He made a pleased hum, running his nose up along my neck as he inhaled. He paused; I could almost feel him shifting his focus. "Kamharida, if you would be so kind as to leave with haste, it would be appreciated."

I heard her laugh as I squeezed my eyes closed, blushing wildly.

"Of course, your highness," she said. "I'll let them know not to come in."

Dain nipped my neck hard enough to make me gasp. "How thoughtful," he said, his voice a caress. Even before the door latched shut, Dain had his mouth on my neck and his hand on my breast, rolling my nipple between his thumb and forefinger. "How would you feel about discovering if my hands can satisfy as well as my tongue?"

Some sort of moan escaped my mouth as he slid the fingers of his other hand under my waistband, running them down along the join of my leg to my body. "Sounds—sounds good," I got out through the flush of heat in my body.

Slowly, Dain rocked his hips up against me, sliding his fingers down as he did, until his fingertips rested on my clit. "Don't say anything," he said into my ear. "I want to say something without having to fear what the answer is."

I nodded, and moaned again as he started circling his warm fingers on my clit. The sharp inhale as I arched back against him was all the reward I could have asked for.

"I love you," he said, his voice rough. "Your body, your spirit, and your soul. I want you by my side for the rest of my life. But even if we can't find balance, and my time runs out with you, I beg you to stay anyway. Choose me with your actions, even if you cannot with your soul." Dain swallowed and kissed me on the neck. "I would offer to come with you to the mortal world if that is what you chose, except that I think you would never want me to abandon my people. So instead I'm asking you to stay."

"Dain," I said, something full of longing embedding itself deep in my heart.

"Don't," Dain said. "Please don't." He kissed my neck again, a series of desperate, hungry kisses. "Don't give me the answer to that question unless our time has run out. Let me enjoy you until then."

"As you... desire," I said, gasping out the words and letting my head fall back against his shoulder, as his fingers and mouth drove me through the despair of his words and into ecstasy.

51. ...There's Fire

Chapter 51

...There's Fire