Chapter 18

18

H e wasn't sure why he'd even said it. The thought had popped into his head earlier that day and then he couldn't stop thinking about it. There were other ways for them to fix this problem, and why he hadn't thought of this solution before, he wasn't sure.

He wanted to keep her. Doing that wasn't possible without the herb, and frankly, he didn't think her old master was going to come back. The man had run the moment they had given him the chance, and Envy was certain he wasn't going to come back.

It seemed like everyone wanted to run from her. And that worked for Envy. He was quite pleased to be the only person that mattered to her. The only person that would stick around when everything got hard, and the only one she could turn to.

Perhaps that was twisted. Perhaps it was wrong.

But his brother's voice was stuck in his head. He had been given a gift of a woman. A creature unlike any that anyone in his kingdom had ever seen before. No one else had an oracle, and just her existence fed something in him that meant he either had to keep her or kill her.

He couldn't kill her. Every time he even thought of it now, his hands shook and his power rose as though to protect her from himself. He could feel all the spells ready to drop from his tongue. As if he would defend her even against himself.

It was a quandary, and now he'd wrapped her in his arms and had her staring at his bared chest like the snake that was wrapped there was about to leap out at her. Maybe it would. He could tug it into existence if that's what she wanted from him. Threatening her with a hissing, scaled creature wasn't how he wanted this to go, though.

She needed him. And he needed to bind her to him so she would never leave.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do with her once she was definitely his. All he wanted was to keep her here. Safe and sound and in his arms until he could finally get... something.

He didn't know what yet. But Envy knew that if she was gone, he would never get it.

Lilith stared up at him with those bright blue eyes, barely blinking as she met his gaze. "You want me to tattoo you?"

"In a way. Magic is easier than needle and ink. You could use a brush if that would make you more comfortable. All I need is the image on my skin." He tightened his grip on her, like that might convince her quicker if he squeezed. "It would be an honor to serve you, oracle."

That seemed to do it.

He watched her pupils dilate and her breathing kick up a notch at the words. And though he knew part of that was fear, he liked to pretend that a good chunk of it was desire.

Because he wanted her, too.

Gently setting her back onto the chair he had vacated, he conjured a paintbrush and a pot of ink. He didn't let his gaze stray from her at any point. He wanted her to feel the heat in him. The need for her to do this even though she was already second guessing everything. He wanted her to know just how much he needed her. Desired her. Ached for her.

She licked her lips, and the glimpse of her pink tongue made his cock throb. He wanted that tongue on him. Not the brush. But if this was what he had to take, then he would endure this moment.

She took the offered brush and set the ink pot between her legs. "I just paint it on you?"

"That's all you have to do, little one. I will conjure the spell that burns every line of your work into my flesh."

He summoned another chair and sat down in front of her. Of course, then he had to take his shirt off. And he made a show of it.

Envy enjoyed seeing her eyes widen in shock and then narrow in something like desire. Her little nostrils flared, and he knew she was taking a steadying breath to calm herself.

Her eyes moved over his chest like a physical touch. He could almost feel her fingers sliding down the flat planes to his rippling abs that tensed at her gaze.

"Interesting," she said quietly, before dipping the feathery tip of the paintbrush into the ink. "Stay still, then."

He'd given her one of the few spaces on his body that were empty. Not only because he wanted the flower there but also because the other tattoos were unlikely to bother it while she worked. They were living, breathing creatures who had free rein over his body whenever they wished. Hers would be the only stagnant tattoo.

At least, until he removed it. Perhaps next time he would move all the others so she would need to paint on a more... pleasing part of his body.

Just the thought was enough to make him groan. He tilted his head back and allowed himself to dream of that moment while she watched him. "Go on, oracle," he murmured. "I'm ready."

This took some concentration on his part. She was painting on him, but the incantation he would say while she was working made it permanent. The magic that came from inside of himself was the power that brought the flower to life. And every ounce of that spell radiated with pain.

Which meant it was a little harder to enjoy the feather light strokes that she used on his skin every time she moved. But he could at least slightly focus on the feeling while he chanted out the words.

It only took a few moments for her to get lost in her work, and that's what he had been waiting for. She leaned a little closer, bracing her hand against his chest to steady herself. Her fingers spread wide across his skin, her warmth sinking into him as she painted.

Lilith drew closer, ever closer. He wanted to grab onto her and kiss her. He wanted to see how good she was at painting while he distracted her.

And yet, he did not. He let her linger just to see if any of her own thoughts would ruin this. And also because he found her adorable while she worked. She stuck out her tongue just slightly, like she was biting the tip while she painted on him. Her attention was so focused, he sometimes caught her struggling to breathe until she had finally finished a beautiful, almost realistic flower that was so perfect, he wondered at her memory.

She remembered so much of the world around her and committed it to a mind that was powerful.

He shouldn't be so attracted to her. But fuck, he was.

She was breathing hard when she leaned away from him to inspect her work, as though she had been holding her breath the entire time. "There," she whispered. "It's finished, I think."

"Does it look exactly as you remember?"

"It does."

He was barely holding himself in control as he reached for the flower. With only the slightest flex of the magic inside of him, he drew the flower from his skin. The first time, he always had to be delicate. He wasn't sure how fragile it would be, and the less accurate of a depiction, the more fragile it was. So he took his time, gently tugging the stem from inside of himself. Then the leaves. Then the petals that emerged pure white from his flesh until the last one finally released.

A perfect flower. He wasn't certain if it would have the same powers as it did when it was grown, but it was still a flower she could use.

"Here," he said, holding it out for her to take. "Is it right?"

Part of him wanted the praise from her. Envy wanted her to tell him that he was perfect and he had done something incredible and that was... odd. He'd never needed anyone to give him reassurance. He was the best. He had the best things, and he was the gatherer of magic and power that no one else had but him. Now he had her as well.

He was the most powerful person in this kingdom. The opinion of one oracle meant nothing until it did.

Yet he burned as he watched her. His fingers balled into fists as she inspected the flower and then finally exhaled long and low.

"Yes," she whispered. "It's perfect."

And then she launched herself at him.

Envy caught her at the same time her hands framed his face. She brought her lips to his in a fumbling kiss that should have disgusted him and yet all it did was make him want to consume her. To devour her. He wanted so much more than what she could give him.

But he was going to take every bit she would yield to him.

He dragged her into his lap, spread her legs on either side of his hips as she kissed him. Her fingers clutched at his hair and she restlessly rocked against him, like she was trying to climb her way inside of him. Little did she know that's exactly what he intended to do to her.

"You are infuriating," she snarled against his lips. "Why are you so... so..."

"Infuriating?" he supplied as his hands stroked down her back, getting her used to his touch.

"No!" She leaned back long enough to stare into his eyes so he knew what she meant next. "You're so good, and I hate that about you."

"Hate it?" He leaned closer, pressing their chests together even as his hand snuck up her stomach. "Are you so sure that you hate it, little one?"

Her breath fanned across his lips as those pupils dilated again. "There's a fine line between hate and love, I suppose. But I definitely don't love you, Envy. So it's very much hate."

"We'll see how long that lasts."

He captured her lips with his, dragging his tongue against hers as he palmed her breast. She melted into his arms. Gone was the stiff, uncomfortable oracle who hadn't known what she wanted from a week ago.

No, she was pliable in his lap. She sank into his touch, moaning around his tongue as his thumb flicked over her nipple. She writhed in his grip, seeking something that she had no name for.

"Are you wet, little one?" he murmured, drawing away to growl the words in her ear. "Should I find out?"

The whimper she made was music to his ears. Clearly, she wasn't so innocent that she didn't know what he meant. He leaned back to catch her eye, seeing nothing but a woman drunk on desire and need. And he wanted to stoke those flames.

Perhaps it was a little selfish as well. He wanted to feel her. He wanted to know just how affected she was by his presence and if he had done what no one else could easily do to an oracle.

Because right now, she wasn't thinking about the future. She wasn't thinking about anything other than the way his hand moved down her belly. Her breath caught, her muscles tensed against his palm.

He didn't even move her skirt out of the way. He cupped her there, brushing his fingers between her thighs and feeling her heat. She rocked, biting her lip as she stared down between them at his fingers curling against her.

All of his restraint snapped. He gathered up the skirts at her thigh and bunched them higher. It was all the movement he needed to be able to sink his hand beneath her skirts and brush against that wet velvet that waited for him.

They both groaned, their echoing sound filling the room with pleasure. She was so perfect. Rocking against his hand and holding onto his shoulders as she sought out what she needed.

"You are so wet for me," he murmured, his voice lower than he'd ever heard it. "What a gift, oracle."

"Shut up," she hissed.

"Or what?"

She wouldn't do anything. Not while his fingers stroked that bundle of nerves that already had her thighs shaking with need. He grabbed the back of her neck with his free hand, forcing her to look at him.

"Or what?" he asked again, his lips so close to her own. "Please, tell me what you'll do."

Those lovely lips parted, likely on a threat. At the same time he sank his middle finger knuckle deep inside her. Her words were stolen on a gasp at the feeling of him invading deep inside her, and he was certain her startled look might have lasted a little longer if he hadn't then ground the palm of his hand against her clit.

Then there it was again. Pliable and limp, she rocked against his hand as he slowly drew his finger out. The sensation must be foreign to her, but she still enjoyed it.

"Have you touched yourself like this before?" he rasped.

She nodded a few times, but the movement was disjointed.

Fuck, he was hard. He wanted to pull his finger out of her and replace it with his cock. He wanted to sink so deep into her wetness that neither of them knew where the other started, but she was unused to this. He couldn't do that when she was so tight that she barely took one finger. It would be hard enough to work himself into her body when she was prepared.

"Relax," he said, moving her up with his hips so he could fit another finger inside her. "And tell me what you need."

"More," she said, her voice a little thick with emotion.

"More what?"

She squirmed in his lap, trying to show him with her body. But he wanted to hear her say it. He wanted her to order her own pleasure at his fingertips. "What do you want, Lilith?"

Her gaze finally locked on him, and a spark of that anger burst to life. He would have grinned at the sight of it, if it wouldn't ruin the moment.

"Rub my clit like you were before," she spat. "Keep your fingers inside me, but curl them in."

He figured.

Envy did what she said. He curled his fingers in that velvety heat, stroking her from the inside while he ground his palm against her clit. And she rocked against him, making tiny noises that went right through him. And he almost couldn't watch. Everything in him clenched with her, and for a second, he worried he might unman himself at the sight of her seeking her pleasure.

Then she burst. Her face screwed up in concentration and all her muscles clenched down on his fingers so tightly he was certain he would have been locked in place if he'd been inside her. And the moan that came out of her? Oh, that was the dream of every man who ever existed.

He watched her, rapt at the spiraling, out-of-control need that consumed her until she slumped against his chest. Her head rested on his shoulder. She breathed hard as she came down from the heights she'd climbed.

"Good girl," he murmured, making sure she watched as he drew his fingers out of her and licked them clean.