Squeezing his eyes shut, he pressed another soft kiss to her forehead. “Now go back to sleep. I’ll be right here. I won’t leave you.” Not tonight. But every other night? Yeah, that he’d have to do.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Piper woke to the feel of warm lips pressing featherlight kisses along her chest. Now healed, the flesh didn’t sting at the prick of Levi’s stubble. She opened her eyes to find him draped over her, braced on his elbows. His cock throbbed against her folds, hot and hard.
His mind idly brushed hers, and the fog of sleep cleared as she remembered they’d formed the psi-mate bond. Piper tensed. Had he forgotten their agreement? Was he half asleep?
She swallowed. “Levi?”
His gaze snapped to hers, glittering with heat and something she couldn’t quite name. An emotion that made her heart sink. “Need to have you one last time,” he said, his voice thick.
She should say no. She should. This wasn’t starting as they meant to go on. But she heard herself say, “One last time.” And she didn’t have it in her to take the words back.
He dipped his head further down and lashed her nipple with his tongue. Splaying her hand over the back of his head, she let her eyes fall closed, sinking into the sensations as he licked and sucked and palmed and pinched. But there was no blocking out the pain of knowing she’d never feel his mouth and hands on her like this again.
Despite the benefits of the anchor bond, her heart had broken a little when they formed the psi-connection last night, because it had been an ending just as much as it had been a beginning. She was pretty sure she’d hidden her inner turmoil well, which was a relief. She didn’t want him to know how much this hurt her. He’d only feel guilty, and that would do neither of them any good.
Her demon had never been keen on this agreement they’d made. It was no happier about it now. Even at this moment, it huffed and sneered, because it knew this was the end.
Levi began to edge down her body, nipping the skin here and there, tracing her tattoos with his tongue. His hands followed, taking their time as they stroked, shaped, and teased.
It felt like a goodbye. A goodbye to what they’d had. It was in the way he touched her so carefully, so reverently, so desperately … like they’d run out of time.
Hot tears stung the backs of her eyes. It was better this way, she reminded herself. After all, it would be wrong to drag out what would only ever be casual. This thing between them didn’t feel wrong, though. No, it felt a little too right. And that was exactly why they needed to stick to their agreement. So she wouldn’t cry. Instead, she’d soak up every moment.
As usual, he gave a sharp bite to the ivy tattoos Kelvin had given her on her hip and navel, as if Levi didn’t like that Kelvin had marked her skin. But then he paused and planted his face into her stomach, his shoulders rising slightly as he took in a long breath.
She frowned, lifting her head. “You okay?”
Levi met her gaze, his own unreadable. A purring wash of telekinetic power danced over her skin and clamped around her throat, collaring her as firmly as any hand. Her head fell back in surprise, and the power pulsed and tremored. The pressure didn’t hurt, but it was intense and pushed her best buttons.
Levi positioned himself between her thighs, spread them wider, and nuzzled her folds. “I’m gonna miss your taste.” Then he settled in and went to work.
Her breath hitched, and a moan crawled up her throat. Damn that mouth for being so freaking skilled. He explored … everywhere. Her clit, her slit, her folds, her core, the entrance of her pussy, the creases of her thighs.
She writhed and moaned as the tension built and built inside her. It was when he shoved his fingers deep while rubbing the side of her clit with his tongue that she came hard.
She felt a small waft of cool air. Looking down, she saw that his demon had surfaced.
It smoothed one hand all the way up her inner thigh while planting the other on her stomach. “Be still.”
Uh, what?
“I need to send a message that both you and he will understand.”
It swiped its tongue between her folds, and then the skin beneath its hands began to heat. Burn. Scorch. It was almost unbearable and … oh fuck, the demon was branding her. Her eyes widened, and she shook her head. The entity paid her no attention, eating her pussy and driving her up to another orgasm.
She choked on a loud cry as she imploded, her thighs trembling. Not even the wave of pleasure could distract her from the fact that she’d been branded, though. Demons surfaced to leave such marks if they felt possessive of a lover. But she and Levi would no longer be lovers after today … which meant it was highly likely that he’d freak.