Page 95 of Somnium

Elias lifted her hand to his lips and placed a kiss in the center of her palm. His thumb traced light circles against the inside of her wrist as he looked down at her with a steadiness she found herself wishing she could borrow. Even if just for a moment.

“Ready?”

Squeezing her eyes shut, she gave a shallow nod. Every muscle in her body tensed when she felt the press of steel, and she hissed through her teeth at the pain that shot through her when he drew the blade against her skin. She kept her eyes shut, not yet daring to look as Elias helped her to form the fist she would need to leave her own gift upon the stone. Blood had never bothered her, but she didn’t think this was the best time to test that.

It wasn’t until she felt him press a bandage to her hand that she opened her eyes and found him watching her. She forced a smile, hoping it would be enough to reassure him that she was still fully in this.

“One step down,” she said with a dry laugh.

He smiled down at her and released her hand to rest his fingers against her hips. Taking a step closer, he leaned in until his breath whispered against her skin. “Nothing happens until you say so.”

His words nestled deep in her chest, their quiet reassurance a balm against her nerves. He wasn’t just giving her comfort—he was giving her power, and in doing so had sparked something new and exciting. Her eyes shifted to the gods that surrounded them, their faces still and calm with silent expectation as they watched them.

Watched her.

A slow tingle of their cosmic energy spread through her limbs, but instead of fighting it, she leaned in, and embraced it. As the power gathered inside of her, she realized that she was the one in control, and it was time to find out where that took her.

Turning back to Elias, her hands slid over his shoulders, winding around his neck to let the tips of her fingers dance over his skin. A satisfied smile curved her lips when she saw his eyes drift closed and felt his breath start to shake. Pulling him close, she brushed her lips over his.

Elias grinned, his hands slipping beneath her shirt. A shiver coursed through her body when his fingers ghosted against her, teasing her with the quiet fire of his touch. A desperate ache stirred in her belly, and a familiar wetness quickly began to gather between her thighs.

Breaking away from him only long enough to slip his shirt over his head, she rushed back with growing sense of urgency fueled by the remnants of power that washed over her. She flicked her tongue against his lips in quiet demand. An answering rumble vibrated through his chest as he reached up to cup her jaw, and tilt her head back to push deeper, kissing her until she was breathless.

With quivering fingers she found his belt, but fumbled over the metal and leather. She shook her hand out to regain control of her traitorous limbs, but the adrenaline in her veins only laughed in response.

Elias’s fingers wrapped around hers, lifting her hand to press kisses to each of her knuckles. “I got it,” he whispered.

Cadi watched as he made quick work of the buckle and leather, then slipped out of his pants so that every solid inch of him was bare for all to see. He wrapped a hand around his hard cock and pumped up and down, leaning in to kiss her as he worked himself, a glistening bead forming at the head. The soft sound that escaped him when his lips met hers was enough to make her entire body shake.

His fingers were featherlight against her as he peeled off her clothes, piece by piece, leaving burning kisses as he went. Cadi shivered despite the warm air, crossing her arms over her chest and pressing into him. She wanted this, wanted the control, the power, but her gods-damned mind still stood in the way.

Elias studied her face, as if trying to read her thoughts and understand the quiet battle playing out in her mind. Then he ran his hands against her bare arms and leaned forward to kiss that delicate space beneath her ear. Gods, he knew how to make her melt.

“I’m going to help you relax, okay?” he whispered.

She nodded, trying to control the pounding of her heart. His mouth traced down her neck to her collarbone, then her chest, then her stomach, a quiet hum lingering in each place his lips touched until he knelt before her. Sliding his hands over her hips, he leaned in, brushing his nose over her center and breathing deep. His soft groan was all the warning he gave before he flicked his tongue against her clit.

Cadi gasped at the sudden pulse that shot through her, followed by another when he moved again. The pace he set was torturous, each pass controlled and steady in a way that left her knees shaking with the effort just to stay upright.

He wrapped his hand around her thigh and lifted her leg to settle it against his shoulder, giving him full access to everything he craved. She leaned into him, letting him take her weight while he and that fucking mouth of his made her head spin.

Her breaths became more desperate with each agonizing flick of his tongue and she let her eyes drift closed and her head tilt back, focusing on nothing but what he was doing to her. A moan drifted from her chest as she let her arms drop to thread her fingers into his hair, holding him against her. She felt her release building, inching closer. Closer. Just a little more.

She could feel the eyes of the gods watching Elias devour her, but instead of exposed, she felt … alive. Her entire body was energized at the thought of being seen like this: open, sensual, ascendant. Soft whimpers tumbled from her lips as the burning tension in her belly twisted tighter, nearly to the point of breaking until—he stopped.

Cadi’s eyes flew open, and she let out a desperate groan when she felt the ecstasy that had been steadily building ebb from her body. Elias lifted her leg from his shoulder and placed her foot back on the cold stone, chuckling at the way she fumed up at him when he stood. Crooking a finger beneath her chin, he bent low to press his lips to hers.

“Just needed you with me,” he murmured against her.

Cadi let out a low grumble, a subtle promise of retribution.

Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her to his chest and kissed her with a fierceness that filled her with renewed desire. She moved her hand between them, wrapping her fingers around his hard cock and stroking him softly. Elias let out a low growl at her teasing touch as he lowered himself to the ground and pulled her with him until she knelt above him.

Dominance coursed through her, dancing just beneath the surface. She didn’t know if it was a part of her that had always been there, or if it was merely the gods’ power amplifying every sensation, but she didn’t care. For now, it was hers. And so was he.

Her finger caressed the line of his jaw, a seductive smirk curving her lips at the way his breath hitched. His grip tightened at her hips, pressing her down in silent urging of what she knew he wanted, but she was in control now, and there was no way she was about to let him win so easily.

She lowered down slowly, letting out a breathy moan at the familiar stretch as he eased into her, but then stopped after the first inch to pull her hips back up. Elias groaned, and Cadi flicked her gaze to his, grinning when she saw the desperation that burned in his eyes. He knew she was teasing him, and that just made her want to do it more.