Playing Their Parts: A Kindred Tales Novel

by Anderson, Evangeline

  “So much better.” She sighed and laid her head on his chest trustingly. “Mmm, this is nice. I like being close to you.”

  “I like being close to you, too, sweetheart,” Stone murmured, the endearment slipping out before he could stop it. Cassandra didn’t seem to mind, though. She smiled and snuggled closer to him, her bare breasts coming out of the water to show the ripe tips of her nipples.

  Stone tried not to look. The rough sex they’d had back on Bachanalius hadn’t done anything for him—especially considering he knew he was hurting his partner as he did it. But the sight of her curled in his arms like a sleepy kitten, unashamed of her beautiful body, so trusting and naked, made his shaft ache with desire.

  “You’re so beautiful, Cassandra,” he murmured, unable to help himself. “So perfect in every way.”

  She gave him an uncertain smile.

  “Thank you, Stone. I could say the same.”

  “Really?” he asked, surprised. “You think I am attractive?”

  “How could I not?” She gave an embarrassed little laugh. “I mean, you’re built like a Greek god!”

  “What gods did the Greeks worship?” Stone asked, frowning. He was trying to remember Earth cultures and religions but there were so many of them he sometimes got them confused. The Kindred only worshiped the Goddess, but humans had all kinds of deities they called on.

  “What gods? Oh, Zeus…Apollo…” Cassandra frowned. “Although with your hair and eye color, I think you probably look more like Thor. If you had a beard, I mean.”

  “Really? You want me to grow a beard?” Stone asked. He would do it for her, if she really wanted him to—he would do anything he could to please her.

  “Not really.” She laughed again. “You’re fine without one. More than fine.” Reaching up, she stroked his cheek. Stone turned his face and placed a soft kiss in her palm, making her sigh. “Stone,” she murmured. “There’s something I want to ask you, only I don’t want to, uh, impose on you.”

  “Nothing you could ask would be an imposition,” Stone assured her. “Ask, Cassandra.”

  “Well…” She nibbled her lush lower lip. “I’ve heard that Blood Kindred can heal with their essence—is that right?”

  Stone nodded. “Yes, that’s right. It’s the reason I bit you so many times on Bachanalius. I was hoping my essence would lessen the burning you felt.”

  “It did.” Cassandra said earnestly. “It was like a soothing, cool river flowing over me and putting out the flames—it was wonderful. But, well…” She shifted in his arms and winced. “I’m kind of having a different kind of pain right now.”

  Stone frowned.

  “You mean you’re in pain because I was rough with you.”

  “Because you had to be,” she reminded him again.

  “That doesn’t matter—you are still in pain,” Stone growled, frowning.

  “Then why don’t you heal me?” Cassandra demanded in apparent exasperation. “Heal me with your essence, Stone—like you did when you bit me.”

  He frowned again.

  “In order to heal the places you are injured, I could not simply bite you. I would need to lick you and spread my essence to your injured areas with my tongue.”

  Cassandra’s cheeks went pink and her breathing sped up. At the same time, her pupils dilated—a sign of desire, Stone thought.

  “I don’t mind that if you don’t,” she said softly.

  Stone felt his cock surge and was glad for the waters of the bathing pool which were hiding his reaction. He wanted desperately to heal her—to taste her—but he knew he shouldn’t.

  You might not be able to stop with just healing her, he told himself sternly. You’ve bitten her so many times and there’s so much of your essence in her it’s going to be very difficult not to want to Claim her and bond her too.

  But the shy, hopeful look on Cassandra’s lovely face was too much to resist.

  “If you would really like me to heal you,” he told her. “Then we must get out of the bathing pool and dry off.”

  “All right.” She nodded eagerly. “I’m ready.”

  Shouldn’t be doing this, Stone told himself again.

  But instead of listening, he reached for a towel.

  Sixty-One

  Cassie hoped she was doing the right thing. Should she really take Kat’s advice and ask her partner to heal her with his tongue?

  But it was too late to take it back now. They were both out of the pool and Stone was drying her off as carefully as though she was fine china that might break if he handled her too roughly.

  This is how he wants to treat me—to touch me, Cassie realized as he finished on one leg and started on the other. Gently, with care and love and tenderness. That’s one reason it was so hard on him to be so rough back at the palace. That’s why he feels so guilty.

  Well, maybe she could help ease his guilt by letting him treat her the way he had always wanted to. She held out her arms and let her partner dry her completely and then Stone swung her up and carried her back into the bedroom. Laying her gently on the bed, he looked into her eyes.

  “I’ll start with the bruises I made on your hips and thighs, sweetheart,” he murmured. “And then move down. Let me know if you want me to stop for any reason.”

  “All right, Stone,” she whispered as he moved down her body. But inside, she was vowing that she wouldn’t stop him for anything. They were finally headed in the right direction—she wanted the momentum to continue.

  Stone’s tongue felt warm and soothing against the bare skin of her hips. He healed her with long, slow licks, as though he was savoring the taste of her skin. Cassie watched in surprise as the dark bruises that had formed after the big Kindred had gripped her there, began to fade.

  “That’s amazing!” she exclaimed, when the bruises were all gone. “I can’t believe your essence healed me so completely.”

  “That is what it is for—to heal the female I care for,” he murmured, looking up. “Are you ready for me to heal you lower now, Cassandra?”

  Cassie bit her lip, feeling herself clench with desire. The hot bath had worked wonders for her but she still ached inside… She longed to feel his tongue soothing those aches and pains.

  “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, Stone—please heal me.”

  “As you wish,” he murmured and laid a soft kiss on her hip bone.

  Then he began to work his way down, kissing a soft, ticklish trail down her belly until he came to the apex of her sex.

  “Spread your thighs for me, sweetheart,” he murmured, looking up with half-lidded eyes. “Let me heal inside you.”

  “Yes, Stone,” she whispered, spreading her legs obediantly.

  He frowned at what he saw, a look of regret coming over his face.

  “Your poor, soft little pussy. I was so rough with you!”

  “Then heal me,” Cassie whispered. “Heal me with your essence, Stone—heal me with your tongue.”

  “I don’t deserve to ever taste you again,” he murmured. “But the Goddess knows I want to.”

  “Then do it.” Reaching for his head, Cassie tugged impatiently on his hair. “Heal me, Stone. I want…want to feel your tongue inside me,” she admitted breathlessly.

  His eyes were suddenly half-lidded again.

  “As you desire, Mistress. But it might take a while to heal you thoroughly. Why don’t you guide me to the places you need me most?”

  Cassie understood that he had liked it when she grabbed his hair. Hmm, so maybe her dominant partner had a bit of a submissive side too. Or maybe he just liked servicing her. Either way, she was completely there for it.

  “All right,” she murmured, tugging his hair again and tilting her pelvis up. “You can start by licking me here.”

  As she spoke, she pulled him down until his mouth finally came in contact with her aching pussy.

  Stone didn’t have to be told twice what to do. With a low groan of pure desire, he buried his face between her thighs and began to h
eal and taste her with long, slow laps of his tongue.

  “Oh!” Cassie gasped as his essence soothed her aches and pains and his tongue glided over her inner folds. Her hands fisted in his hair as she bucked her hips to get more of his tongue inside her.

  Stone didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, he growled hungrily and licked her deeper, thrusting his tongue into her inner channel and bathing her aching places with his essence as much as possible.

  Then Cassie tugged him up again and had him concentrate on her clit. She moaned and writhed against him as he sucked her tender little button between his lips and teased it sweetly with his tongue. Sparks of pleasure filled her body like fireworks and her breathing got faster as she gripped his head with both hands, straining against her partner’s mouth. Oh God, she was getting close…so close.

  But before she could get any closer, Stone looked up, his mouth and chin shiny with her juices.

  “Gods, sweetheart, you taste so good,” he growled, his eyes hot with desire. “But how do you feel?”

  “Much better,” Cassie assured him, panting. “Lick me some more, Stone. Please!”

  “In a moment, sweetheart. I need to know—are you all the way better? Are you completely healed?” Stone looked at her sternly, demanding an answer before he would go back to pleasuring her.

  “Well…” Cassie shifted her hips restlessly. “Maybe…maybe it still aches inside, a little,” she admitted.

  Stone frowned. “I was afraid of that. My essence can only do so much when applied topically. I might need to bite you again.”

  Cassie looked at him uncertainly.

  “But I thought you didn’t want to bite me?”

  He laughed ruefully.

  “I’ve already bitten you so much, it doesn’t matter. Unless you don’t want me to?” He raised his eyebrows.

  “Oh, no…” Cassie shook her head. “No, I don’t mind at all.” She still remembered the wonderful, cooling sensation she’d had when he injected her with his essence the first time. The blessed river of cold that had put out the fire. It wasn’t as amazing as feeling his tongue in her but if Stone felt like it was necessary to heal her completely, she was willing to let him do it.

  “Good.” He turned his attention back to her inner thighs, which were spread open for him. “Now let me see—where should I bite?”

  “You need to bite me there?” Cassie asked, frowning.

  “As near to the spot you’re in pain as possible,” Stone told her. “Is it more painful on the right or the left?”

  “I don’t know.” She shook her head. “It just hurts inside.”

  “Both thighs then,” Stone decided. “But perhaps the left first.”

  Nuzzling his cheek against her pussy, he opened his mouth wide and Cassie felt the sharp points of his fangs find the flesh of her inner thigh. Then, with a quick downward motion, her partner bit deep.

  Cassie gasped as her entire body stiffened in sudden overwhelming pleasure.

  “Oh!” she gasped as the orgasm she had been seeking rushed through her. “Oh, Stone…Stone!”

  He pulled back at once, looking up at her.

  “Cassandra, are you well?”

  “I…I’m more than well!” she managed to get out. “Stone, why didn’t you warn me? That was the most intense orgasm I’ve ever had in my life! It wasn’t like that when you bit me before.”

  He frowned.

  “Maybe because I was biting you to cool the burning you felt. And this time, while I was trying to heal you, I also wanted to give you pleasure.”

  “You certainly did that,” Cassie admitted. “Is…is it always like that? When you bite someone, I mean?”

  His eyes went half-lidded again.

  “I don’t know. Why don’t we find out?”

  And then he sank his fangs into her right inner thigh and Cassie cried out again, her hips bucking helplessly as another intense orgasm rushed through her. It was like being electrocuted with pleasure!

  “Stone! Oh God, Stone!” she moaned when he finally withdrew. “Warn a girl when you’re about to do that—you’ll give me a heart attack!”

  “I take it you received pleasure again?” Stone asked, giving her a knowing smile.

  “You know I did!” Cassie let out a breathless laugh. “To think I spent two years with you, not knowing I had a partner who was better than any vibrator I ever owned!”

  “I am glad my bite could bring you pleasure,” he murmured, kissing her inner thighs gently, and then rubbing his cheek against her pussy. He inhaled deeply, his eyes closing in apparent ecstasy. “Mmm, I love your scent—I could bathe in it!”

  “You smell pretty amazing to me, too,” Cassie admitted softly, thinking of what Kat and Liv had said about a Kindred only making his Bonding Scent for the woman he loved.

  She wanted to ask Stone if he felt that way about her, but she was still shy. But another idea came to her.

  “Stone,” she murmured, running her fingers through his thick hair. “I think I’m all healed inside now.”

  “Are you certain?” he asked, looking up to frown at her sternly. “You feel completely healed?”

  “Well…” Cassie nibbled her bottom lip. “We could always test it and find out.”

  His frown deepened.

  “And how would we do that?”

  “Well…” She stroked his hair again. “We could try having you inside me.”

  Stone shook his head.

  “After the way I used you on Bachanalius, I do not deserve to make love to you.”

  “Well, maybe I deserve it,” Cassie said crossly. “And maybe I want it—did you think of that?”

  Stone looked surprised at her demanding tone.

  “You really feel that way? You want me inside you again, despite how rough I was before?”

  “Look, Stone, there’s a time and a place for rough sex and that was definitely it,” Cassie told him. “But there’s a time for gentle sex too. For just holding each other and feeling you inside me.” She stroked his face. “I’d like that right now, with you. Do you want it?”

  “More than anything, sweetheart.” His voice was hoarse. “But I never thought…”

  “Stone? Shut up and make love to me.” She tugged at his broad shoulders. “Come on, let’s prove that you’ve healed me completely.”

  “Yes, Mistress.” Stone gave her one of his rare smiles. “Your wish is my command.”

  “Good—then roll over,” Cassie commanded. “This time, I’m in charge.”

  His eyes blazed with desire as he rolled onto his back for her, his thick cock standing up stiffly between his legs as though to prove how much he wanted her.

  Cassie wanted him too. Throwing a leg over his narrow hips, she straddled her partner and took his pulsing shaft in one hand. Fitting the broad head of his cock to the mouth of her pussy, she took a deep breath and sank down on him, impaling herself on his thickness.

  After the delicious tongue bath and all the intense orgasms he’d given her, Cassie was more than wet enough to take him. She moaned with pleasure as he slid inside her, stretching her inner walls to the limit until she felt the head of his cock kiss the mouth of her womb.

  “Mmm, Stone,” she whispered breathlessly. “Feels so good to have you inside me.”

  “It doesn’t hurt? You have no pain?” He looked at her anxiously.

  “None at all,” Cassie assured him. She wiggled her hips, getting him seated more deeply. “In fact, I think I’m going to take a little ride.”

  Stone gave her a half-lidded look of lust.

  “Mmm, sweetheart, you’re making me so fucking hard, talking like that! Go on a do it—fuck yourself on me.”

  His hot, dirty words excited Cassie as much as hers had excited him. With a challenging little smile, she raised herself up a few inches and then came down again, moaning in pleasure as she felt her partner fill her completely. Then she did it again…and again and again.

  Stone gave a low growl and gripped her hips—thou
gh much more gently than he had before. Holding her close, he joined her rhythm, building the delicious friction between them as Cassie took him in deep with every thrust.

  She didn’t know how long they rocked together, she only knew she could feel her pleasure building again as she rode Stone, her hands braced on the hard muscles of his abdomen.

  “Oh, oh, Stone,” she gasped. “I…I think I’m getting close!”

  “I am too, sweetheart.” His voice was ragged but it seemed that he was fighting to keep control. “But I think I’d better not come in you.”

  Cassie frowned.

  “Why…why not?”

  “Because…” Stone clenched his jaw. “There might still be some of the Amaryllis Fatalis serum left in your blood. I wouldn’t want you to be in pain again.”

  Cassie winced, remembering the awful searing pain. But then she had an idea.

  “Stone,” she said, “Maybe if…if you bit me at the same time you, you know, came in me, your essence would cancel out the Amaryllis serum.”

  His eyes widened for a moment.

  “But if I do that, if I bite you and fill you with my seed at the same time, I will bond you to me.”

  Cassie bit her lip. Well, here goes nothing!

  “I…I wouldn’t mind that,” she said shyly. “If…if you wouldn’t, Stone.”

  “Sweetheart…” Reaching up, he brought her down and held her to him. “Do you mean it?” he whispered hoarsely in her ear. “You’d let me bond you to me? Forever? For life?”

  “Yes, Stone.” Half laughing, half crying, she looked into his eyes. “I’d like that—I’d like it a lot. If you would too, I mean.”

  “It is all I have desired from the first time I dreamed of you,” he murmured, still looking deeply into her eyes. “Hold tight to me, sweetheart.”

  And then, in one motion, he flipped them over so that he was on top. Looking down into Cassie’s eyes, he stroked deep, increasing the tempo of their mutual rhythm as he thrust inside her.

  “Stone…” Cassie gasped. “Oh God, getting close…really close now.”

  “I am too, sweetheart,” he growled. “Bare your neck for me. Let me bite you as I fill you. Let me bond you to me.”

  “Yes.” Cassie turned her head to one side, offering the vulnerable side of her throat for his fangs, welcoming him in, wanting him with all her heart.