I turn to the closet and see for the first time a dress hung up on the door. “I took the liberty; I hope you don’t mind?” CK says from behind me.
I turn with a small, pleased smile. “Not at all. I like it when you help dress me.”
“I sincerely hope that you prefer it when I help undress you,” he says, his eyes hooded with lust as he steps closer when I drop my towel.
“It’s high on my list of favorite things,” I say.
“Mine too,” he says against my lips before he kisses me deeply, holding me tightly to him for the first time since I got back from seeing Sebastian. Twice bathed, I must now be in an acceptable state for him. I press myself against him and he moans softly in my mouth. I can feel him hard and ready for me and I brush my hand lightly over him, but he steps back, hands on my shoulders. “Not yet,” he chides me.
I make a noise of frustration and turn from him. “You are driving me crazy. You are a very frustrating creature. How can you stand it?”
“I keep thinking about how amazing it will be when I finally do give in and take you,” he says, wrapping his arms around me. He nuzzles my neck and I feel a tremble go through me.
“Bite me,” I say to him, tilting my head so he has easier access to my jugular.
“I want to,” he nips me with his regular teeth. “But I want to do something to you while I do.”
Ooh, a bit of play. I am up for that. “Anything,” I whisper back.
“No,” he says stepping slightly away from me. “You won’t want me to do this.”
I turn a bit in his arms. “What is it?” I ask.
He closes his eyes as he decides whether to tell me, and I feel just the tiniest bit of fear slide down my back. He senses it and his eyes fly open. “No,” he says. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Obviously, it does, or you wouldn’t have mentioned it.”
“I shouldn’t have mentioned it. I spoke without thinking.” He closes off his entire face and moves away from me.
“CK, just tell me what it is. If I don’t want you to do it, I will say no. It’s as simple as that.”
He breathes in and turns away from me. “Since the first time I bit you, I have wanted to do this, choosing one over the other is difficult, but I can’t do it. Not with you. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Oh,” I say as it hits me what he wants to do.
He stares at me for the longest time. “Did…did he ever do that to you?” I have to lean forward to catch his words as he utters them so silently.
“Yes, but only to hurt me.” Might as well be honest about it. “I know that isn’t your motivation.”
“No, but I will anyway,” he shakes his head sadly. “I want to feel you in that way as I take your blood. I wish there was a way I could partial Shift.”
“I want to feel you that way too, but I don’t think I want you to do that to me. I’m sorry,” I say and look down away from the hurt in his eyes.
“I understand,” he says.
“We will try to work on partial Shifts. I have already done it so I know you can too,” I say desperately.
“Ah, yes. Your Dragon talons. That was quite…disturbing,” he says.
“Well, yes, but I have also done a partial Vampire Shift. Although it was claws that came out and not fangs.”
“Really?” he asks interested. “When? Before or after you became Queen?”
“Err, with Cole. Before I became Queen, before he knew about me. I bit him with my regular teeth, but my claws came out inadvertently and pierced him.” I am uncomfortable discussing this with him.
He looks uncomfortable that I am discussing it with him, so I turn from him.
“Then you can teach me,” he says as he comes up behind me and puts his hands on my shoulders. “I want to be able to feel you come with my fingers, with my fangs in your neck.”