“Gods,” he mutters through a labored breath; he jerks, hips thrusting, hands clenching, groan rumbling through the room. His seed spills into my mouth and floods the back of my throat. I swallow, then lick my lips. The cum of an immortal tastes different—I’m convinced.
I release him and he lies flat on his back, eyes glued to the ceiling. Does he regret it? Is it another sin to add to his pile of guilt? His cock, still big, falls over to the side. I wipe my mouth and move to my side of the bed, but his hand catches me and pulls me back on top of his body.
“I knew I should be jealous,” he says, small grin tugging at his lips.
“Feel better?”
“I haven’t felt like that in ages.” He kisses my hand. “You’re lucky I didn’t knock your teeth out.”
“I’m a Valkyrie. It would take a lot to knock my teeth out, Armin.” I lean over. “Listen, next time you’re feeling bad, come find me.”
“I did come find you.”
“For a nap.” I narrow my eyes. “Or was that really a booty call?”
“I’m not sure what that is, but I wanted you to come to my room.”
“For sex?”
“To sleep. For company. To make me feel something other than the burden I carry.”
I lean forward and kiss him on the mouth, softly and then a little harder. It’s the first kiss we’ve shared. Yep, I sucked him off before I kissed him. Marielle may be right, I am a little trashy.
“I’m here to help you,” I tell him. “All of you. In any way that you need.”
“I guess I didn’t know that’s what I needed.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, well, I did, and you’re not the only one that needs a little relief.”
“The other immortals?” he asks, less concerned than I’d expect.
“Probably,” I say, reaching for his hand. “But right now I’m talking about someone closer, who is still very worked up and very, very much in need of relief.”
His eyebrows shoot up, the fog clearing from his eyes. “Oh, gods, Hildi, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t tell me you’re sorry, Armin.” I take his hand and slide it down my body, resting it at the crux of my legs. “Show me.”
26
Armin
Like she promised, after our “nap”, Hildi and I spent time looking for the stone. Well, not the stone anymore. A key. She and Agis have decided a key is the first step to locating the stone.
We start on the main floor, pretending not to be with one another, pretending we hadn’t just enjoyed one another’s flesh in my room upstairs. The truth is, I need a little space from her. From looking at her curves or thinking about what’s under her thin, white panties. From her smell and recalling what she tastes like. I pleasured her, the way she had me; fingers and mouths. I want to claim her—drive my cock into her body—mark her as my own, but I’m not sure I’m worthy. Not yet.
We start at opposite ends, where she explores one side of the hall while I assess the other. Agis is right about the iconography. Underneath the demons and fanged beasts are signs that point directly to the Christian apocalypse. Four horsemen. Four colors. Four symbols. The scythe. The crown. The sword. The scales.
I notice all of these symbols on the base of a statue near the main entrance. The statue itself is of a nude woman. Blood drips from her neck and a blade dangles from her fingertips. The marks circle the base, etched in the smooth, pale marble. The imagery makes no sense, but I jot down a note to look it up later in the red book. I glance down the hallway and find Hildi. She’d changed from her uniform into the tight black pants she wears for exercise. Now that I know what lies underneath, my body reacts instantly, my heart, my blood, my cock.
When I went to her room and asked her to come back with me I had no expectations of what would happen. Hildi is a woman filled with surprises. With strength.
And unquenchable desire.
“Armin!”
I spin and find Rupert at the top of the staircase. He’s out of breath and his eyes look panicked.
“What’s wrong?”