Longing for You, стр. 44
Katie watched as Alexis placed the palm of her hand on her heart,as she had earlier today when they were in hiding outside Sybil’s cottage. Thesimple gesture conveyed more than words to Katie, and she teared up.
Alexis shot out of the cabin in an instant.
* * *
Katie rubbed her forehead, trying to make sense of what Alexis hadtold her. Despite what Alexis thought, what was more shocking than the factthat she could have woken up to the biggest decision of her life after theattack, was the fact that Alexis was willing to break the Debreks’ most sacredtenet.
She knew what rules meant to Alexis and her wish to put duty aboveall. For her to be not just willing, but eager to break it must mean that Alexistruly loved her. Now Alexis’s determination to look after her made sense.
Katie had to do something. Alexis was torturing herself. Katienever thought she’d need to be the strong one between them, but here it was.Hoping Alexis hadn’t ran off into the forest, she walked to the front door andopened it.
Luckily she found Alexis leaning against the wooden porch post,just looking out into the night.
“Alexis, I need to talk to you.”
Alexis didn’t turn around. “You don’t have to say anything. We’regoing back to London tomorrow, so I’ll keep out of your way. I want you to knowthat I offered to leave my post as Duca, but the Principe refused.”
Katie walked up to Alexis and said, “Turn around.”
Alexis sighed and turned. Katie put her palm on her heart as Alexishad done. She felt it conveyed more than words would at that moment.
“You forgive me?” Alexis looked taken aback.
“There’s nothing to forgive, Alexis. True, I believe in consent,and I’m not saying that it would have been easy to wake up knowing I had toturn or die, but that is not what Victorija did to you. She did it for her owntwisted purposes, but you did it because—” Katie didn’t want to put words inAlexis’s mouth. “Well, for very different reasons.”
Alexis touched her fingers to Katie’s hand. “Tell me you forgiveme?”
“If you need to hear it, then yes, I forgive you. Come inside andheal my neck,” Katie said.
Alexis was overwhelmed with emotions right now, and her brain wastrying to catch up. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, this was inflicted on me, and I know how much seeing itdisturbs you, so let’s take away Josie’s power and what she did to me.”
Alexis allowed herself to be pulled inside the cabin and over tothe couch. Katie sat down and Alexis kneeled in front of her.
“Are you sure?” Alexis asked.
“Are you?”
Alexis nodded. She wanted to make Katie better more than anything.“Yes. If you could move your jumper past your shoulder…?” Alexis asked.
Instead of doing that, Katie took her thin cashmere jumper off completely.
Alexis gulped and her eyes went straight to Katie’s black-lacecovered breasts.
Oh God, she’s beautiful.
“Alexis? My wound?” Katie said.
Alexis shook herself. “Yes, sorry.”
She bit into the palm of her hand with her fangs, allowing theblood to flow. “Are you ready?”
Katie nodded, so Alexis lowered her palm to Katie’s infected neckwound. Katie hissed when Alexis’s blood touched her.
“Okay, relax and look in my eyes,” Alexis said.
Katie did that, and Alexis asked, “How does that feel?”
“It burned like acid at first, but now it feels nice, warm.”
“Good, it’ll not take too long.”
Katie’s lips parted slightly, and Alexis could see the tip of herwet tongue. She had the urge to suck on it, to taste Katie anywhere she allowedher. Her teeth had fully erupted, and days of no fresh blood made all thisstimulation much worse. But she had to stay in control for Katie’s sake.
“Your eyes are red,” Katie said.
Alexis had no doubt they were. Katie had forgiven her, and she wastouching her skin, at the same time trying not to let her eyes wander down toKatie’s breasts. Instead of explaining, she asked Katie, “Why do you thinkthey’re red?”
Katie reached for Alexis and lightly grasped her hair. “Becauseyou want me, because you’re hungry.”
Katie took the initiative and pressed her lips to Alexis’s. Alexismoaned. She felt like she had been waiting for this kiss her whole life. Katiepushed her tongue into Alexis’s mouth and ran her tongue around her fangs.
Alexis responded by sucking it deeper into her mouth. Her ownmouth was watering and aching for blood. Not any blood, Katie’s blood.
Katie pulled back for air, and Alexis took her hand off Katie’swound. All that was left was the stain of Alexis’s blood.
“It’s gone,” Katie said with amazement.
* * *
“Josie has gone.” Alexis felt like Josie had been between them aslong as her bite had been on Katie’s neck, a reminder to Alexis of her failure.
Katie took Alexis’s hand and placed it between her breasts. “Touchme.”
Alexis trailed the back of her hand down between Katie’s breasts.Katie gasped and pushed Alexis’s hand onto her breast. Her sex clenched whenAlexis squeezed. She pulled Alexis closer by her hair.
Katie didn’t know if it was having some of Alexis’s blood in hersystem, but she was feeling so much more like herself, grounded, and with moreenergy than she’d had since the attack.
She grabbed for Alexis’s T-shirt and pulled it off. Alexis didn’twear a bra, her breasts were small, and Katie could see how it was possible forher to pass as a male soldier without much trouble.
Katie scratched her fingernails down Alexis’s back. She shiveredbut then pulled back from their kiss.
“We have to stop. You’re not strong enough,” Alexis said.
“I am strong enough. Your blood has made every part of me strongeralready, and I need you to touch me,” Katie said.
“I don’t—”
Katie took off her bra and dropped it at her side. Alexis’s eyeswent an even darker red. She then said, “You remember when we kissed in mybedroom and I did this?”
Katie pierced her finger against Alexis’s fang and let the bloodflow into