Page 101 of Bloodgrove

Chapter 51

Will saw Eric clear the bed in a single jump that held nothing human. He did not make it three meters before the monster tore his feet out from under him, skinning his knees and palms, a sharp pain shooting through his shoulder. The impact pushed the air from his lungs.

He kicked wildly at the beast and scrambled away on all fours, deeper into the shadows between the bookshelves.

“Do you think you will find a secret exit in here?” Eric laughed, seized his ankle, and yanked him back. Claws dug into Will’s leg, but he managed to catch the monster beneath the chin with his heel.

Will tried to strike again, but Eric caught his arm, and moments later they crashed into a bookshelf. A maw met a mouth, a claw closed around his waist, a hand buried itself in damp hair.

They wrestled together, half on the floor, half pressed against the shelves. Their legs tangled. Legs bent at unnatural angles, claws at their feet, shoved the slippers from Will’s toes.

Will ran his hands over Eric’s cheeks as though he could hold his head between them and break his neck if necessary. He shuddered when his fingers found the corners of his mouth, too high and too sharp. The lips were still the same ones he had kissed in the snow; even now, he tasted winter upon them where icy droplets still fell from Eric’s hair. But sharp teeth scraped across his tongue, and it felt strange when Eric opened his mouth for him. Yet he held Will like a dragon guarding its treasure, as though his prey might escape at any moment, disgusted by the monster kissing him.

Will tasted his own blood and trembled with revulsion and desire.

No. He did not want to run anymore.

He practically climbed into Eric’s lap, spread his legs over his erection, and moaned as he pressed his own cock against it.

“By the blood,” Eric gasped, and for the first time, he sounded genuinely shaken.

Will put his chest against Eric’s bare one and wrapped an arm around the thick neck of the beast. Slowly, he began to move against him, tilting his hips in small thrusts to coax another of those sweet gasps from the monster.

A paw closed around his backside as though Eric wanted to feel the muscles move when Will thrusted. It was an unfamiliar sensation, the claw-tips piercing through the fabric to his skin, stopping just short of hurting him. With one violent tug, Eric tore Will’s trousers open until they hung from him in tatters.

Will choked in surprise, and Eric released him long enough for him to struggle upright and peel himself free of the remains. Excitement so intense it made his head light kept him from trying to flee again. Instead, he let the last pieces of clothing fall from his body.

Eric’s gaze traveled over him as though he had never seen a man before. As though he had found religion. He stared up at Will while Will rose to slip his final trouser leg off.

Will could almost hear the god inside his chest purr as he looked down on the worshiper kneeling before him on animal legs, lips parted slightly. If he had been a sensible man—or merely a normal one, that would have been enough—he would run.

But he wanted to kiss him—this wondrous man who forgot to be a beast whenever he looked at Will.

Instead, he settled back onto Eric’s lap, naked, his erection hard and heavy. Perhaps Will truly was naïve. Perhaps he was stupid, or delirious from blood loss and drugged by venom, but his hand moved lower and opened the buttons at Eric’s waistband.

Eric’s monstrous eyes searched his. “I have never done this before.”

Will’s mouth curved into a mocking smile. “So naïve, little hellhound.”

Eric stared at him in disbelief. “You would really take me? Like this?”

Will opened the final button and reached beneath the undergarment, closing his hand around the length there.

His eyes widened.

“Did you turn your entire body into a beast?”

Will could have fallen in love with the small, confused laugh Eric gave in answer.

“Will. I am serious.”

Even though this monster had ignored every one of his pleas only moments before, Will would be patient now. He withdrew his hand and regarded Eric for a long moment.

“Do you know what is going to happen here?” he asked politely, because he refused to believe Eric was truly ignorant. Not when Saint had implied that they had moved in the same circles.

Fortunately, Eric did not lie. He nodded and swallowed. “Will you…?”

Will tilted his head, and a veil of silver hair spilled across his bitten shoulder. The wound had stopped bleeding, though it surely looked terrible.