15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Cianán

I hadn't planned on approaching her during the day, but I couldn't help myself after my moment with Lorcan. I wanted to see that moment of fear enter her eyes when she saw me, the confusion of not knowing if I am real or another dream.

It surprised me that the fear I saw was fleeting. Even now as I make my way silently through her cottage, I wonder if some part of her is enjoying everything I do with her a little too much. A noise reaches me before I make it to her bedroom. For a moment, I think perhaps I am wrong—that she is afraid of me after all and that some dream she is having of me is perhaps providing the fear I long for.

But it isn't my name she breathes as I step into the room.

"Nathan, please stop," she whimpers, and a burning rage lashes through me at the pain I hear in her soft voice.

She's alone, tangled in the blanket on her bed, her body thrashing, caught in a nightmare that I haven't provided. I'm beside her in moments, my hand wrapping around the base of her throat, power flooding through me. I keep her under for the journey back to Faerie, but the moment we materialize in my chambers, I use my magic to rip her from the nightmare. Her body arches against my palm as she gasps, eyes wide and disoriented as she takes me in.

Standing over her.

Her gaze flicks quickly around the room, heart racing, as her hand comes up to circle mine, weakly grasping at my wrist. But I don't let go of her throat, feeling her pulse flutter beneath my fingers as they flex. The temptation to squeeze harder pulls at me, but I restrain myself. For now. I suddenly don't care if she thinks this is real or another dream, but I can tell by the way her body slumps back into the bed that she assumes the latter—convinced she's still trapped in a fantasy of her own mind.

"Who is Nathan, little songbird?" I ask softly, my voice cold, yet curious.

Her lips part as if to speak, but no words come out. She's too stunned, too afraid to answer. I can see her mind racing, trying to make sense of the situation. I press my thumb slightly harder against her throat, feeling her gasp for air.

"I'm waiting," I say, my patience thinning as the anger from the memory of her whimpering that name burns anew inside me.

"I—he—" she stammers, eyes darting away from mine as if looking for an escape that doesn't exist. But there's no running from me. Not here. My vines slither across the bed to lash around her wrists, tugging the one holding my arm away, and spreading them both out across the bed.

"I don't want to talk about him here," she whispers, her voice fragile, almost breaking.

Her eyes dart away again, and I can feel her trying to close herself off, trying to push away the memories, the thoughts of him. But I won't let her. Not now. Not when that name on her lips said in fear tore through me like a blade.

"I don't want to think about him here," she adds, her voice barely audible now.

I tighten my grip just enough to remind her that I'm in control here. "But you already are," I murmur, letting the words sink in as I release her throat. My hand trails down her naked body, and she shivers, but can't stop me.

My fingers travel lower, gliding over her skin as if I have all the time in the world. Her body trembles and I can sense something more beneath the lingering fear—something darker, more vulnerable.

She gasps when my hand cups her pussy, her breath stuttering for a different reason now, her chest heaving as I press my fingers to her entrance. Her thighs tense, but she still doesn't protest. My touch is possessive, but measured, as if I'm considering every reaction, every breath she takes.

"Who is he?" I whisper, my fingers pressing a little harder, just enough to make her pulse quicken again. "Tell me his full name... and what he did."

Her lips part, but no words come. Instead, her eyes squeeze shut, her breath hitching as I trace circles over her, teasing her body while waiting for her to break.

I'm glad her eyes are closed when I feel the ripple of power through the room. I look up to meet Lorcan's ice blue eyes when he materializes in the corner of the room. I almost growl at the intrusion but then I realize he came because he felt my fury through our bond. If she sees him, then she will know this isn't simply a dream.

Lorcan arches an elegant eyebrow, his gaze flicking between us, before rolling his eyes at the look on my face. The air shifts subtly as he flexes his power to cloak himself from her sight.

But he stays, leaning against the wall, watching. For the first time, I see his intense eyes shift to her, his pupils dilating slightly as his nostrils flare, inhaling her scent. I have to force myself to focus back on the naked woman in front of me, and not the sidhe man standing in the shadows.

"You know I won't stop until you tell me," I continue, my voice dark and dangerous, each word a promise of what's to come if she refuses. "So speak. Or I'll make you beg. Who. Is. He?"

She opens her mouth, trembling, her body arching slightly under my touch as her resistance falters.

"He... Nathan... he…" she gasps, struggling to form the words.

My fingers slip inside her, slow, deliberate. Coaxing the confession from her as I lean down, my lips brushing against her ear. "Tell me," I whisper again, more insistently, my patience wearing thin. The feel of her trembling beneath me, the war she's waging with herself, is intoxicating.

"Nathan Belrose. He's my ex boyfriend, he hurt me," she finally says, voice cracking. Her words spark the fire of my rage, and I hear the distant thunder rolling as lightning crackles from Lorcan's fingers. His presence thrums with violence, though my own fury burns just as bright. I glance at him again, catching the way his eyes narrow on her, his fingers flexing. His thirst for blood and vengeance is palpable. He's watching, absorbing every moment, feeding off both her pain and my anger, and his in turn feeds my own, creating a tsunami that builds inside us both.

A growl rumbles low in my chest, my fingers curling inside her in response. "What did he do?" My voice is colder now, demanding the truth she doesn't want to tell me.

Tears slip from her tightly shut eyes, her body reacting to both my touch and the memories she can no longer hold back.

"He... made me feel like I was nothing. Like I was simply an object to him," she whispers, her voice trembling with the weight of the pain she's been trying to bury. "He... took everything from me, separated me from everyone in my life. And then he hit me, over and over until I was bleeding and couldn't move… couldn't fight him off when he…"

Her confession fuels the darkness inside me, the desire to erase the shadow of this Nathan Belrose from her mind, from existence entirely. I can feel Lorcan's power surge again, his silent rage rippling through our bond. His eyes remain fixed on her, watching, waiting. The intensity in the room is suffocating, a dangerous mix of fury and desire, but I can't afford to lose control. Not yet. My hand moves with more purpose now, each touch designed to make her forget anyone who's ever touched her before me.

Her words trail off, choked by a sob that she tries to stifle. I can feel her shame, her anguish, radiating from her in waves. It mingles with my own fury, creating a potent cocktail of emotions that threatens to overwhelm us both.

"Look at me," I command, my voice low and dangerous. When she hesitates, I repeat more forcefully, "Look. At. Me."

Slowly, reluctantly, she opens her eyes. They're glistening with unshed tears, a mixture of fear, pain, and something else—a desperate need for... something. Comfort? Revenge? Or perhaps just the desire to forget.

"He was weak, someone who can only feel good about himself by making you feel like that, someone like that isn't worthy of you. You have the power to forget him, to embrace pleasure as it is meant to be embraced. And you can embrace pain too, own it, let it enhance your pleasure until there is nothing anyone can do to hurt you."

Lorcan shifts again, a dark smirk curling his lips as he watches her internal struggle. His eyes gleam with interest, his fingers flexing at his side as if he's already imagining what he would do in my place.

McKenna's eyes widen at my words, a flicker of understanding passing through them. I can feel her body responding to my touch, to the dark promise in my voice. She's trembling, but not entirely from fear now.

"I... I don't know how," she whispers, her voice barely audible.

I smile, a predatory grin that makes her shiver anew. "Then let me show you."

My fingers curl inside her again, more insistently this time, and she gasps. I lean down, my lips brushing against her neck as I speak.

"Pain and pleasure, they're two sides of the same coin," I murmur against her skin. "What he did was abuse. What I offer is something entirely different."

To demonstrate, I bite down on her neck, not hard enough to leave a bruise but hard enough to hurt. She gasps, her back arching, and I can feel her pulse racing beneath my lips as I soothe the bite with my tongue. Her breath comes in short, ragged gasps, her mind struggling to process the conflicting sensations. Lorcan's lips part as he watches every touch, every lick, his fingers flexing now for an entirely different reason. I can feel his presence like a coiled storm in the room, his power simmering beneath the surface.

I trail my lips down her body as my fingers continue to thrust inside her. My tongue circles one of her nipples before sucking it into my mouth. Curling my fingers inside her, I bite down on her sensitive peak. Crying out, she arches into me, thrusting her breast harder into my mouth and I feel her flutter around my fingers, her body so close to the edge.

"Are you starting to understand now?" I whisper against her skin. "Pain can be a gateway to pleasure, if you let it."

She nods, her eyes wide and dilated, a mix of fear and arousal evident in her gaze. I can feel her body responding, trembling beneath me, caught between the memory of past trauma and the promise of a different kind of intensity.

"That's good, my pretty little songbird," I murmur, my voice a low growl.

I withdraw my fingers, eliciting a whimper from her lips. The vines around her wrists tighten, pulling her arms harder above her head as more tendrils snake across her body, wrapping around her thighs and spreading them wide.

With her attention diverted to the vines, it allows me the chance to look at Lorcan again. His eyes are hooded with desire and his tongue sweeps out to lick across his bottom lip. Keeping his eyes locked on mine, he slides a hand down to rub where I see him straining against the fabric of his pants. I close my eyes on a groan.

Forcing my attention back to McKenna, I trail my hand up her body, savoring the way she shivers under my touch. When I reach her throat, I wrap my fingers around it once more, applying just enough pressure to make her gasp.

"Remember," I say, my eyes locked on hers, "this is about control. Your control. You can stop this at any time. But I don't think you want to, do you?"

Her eyes widen at my words, a flicker of understanding passing through them. She swallows hard, her pulse racing beneath my palm. After a moment's hesitation, she shakes her head slightly.

"Good girl," I murmur, rewarding her with a gentle stroke of my thumb along her jawline.

I release her throat and move down her body, positioning myself between her spread legs. The vines around her thighs tighten, pulling them even wider apart. She gasps, a mixture of anticipation and nervousness evident in her eyes. A vine wraps around her throat, while another wraps around one of her breasts, squeezing and pulsing against her skin.

Without warning, I thrust two fingers inside her, hard and deep. She cries out, straining against the vines that bind her.

I glance at Lorcan again. His gaze burns into me, his hand resting over the strained fabric of his pants, fingers pressing harder as he watches. The hunger in his eyes matches the darkness swirling in my chest, and I close my eyes briefly, feeling the weight of it all.

But this moment belongs to her. Not him . Not yet .

I set a punishing pace, curling my fingers to hit that spot inside her that makes her see stars. Her cries grow louder, a mix of pleasure and pain as I push her body to its limits. The vines all tighten further, holding her in place as she writhes beneath me.

"That's it," I growl, watching her face contort with conflicting sensations. "Let go of everything else. Focus only on what you're feeling right now."

Her eyes are squeezed shut, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps. I can feel her getting close, her inner walls clenching around my fingers. But I'm not ready to let her come just yet.

I slow my movements, drawing out each thrust until she's whimpering with need. Her eyes fly open, confusion and frustration evident in her gaze.

"Please," she whispers, her voice hoarse and desperate. "Please, I need..."

"What do you need?" I ask, my voice low and commanding. "Say it, admit it, little songbird."

She hesitates, her cheeks flushing with a combination of arousal and embarrassment. The vines flex around her, reminding her of her position.

"I need... I need to come," she finally gasps out, her hips bucking against my hand.

I smile, a predatory gleam in my eyes. "And you will."

Without warning, I withdraw my fingers completely. She cries out at the loss, her body trembling with unfulfilled desire. I bring my wet fingers to her lips, tracing them gently.

"Open," I command, and she obeys without hesitation, her tongue darting out to taste herself on my skin.

As she sucks my fingers into her mouth, I lean down, my lips brushing against her ear. "Good girl," I murmur, my praise sending a shiver through her body. "That taste, that is the taste of you embracing your pleasure."

I withdraw my fingers from her mouth, trailing them down her body as I move lower. Her eyes follow my movements, wide with anticipation and a hint of fear. Good. She should be afraid. But I can see the desire there too, burning just beneath the surface.

"Now," I say, my voice low and commanding, "I'm going to make you come. And when you do, I want you to sing my name, scream it. Not his. Mine . Do you understand?"

She nods, her breath coming in short, quick gasps. I plunge my tongue into her, tasting her. Her sweet honey taste makes me groan. She cries out, her hips bucking against my face as I devour her. The vines tighten their hold, keeping her spread open for me as I feast.

I glance up once more, and Lorcan's eyes are dark, hungry. His fingers twitch against the fabric of his pants, pressing harder, more insistently, and I know that he's holding himself back. Like a predator on an invisible leash. I feel his hunger like a pulse through our bond, his barely restrained desire echoing my own. I wonder if he's imagining what it would be like to join me, to take her together, to sink his teeth into her flesh. To savor the blood beneath her skin, and the hidden power it contains.

My tongue circles her clit before sucking it hard into my mouth. She moans, a sound of pure pleasure that sends a thrill through me. I alternate between gentle licks and hard suction, building her pleasure higher and higher.

Lorcan's presence looms closer, even though he remains unmoving. I feel him like a second shadow, his desire palpable, thickening the air around us. His gaze flicks to the vines wrapped tightly around her thighs and breasts, a spark of something primal lighting in his eyes. I know he's enjoying the sight—watching her bound, helpless, while I take her apart piece by piece.

Just as she's about to reach her peak, I thrust my fingers back inside her as I bite down on her clit. Her scream echoes through the chamber as she comes undone, her body convulsing violently against my mouth and hand. The vines squeeze further, holding her in place as wave after wave of pleasure crashes over her.

"Cianán!" she cries out, my name torn from her lips in a desperate plea. "Cianán, please!"

I don't relent, continuing to work her through her orgasm, pushing her higher and higher until she's sobbing with the intensity of it all. Her thighs tremble, her back arching off the bed as much as the vines will allow.

Only when I feel her start to come down do I slow my movements, gently lapping at her oversensitive flesh. She whimpers, her body twitching with aftershocks. I release the vines, letting them slither away as I move up her body. Her skin is flushed and glistening with sweat, her chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath. I hover over her, taking in the sight of her undone beneath me. I can feel Lorcan, his presence a dark, burning thing that lingers at the edges of this moment. And oh, what a sight this must be for him—a woman trembling, broken in pleasure, and me, the one who has claimed her so thoroughly.

"Look at me," I command softly.

Her eyes flutter open, still hazy with pleasure but more focused now. There's a vulnerability in her gaze that wasn't there before, a raw openness that makes something twist in my chest.

"Never forget this lesson, little songbird. He doesn't own you anymore." I stop short of saying the words that come to my mind. As much as I want to own her, I can't.

Before she can respond, I allow my power to rise once again, blanketing her and pushing her back into a dreamless sleep. Her eyelids flutter closed as she succumbs to my influence, but my gaze is already on Lorcan as I do. The dark hunger in his eyes tells me everything about what will happen when he finally gets his hands on me. My hand reaches up to wrap around the base of her throat again to take her back to the cottage.

I won't be able to visit her tomorrow while preparing for the hunt. But once I've finished and taken whatever prey The Hunt marks back to Faerie, I will return here. To her.

It will be the only night I will be able to truly unleash myself upon her, unleash all of my dark desires that have built over the few days since meeting her. Even those desires I have kept locked inside for the last century. I will be able to cut into her delicious flesh without fear of my oath being revisited upon me in return, I will be able to savor her pain, her pleasure, her flesh and blood.

Until the sun rises again and I'll be forced back to Faerie and Lorcan's side.

And then, I will need to forget her.