Page 92 of This Blood That Breaks Us

“Stay kneeled.”

I sighed but submitted to letting both knees fall to the floor.

“Happy?”

She licked Her lips, then tipped them into a smile.

“I need you to tell me what you’re doing to Will.”

“Is that why you’re really here? For a friend?”

“Yeah, that’s what I fucking said.”

“See, I think you’ve been looking for an excuse to come crawling into my room alone.”

My heart skipped. How did She know? There was no way She knew about the dreams.

“You’re wrong.”

“Am I? I can feel you. When you kneel and pray for me to come to you, all I feel is how much you long for me.”

I jumped up to my feet. She was trying to piss me off and distract me, and it would not work.

“Stop changing the subject. We’re talking about Will.”

“I’d rather talk about you.”

“No. Because all you’re doing is trying to confuse me. You can’t feel shit.”

She stood and turned from me like I wasn’t standing there trying to have a conversation with Her.

“What do you think prayer does? It’s for connection. You’ve had my blood, so when you pray and call me, I hear you. It’s the closest most of them will ever get to the connection they desire to have with me. But for you . . . you’ll have more. You can have as much as you want.”

I followed Her every step as She made Her way over to the bed. She obviously wasn’t going to answer my question. I moved to leave but stopped. I wasn’t ready.

“You mean after Ascension?”

She nodded, grabbing a bottle of lotion from Her bedside table, then slowly rubbed it over Her legs. What the hell was happening to me? A few minutes in and my resolve was disappearing faster than I could keep up with. I couldn’t stop staring at Her legs. The feeling that pulled me to Her wasn’t fair. She was a planet with Her own gravity. How could I walk away?

“Yes. After Ascension, you and me. We’ll be connected on a whole new level. Wherever you go. You’ll have me.”

I rolled my eyes.

“As usual. I don’t know what that means.”

“Darling, would you come over and help me put this on my back?”

Heat rushed through me. A mixture of anger and lust battled it out.

“Uh. Can’t you do it yourself? Got enough minions to do that task for you,” I said, but I moved toward Her until I was standing over Her. She was so beautiful I couldn’t stand it. I tried to refocus.

“Of course. But you’re here.” She moved the straps of Her gown down to expose Her back.

Oh fuck.I sat down. My eyes darted to the door. I could leave, but I wanted to stay. I grabbed the lotion. My fingers brushed Her shoulder, but I stopped. I couldn’t touch Her. Not without giving in completely.

“You like it when women torture you, don’t you?” She leaned into me.

“No.”