Royal Renegade

Chapter 37: Too Far

Huffing, I let my arms fall to my sides as I glare down at him.

"I was not."

"Was, too."

"Was-" I trail off noticing the way his muscles ripple as he stretches his arms over his head.

"Are, too."

Busted.

I'm about to continue the argument when he freezes mid-stretch with a wince and quickly lowers his arms back to his sides.

"Did that hurt?" I frown as I settle myself back down to the bed of coats, so I'm lying beside him once more.

He sighs and tilts his head enough to glance down at his body causing strands of his hair fall onto his forehead with the motion, and he presses a hand onto a spot under his ribs.

"I'm still healing," he explains. "The longbow's arrow left internal wounds."

I can only imagine. Being shot like that would have killed a human.

As he continues to poke around on his chest to find other sore spots, veins return to his cheeks, neck and forearms, rising in dark shades of blue and purple. I watch as they paint his body surprised that he is completely dismissive of their presence.

"Leonidas, feed from me."

His motions cease before he shifts his gaze to me so I turn my back towards him and pull my hair to expose my neck. A second doesn't pass before I feel the tickle of his breath. One of his arms hugs my back against his chest as he plants a single kiss at the base of my neck and briskly drives his fangs through my skin.

Instinctively, I stiffen as the piercing ache sets off my nerves like fireworks. I have to stifle a scream by biting onto the sleeve of my shirt. I didn't expect he would give in without a protest but after all he went through yesterday, he must be famished. Just as I begin to lean into the pain, he withdraws, injecting a bite further up my neck. Here, his fangs sink deeper making me shiver as my hands grip onto a coat which causes one of my shoulders to push his chest away.

A low, vibratory growl warns me to stop resisting, and he tugs my shoulder down to its original position which grants him access to bury and root his fangs in my throat even further than before. What was an ache is now a throbbing pulse of pain like the feeling after getting a shot of medicine, except worse. I squirm until he uses his upper body to pin me down, firmly grasping my wrists and pressing them to the cool, stone ground.

Choosing to think about our courtship manages to take my mind away long enough that the tugging of his swallows no longer hurts. I'm finally able to breathe a sigh and relax to the sound of his purr for the next five minutes it takes until he releases me with a lick over his puncture marks.

Even though I know they've healed, I can't help but lift a hand to my tingling skin as I turn to look at him.

All traces of his thirst have vanished as well as any blood that could've been left on his lips or chin.

I'm far messier an eater than him.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs as he collapses to his back and rests an arm over his forehead as he shamefully averts his gaze from me. "I didn't mean to be so rough."

"I can handle pain and I'm the one who offered," I counter.

He nods, running a hand through his hair leaving his fingers tangled in it as he closes his eyes. "Thank you," he whispers solemnly.

He seems upset, and I don't want him to feel guilty for drinking my blood.

Nibbling on my lower lip, I completely turn over until my body is facing him and lean up on an elbow before pressing my lips to his. Initially, he doesn't respond, so I pull away. But then he sits up and lifts me onto his lap allowing me to adjust my straddle before settling his hands above my hips.