Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
“Of course, of course,” Dr. TOo-loo agreed quickly. “Come, T’linga—let’s leave them alone.”
The two of them slipped from the room, the door sliding shut behind them.
Brandt came back to her side, sitting heavily on the bed. He cupped the back of her head in one big palm and showed her the vial. The blue liquid shimmered under the lamplight.
“All right now, sweetheart,” he rumbled, his voice low and reassuring. “I think we have something here that’s really going to help you.”
Lexi’s eyes widened. Relief surged through her chest so fast she almost sobbed.
“Oh thank God,” she whispered, reaching for it with a trembling hand.
But instead of pouring it on her or pressing it to her lips, Brandt uncorked the vial—and lifted it to his own mouth.
Lexi froze, her hand suspended in the air, as she watched him tip back his head…and drink the glowing blue liquid down in three long swallows.
33
BRANDT
Brandt set the empty vial aside, feeling the faint warmth of the blue liquid spreading through his veins. Already, he could taste it on his tongue—sharp and metallic, but with an underlying sweetness. Dr. TOo-loo’s words echoed in his mind—
“Once filtered through your system with the help of the Bacillus Aurum, the compound turns your saliva into a solvent. Applied generously with the tongue, it will dissolve the bonds formed by the bonding nubs and release the metal officer without tearing her delicate tissues.”
He just hoped Alexandra would be willing to let him do what was necessary.
He put down the empty vial and turned back to her. She was curled on her side, her arms wrapped around herself, her lovely eyes swollen from crying. His heart clenched at the sight.
“Alexandra,” he said softly, kneeling beside the bed. “I need you to listen to me for a moment. I know you’re in pain, but I think I have a way to help you.”
She blinked up at him, her bottom lip trembling.
“How?” she whispered. “How are you going to get it out without hurting me?”
“The liquid I drank,” he explained gently, brushing a lock of damp hair from her forehead. “It has to be processed through my body before it becomes active. Once it does, my saliva acts as a solvent. If I use my mouth on you—if I lick you and coat the officer—I can dissolve the bonds and ease it out without tearing you any further.”
Her breath caught. Heat flared in her cheeks, and she looked at him with wide eyes.
“You mean…you’d have to put your mouth…there?”
“Of course.” He met her gaze steadily, letting her see nothing but honesty in his eyes. “That’s exactly what I mean.”
Her beautiful face crumpled with shame.
“You don’t want to do that,” she whispered quickly. “You don’t have to. I know it’s gross. Greg—my ex—he always said…he didn’t…” She swallowed hard, her voice breaking. “He was disgusted by the idea. He told me it was dirty, that it wasn’t something men should have to do. But of course he still expected me to, you know, please him. He just didn’t want anything to do with me that way.”
Her cheeks turned dull red as she explained.
Rage flickered in Brandt’s chest—not the Berserker kind, but a colder fury. No wonder she was so unsure of her beauty if she’d had a mate who made her feel ugly and disgusting!
He leaned closer, stroking her hair back with infinite gentleness.
“Alexandra, listen to me. Your ex-mate was a fool—a selfish, ignorant fool. There is nothing dirty about you. Nothing.”
She blinked at him, fresh tears shining in her eyes.
“Really? Because he made me feel so…I can’t even talk about it.”
“For my people,” Brandt continued softly, “For the Kindred, the taste of our female’s honey is life. We have a biological need to pleasure our mate this way. It feeds something inside us—something deep and hungry that only she can satisfy. To deny that hunger would be unthinkable. To call it disgusting is…” His jaw clenched. “It’s cruelty, pure and simple.”
He let his hand trail down, cupping her cheek.
“I haven’t felt that hunger since my wife died. I thought I never would again. But now…” His eyes locked with hers, heat and tenderness swirling in his chest. “Now I feel it strongly. And it’s not only the solvent in my system that makes me want to do this. It’s you, little Lexi. My need to protect you…to heal you…to worship every part of you.”
“That’s just…it’s really hard to believe.” She let out a shaky breath, her gaze darting away.
Brandt felt like she was squeezing his heart in her small fist. How could he make her believe he wanted to do this—that he ached to do it?
“It breaks my heart that you’re hesitant, that someone made you feel ashamed of yourself,” he murmured, stroking her cheek gently. “Your pussy”—he said the word deliberately, making her flush—“Is a beautiful part of you. It deserves to be touched…kissed…licked…worshiped. And that’s exactly what I intend to do. Slowly and carefully. Until you’re healed completely and we can slide that fucking thing out of you without hurting you.”