Page 154 of Bonds of Starfall

The words were at the tip of her tongue. A curse, not an agreement. But god, her plan, it hinged on this. Without her schemes, maybe this still would’ve happened eventually.

Maybe they were destined to collide like this.

That was why Rin found her lips parting, words spilling out:

"I understand. It’ll never be like that between us." Why did that make a distant part of her Soul ache?

The room spun. She landed on her back, bouncing on the mattress, with Rhyden looming over her. He cupped the base of her throat, and she dropped her chin, hiding the vulnerable spot of her neck away.

"Hiding from me?" Rhyden leaned down, nosing along the side of her neck, while his thigh forced between hers, rubbing against her core. Her leggings were a thin barrier.

"Maybe I like the chase," Rin countered. Seduction came easier when she didn’t force it. "Maybe I want you to work for it."

"You have no idea the monster you just riled." He smiled, revealing his fangs. His hands were skilled and torturously slow as he inched her shirt up the expanse of her stomach. Cool air stirred her nipples into taut peaks, and he grinned down at her bare chest. "No bra?"

She clenched her jaw, reaching for his belt buckle, her fingers working it open hastily. He let her, all while his touches were lazy. Teasing. When the metal of his buckle slapped her hand as she freed it, her trembling fingers dove inside his waistband, skimming over the line of his boxers. She brushed the hair under his navel, heart in her throat.

Rhyden leaned down, uncaring that she had a one-track mind, as his lips wrapped around her nipple. Her back arched. She couldn’t let herself fall into rapture. Not so easily. And never with him. No matter how much his touch threatened to pull her into the depths of wanton pleasure.

Rin arched up into him, his thigh pressing against her core. He switched to her other breast, and her fingers finally skimmed under his waistband, hesitant. Like a predator, he scented her naivety in the air and laughed against her breast, sending vibrations rippling out as his teeth nipped her flesh.

His lips glistened as he hovered over her. "Cute," he huffed. "Are you sure you know what you’re doing?"

She was no longer totally naive, but her first time on Sibeth had been cloaked in neon, too fast for her to keep up. This time, there was no denying what was to come, and Rhyden was making her work for it.

Emboldened by his taunting words, she gripped his length, hindered slightly by his jeans. "You tell me."

Rhyden groaned, head falling to her chest, hand locked around her throat. He pulled away, so close his breath seeped into her open mouth. "I want to ruin you."

And Rin nodded… tremulous, but evident.

His lips fell to hers.

Punishing.

And deadly.

When she felt the threat of his fangs, she ripped her mouth away, heaving, breasts against his chest. His shirt forced them to part, and when it was thrown over his head, he claimed her again. Every time she felt his fangs, she moved her head. It became a dangerous dance between them. She gasped as he rolled down her leggings. When she was only in her dampened panties, and he in his dark jeans, unzipped and slung low, unease gripped her.

Was she really going to do this?

She stilled, lips slackening against his as his tongue swept inside her mouth.

Rhyden pulled back, hands tightening against her. "Want me to stop?"

"No." Rin urged his face back to hers. "Keep going."

He cupped her breasts, fingers teasing, brushing against her nipples. His rings burned against her skin. Rin’s hand stalled where it was wrapped around him. He bucked into her palm.

She felt…powerful, even as he punished her with every kiss.

Rhyden yanked down her panties with such force, the edges cut into her hips, tearing slightly. The faint ripping sound worked them both higher. Static shocked her skin as his rings grazed the soft skin under her navel, traveling lower until his fingers dipped into her wet heat. She gripped him fiercely, punishing him just as he was her—she was unable to wrap her hand fully around his thick, hard length.

His pants and boxers came off, and his bare heat pressed her into the mattress. Her thighs were a cradle for his hips, and his length was an undeniable weight on her thigh.

Rin’s fingers curled on his chest as she tried to peer down between their bodies.

"Scared yet?" he taunted, as if trying to get her to stop this.