night air, streaks of cool wetness from her own arousal coating her chest where his fingers had touched. Rhaego stared like a man starved. He met her gaze, eyes pulsing crimson. “You’re too tempting, witch. You’ve awakened my cock’s gland.”

A choked sound caught in her throat. He had a gland where?

Her pulse throbbed through every inch of her body as he dragged his hand beneath the waistband of his pants. He exhaled a heavy breath across her chest as he touched himself. Aurora couldn’t look away.

But then he pulled his hand back and a glistening substance, slicker than the musk on his horns, coated his fingers. In one slow motion that had her knees falling open as far as they could until they hit his inner thighs, he swiped his thumb across one nipple, then the next, glazing the stiff buds in his musk.

Aurora’s next breath was unsteady and clipped with a keening whimper because the musk…tingled. The cold night air breezed against the musk, building the sensation. What the fuck kind of magic substance was his body able to produce?

Before her scientific mind had any more time to ponder it, he forced his fingers back inside her throbbing sex. She clenched her teeth against the delicious sting. “How do you like to be touched, little doe?” His slick thumb glided across her clit, sending sparks shooting up her spine. Every spot he touched with his musk began to warm and tingle. “Show me those pretty eyes.” When she didn’t immediately comply, brain too slow, he squeezed her hair.

The pinch at her scalp helped to ground her, and she peered at him. His breaths were heavy and ragged, his gaze locked on her as though he were studying her. “Like this?” His thumb swiped over her clit again in a direct path, and her hips bucked. His tongue lifted to touch a fang, brows lowered in concentration.

She tried to get the words out to answer him but couldn’t. Her clit buzzed, making her head swim and her sex flood with arousal. His thumb kept exploring, rubbing and flicking and testing the boundaries of her sanity all while his three fingers were held spread in place in her core stretching, knuckle deep.

But then the pad of his thumb circled over the hood of her clit with just the right amount of pressure and her eyes rolled back, spine arching into the touch.

“Ah. So that’s it,” Rhaego murmured, doing it again and earning an identical reaction. “Your cunt quivers when I do that.”

Aurora grabbed her skirt, pulling the bunched fabric higher as her belly tightened, a truly devastating orgasm building.

“Can you handle more, little doe?”

Before taking a breath to assess whether she could, Aurora nodded, gasping, “Yes.”

Rhaego groaned, head dipping to her breasts. “You really are a perfect creature, aren’t you?” He swiped his tongue across her hard nipple, wringing a cry from her throat.

“I can taste myself on you,” he growled. And then…he purred, and the stars blinked out of the sky.

From his fingers touching every inch of flesh inside her core to his thumb circling her clit to his tongue slipping over her nipple, the purr rattled through. It was like being hot-wired with electric pleasure. Her hand shot out to grip his horn, to keep from floating away. No matter how hard she tried she couldn’t get a breath in.

“How does a witch look when she comes?” he grated, angling her face toward his with the grip at her nape. “Show me, little doe.”

And she did.

As though just waiting for his command, ecstasy erupted through her, bowing her spine and curling her toes. The most vulgar sounds poured from her throat as her orgasm crested and held, for she didn’t know how long.

When it was done, she slumped into a hot pool of satisfaction, bones liquefied, and mind clouded over like she’d just smoked a whole pot of deralja on her own.

“Stunning,” he whispered, kissing one nipple and then the other before tugging her dress back up as though tucking in his treasure for the night.

Aurora had just managed to regain her senses when he brought his hand to his mouth and licked his way down each knuckle, letting out a moaning purr.