Sebastian
I stared at her in disbelief, unable to believe what I was hearing. For those first few seconds, I couldn't trust my own ears.
She was asking me to...mark her.
Damn it all. That was the very fantasy that had consumed my thoughts since the moment I laid eyes on her. To bury my fangs in her tender neck and leave my indelible mark, forever declaring her as mine.
"What did you say?" I managed to ask, needing confirmation that this wasn't some figment of my imagination but a genuine request in the real world.
A smile teased her lips as if she understood the perplexity I felt. She turned toward me, her hand reaching out to graze my cheek, leaving a trail of tingling sparks in its wake. "I'm asking you to mark me."
Holy shit! I had never not believed in heavens and angels, but today, all my convictions were shattered. There existed no realm or inhabitants within it, apart from the one I beheld with my own eyes—Athena. She was my heaven. If I were to worship her until my dying breath, and then go to hell, I would not hesitate for a single moment.
As she noticed my unwavering gaze fixed upon her, she spoke once more, her voice a soothing melody that I wished to hear until the end of time, until the end of this world and beyond. "Will you mark me, Sebastian?" Her words pierced my very soul.
"You...you have no idea how long I've waited for this moment," I breathed, struggling to string my words together. "Since the first time I laid eyes on you, I've longed to claim you as mine. Each day, it felt like a slow death, seeing you and yet unable to declare to the world that you belong to me. This is everything I've ever desired, Athena. You're all I fucking want, and I'll continue wanting you until my last breath and heartbeat. I will forever desire you."
Her smile widened, and this time she turned completely towards me, slowly straddling my lap. "Then make me yours," she whispered, her forehead pressed against mine. The softness of her breath caressed my face, igniting a surge of desire that urged me to forget everything and claim her as mine right then and there. "I want to be yours."
Fuck! She was driving me to madness with just her words. Did she have any inkling of the power she held over me? How she could command me, and how I would willingly lay down my life at her feet for a mere glimpse of her eyes, the touch of her skin, or the sound of her delicate heartbeat?
Without another moment of hesitation, I crushed my lips against hers, savouring their taste. God! I would gladly die for just a taste, without a single regret. She kissed me back, her fingers entwining in my hair, responding to each stroke of my tongue.
I settled my hands on her slender waist, pulling her closer until our chests pressed tightly together. Her velvety skin seemed to meld perfectly with mine. She was too ethereal, too exquisite, to be real. Every curve of her body was worthy of kissing a thousand times and more.
As we parted our lips, her eyes met mine, a mix of anticipation and longing shimmering within them. I could sense her nervousness, the edges of her movements revealing her hidden desires, profound and captivating in her radiant gaze.
"Where do you want me to mark you?" I asked, struggling to keep my voice from sounding like a growl, although a hint of an animalistic undertone lingered within.
She let out a soft breath, her hand moving to the spot where her neck met her shoulder. As her fingers brushed over the area, tracing the contours of her soft, smooth skin, a deep rumble erupted from my chest involuntarily.
Damn it! That was exactly where I had envisioned marking her. The delicate spot that perpetually carried the depths of intoxicating scent, every note of it that effortlessly drove me to the brink of madness.
"You sure?" I cleared my throat, attempting to temper my impatience. I had already waited so long; I didn't want to rush things now and risk spoiling this moment.
"Yes," she nodded, her hand slipping around the back of my neck, drawing me closer and guiding my lips to that desired spot. Her other hand rested on my chest, where I was certain she could feel the thunderous rhythm of my heart, each beat resounding with her name alone.
Then, she whispered into my ear, her voice gentle yet sending shivers down my spine. "Mark me, Sebastian," she urged, "Don't hold back."
That was the breaking point for me. The restraints shattered, consumed by the scorching flames of desire. My canines burst forth from my gums, and my claws emerged, sinking into the sides of her hips, drawing forth a trickle of blood that elicited a quiet gasp from her—though not from pain.
Holding her tightly against me, I pressed my Canines into the tender flesh of her neck. The sweet taste of her blood flooded my senses, causing my eyelids to flutter shut, overwhelmed by a surge of emotions. Electric currents surged through our intertwined bodies, filling the last pieces of our very souls, fusing us into one, mending the fractures and scars that had haunted our souls.
Time stood still, refusing to move, as if frozen in reverence.
She clung to me, her skin radiating heat as the mark began to take hold, securing its place. The poison of my canines seeped into her delicate, fragile skin, etching itself upon her delicate skin with ink that would transcend the boundaries of "forever."
Oh my fucking god! I would tear down all realms to reach this point, yet here she was, willingly granting me the privilege and surrendering herself to me—honestly and completely.
No man in his right mind could maintain composure at this point. Well, I doubted that I was in my right mind, especially with Athena so close to me. I could feel our souls meld into one, our hearts now entwining.
To hell with heaven or hell; everything I desired existed in this very moment. It was heaven because this pleasure surpassed anything I had ever felt, an intense journey that compressed into mere minutes and outperformed all boundaries. And it was hell because it would end too soon.
If only I could make this last forever.
She tilted her head back, a soft gasp escaping her lips. I could practically feel her body trembling, the satisfaction coursing through her veins. I would be lying if I said I didn't share the same sensation.
The emotions we had always felt, deeply embedded in our souls, now surged stronger. They wove into the fabric of our flesh and bones like an unruly wildfire, untamed and fervent.
And then... the chaos began to subside. Gradually, my canines retracted, and my claws receded beneath my flesh. The claim had been staked.
I pressed my lips against the mark, soothing the slight burn with the gentle caress of my tongue. Her breathing steadied, and her grip on me loosened. Her relaxed composure indicated that she, too, understood that it was over. The marking was complete.
Reluctantly, I withdrew my lips from her skin, despite every fibre of my being dying to taste every inch of her and ravish her right there in the bathtub, to take her until the sunset and the night reclaimed its dominion.
Releasing my hold on her waist, my hand trailed up to her jaw, locking eyes with her as anticipation and desire gleamed in her gaze.
"You are officially mine," I exhaled, brushing my lips against hers.
"I suppose so," she giggled breathlessly, her laughter like a symphony to my ears, "Now, do we get out of the tub now or...." Her flushed cheeks conveyed the unspoken meaning behind her unfinished sentence, though I would have understood regardless, as her heightened desires permeated the air. I could smell her arousal already.
"No, we'll stay in the tub a little longer," A smile tugged at the corners of my lips, before pulling her into a passionate kiss.
Indeed, this was going to be a long bath.