Page 28 of Faeling (Monstrous World #4)

Ravenna woke to the scent, sound, and weight of her orcish azai . Although she hadn’t fallen asleep tucked against his massive chest, it didn’t completely surprise her to find she’d been reeled across the bed in the night.

After spending a pleasant evening playing talfon and making deals, she’d consented to sleep in the bed with him.

On her own side. His easy agreement had been suspicious, and as Ravenna slowly came awake to the burning warmth of his bare chest at her back and the heavy weight of his arm thrown across her waist, she began to suspect he’d never meant to let her stay all the way on her side.

So comfortable, though, it was hard to muster any true misgivings. In fact, her instincts, the ones that told her to curl up against her big, strong mate and never let go, were more than content. She might just start to purr like he did. Her instincts were proving to be little hussies for Vallek.

Her soppy heart didn’t help matters. She woke that morning to a new reality. Concessions had been made last night, and while her movements were still restricted, he’d made many promises. That he wouldn’t take an orcess for a wife. That he meant to be with her.

It all still sounded outlandish to everything but that soppy heart of hers. As a king in a tenuous political situation, he’d no business making her such promises. But he did. And she hoarded them close.

Ravenna knew better than to put much stock in promises and hopes. Promises rarely lasted, and hope could be misleading. Even devastating.

That didn’t stop the softer parts of her from hoping, though.

She longed for the things he’d promised.

When he wasn’t being obtuse, her handsome orc could be quite charming.

It was more than her instincts that drew her to him—for the first time in days, she’d sat in the company of the man she’d come to admire from years of friendly talk and good humor.

The Vallek of before, the one who didn’t know her true face, was in some odd way her friend. And she’d missed that friend these past days, just as much as her magic had missed her azai while he was away. To have him back soothed and pleased her in a way nothing else had.

None of that meant she could trust him with her plans. If he knew she meant to cut out Amaranthe’s heart herself, he’d lock her away forever.

But…perhaps she could trust him with a few things.

Perhaps, just perhaps, she could attain her vengeance even faster by his side. In his bed.

The thought was an insidious little thread tugging at her vulnerable heart. Her need for him, to be with and claim her azai, could become strong enough to cloud her judgement. It was her own instinct to have him, to give herself to him, that whispered foolish hopes in her ear.

That path likely led to ruin, but oh, what a temptation ruin could be.

A gusty breath ruffled the hair near her temple before the big arm across her flexed and tightened, bringing her even closer to Vallek’s now purring chest. The ridges of his nose and tusks pressed against her head in a gentle nuzzling.

“I can hear you thinking, skala, ” he rumbled in a deliciously low, sleepy voice. “It’s far too early for any of that.”

“What should I be doing, then?”

He didn’t take her bait, although his chest shook with amusement. They both knew exactly what.

Nuzzling her hair, Vallek sighed, “This is just the way I wish to wake from now on.”

“That wasn’t part of our negotiations.”

“I’m making an amendment.”

“On what grounds?”

“That I’m king and I like holding you.”

Well, both of those points were hard to argue with. A desperately pleased grin twitched on her lips despite herself.

Perhaps he was right—at least on this. It was too early to think.

Instead, for the first time in a long while, Ravenna allowed herself to just feel .

She let her body ease back into his, curling against him like a happy cat. Running her fingers along his arm, she traced the thick sinews and tendons up and down his green forearm, delighted when gooseflesh followed in her wake.

They lay in the soft quiet of dawn together, movements small and sensuous.

The arm he’d laid beneath her had tangled in her long hair, and he played with the ends between his fingers.

She continued to pet him, indulging in all his textures and marveling at how he was softness stretched over such strength.

It wasn’t long before Ravenna felt a certain new heat pressing against the curve of her backside.

Vallek was a big man, and proportional. Although she’d only spied his manhood a few times, including when he slipped into bed last night—naked—she knew it to be formidable.

Her handful of experiences with human fishermen paled in comparison to him, and while their difference in size—only accentuated by how he absolutely surrounded her with his body as they lay together—should have concerned her, even frightened her, she felt neither.

No, as she began to move her hips back and forth in the smallest movements, all Ravenna felt was a thrilling anticipation.

It probably wasn’t wise to tease him. And her pride remained bruised from their first encounter. Yet, she couldn’t help herself. Desire flowed thicker than syrup through her veins, an ancient and powerful lust compelling her to keep going.

Besides, she wasn’t thinking. Only feeling.

His large hand rose from the bed to settle on her hip, stilling her.

“I can be as soft and gentle as you need, skala . But don’t start what you cannot finish.”

He might not mean it as a challenge, but Ravenna couldn’t help hearing one.

Body flushed at the low rumble of his voice at her ear, she began to rock again.

She worked to help his cock find the cleft between the cheeks of her backside, gratified to feel how he began to easily slide against the loose fabric of her filmy nightgown.

His purr deepened into something of a growl, but still he didn’t move.

Using a little of her magic, Ravenna pressed against the small of his back, drawing him even closer and urging him to move.

A hot exhale buffeted her cheek as he leaned over her. Even in the colorless light of dawn, his eyes captured her with their blue intensity, searing her.

“Can I touch you?” he ground out, voice gone thick.

“Yes.” Fates, yes. She might combust if he didn’t.

He found his purr again, and somehow she thought it sounded like praise. His hand at her hip made quick work of rucking up her nightgown, exposing her legs to the cool morning air. His palm spanned her thigh as his head dropped so he could bury his face in the curve of her shoulder.

Reaching back to dig her fingers into his thick mane, Ravenna met his hungry lips when they fell upon hers. He devoured her with his kiss, tusks pressing into her cheeks as his tongue teased and coaxed.

He overwhelmed her, dominating all her senses, but this wasn’t like last time. Even in their haze of lust, everything felt different. Softer, gentler. Urgent but not frenzied. As though they could and meant to take their time with each other.

This was how it should’ve been.

Touching for the sake of it. To learn every texture and contour.

Her nails dug into his scalp when his searching fingers found her weeping cunt.

He rumbled against her lips to find her already anticipating him, and he took his time running his fingertips through her slick in light, teasing touches.

By the time he finally reached her clitoris, Ravenna shook with need.

“So warm and wet for me,” he purred.

Pressure gathered between her thighs, and when he moved to part her legs, she followed him willingly, desperately.

She gasped to feel the burning heat of his cock slide along her cunt.

“Vallek—” she choked.

“I know, skala . Soon. With practice.”

His hips began to rock gently, shuttling his cock in a maddening rhythm between her legs. On every thrust, his cockhead teased the underside of her clitoris, a spark of pleasure so sharp, she bit her lip to the point of pain.

Even with his cock moving against her, his fingers found the entrance of her cunt. He teased her there, circling, circling before finally pushing inside. A mewling sound escaped her throat at his invasion, her cunt clasping his finger in a greedy hold.

“That’s it, sprite. Take what you need.”

Slowly but steadily he pushed inside to the last knuckle.

Ravenna lashed her hips against his, needing more friction, more everything—if only to alleviate the pressure building inside.

There was little to do but hold onto his mane in this position, but she was desperate to render him as needy as her.

Her magic pooled at his hipbone before sliding down between their bodies. Its ephemeral warmth gathered along the underside of his cock and whispered against his heavy bollocks, a kiss of phantom touch and pressure.

Vallek grunted, hips surging forward. “ Fuck, ” he cursed, “you’re a menace.”

Ravenna smiled in vicious delight, baring her fangs at the far side of the room.

He dropped his head to claim that smile, and she met his greedy mouth with her own. She couldn’t help moaning into his as he began to work a second finger inside her.

“Relax for me. Let me make it good.”

A pinch before a fullness so wide, she could hardly comprehend. Then he spread the two fingers apart inside her and Ravenna was lost.

Body gone rigid, she came and came, throbbing around his fingers. His cock made sloppy sounds as it slid against her, every bump against her clitoris sending a fresh shock of pleasure through her overwrought body.

It was too much. It wasn’t enough. It was everything.

Frantically, Ravenna reached down between her legs, feeling how hot and slick he’d made her. Her fingers caught his cockhead on the next stroke, and her small touch was enough. Spurts of pearlescent spend burst on her fingers, and Vallek crushed her to him as his hips battered against her.

She didn’t know how long it lasted, only that she never wanted it to end.