Darling Poison - Lustre 1

Part Three - Mavis

Wrapped up tightly with her towel as her hair dripped wetly. Gripping the edge with white knuckles, Mavis peered around the doorway before stepping into the bedroom once again. Corvin had flicked on several lamps as he sat on the edge of the bed expectantly. Mavis's heart clenched in her chest at the imposing sight. Did he expect her to come over to him?

The Erebus tilted his head a little, unblinking in his stare on her and she felt her feet move before consciously giving in. Like her body was on a string that connected to him. His wide chest expanded as he took a deep breath, his cherry red gaze roaming over her, full of wicked thoughts no doubt. Heat raced over her cheeks as water droplets left goosebumps against her skin. "I can get changed just fine without help."

"You haven't taken those gloves off yet. If you keep wearing them, the clothes you wear will get wet too."

She couldn't fault him for his deductions but neither could she just—

The option was taken away as Corvin reached for the grip on her towel and removed her hand without much of a fight. Her fingers were shaking as he held her dripping gloved hand in his large warm palm and pushed it aside. Mavis felt the towel loosen all around her body before the Erebus as she peeled it off. The Lustre swallowed hard.

His expression darkened, a furrow between white brows and a tightening of his jaw as he regarded her entirely exposed. Goosebumps ran rampant over her skin in the chilled air of the bedroom, her nipples tightening under his scrutiny. They were so hard he could get an eye poked out if not careful.

Watching his Adam's apple bob in a hard swallow, Corvin cupped the towel better and began patting her down to dry Mavis as she stood there trembling. His red gaze watched her intently as he made sure to diligently catch every drip and drop on her body. Mavis held her gloved hands out to the sides loosely, letting him work. It was hard right now to put the reputation of a monster to the male who was taking care of her as one would a precious mate even after five minutes in one another's company.

"Why do you wear those? Is there something wrong with your hands?" He glanced up at her face as he ran the towel over the undercurve of her breast, stealing the air in her lungs for a moment. Mavis felt warmth curl through her, arousal flowering to life within her body. A light flickering alive and leaning towards his touch.

"Most Lustre have wholesome talents. They can grow flowers or heal the sick. They can sing and their voice can soothe an entire room. And others aren't as blessed. The people I touched before, the ones who tried to take my gloves off, I poisoned them. I don't understand it entirely." His hand traced along her hip, his thumb breaking free of the fluffy towel to stroke against her skin making her shudder.

"They died. Nobody I've met can withstand my direct touch and... Others learned to benefit from it. I can turn ripe fruit to ash and mould." Lower, he travelled, his face a mask of concentration at her words as he ran over her thigh to the back of her knee and urged her foot to lift to the bed. Without much thought, Mavis balanced a little awkwardly until righted, Corvin stroked the towel up her inner thigh and down again, narrowly avoiding her core and making the Lustre flush with a mix of curious disappointment and excitement at the same time. "A pot of soil into a cluster of mushrooms or deadly flowers."

Mavis mentally shook herself. This wasn't right. He shouldn't just be touching her so brazenly and she shouldn't allow it!

But it felt so nice to be touched so gently, a soft and wistful voice sighed inside her mind.

"Someone took advantage of this. Taught you to fear it." It wasn't a question. He was listening intently as he moved her from one foot to the other. Dutiful in his care and intent on catching every dribble of water that traced over her body. Mavis nodded, biting into her lower lip.

Forgoing underwear judging by how the large male tossed the towel from them and lifted the clothes he'd chosen on the bed, Corvin brought the cosy looking sweats to her feet to let her step into them. Dragging the soft material over her legs and thighs, Mavis knew he was just fishing for any reason to touch her. His fingertips kept skimming her skin, lingering at the flare of her hips and curve of her waist. His jaw looked so tight it might snap. Her fingers itched to run along the hard line of it like she could soothe the strain.

The shadow behind him on the bed stretched too long and too wide to be cast by the lamps. It flickered when he had yet to move from looping the small tie at her waist. Mavis's gaze came back to his own to find his cherry gaze on her own, watching. Waiting for her reaction.

"There are several things an Erebus like myself can shift into. Some become great calamities, others creatures of nightmares. Hellhounds, leviathans of the deep. Souls that are too big to be contained. It takes years to find control after the first shift." He lifted the shirt next, draping it over her head as she slid her arms into place though his warm large hands found their way back to sit at her waist beneath the material. Skin on skin was making her tingle, making her lean towards him more. His snowy lashes lowered as his tongue sneaked out to lick his lips.

Mavis swore she felt the sensation on her core, her throat bobbing. Her voice was a touch breathier than she'd like when it came. "How old were you when you first changed?"

"Thirteen." Corvin dipped his thumb beneath the band of the sweats idly. Mavis clenched her gloved hands into little fists.

Her thighs tried to clench together to help the restless ache that was growing between them. "That's very young."

His head bobbed slightly, "It is yes. But given what I am, who I am, I knew it was coming. I lost myself for a handful of years to my alternative form. It created the title I carry now after reeking so much havoc. I was twenty when I fought to the surface again. When I could force the creature inward again." Corvin took a deep breath, tilting his head back to look at her. Even seated, he was large. Imposing. Muscle everywhere and dominance written into every pore.

A foreign part of Mavis wanted to reach forward. Touch him, comfort him. To offer a solace that only he would find with her.

For a second, her lips parted as if to offer a thing she had no business in doing just yet when he stood abruptly, dwarfing her. "It's time for First Meal. Merrick has been busy getting things together and you don't want to disappoint him. He's very sensitive about his cooking."