Chapter 31: Chapter Thirty

Police have confirmed that the Pier Killer is not a suspect in the most recent homicide at Pike's Market. –The Seattle Tribune

Nikolai

“~Moy,~” I whispered against her skin. “~Moy.~” My body screamed as I branded her with kisses. Mine, mine, mine, she had always been mine.

I'd never wanted her on paper.

Never needed a contract to know who she belonged to.

Her body had always belonged to me, since that very first kiss, that very first touch, when I replaced the pain with the pleasure, when I broke her.

I inwardly cursed as I expunged the memories of a time long ago, she had been the apple in the Garden, dangled in front of me, her core so tempting and sweet. A voice whispered in the distance.

Just. One. Bite.

I bit.

I tasted.

I fell.

Maybe that was where I went wrong. The minute I'd seen her, I had desired her, wanted her, and in all my existence, I'd never coveted something as much as I'd coveted her.

It was a sin.

To want someone so desperately that you would sacrifice anything, actual human lives, possibly your own soul, to have it.

I pushed the memories back into the furthest recess of my mind, focusing on nothing but her pleasure, her release, while silently hoping this would not be the catalyst to her unlocking that precious Pandora's box, I'd helped lock up so long ago.

Her body responded to my every kiss, my every touch… it was addicting to a man like me, a man who rarely showed emotion, someone who starved others of their humanity—discovering he very much wanted his own, one normal moment.

Boy meets girl.

Boy falls in love.

Girl never leaves.

“That felt… too good.” She whispered, mouth swollen.

My hardness against her softness was almost too painful to bear. She reached for me, wrapping her hands tightly around me. I hissed out a curse.

“Show me what to do.”

“Your body…” I whispered, moving against her hand. “Will always know what to do.”

“But—”

“Feel.” I instructed as I moved against her then very gently pulled her hands away even though they felt so good.

I hesitated, enjoying the look of hate on her face as I teased her, rubbing myself against her, sucking and nipping her lower lip, moving to her breasts.

“Nik…”

I hesitated, she typically reverted to that name only when she was remembering. My entire body tensed.

“I need… more.” She wiggled against me, then hooked her feet behind me.

I slid against her, chuckling into her neck, before I pressed an open-mouthed kiss against her shoulder and inched slowly inside heaven.

Her head fell back against the pillow as I moved.

It wasn't enough.

It would never be enough.

What the hell was I thinking? One time with her? One moment? Had it been enough all those years ago?

No, it had fed the addiction, the obsession.

And I was adding lighter fluid to dry leaves and tossing a match into the air, praying somehow it wouldn't start a fire.

Each second that went by, I slid farther inside her, stopping when a look of pure awe slid over her face.

Our mouths met in a frenzy of hot kisses as I moved inside her, setting a fast rhythm, only to slow down as she tightened her grip on my body with her hands.

We were made for one another.

I'd always known it.

And now she did too.

I tried to stop, wanting the feeling of completeness within her to last an eternity, but it was impossible.

With one final thrust, I spent the last of my energy, perhaps the last of my soul… in that moment.

The darkness of our reality descended upon me with a choking reminder that what we'd just shared held the power to destroy everything.

But instead of screaming in horror that she'd just made love with a monster… Maya opened her eyes, as tears streamed down her face she whispered. “Just like my dreams.”

If only she knew…

They were never dreams…

But actual memories.

“I love you,” she whispered. “I've always loved you.”

Her eyes closed.

“And now…” I said in a shaky voice. “You may sleep.”

I could allow her that much.