But that is asking so much, isn’t it?
Pushing everything else aside, Audrey moved closer to him again, her heart in her throat and her hands shaking. Water continued to drip down her arm as she looked into Styx’s face. She lifted her hand and brought the cloth to his chest and ran it along the first gash. There were three in total, all deep, and she knew they’d need to be closed manually or they wouldn’t heal.
But he’s not fully human. Does he heal like I do? She cleaned off the blood and dirt, keeping her focus on his chest, and not trusting herself to stray away from this task. She didn’t know how she felt right now … relief, thankfulness, but also arousal.
A part of her knew running might not have been the smartest move, at least not so soon after coming here, but a much louder, stronger part said she’d done the right thing, even if it could have ended far worse than it had.
Patting the wounds with the cloth, Audrey breathed in and out slowly. “My name is Audrey.” She lifted her gaze from the wounds to his face, saw he was already focused on her intently, and swallowed. Her throat was so damn tight and dry, and all because of his gaze.
“Audrey.” He said her name in his darkly and deeply accented voice. A chill raced up her spine, and she lowered her head to finish cleaning the wounds. But the feel of his fingers under her chin, forcing her head up and back so she could look at him, had her stilling her movements.
He looked down at her lips, and she found herself licking them involuntarily, as if his focus on them was like a tangible touch from his finger. He whispered something low, almost needy in nature, but it was in a different language, one that was beautiful as much as it was harsh, raw.
“You clean and tend to your mate like a proper wife,” Styx said, his eyes half-lidded, as if his emotions controlled him.
How can I want anything but escape from this barbarian?
“You were hurt saving me. It’s the least I can do.” Audrey was surprised she’d even been able to form a word, let alone say all of that.
“I would have died fighting off that beast to make sure you were safe.”
Her heart stopped, her hand still on his wide, massive chest, and she felt like everything around her disappeared. She could have told herself it was just words, that anyone could say them to get what they wanted. But hearing Styx say them, actually feeling the sincerity behind them, she knew this man would have laid down his life for her.
Had she been living in a world so twisted and corrupted, that even the thought of someone being so devoted to another person, even after just a day, seemed abnormal? Did this happen with his people, with his kind? Did they have the instant attraction and mating need when they saw whom they wanted?
“But you don’t even know me,” she whispered, not finding her voice. “You’d die for someone you just met?”
He cupped her cheek and smoothed his finger over her cheek. “For my mate, for you, I’d die a thousand deaths just to make sure you were not hurt.”
Gods, what in the hell am I getting myself into? Why am I feeling this intense attraction for the man that told me I was basically his captive?
Before she knew what was happening, or could even process her thoughts and how she felt, Styx added a bit of pressure to her face before leaning down and pressing his mouth to hers.
Audrey was frozen in place at that first feel of his lips on hers. And when he stroked her mouth with his tongue, having her clit tingle and her arousal heighten, she let the cloth drop from her grasp.
His lips were firm, full, and the flavor of him reminded her of the wilderness, of the danger that surrounded them. Her fingers started tingling, and she felt her heart start to jackknife behind her ribs. She wanted to touch him, but another part of her, maybe the part with common sense and survival instinct, told her this man was not her friend, was not someone she should be submitting to.
But Audrey couldn’t help it and certainly couldn’t stop herself from getting swept away in the kiss. And then when he dipped his tongue in her mouth she said screw it all. Maybe it was the adrenaline pumping through her veins, or the fact she couldn’t deny there was arousal and definite chemistry moving between them. All she knew was her emotions were high right now, and she didn’t want to come back to reality.
She braced her hands on his thick biceps, knowing that what she was allowing to happen went against all reason. But right now she didn’t care. Gods, she didn’t care.
Chapter Six
She was sweet and so fucking soft against him. And when Audrey touched his arms, curled her nails into his flesh, his cock jerked like it had a mind of its own. Styx wanted her, wanted to lay her upon the furs of his pallet and claim her. He wanted his mark on her, his babies growing inside of her, and wanted her to admit she was his.