Page 74 of The Rake OR The Orca Who Met His Match in a Selkie Desiring Revenge

His teasing had the desired effect, her eyes were momentarily hurt, but he continued before it could truly take hold. “You’ve already got one, if you’ll have me.”

Her smile lit up the morning like the first rays of sun. “I think I will. Do you—what I mean to say is, you mentioned that in your culture, you have a binding of your own. A mating mark given and received to show commitment..."

She trailed off, getting less excited and more visibly nervous with every word.

"We do, is that something you'd like? With me?" He'd meant to reassure her, but his own vulnerability crept in. It was so difficult to fathom, so foreign still, that someone might want him for him, rather than some character he'd devised to suit them. But somehow, she'd stripped away his layers of artifice, pushingthrough until she'd located the core of him and seized it for herself.

Elspeth bit her lip and nodded. "Yes, I'd like that. Now. With you." Her eyes glistened with tears, and for the first time, he didn't hate them. He loved those tears.

He cupped her cheeks and leaned in to kiss her. The bright saltiness of the ocean mingled with the sweet, refreshing taste of Elspeth herself, an intoxicating flavor combination perfectly designed to be his downfall. Her warm tongue danced with his, toying with him the way they'd played in the water, teasing and darting away before allowing herself to be caught. Her hands tangled in his hair, holding him tight, though the idea that she'd ever need to hold him was laughable. He was well and truly a pathetic sod for her. A card-carrying member of the club, it seemed.1

When they'd kissed themselves breathless, she pulled back, gasping. "So how does this usually go?"

"Well," he said, smirking. "Seeing as I've never done it before, I haven't any real idea."

Elspeth growled at him and pushed his arm.

"Sorry, sorry," he said, laughing. "I had to!"

She rewarded him with the smallest smile but raised her brows, expecting ananswer.

"It's usually done in private, so we're on the right track there." He traced a finger along her neck and down across the top of her shoulder. "Usually around here..."

Elspeth shivered, her eyes wide and mouth dropped open to accommodate a shaky intake of breath.

"It's said..." he whispered in her ear. "That after the bite, it's extremely pleasurable, and that spot becomes as sensitive as say... a nipple."

Elspeth remained pliable in his arms, and her eyes fell shut but he was careful to watch her reactions to make sure she was still present with him. He teased the peak of her nipple with the tip of his claw, with so little pressure that it was sure not to hurt.

"And do I get to bite you back?"

"Of course."

Outwardly, it was a simple, nonchalant answer, but inside he was screaming and leaping with joy. His heart certainly raced as if he were.

"Can I bite you first?"

Aegir crumpled. His shoulders rolled forward with the force of his relief. Shereallywanted to bite him, and had there ever been anything better? Surely not. Surely this, knowing she wanted him back, wanted himenough to claim him was the pinnacle of existence.

Weakly, he nodded, as he felt tears gather in his own eyes.

"I want you Aegir. For now and always." She shook as she said it, but everything else in her demeanor told him she was sure. "If you'll allow me?"

"Always."

Elspeth leaned forward and ran her nose along the juncture of his neck and shoulder, teasing where she'd bite. He gasped as her tongue flicked out to lick him. She explored, as if testing various spots, driving him mad with anticipation and need. His own breath was ragged and he trembled with need. Sweat beaded and mingled with seawater on his brow and chest and the realization that she was lapping it off him nearly made him extrude from his slit.

Finally, she seemed to settle on a place, humming happily and lavishing the spot with attention. He was writhing under her when she pulled away, exposing the spot to the sudden chill of the air.

"Please," he gasped, unable to hold himself back from bucking his hips. He squeezed his eyes shut trying to hold it together, but really, how was he meant to act secondsbefore she claimed him as hers forever? He didn't need to wait long, as the sharp points of her teeth pressed into his skin. The pressure increased, slowly as if she were reluctant to use too much. The pressure bled to pain, but he embraced it as the harbinger it was, the prelude to the greatest pleasures of his life. With a sudden sharpness she was through, clamping onto him with surprising strength.

And then just as suddenly, she released him with a gasp. His blood clung to her lip in smears and he was shocked at how seductive it was.

"Now what?" she asked.

It took the words a few moments to penetrate the haze of euphoria he felt, but once they did, it made complete sense. Of course she had no idea of what to do next, nor could she forge the pathways that would make their marks special. That was his task and if he had any hope of accomplishing it, he needed to focus.

"Now, you clean it. With your tongue, I mean. I'll do the internal work, but I'd like you to clean it." The softness, the vulnerability in his voice surprised him, but Elspeth only smiled and nodded before bending back to his neck. With gentle, careful flicks of her tongue, she lapped at his blood, soothing his raw soul more than the wound itself.