Devoured: Brides of the Kindred 11 (17 page)

“I’m sorry,” Tess whispered. Unexpectedly,
she felt the knot of tension in her stomach begin to melt. “Sorry I was so
snippy with you. I thought you didn’t understand. But now I see you do—you
must.”

“I can empathize,” he said. “But I will
never
understand how anyone could mark
such a lovely female or raise a hand to you in violence.”

“Oh, well that’s…” Tess felt her cheeks
getting hot. “That’s really…”

“True,” Garron finished for her. He
reached out and brushed her hot cheek with his fingertips. “I’m sorry I wasn’t
in time to stop what happened to you. Will you let me make it up to you?”

She shook her head. “How?”

“By healing you.”

Tess looked at him uncertainly. “I’m not
sure…I understand what you’re asking.”

He sighed. “I’m not either. I’ve never
tried anything like this before but I think it would work.”

“Anything like
what?”
She frowned at him.

“Anything like this. Can I see your arm?”
He motioned to her left forearm, which had a bruise and a cut where the belt
had hit. Her back wasn’t the only part Pierce had injured—just the most
painful.

“Oh, well…okay, I guess” Tess clutched the
towel to her chest with her right arm and held up the left to him, wondering
what he was going to do.

“Thank you. And as I said, I’m not certain
this will work but I think…” He didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, his eyes
began to glow again, just as they had when he was trying to pull the metal
anti-theft screen out of the concrete around the window at Pierce’s house.

His
other—the part inside him he said was dangerous—is he accessing it now? Using
it somehow—letting it come forward?

Tess didn’t dare to ask. She just bit her
lip but didn’t try to pull away as he leaned down and brought her wounded limb
to his mouth. With long, slow, smooth strokes, he bathed the torn flesh with
his tongue.

Tess bit back a gasp. His mouth on her
skin was hot, wet…and sensuous. But somehow she knew he wasn’t trying to seduce
her. He actually thought he could help her in some way although how in the
world he expected…

Her thoughts dried up as he pulled back,
exposing her hurt arm.

Her hurt arm which was no longer hurt.

Oh, the bruise was still there but the cut
was gone—sealed up into a faint white line and even that seemed to fade as she
watched.

“How…how did you do that?” Tess gasped.
She held her arm up and examined it from every angle, trying to figure it out.
“Is this some kind of alien magic or something?”

Garron shook his head. “Not
magic—chemistry. The chemistry of my
dr’gin.”

“Your what?” she asked, looking up at him
dazedly.

“My other,” he clarified. “The other that
lives within me. I…called on it to help me and it did. Or rather, I called it
to the surface enough to use its healing powers.”

“But…didn’t you tell me that was
dangerous? Letting it come up…out?” Tess still couldn’t stop staring at her
healed arm.

“It would be if it wasn’t for you. You
seem to…quiet it somehow. To tame it.” He looked as though he was groping for
an explanation but finally he shook his head. “I’m sorry I can’t explain it
better but I actually feel
more
in
control of myself—of my
dr’gin—
when I
touch you. You calm the fire in my blood.”

Tess remembered him saying similar things
the first time he held her, back when he thought she was a Pairing Puppet, and
also after he had pulled the cage out of the window and had begged her to put
her arms around his neck.

“All right,” she whispered, looking up at
him. “Now what?”

“Now I’d like to heal your back as well…if
you’ll let me.”

“I…” She bit her lip uncertainly. “You
want to…to lick my back?”

He nodded. “It’s the only way.”

“But I…I don’t know.”

“Tess…” He took her hand in his and looked
earnestly into her eyes. “These scars I bear are old—there was no one to help
or to heal me when the wounds were inflicted. But yours are still fresh. If I
heal them now before they have time to set…”

“You really want to do this, don’t you?”
she whispered, watching his face.

Garron nodded and closed his eyes for a
moment. “I can’t…can’t bear to think of his marks on you permanently.” His deep
voice was tight. “Please…let me erase them.”

God,
can’t believe I’m actually considering this.
Tess shifted, feeling incredibly vulnerable and naked
behind the thin towel.

“And…you swear that’s all you’ll do?
Just…heal me?”

He frowned. “Remember, I told you that I
have made a private vow to be true to a memory of another? One I loved?”

“Oh, yes…you did say that. Sorry. So of
course it would only be healing.” Tess felt her cheeks go hot.

“Of course,” he repeated.

Tess felt like all the breath had been
sucked out of her lungs.
It’s okay,
she
told herself.
He’s not looking to do anything
but heal me. So it should be fine.

“Well then…” she said aloud, wishing her
voice didn’t sound so shaky. “All right.”

Chapter
Sixteen

They went into the darkened bedroom and Tess
was glad the only light was a thin sliver coming from between the closed
drapes. It made her feel less self conscious knowing that he couldn’t see her
very well.

“Lie down on your stomach,” Garron
directed, helping her onto the king sized bed.

Tess did as he said, keeping the towel
clutched tightly to her chest and wishing she could cover her bare behind as
well. Unfortunately, the skimpy little hotel towels weren’t exactly made for
plus-sized girls like herself. No matter how she tried, she was always somewhat
exposed.

“Don’t worry about covering yourself—just
try to get comfortable.” The big Kindred’s deep voice was gentle as he propped
a pillow under her head and arms. Then he lowered himself to the bed beside
her.

“I’m…trying.” Her voice came out slightly
strangled. Having a big, powerful male looming over her in the dark wasn’t
exactly the most relaxing experience.

Hold
still you little slut and take your punishment!

Tess bit her lip and clenched her pillow,
fighting the urge to curl into a protective ball. Her whole body felt tense as
Garron leaned over her. God, why had she agreed to this?

Somehow, just as he had before in the dark
hallway in her apartment, he seemed to sense her tension.

“Tess,” he murmured, crouching low so that
his warm breath stirred a tendril of hair at her cheek. “Are you all right?”

“Fine,” she lied. “I just…this is…harder
than I thought.”

“I can tell,” he murmured.

Tess tried to laugh but it came out as a
breathless gasp.

“Is it that obvious?”

“For one with my senses, yes. I can smell
your fear.”

“You can
what?”
She turned her face to look up at him. “Seriously?”

He nodded, his eyes glowing softly in the
dim room.

“Yes. And I know why you’re afraid. I know
how hard it is to trust again after trust has been betrayed. But please know
this…I will
never
hurt you.” He
stroked a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Never, Tess.”

Tess bit her lip, staring up at his
lovely, inhuman eyes.

“I…I want to believe you,” she whispered.

“Then do it—trust me. You’re safe with me.
Just relax and let me heal you.”

“I…I’ll try.” It was the best she could
do.

“Thank you.” He stroked her cheek. “I
promise I’ll go slowly. And you can stop me at any time if the healing becomes
too…intense.”

Tess wanted to ask what he meant by
“intense” but just then he bent over her again and she felt his hot breath on
her wounded back.

She froze instinctively—waiting for the
first blow to fall. The first punch from a fist, the first slap of a belt, the
first crack of a cane…

Instead she felt only softness…warm, wet
softness. The press of lips to her wounded shoulder…the soothing glide of his
tongue over her vulnerable flesh. Soon the stinging ache which had accompanied
that particular cut melted away—erased by the gentle action of his mouth.

Tess felt her fear ease to be replaced by
a different kind of tension. He wasn’t just healing her—he was kissing her
better. Literally kissing each cut and wound as tenderly and gently as a lover
kissing his mistress’s mouth. And with each press of his lips, each stroke of
his tongue, she felt a deep tingling spreading out all over her body. A
tingling that somehow found its way from her torn back to the tight tips of her
nipples and the warm, wet spot between her thighs.

She bit back a moan as his mouth moved
downward, finding the cuts Pierce’s belt had inflicted on her lower back. His
big hands held her lightly in place, resting just on the curve of her hips as
he trailed tender kisses lower and even lower.

When she felt his mouth against the top curve
of her buttocks, heat surged through her. Tess bit her lip. God, was he even
kissing her hurt places anymore? Or was he just kissing her because he wanted
to?
No, no,
she tried to remind
herself.
He’s not interested in me that
way—he’s just trying to help.
But still the tension kept growing until she
began to wonder if he would he ever stop. And even more confusing was the
question, did she
want
him to stop?

Tess shifted and the harsh material of the
towel rubbed against her nipples, making them ache. It stung the little cut
right above her left nipple as well but she had other problems to think about.
Her pussy throbbed between her legs, feeling swollen and hot and very,
very
sensitive. She found herself
spreading her legs—just a little—to ease some of the tension. God, what was
going on with her? Was having the big Kindred’s hands and mouth on her really
affecting her that much?

Stop
it,
she told herself uneasily.
He’s just healing you. Not…doing anything
else.

Except now his hot mouth had moved down the
curve of her buttocks and he was kissing the place where her thigh met her
body. Tess felt his tongue flick out and lap almost right between her thighs.
He made a soft, hungry sound deep in his throat and she felt his hot breath
blowing against her pussy lips.

Tess suddenly remembered some of the
things he’d said to her on the Mother Ship—back when he still believed she was
a Pairing Puppet.

“I
want to taste you, little one,”
he’s
said.
“Want to spread your sweet pussy
with my tongue.”

But he
only said those things because he thought I wasn’t real—he probably just needed
a release and he thought doing it with a puppet wouldn’t violate his vow. Once
he found out I was a real girl, not an artificial sex toy, he lost all
interest…didn’t he?

If that was true, why was he kissing her
so gently, in such an intimate place…a place Tess was pretty sure hadn’t been
wounded at all? And why did it feel so good even though she tried not to let
it?

Suddenly another voice intruded in her
head—Pierce’s voice. “
Only sluts like
it—only whores enjoy having
that
done to them. Is this what you want? You little slut!”

“Um…” She shifted away quickly, pressing
her thighs together tightly.

Garron let her go at once.

“Are you all right?” His voice was hoarse
in the dim room.

“Yes, fine. I just…I think I’m healed now.
So you don’t have to…don’t have to…”

“But I want to.” His eyes were glowing
more brightly than she’d ever seen them.

“You…you promised.” She rolled over,
making sure to keep the towel clutched to her chest. “You said you’d only…only
heal me. Because of your vow—remember?”

“So I did.” Garron took a deep breath and
ran a hand over his face. He looked down for a moment and when he looked back
up, his eyes were dimmer. “Forgive me. For a moment I forgot my vow…the scent
of your desire overcame me.”

“I…my…desire?” Tess sat up, still holding
the towel.

“Your pussy,” he said frankly, his eyes
flashing. “You smell so sweet and hot and so Goddess damned
wet.”
He took a deep breath, inhaling
through his nose as though savoring a delicious scent.

Tess felt a flash of heat go through her
again…followed by a cold finger of fear.

“I…I’m not…I would never…” she started to
deny.

Garron frowned at her. “My nose doesn’t
lie, especially not about your scent, Tess.” He sniffed again. “And now I smell
your fear. Why do you fear your own desire? Is it forbidden to you?”

“I…” Tess bit her lip, thinking of how
angry Pierce got if she seemed to be enjoying herself—even a little bit—during
sex. Not that there was much to enjoy—it was pretty much wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am
every single time. But still…

“It was forbidden to
me,”
Garron said in a low voice, as though imparting a secret.
“But then, you probably already know that from talking to my brother’s mate,
Becca.”

“She did tell me a few things,” Tess said
carefully. “Mostly that your people are kind of, uh, judgmental. And that you
don’t hug each other.”

“We don’t. It is the way of my people
never to touch except during mating.”

“So, no hugging…no holding…so signs of
affection at all?”

“No physical signs, anyway.” He sighed.
“They say that you cannot miss what you never experience in the first place.
But growing up, I used to long to be close to someone. To hold and be held…”

He sounded so wistful that Tess felt her chest
ache for him. Her mom had been a single parent, usually holding down two jobs,
but she had never mistreated Tess or withheld affection. Tess had so many happy
memories when she was younger of hugs and kisses…her mom brushing her
hair…sitting on her lap…cuddling under a warm quilt together before bedtime
while they read a good book…

Just the thought was enough to bring the
sting of tears to her eyes—she still missed her mom terribly. And yet, at least
she had these memories to pour over and cherish. From what Garron said, he had
nothing like them. What would it be like to grow up touching no one and never
being touched? What would it be like to never get a hug or a kiss or any kind
of physical expression of affection?

“Lonely,” she murmured aloud. “You must
have been so lonely…”

He shrugged and looked away. “I managed. I
was close to my brother, Truth—that helped some.”

“But to never even be hugged…to know it
was forbidden…”

“It’s not the only thing that was
forbidden.” He looked down at his hands. “The things I told you when I thought
you were a Pairing Puppet… I must ask, when you spoke to my brother’s mate, did
you—?”

“I didn’t repeat any of them,” Tess
hastily assured him. She tried not to blush when she remembered how he’d told
her he wanted to spend hours between her legs mapping the secret folds of her
pussy with his tongue. Did he really feel that way? Or had he just said it
because he didn’t think she was real?

“You didn’t?” He looked up at her swiftly.

“No, of course not. That’s…private.”

“Thank you.” He had a relieved expression
on his face. “I value Becca’s good opinion. I would not have her think less of
me.”

“I doubt she’d think less of you for
wanting to do…” Tess cleared her throat. “The, uh, things you said to me.
They’re not so terrible…not terrible at all, really.”

“Then why do you fear them? Why do you
fear my desire for you and your body’s reaction when I touch you…taste you?”

Tess felt her mouth go dry. “You didn’t
really
taste
me. I mean, not the way
you talked about back on the ship. When you thought I was one of the Puppets,”
she clarified quickly. “I mean, you were probably just saying those things. You
don’t really…”

“Want to taste you?” His eyes flashed in
the dim room. “Of course I do. How could I not?”

“But…why?” She knew she ought to change
the subject and talk about something else. But somehow the question popped out
anyway.

“Your scent is so sweet and hot and it
comes from here…” His big hand brushed the part of the towel that covered her
pussy. “How could I not want to bury my face between your legs and taste that
sweetness right from the source?”

Her heartbeat ratcheted up a notch.
“You…I…I thought you just said those things because you thought I wasn’t
real—because you thought I was a Pairing Puppet.”

He looked down. “It is true I felt
more…free to say what I wanted, to act on my forbidden impulses because I
believed you were one of the Puppets.”

“I see. And this vow you took…” She looked
at him closely. “You said it was for one you
loved.
Did you, uh, break up with her?”

“She died,” Garron said shortly. “And I
vowed to remain true to her memory. She…she will always be in my heart.”

“Of course.” Tess wasn’t sure whether to
feel relieved or disappointed. On one hand, it was clear he wasn’t interested
in a relationship because of his vow for his deceased girlfriend. So she could
stop feeling so nervous and jumpy around him. On the other hand, he wasn’t
available, even if she decided she
did
want
a relationship.

Don’t
be stupid, Tess,
lectured the little
voice in her head.
A new relationship is
the last thing you need right now! Especially when you’re still on the run from
the old one!

“I’m sorry for your loss,” she said aloud.

He shook his head. “It was a while ago. I
have been trying very hard to stay true to the memory of the one I loved but at
the time I came to you in the Pairing House, my blood was boiling and my…other
was very close to the surface. I felt I needed a release.”

“Did you ever get one? I mean…after I
left?” Tess couldn’t believe she’d asked the question as soon as it popped out
of her mouth but Garron didn’t seem offended.