Free Rising Shadows by Bridget Blackwood

She’s beginning to wake up. I toss back the bed sheet, and ease down the mattress to taste what my fingers have held. My lips touch her labia, and I hear her gasp. Looking up her body, I meet her drowsy gaze. Sleep tousled, eyes heavy lidded from desire. I coil my arm around her waist and haul her down the bed so I can become better acquainted with her most intimate parts more comfortably. Her legs dangle off the edge, I kneel on the floor between them.
    “Good morning.” I smile at her. I follow up my greeting with a slow lick between the lips of her pussy. Rachel tries to pull back. She looks at me with shy indecision.  “Never had anyone go down on you before?”
    Biting her lip, she shakes her head no.
    “Hmm. Not sorry to hear that. Relax. Let your legs go free. I promise you will enjoy this. Even if I’ve to work at it all day.”
    She arches an eyebrow at me. I press my tongue into her again. I’ve slid my hands under her buttocks to hold her tight. Tremors rack her body. She’s close to coming. I feel her nails on the back of my head, pressing me to her. Beneath me, Rachel's body rides the waves of an orgasm.
     

 
    CHAPTER 12
     
    Winter
        An exiled Fae princess walks into a werewolf’s home with two vampires. Sounds like a joke I was told once . Claude is granting us permission to see his granddaughter. She may be the only piece of his son Athan left in the world. If a vampire can save her life, he will put his prejudice aside. The nursery we’re taken to in Claude's home is outfitted with hospital machinery monitoring Livia's vital signs. Keller examines her, drawing tubes of blood, taking hair samples and saliva. The man had better be the genius Kiril calls him. Livia's arm is in a sling.
    “The break should be mended by now. Why is her arm still in the sling?” I whisper to Claude.
    “Whatever is killing her is impairing her ability to heal.”
    Livia whimpers softly provoking Claude to move closer. Varian takes up the space next to me.
    “She's so small.” He looks perplexed.
    “Children are like that,” I respond.
    “I’ve not been around any children in, I cannot recall the last time I was around children actually.”  He frowns.
    “Vampires have kids, why haven't you seen any?”
    “No parent desires to risk their offspring. What if I am as psychotic as people claim? Varian Caina, cursed with so much power he lost his sanity,” he scoffs bitterly.
    I plan to sneak off from him at his revelation. He’s right. No one wants to chance being in his presence. Except maybe the doctor, whose qualifications I’m questioning now. Varian's hand grips my wrist like a vise.
    “Relax, Firefly. Gossip and superstition. You are safe with me.”
    “Could you loosen up on my wrist? I think I can feel the bones grinding.”
    Varian looks stricken. He holds my wrist up to inspect it for damage. Once he’s satisfied I am unharmed, he lowers my hand down but refuses to let me go. His thumb rubs the backs of my fingers. Studying his features I take in the sharp angles of his face. The jaw, cheek, and nose are defined blades. His hair is blond, though not as light as my father's was. The Caina line is the height of vampire aristocracy. Varian possesses the looks to back his bloodline’s claim. The length of his hair is his only rebellion from the polished features genetics granted him. It is long, past his shoulders. Vampires are beautiful. It makes them more efficient predators. Fae share that innate beauty in common with vampires. Varian Caina is the most attractive man I’ve ever seen in any realm. Seriously? The most lethal vampire in all the world and I have a girl boner for him? I am so screwed .
    “I think I would have liked to be a father.”  I can barely hear him he speaks so softly.
    Squeezing his hand I say,  “You still can. Not like you don’t have lifetimes to do it.” I meant for him to laugh at my joke.
    He gives me a sad smile and my heart breaks for him.  “I think