Just as my eyes focus on the Niressa’s legs spread before me, my gaze trailing down her stomach to finally land on her pussy, a wet heat closes around my own clit and my eyes roll back in my head.
Niressa growls against my pussy as her tongue lashes against me, pushing me deeper into this frenzied inferno growing between us. I bend down, moaning against her clit as my tongue swirls against her.
“Fuck,” she gasps, slipping a finger into my core. My hips grind down against her as I latch onto the sensitive bundle of nerves, flicking my tongue against her over and over without mercy.
Her fingers slide from my pussy, rubbing smooth wet circles over my ass and I groan as she pushes inside me. My breath stutters and I slam my two fingers into her core, whimpering as she fucks my ass, pounding me while she laps at my pussy.
“Oh Gods,” I whimper. “I can’t—”
“Come with me,” she begs, her voice husky, full of need.
My eyes clamp shut as I curl my fingers into her g-spot, my fingers petting the precious spot over and over as the tip of my tongue dances over her clit.
Niressa shudders, her core clenching around my fingers. Her hand shakes as her orgasm sweeps through her and the subtle vibration against my sensitive entrance sends me over. I roll my hips down against her face, whimpering as the first waves of pleasure crash through me.
My back arches as tiny aftershocks of pleasure burst through my core and I roll away from Niressa, panting. I cover my pussy with my hand, staring up at the ceiling as I wipe my face with the other. “Gods,” I mutter, shivering through the twitches as they wrack my body.
Niressa chuckles, her fingers finding those of my free hand. My head tilts to the side and I press my lips to the outside of her thigh, smiling.
“Well,” I laugh. “That was quite the reunion.”
Niressa pulls on my hand until I slowly move up beside her, laying my head on her chest. “It was,” she whispers.
As I lay there, my head cradled on her shoulder as get comfortable, I realize something looks different about her. Her cheeks seem sallow where they usually glowed. Even her hair lacks the luster it usually sports in the curls toppling around her head, spilling over the pillow. Guilt tears at my chest that I didn’t notice before, too distracted by my own needs.
“Niressa, what’s wrong?” I ask. I’m sure I know the answer. I’m sure she’s angry with me for leaving. And I can’t fault her for those feelings. We both knew I would have to leave eventually and return to Vanir, but I didn’t even get to say goodbye.
Even if I had, she might still be upset.
I’m fairly certain I still would be.
“Is there any room for me in your life?” she whispers, her fingers gently caressing my arm. She doesn’t look at me, just stares up at my ceiling as the question hangs between us.
“What do you mean?”
“Can we ever be together?”
I purse my lips, trying to find the words I want. I’ve wondered the same thing. I feel something for Niressa—something that goes beyond the earth shattering orgasms and easy smiles. There’s something about her that pulls at me, begs me to be close to her. But do I have room for her in my life?
I have no doubts that I do, for Niressa the woman. Niressa the dragon, however, that’s more complicated. How will my people react if they find out?
And the duality of her nature is a secret. So, if she were to stay here in Vanir with me . . . she would be forced to live a lie. Can I really ask that of her? Of anyone?
Niressa tenses beside me and I realize my silence has stretched on too long as I contemplate my answer. With a heavy sigh, I roll over, bracing myself on her chest so I can peer down into her bright pink eyes.
“I would like nothing more than to have you here with me. But I don’t know if you’d be comfortable living somewhere where you would have to constantly hide who—and what—you are. I don’t want to be selfish—”
“You’re ashamed of me,” she sighs, pushing me off her chest as she rises from the bed.
“Niressa,” I murmur, holding out my hand. “That’s not it.”
“I thought I could change things by coming here, by talking to you, Tiny Treasure. And for a moment, I felt better. But knowing you can never allow me into your strange little piece of the world was more detrimental. I shouldn’t have asked.” Her dejected look twists my heart and I reach for her, wishing I could help ease this pain somehow. This doesn’t seem like her. She seems far less calm, far less reserved than normal.
As Niressa walks toward the balcony, my pulse skyrockets, my heartbeat thudding in my ears. Anger, worry, fear, and resentment all pulse through me, fighting for dominance in my chest.
“You think so lowly of me?” I snap.
“No,” Niressa sighs, shaking her hair as she rights her dress. “I think nothing—”
“Do you feel like I used you, Niressa?” I ask, my eyes going wide. “Like I left your bed empty after a night of strong connection? Do you feel that way?”
“Taryn—”
“Answer the question,” I plead, grabbing a pillow and bringing it into my lap.
Niressa’s face twists, her eyes rolling shut as she considers her words. But I can already see them on her face, in the way she winces at the question.
“I feel like it was a mistake to get so attached to you,” she admits. “I can’t keep you.”
“I’m not an object,” I sigh, shaking my head. “But I have room in my heart for you . . . there’s something here.”
“But you can’t have me in your life.” She doesn’t word it as a question and the way her lip curls, her head shaking with disgust as she turns to leave again enrages me.
“How dare you judge me,” I screech. “How dare you hold the life you knew I lived against me. I’d gladly welcome you here, to court, to Vanir, to my bed. All of it. You have secrets you can’t share with the world—and trust me, I understand your reasonings after some of the things I’ve heard—but you can’t lay that at my feet when it’s yours.”
Niressa’s step falter as her hand slips through the curtain and falls on the handle that leads to the balcony. I watch as her shoulders slump, as her hand twists the handle, and a rage fills me like none other I’ve ever experienced.
“If you leave now, don’t come back,” I whisper, fury punctuating my words with each squeeze of the pillow in my lap. “If you walk away from this truth, from this honesty, instead of trying to come to a compromise that works for both of us, do not ever come back. And don’t fault me for it either,” I hiss as she turns around, her lips parting with angry words I don’t give her time to speak. “Don’t you dare sit on your mountain and fault me for your own foolish pride. If you do this, do it bearing the weight of that decision and make sure you’re happy with it, Niressa.” My hands shake as I watch her mouth open and close again, as if she can’t find the words to say. Or thought better of the ones she found.
“You’re right,” she whispers, tilting her chin in the air, her severe gaze meeting mine. “I can’t live as your secret.” And with that, she walks away, disappearing from my sight as the curtain swishes behind her, the sound of the balcony door shutting all too loudly in the quiet room.