My eyes flickered to the marks I’d left on his neck just as Kieran bent forward, teasing at my nipple yet again with the tip of his tongue. He blew gently against the thin trail of saliva left behind, making me shudder from the heightened sensation while he awaited my answer.
“I-I don’tthinkso,” I stammered out.
Lie.
Kieran’s smirk deepened. “I dunno, sweetheart,” he slurred slightly. “I think you might be. I think you might still be hiding some fangs behind these pretty lips.” His thumb stroked over my mouth. “Come on, baby,” he crooned. “You can let those claws back out. You aren’t gonna hurt me.”
“First of all, Icould,” I countered, a bit stung. I wasn’t that weak, not anymore. “And second, you’re not the only one who’s been drinking. Why should I let go, but you be so restrained? I fail to see the difference here.”
Another lie.
There was absolutely a difference between what I wanted from Kieran and what he wanted from me. I knewhewasn’t asking me to dominate him—neither one of us had ever implied we were switches. I certainly wasn’t, and I’d put every Lyra to my name on a bet that he wasn’t, either. Dominance ran in Kieran’s veins.
He laughed softly at my irritated expression, still stroking at my core.
“Thedifferenceis,” he rasped, “there is nothing you could do tonight that wouldn’t get me off, Arken. You could shove an aetherblade through my chest and I’d still spill my seed balls-deep inside that perfect cunt.”
The decadent filth of his words made my mouth water. “Somehow, I doubt that,” I breathed.
“You’re more than welcome to try,” he replied. “You know how much I like proving you wrong, pretty girl.”
Honestly? This man probablywouldlet me ride his cock with a blade against his neck if I asked it of him. If that was what I wanted. But I would much rather those roles be reversed.
Gods,I was too drunk for this. There was too much desire, too much need, too many conflicting fantasies that shook free from the logic and reason that typically kept them contained.
“What do you want from me, Kier?” I whispered. “What are you asking for?”
Kieran let his open hand ghost around my throat again, biting his lip as if he were admiring the sight.Fucking tease.
“Not asking for anything, gorgeous,” he replied huskily. “Just giving you permission to let go.”
I still hesitated.
“Iwantyou to let go,” he clarified, knowing that adjustment—that precision of language made all the difference to me. Knowing me all too well.
As you wish, Captain.
Tentatively, I slid one hand behind his head, yet again finding purchase against the soft, inky black. Kieran closed his eyes, remaining perfectly still, letting me explore.
“You can do it, Little Conduit. Do whatever you want with me. Take whatever you need.”
Spurred by his intoxicating encouragement, I pulled his hair hard, tugging him toward me with experimental aggression, using my free hand to palm his cock. Irritated with the existence of cloth, I shoved the waistband of his underclothes down so that I couldfeelthe heated velvet of his length as I wrapped my fingers firmly around the base, gripping him tighter than I ever had before as I stroked him hard and fast.
“Holy fuck, alright,” he panted. “Okay—gods, yeah.Gods.Just like that.”
Thoroughly stroked, my ego began to purr in my chest.
And so I placed one hand againsthischest and admired the pretty contrast between our skin tones before I let go of his hair and shoved.I knew that Kieran could have held his ground, but he let himself fall back against my mattress, his gaze half-lidded and hungry as I followed suit and straddled him.
His eyes were still a bit glassy, staring up at me through the haze of all that quickly consumed liquor, licking his lips and speaking slowly as I reached back to unhook my bra. “Yeah, you better take that thing off. Show me those pretty fucking tits I love so much.”
I, for one, loved the mouth on this man right now.
I should get you drunk more often, Captain.
Even though this was me succumbing tohiswhims, followinghisinstructions…There was something about it that felt like a personal victory. It felt like a prelude, a promise that soon enough, I would have my way. Perhaps, if I showed him what I was capable of, he would understand what I could take—and Kieran would give me what I’d been craving since the day we met, in the darkest corners of my mind.
For Kieran, I would let go.