17. Aldric

17

ALDRIC

A fter our nightly training, I watch Elowen leave the sparring area, her fiery red hair swaying with each step. My body thrums with an electric energy I can't shake. The memory of her pressed against me, skin on skin, ignites a fire in my veins.

Fuck.

I run a hand through my shorn hair, frustration and desire warring within me. Her scent lingers in the air, an intoxicating mix of sweat and something uniquely her. My wings twitch, aching to wrap around her lithe form once more.

And the scene of her blood… I can tell it would be sweet and rich. Nothing I've ever experienced before. And I am absolutely dying for a taste.

I want to fill her up with me in every way possible. I want to be drunk on her blood while she screams my name, while I'm buried deep in her.

I want her.

I clench my fists, trying to regain control. But all I can think about is the way she moaned my name, how her body fit perfectly against mine. The softness of her skin, the fire in her eyes as she challenged me.

My body responds traitorously, desire coursing through me. I want her again. Now. The need to claim her, to mark her as mine, overwhelms me.

But it's more than just physical. The way she looks at me, like she sees beyond the hardened warrior exterior, unnerves me. She's worming her way under my skin, past defenses I've spent years building.

I pace the sparring area, unable to shake the images flooding my mind. Her fierce determination during training, the vulnerability in her eyes when she speaks of her past, the way she stands up to me without fear.

Dammit. This wasn't supposed to happen. She's human, fragile compared to my kind. And yet, she's proven herself stronger than I ever expected.

I growl in frustration, slamming my fist against the wall. The pain does nothing to dull the ache of wanting her.

But then Raziel's words slip into my mind. Don't deny yourself happiness out of some misguided sense of duty. Perhaps... you've found your own reason to fight.

Grinding my teeth together, I feel it the second my resolve snaps. He's right. I don't have to give her up. And Holy First, I don't want to. It's time that I stop fighting this and just take.

I storm through the base, my footsteps echoing off the stone walls. My heart pounds in my chest, desire and determination fueling every step. I know where she's gone - the showers aren't far.

The sound of running water guides me. Steam billows out as I push open the door, my eyes immediately finding Elowen's silhouette behind the curtain.

Without hesitation, I strip off my clothes and step into the shower stall. Elowen gasps, whirling around. Water cascades down her body, droplets clinging to her eyelashes as she stares at me in shock.

"Aldric, what-"

I cut her off, capturing her lips in a searing kiss. For a heartbeat, she's frozen. Then she melts against me, her arms wrapping around my neck as she kisses me back with equal fervor.

I press her against the cool tile wall, relishing the contrast of her warm, soft body against mine. My wings curl around us, sheltering her from the spray of water.

"I can't stay away from you, Red," I growl against her lips. "I don't want to."

Elowen's fingers tangle in my hair, pulling me closer. "Then don't," she breathes.

I trail kisses down her neck, tasting the water on her skin. She arches into me, a soft moan escaping her lips. The sound ignites something primal within me.

My hands roam her body, memorizing every curve, every dip. She's so responsive, her body singing under my touch. I can smell her arousal, heady and intoxicating.

"Aldric," she whimpers, her nails digging into my shoulders. "Please."

I lift her, pinning her against the wall. Her legs wrap around my waist, pulling me closer. The feeling of her slick heat against me nearly undoes me.

"Tell me you want this," I demand, my voice rough with need. "Tell me you want me."

Elowen's green eyes lock with mine, fierce and unwavering. "I want you, Aldric. All of you."

I press Elowen against the cool tiles, her legs wrapped tightly around my waist. The steam from the shower envelops us, creating our own private world. I capture her mouth in a fierce kiss, swallowing her moans as I position myself at her entrance.

"You're mine," I growl against her lips, then thrust into her, hard and deep. She gasps, her nails digging into my shoulders. The sensation of her tight heat gripping me is overwhelming, pulling me in deeper.

I set a relentless pace, driving into her with all the pent-up desire and frustration that's been building since we met. Her breath hitches with each thrust, her eyes locked onto mine, defiant and hungry.

"More, Aldric," she demands, her voice breathy but determined. I snarl, gripping her hips tighter, giving her what she wants. What we both need.

Leaning down, I trail kisses along her jaw, down to her neck. Her pulse throbs beneath her skin, calling to me. I can't resist any longer. I sink my teeth into her flesh, right where her shoulder meets her neck.

Elowen cries out, her body arching against mine. The taste of her blood explodes in my mouth, sweet and rich, just like I expected. It's intoxicating, addictive. I release my numbing agent into her, knowing it will heighten her senses, make every touch, every sensation more intense.

Her reaction is immediate. She moans, her eyes fluttering closed as the euphoria takes over. Her fingers tangle in my hair, pulling me closer, urging me to take more. I oblige, drinking from her as I continue to pound into her, our bodies slick with water and sweat.

"Aldric," she gasps, her voice barely more than a whisper. "It's... it's too much."

I can feel her senses spiraling, her body overwhelmed by the intensity. I release her neck, licking the wound to seal it. Her blood still lingers on my tongue, a tantalizing reminder of her taste.

"Look at me, Elowen," I command, slowing my thrusts just enough to let her focus. Her eyes meet mine, glazed with pleasure but still filled with that defiant spark I've come to crave.

"You can take it, Red," I tell her, my voice rough with need. "You can take me."

She nods, the venom settling in her veins. She's drunk on it, but her eyes are clear enough to tell me that she is present. "Please, Aldric," Elowen gasps, her nails digging into my skin. "More."

I thrust deep into Elowen, her body trembling with each powerful movement. The sound of our skin meeting, slick and wet, echoes around us. Her breath hitches, her fingers digging into my shoulders, holding onto me like I'm her lifeline.

"Aldric," she gasps, her voice barely a whisper. I can feel her tightening around me, her body coiling like a spring ready to release. I don't let up, driving into her with a relentless pace that has her teetering on the edge.

Her eyes, fierce and wild, lock onto mine. There's a challenge in them, a dare to push her over the brink. I growl, accepting her silent challenge. I shift my angle, hitting that spot deep inside her that makes her cry out.

"Let go, Elowen," I command, my voice rough with need. "Let me hear you scream my name."

And she does. Her body convulses, her inner muscles clamping down on me as her orgasm rips through her. She throws her head back, a guttural scream tearing from her throat. "Aldric!"

The sound of my name on her lips, raw and untamed, only drives me wilder. I can feel my own release building, my body tensing with the need to claim her completely.

Elowen leans forward, her breath coming in ragged pants. She reaches up, her hand trailing along the inside of my wing. The sensation is intimate, overwhelming, and I shudder, my wings instinctively curling around her, cocooning us in a world of our own.

Her touch is feather-light, tracing the sensitive membrane, sending jolts of pleasure straight to my core. My body coils tight, ready to explode. Her touch, her scent, her very presence is intoxicating, pushing me closer to the edge with each passing second.

"Fuck…" she pants. But her hand moves again, and I lose it.

I growl, a primal sound echoing through the steam-filled chamber. She has ignited something feral within me. I spin her around, pressing her against the cool tiles. She arches her back, grinding against me, eager and hungry.

"You want more?" I rasp, gripping her hips. "You can take more?"

"Yes," she pants, her voice laced with determination and desire. "Give me everything."

I position her, my cock painful hard and eager to be buried in her again. Then I plunge into her, hard and deep. She cries out, her fingers clawing at the wall, seeking purchase. I don't give her time to adjust; I fuck her ruthlessly, each thrust driving us both higher.

The sound of our bodies slapping together fills the air, punctuated by her moans and my growls. Her body is slick with sweat and water, her muscles tense as she matches my rhythm, pushing back against me.

"Aldric," she whimpers, her voice trembling. "Fuck. It's?— "

Her words dissolve into a whimper as I slam into her harder. I know she's sensitive but she pushes back on me, begging for more. And I can't stop myself. I'm too far gone, too consumed by her, gripped with this need to make sure she can't move for days without feeling me.

"You're not done," I snarl, my grip tightening on her hips. "You can take more."

I continue to pound into her, each thrust harder, deeper than the last. But she rocks back on me, trying to get me deeper. Her body quivers, her breath coming in ragged gasps. I can feel her building again, her inner muscles clenching around me.

When her second orgasm hits, it's explosive. She screams my name, her body shaking uncontrollably. This time, I join her, my own release crashing through me like a storm. I bury my face in her neck, sinking my teeth into her shoulder as we come together.

The taste of her blood fills my mouth, sweet and intoxicating. I release my numbing agent into her again, prolonging her ecstasy, drawing out our shared climax. Her body shudders against mine, her breath hitching as the euphoria takes over.

As we finish, I pick her up, my arms wrapped around her, unwilling to let her go. Not yet.

She's limp, drowsy from the long day and the brutally fucking. But that's okay with me. Slinging a towel around my waste and wrapping her in another, I am more than content to take her back to her room.

Where I just might tongue fuck her when she wakes back up.