From the Ashes

Chapter 41 ~ The Phoenix and the Prince

    Her fingers wound through the ends of his hair and Tarion kissed her harder, relishing the taste of her. The feel of her body in his arms. The warmth and softness of her skin. Morana's nails traced down his neck and disappeared beneath his shirt. Tarion broke his lips from hers, loosing a breathless sigh against her cheek. She kissed his jaw, then beneath it, and planted a third kiss on his neck.

    "Morana," he rasped.

    She pulled back immediately, gray eyes wide. "I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

    He silenced her with another kiss. "Don't apologize."

    "But you..." She broke off with a whimper as he scraped his teeth across her throat.

    He could already smell the desire in her scent. Morana didn't fight as he dropped to his knees, dragging her down with him. He pushed her onto her back and settled on top of her, bracing his weight on his elbows. He nipped at her earlobe and her breath hitched.

    "I said I couldn't let you kiss me then," he whispered. "Not that I didn't want you to." He dropped a few kisses on her neck, the last few open-mouthed and heavy enough for her to feel the prick of his fangs. "Because I wanted you to. Gods, I've wanted to kiss you. I've wanted you ever since you offered me your blood in the Library."

    Morana leaned into his touch as he combed his fingers through her hair, his lips tracing the hollow of her throat. He undid a few of the fastenings on her tunic and kissed the mark inked upon her sternum. "Tarion," she breathed.

    He let his hips settle fully between her thighs and her answering moan left heat scalding through his veins, deepening the hard ache pressing against his pants. Tarion lifted his gaze to hers and swept another kiss across her lips.

    "Is this what you want?" He asked softly, nuzzling his nose against her cheek.

    "If it's what you want," she answered. "Only if it's what you want, Tarion."

    Raw emotion flooded his gaze, recognizing the truth of what she was saying. He kissed her long and gentle, fingers already undoing the rest of her tunic fastenings. "It is. I promise it is. I'm choosing this because I want you. I want this."

    "Okay," Morana agreed. "Then I want this too." She smoothed hair back from his face and touched a kiss to his forehead. "Whatever you want, my Prince."

    "Anything you ask, Phoenix," he replied.

•༻☽☾༺•

    Morana could scarcely believe what was happening despite Tarion's hands already drawing her arms out of her tunic. He was still kissing her, whispering teasing and tender words that left warmth cascading through her.

    She could scent his own arousal, could feel it between her legs, and it was all she could do not to slip her hand into his pants and touch him. But she wanted to move at his pace. She didn't want to do anything that could discomfort or upset him, no matter what he claimed. She truly cared for him, and she would show it in any way she could.

    Morana let her head fall back on the grass as Tarion removed her undergarment, baring her chest. He pressed soft kisses between her breasts, then down onto her stomach and over a few of her remaining burn scars.

    "Beautiful," he murmured, gently curving a palm over her breast. Morana moaned at the contact. "That sound is even more so."

    He brought his lips to hers and Morana kissed him hungrily, nudging his mouth open with her own. He ground his hips into hers and aching heat swelled through her. Morana just kissed him harder, tightening her legs around him.