Reia fell forward as she’d long ago lost the strength in her body, and the only thing that had been holding her up had been his tentacles keeping her to him.
After a few moments of him heaving as though he was trying to catch the breaths he’d lost, his eyes black as if they were closed, he reached out and dragged her closer.
He curled himself around her with all his limbs with his hands kneading her flesh lightly.
He didn’t nuzzle her, but she knew he would have if he wasn’t so spent of energy.
For a little while, they laid there together holding each other closely. She’d never had Orpheus so out of sorts afterwards that he needed to recover like this.
She could feel against her stomach that his tentacles had closed around his cock completely even though it was fully extended, and that it was slowly receding back inside him.
His body started to shift as it did, returning to the calm Orpheus whose clothes were slowly coming back like they’d been hidden somewhere within him.
“Reia...” he said softly, like was hesitant about asking a question. “Would... Would you make me a new bell?”
She lifted her head to look up at the underneath of his jaw.
“Is it bothering you that much?
“Yes. I am sorry that she broke it.”
“Don’t be, it’s not your fault.” She patted her hands over his back. “I’m really glad I killed her. Are you upset about it?”
“No. The only thing that matters is you.”
Dragging herself higher, she came face-to-face with him and started to fiddle with his horn. “I’m happy to make you another bell. I’ll remove this one for now, so you don’t have to hear it.”
“Thank you,” he rasped, before licking at her cheek with only the tip of his tongue.
Reia sat naked on Orpheus’ lap while they were seated on his bed – which she very much thought was hers as well. He wanted to be able to touch her bare body, to stroke his fingertips and claws over her as though he wanted to touch her, feel her, see that she was in front of him.
He’d removed his own clothing so she could do the same, and he’d been surprised when she opted to straddle his hips. Her knees didn’t touch the bed beneath him.
His glowing orbs were their normal light blue, and she was relieved to see them.
“Did you eat me Orpheus?” She gave him a warm smile to show him she wouldn’t be upset at all if he did.
“No. You... crumbled like ash in my arms, but I was not hungry even before you did.”
Her brows drew together. “But you told me you are always hungry.”
“You gave me your soul,” he commented, lifting his hand to scrape her scalp with his claw tips knowing it would make her shiver. “It was very pretty.” He brushed them through her hair as though he wanted to comb it neat himself. “Once I ate it, all my hunger disappeared.”
“So, you didn’t feel any desire to eat me, or even Katerina?”
He shook his head before tilting it as he brushed his claws over her bare shoulder, making her skin prickle with goosebumps.
“No. Even earlier when I was chasing you or when I smelt your blood, I didn’t feel hunger.” She knew he looked back to her when he lifted his face. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
His fingertips lightly trailed over the five small slices around her waist from where he’d cut her with his claws when he came.
They stung a little but were mostly okay.
“I liked it. I liked you being like that. I want you to be yourself. To take me anyway you want without being worried.”
“You are so perfect, my bride.” He leaned forward and bumped the tip of his snout against her cheek affectionately.
That was the first time he’d called her his bride, and her smile grew brighter.
She leaned into his bony skull to return his touch.
“And you are wonderful, my big, beautiful Duskwalker.”
“Beautiful?” He reared his head back as dark yellow seeped into his orbs. He lifted his hand to touch at the wolfish skull of his face. “You are beautiful, Reia. I look like a monster.”
Her brows knitted while her eyes bowed to hear him call himself that.
“I disagree. I think you look lovely. You have an otherworldly, ethereal kind of beauty, Orpheus, and I’m so glad I allowed myself to see it.” She rose herself enough so that she could place her lips against one of his largest fangs.
“You are also very sweet, and I fell for you because of who you are.”
His orbs turned a reddish-pink in embarrassment, and she couldn’t stop herself from laughing. So damn sweet.
“Here, let me show you.”
