29. Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Casimir

S omething was off with Raevyn. I could sense it and so could Deimos, not that I was listening to him because I was totally ignoring the fact that he could speak to me now. I figured that had something to do with Raevyn. He'd been quiet before she'd arrived and now, he didn't seem to shut the fuck up.

And the things he thought about… Fucking Hell. I didn't realise I was into chasing people, but I seemed to be into the idea of chasing Raevyn. I might even take a back seat while Deimos runs riot and makes her scream.

I squeezed my dick through my pants, suddenly hard at the thought of a little game of cat and mouse.

"What are you thinking about?" Nox asked, well, purred. He could do this thing with his voice that made it sound all sultry and sexy and it kind of just made me want to punch him in the throat. Women seemed to love it though. Not that it mattered anymore, there was only one woman he was interested in. Well, that we were all interested in, and she was stood in front of the long window in the study, just staring out at the city below.

"None of your fucking business," I snapped.

Nox held his hands up placatingly. "Sorry. Just enjoying the taste of your sexual tension."

"Well don't."

"Stop thinking about sex and I will."

That was going to be difficult. All I could seem to think about when I looked at Raevyn was sex. I'd never felt so drawn to some, so obsessed by anyone in my life and I'd lived for a very long time. It was like there was something tying us together and I just wanted to take care of her. And kiss her. And chase her through the fucking woods apparently.

"You're still thinking about it," Nox crooned. Gods, I wanted to hit him.

"Fuck off, Nox."

He laughed and the sound caught Raevyn's attention. She smiled at us, but it didn't reach her eyes. She had her long hair up in a bun on the top of her head and she was in an oversized jumper and leggings. She looked cute and cosy, and I had the sudden urge to wrap her in my arms and get under a blanket with her.

" Sounds sunggly, love. I'm in. "

Fuck off, Deimos.

The God laughed and it was a dark and rough sound better suited to a haunted house than racking around my brain.

"Hi," she said wistfully and I wished there was something I could do to make her feel better. To take all her pain away so she could be happy. She'd been through so much and I just wanted her to smile and for it to be warm and bright.

Fuck, she was making me turn sappy.

"Get dressed. We're going topside to fetch another soul," I said gruffly.

"Smooth," Nox whispered.

She winced at my harsh tone and I inwardly cringed. I needed to get better at the thinking before speaking. I'd never had to censor myself before and it was just going to take some getting used to. But I wanted to be better, for her.

"Okay," she replied softly, here eyes a little watery.

I inwardly sighed and cursed myself for being an arse. I grabbed her arm as she passed and tipped her chin up with one of my fingers. "I'm sorry, Raevyn. The others were right when they said I wasn't good at playing with others. I'm not good at…"

"Being decent?" Nox supplied with a laugh.

Raevyn shot him a dark look over my shoulder and his laugh instantly disappeared.

I swallowed, my throat suddenly feeling thick and uncomfortable. Oh, Gods. I was going to talk emotions and that made me feel awkward. "Raevyn, I don't do well with people and I…" Fuck. I couldn't get my mouth to form the words.

"You're really fucking this up," Deimos crowed.

I growled and took a step back from Raevyn. I pulled at the strands of my hair. He was right, I was fucking it up and I wanted nothing more than to run away so she couldn't see how pathetically broken I really was.

"Hey," she said softly as she approached me, her hands held out as if getting close to a wild animal. "Casimir, look at me."

It took everything in me to look at her then. To let her see the cracks. I didn't know what I expected but what I got from her was the furthest from what I could ever imagine. There wasn't any judgement in her eyes, just a warm acceptance and I almost couldn't bear it.

"I don't care how broken you are, when you're ready to tell me your story I will be here." She brushed a lock of hair away from my forehead and I melted a little. I'd never felt affection or the warm touch from someone and it unsettled me a little. I was out of my comfort zone here, and I didn't know what to do with myself.

"Thank you," I managed to get out, but it was a fumble of words.

"You're welcome." Then she surprised me again by pressing a kiss against my lips. It was tender and soft. Nothing like the way I really wanted to kiss her, but I still enjoyed it all the same. It was more than just passion and lust. It was… love.

My heart fluttered in my chest at the thought, and I was at once exhilarated and terrified. Before she stepped away, I pulled her back for another kiss, one that was more familiar than the tender one she had given me. She gasped deep in my mouth as I forced her lips open wide. I thrust my tongue past the seam of her lips and licked at the roof of her mouth. She kissed me back just as fiercely and nipped at my bottom lip. I hissed at the sharp sting and felt her mouth pull into a smile.

"I really need to stop wearing leather pants," Nox grumbled as he left the room.

I took one look at Raevyn and we both burst into laughter, which was just what I needed. It released all that tension I'd built up and it was all down to Raevyn and how she made me feel. I just wanted to feel like that forever and hopefully I would.