Chapter 23 - the Arrangement

I couldn’t fall asleep. Not because I wasn’t tired enough, or because I couldn’t get comfortable, but because I couldn’t keep Thoridor out of my mind. And it wasn’t even him doing that — our link was quiet. It was my mind that kept flashing with images of the two of us.

They started out pretty innocent, memories of our first encounters — but even with those, my mind seemed to keep focussing on certain parts. Sitting between his legs on Sol’s back, pressed against his warm body, even his teeth sinking into the side of my neck seemed pleasant to me, thinking back on it.

I remembered him holding me when I cried the night before the Sorael, and the way it had felt as if he’d been holding my soul. I remembered him undoing the laces of my dress that night. But then, in my mind, Thoridor’s hands found their way to either side of my neck, and then down my shoulders, hooking his fingertips behind the neckline of my gown and sliding it down, baring my back to him. His fingertips then traced along the outline of the port-wine stain on my back.

I turned around, and Thoridor’s hands instantly grabbed onto the back of my ribs, pulling me closer. I trailed my hands over the hardened leather chest piece, trying to look for a way to undo it.

“It’s clasped together on my sides,” Thoridor explained, guiding my hands to the belts under his arms. I unbuckled them all, and then lifted the chest piece. Thoridor had to kneel down to help me reach up high enough to lift it over his head. Then, he undid the bands that strapped leather pieces to his forearms, and tossed them to the sides. Now, it was just his linen tunic separating his bare chest from mine. I grabbed two fistfuls of the fabric and pulled it over his head.

Skin. Hot, smooth, beautiful skin. Thoridor’s body was immaculate, each line and crevice looked to be hand-sculpted, a wonderful landscape I couldn’t wait to explore. I put my hands on his chest, and immediately, a shiver went through me, strong as an earthquake.

Thoridor growled and pulled me into him, so our fronts were flush against each other, my breasts against his pecks. I was overcome with lust and longing. It coursed through my veins, clouding my brain like a summer storm.

I kissed him again, and again, craving more, more more. I gasped for air as Thoridor broke away from our kiss, and began kissing along my jaw, down my neck, and toward the light scarring where he had bitten me the first night. Then, looked up at me, flashing me a grin. I saw his canines had elongated again, and he licked the tip of one of them as his eyes glazed over the faint mark he’d left.

“Do it,” I breathed, and Thoridor sunk his teeth into my skin again.

And then I was out again, back in my bed, by myself. I felt Thoridor’s presence push against my mind, as if he was waiting for me to let him in.

“Show me,” he said, immediately after I did, “show me what you saw.”

I pushed the thought his way, before I could let shame stop me. Thoridor was quiet for a moment, and then poured back into my mind, filling it to the brim with his presence.

“I’ll come to you,” he growled, “if you’ll have me. I could be outside your door in a heartbeat.”

My heart pounded against my chest as if I had just ran for my life.

“I want to feel you, Serin,” he said lowly, raising my body temperature one word at a time. “I want to know what it’s like. Do you want me too?”

I swallowed thickly, and wet my dry lips.

“Yes,” I said.

I did. I couldn’t lie to myself anymore — I wanted him. Before I could say anything else, there was a short knock on my door. Fire spread through me, from my heart to the inside of my thighs. I pushed myself off the bed and quickly slipped my chemise back on, and an extra gown over top. Then I rushed to the door. I opened it just a finger’s width, and peeked through the opening. It was Thoridor.

I stepped aside to let him enter, and quickly pushed the door closed behind him. We just stood there a moment, looking at one another, each of our chests heaving.

“Hi love,” Thoridor said finally.

“Listen to me,” I said, “you will kiss me. Just to see what it’s like. But nothing beyond that point, you hear me? You will leave immediately after.”

Thoridor frowned, but then nodded. “But what if you like it?” he asked, “what if you want more?”

I swallowed. “There will not be more, Thor. Not right now. The mating bond is just one part of this… arrangement, between the two of us. The Ardanian part. My part counts too.”

Thoridor nodded. “And what’s that, love?” he asked, “what’s your part?”

“Love,” I replied. “I want love. I want to love you, and I want you to love me back.”

“Okay,” Thoridor said, “you tell me, when you love me.”

I giggled. “It will take work,” I said, “I won’t just wake up one day loving you.”

Thoridor chuckled. “Okay,” he said, “I will work.”

He stepped closer, so his upper belly almost touched my chest.

The air seemed to sizzle between us, and I could already feel it begin to affect my thinking.

“Just a kiss,” I reminded him, and the words felt foreign to me, as if I was listening to someone else saying them.

“Just a kiss,” Thoridor agreed, leaning his head toward mine, but not making contact yet.

“Go on then,” I whispered, “kiss me.”

“Finally,” Thoridor grunted, and he grabbed the back of my head and pressed his lips to mine.