Her eyes were fixed on his, and Theo couldn’t look away. For the first time in weeks, her beautiful green eyes shone with something other than pain. There was want in them—hunger and intensity that nearly matched his own. It sent a thrill through him, exhilarating and utterly consuming.

He took his time walking back to her, each step deliberate, observing her as he drew closer. The rise and fall of her chest was visible through her violet sweater, each breath shallow and quick. He could hear the pounding of her heart, its rhythm wild and erratic, echoing in his ears. Her left hand was tucked behind her back, a small yet telling gesture. Even now, after everything, she was holding a part of herself away from him.

He wouldn’t allow it. Not anymore. He wanted all of her—her strength, her vulnerability, her light, her darkness. Everything. And he wasn’t going to accept anything less.

He walked over to her until their bodies were nearly touching and then he reached behind her and took her left hand. She stiffened slightly and her fingers twitched in his but she let him bring the now black-veined hand up to his lips and plant a kiss. Her eyes flicked up to his, searching but he knew she would find nothing there but unrestrained desire.

A small, vulnerable sound escaped her lips, and it was his undoing. He couldn’t hold back any longer.

He found the hem of her sweater and pulled it above her head, tossing it to the floor. The rise and fall of her chest sped up as he reached back and unclasped her bra and pulled the black lacy garment from her shoulders and down her arms. He let out a low groan as he drank her in.

God, she was more beautiful than he had even allowed himself to remember. His hands cupped her breasts, his thumbs brushing over the sensitive peaks. She inhaled sharply, arching into him seeking his lips.

Theo obliged, capturing her mouth in a deep, unyielding kiss. The feel of her, the warmth of her skin against his fingertips, was everything he’d been trying to deny himself for weeks. He felt her arms come up around his neck, tentative at first, but then pulling him closer as if she couldn’t bear even a sliver of space between them.

Her soft moans sent jolts of pleasure through him, igniting every nerve as he let his lips trail down her jawline to her neck. He lingered there, inhaling her scent—lavender, yes, but now laced with something deeper, more intoxicating. His fangs grazed the delicate skin of her throat, and he felt her shudder in response, her hands tightening against his back.

“Elena,” he murmured against her skin, his voice rough with need, “I want to taste you.”

Her response was immediate—a desperate pull of his shirt as she tried to remove it. Theo smiled against her collarbone, the faintest trace of amusement mixing with his desire, and he helped her, shrugging the fabric off and letting it fall to the floor. Her hands roamed his chest now, her nails scraping lightly against his skin, leaving trails of heat in their wake.

His hands traveled down her sides, savoring the curve of her waist, the feel of her trembling beneath his touch. He let his fingers linger at the waistband of her jeans, his gaze flicking back up to meet hers, a silent question in his eyes. She nodded, her cheeks flushed, her lips slightly parted, and he didn’t hesitate.

He made quick work of the button and zipper, tugging the fabric down her hips and letting it pool at her feet. She stepped out of them, her breath coming in soft gasps as his hands explored every inch of newly revealed skin. He knelt before her, his lips brushing the curve of her hip, then moving lower and pausing at the silky fabric of her underwear, debating whether to tear them off her with his teeth. He took a ragged breath and tried to calm himself, to slow his pace. He wanted her to know how much he adored her, how much he needed her. He wanted her to feel it in every touch. This might not be his first time with her but this was, in a way, her first time with him and he wanted to be mindful of that.

“Elena,” he said again, his voice filled with reverence as he looked up at her from where he knelt. She ran a hand through his hair and he saw her lips tremble as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. He rose slowly, his hands gliding up her thighs as he stood, and when he was level with her again, he cupped her face, his gaze locking onto hers.

“You have no idea how hard it’s been to keep my hands off you,” he whispered, his thumb brushing over her cheek. “I’ve wanted you longer than you know.”

“So what are you waiting for? ” she said, and then she surged forward, kissing him with an intensity that stole his breath. It was messy, unrestrained, full of hunger and need, and it shattered whatever composure he had left. He wrapped his arms around her, lifting her slightly as her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. He carried her to the bed, her body light in his arms.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

As he laid her down, his body followed hers, the weight of him pressing her into the mattress. He kissed her again, slow this time, savoring her taste, letting it wash away every doubt, every hesitation. He was done holding back, done pretending he didn’t want her. He wanted to show her everything he felt, everything he couldn’t say in words.

“Elena,” he murmured between kisses, his voice a plea and a promise. “Let me have all of you.”

Her green eyes, now darkened with desire, searched his, and she nodded, her hand coming up to cup his cheek. “I’m yours,” she whispered.

Theo’s heart clenched at her words. He freed himself from his clothes and settled between her legs. He aligned his body with hers and then held himself at her entrance savoring the trembling of her body, the intensity of the moment. Even without fully entering her, he could feel how warm and ready she was and it nearly undid him. Elena bit her lip her body arching toward him.

“Theo, please” she whispered and then he gave himself over to her completely. He eased himself in and her gasp turned into a moan as he buried himself in her. He stilled for a moment, savoring the feeling of her, of finally being this close, this connected. “You feel…” He couldn’t finish, the words catching in his throat, lost in the overwhelming sensation of her warmth surrounding him.

He began to move, his rhythm slow at first, his hands gripping her thighs as he guided her movements, pulling her closer with each thrust. The intensity built between them, their bodies moving in perfect sync, their breaths mingling in the charged air. Each sound she made—every gasp, every whispered moan—drove him further, his restraint unraveling with every moment.

Theo’s gaze fell to her neck, the delicate curve of her throat drawing him in. His fangs ached, a sharp reminder of what he was, of the hunger that was as much a part of him as the desire he felt for her. He wanted to bite her, to claim her in every way, but he held back, forcing himself to focus on the present, on the way her body moved against his, the way she clung to him as if he were her lifeline.

Elena’s hands reached up, gently framing his face, her palms warm against his cheeks. Her eyes burned with an intensity that sent a fresh wave of heat through him. “Do it,” she said, her voice firm but laced with raw vulnerability.

Theo froze, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew exactly what she meant. “Elena…” he began, but she shook her head.

“Do it,” she said again, her hands slipping down to his shoulders, holding him in place. “I want this. I want you.”

He didn’t hesitate. There was nothing he would deny her in this moment, consequences be damned. Dipping his head, he pressed his lips to her neck, his fangs grazing the sensitive skin before sinking in. Her body tensed beneath him, a sharp gasp escaping her lips before it melted into a moan. He felt her pulse against his tongue, the rush of her blood sending a heady sensation through him. It tasted so damn good.

Elena’s body arched beneath him, her hands clutching at his shoulders, waves of pleasure wracked through her as the toxin from his bite continued to flood her system. He could feel her spasms, her walls tightening around him as her moans turned into something more raw and primal. The sensation was overwhelming, a growl tearing from his throat as he followed her over the edge.

He withdrew his fangs, his lips brushing over the puncture marks as her body trembled beneath him. Her hands slid from his shoulders to his chest, her breathing ragged, her skin flushed. Theo lifted his gaze to meet hers, his expression raw and unguarded, his fingers brushing a stray strand of hair from her damp forehead.

“Elena,” he whispered, his voice a mixture of reverence and awe. He pressed a lingering kiss to her lips, sealing the moment between them.

“I’m yours,” she repeated, her voice barely audible but filled with conviction.

As their breaths slowed, Theo shifted to lie beside her, pulling her into his arms. Her head nestled against his chest, her hand splayed over his heart, her warmth sinking into him like a balm.

Fuck.

He shouldn’t have bitten her. The memory of her taste, the way she’d shuddered beneath him, was far too intoxicating. He didn’t know if he had the self-control to resist doing it again.

“I can hear you thinking,” Elena murmured, her voice soft but amused.

“Sorry,” he muttered, his fingers tracing idle patterns along her back. “It’s just...biting you—that wasn’t a good idea. The toxin can become addictive, and I—”

“It was my choice, Theo,” she interrupted, tilting her head to look up at him. Her green eyes, still hazy with the afterglow, were steady. “Please don’t carry that guilt.”

He swallowed, her words cutting through the tangle of doubt in his mind. He nodded but couldn’t quite bring himself to respond. Instead, they lay in silence, her soft breaths mingling with the steady beat of his heart.

For the first time in longer than he could remember, he felt at peace.

After a while, her quiet voice broke the stillness. “I think I’m ready to eat now.”

Theo’s lips quirked into a faint smile, a mix of amusement and relief washing over him. He brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, his touch lingering. “Then let’s get you something,” he said softly, but he made no move to get up, content to hold her a little longer.