Filed To Story: Spit or Swallow: Kiss Of The Basilisk
So she opened her eyes.
Thick, black smoke filled the cave. It choked her throat and forced tears down her cheeks. A dark mass came into view in front of her. Even when she squinted, she couldn’t make out his full shape.
Tem.
His voice was in her mind, in her body. It was everywhere.
“Caspen,” she said in return.
At his name, the claw pulsed, and Tem let out a desperate whimper.
It was so much stronger than usual-as if his true form allowed his power to operate at full force.
“Again,” she pleaded.
Another pulse came, more intense than the first. Tem cried out as her clitoris throbbed with pain instead of pleasure.
Beautiful.
One word. But it was all she needed.
Tem’s hand went between her legs, pressing on the claw, fortifying their connection. The smoke skimmed over her skin in whorls and eddies, brushing her hair from her shoulders and exposing her breasts. She arched her back, wanting him to see that she would do anything-withstand anything-for him. His next words filled the cave, penetrating every inch of the air:
I could eat you alive.
“I could let you.”
Something was blossoming within her-something real.
Tem was seconds away from coming. She raised her hand, reaching for him. At first, there was only smoke. Then her fingers found purchase, brushing against the same scales she had felt earlier. She shifted forward, pressing her naked body against his.
Tem knew immediately that she had gone too far.
Caspen let out a roar of agony that nearly popped her eardrums. It echoed around the cave as Tem scrambled backward, shielding her head with her hands. She could see his outline shrinking into the smoke. He was transitioning again-returning to his human form. Scales became skin; spikes became muscle. Tem felt the temperature drop as he retreated even farther, curling away from her into the darkness.
“Caspen,” Tem started. “I’m sorry-“
Before she could finish, the smoke cleared, and there was once more a man kneeling in front of her. Sweat ran in delicate rivulets down his chest, dripping along the hard lines of his torso. The firelight shone on his glistening body, making him appear as if he were glowing. His cock still had her blood on it.
“Caspen?” Tem whispered.
He looked at her, and she went cold at the fury in his eyes.
“What were you thinking?” he hissed.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean what were you thinking? I could have killed you.”
“But you didn’t.”
“That fact is nothing short of a miracle. You should have done as you were told. You should have left.”
“I couldn’t leave you-“
“I cannot control myself when I am wearing my true form, Tem. You have no idea the danger you were in.”
“You obviously can-” She reached for him, but he jerked away.
“You are a foolish, reckless girl. You do not follow instructions, and you do not use your brain.” Caspen stood, crossing to her dress and throwing it down in front of her. “Get dressed,” he said. “And go.”
He was shutting her out. She couldn’t bear it. Not again.
“Caspen,” she whispered. “Don’t do this.”
“I will only tell you one more time. Leave.”
“Caspen, please.”
But he refused to look at her.
Tem blinked away tears. She pulled her dress on gingerly, trying not to use her right hand, which was still bleeding. She was almost at the entrance of the cave when she heard her name.
“Tem.”
She turned. Caspen was behind her.
“Give me your hand,” he said quietly.
Tem hesitated. Then she held out her hand, and he took it in his, unfolding her fingers so they were splayed open. Tem winced as he did so, and his eyes flicked up to hers before immediately returning to her palm. Her skin was red and raw, tiny drops of blood seeping to the surface between her freckles.
Caspen didn’t say a word. He simply placed his palm over hers, and she felt a pulse transfer through his hand. Unlike the hot, lingering ones he sent her through the claw, this one was cool and soothing, and the fireplace dimmed for a brief moment before the pulse disappeared. When Caspen lifted his hand, her palm was smooth and healed.
“Thank you,” Tem whispered. She curled her fingers tentatively, surprised to see there was no lingering pain.
Caspen didn’t reply. He merely turned and disappeared into the shadows.
With no other option, Tem left.
It was the first time in a long time that Caspen hadn’t walked her to the head of the trail, and she felt his absence deeply. Tem had no idea where they stood after tonight. She couldn’t understand why everything had gone so wrong-it felt like things had progressed in a way they never had before. Clearly, they were connected on an unprecedented level. Tem had never heard of anyone else bonding with their basilisk like this. There were so many unfinished conversations between them-so many frayed threads that led nowhere. It was nothing short of torture. But each time they got closer, Caspen pushed her away.
By the time Tem got home, she was in the depths of despair.
Her mother was already in bed, and Tem had no desire to lie in the dark with nothing but her thoughts for company. Instead, she walked out to the garden, sitting on her favorite bench and looking up at the stars. She saw the Alpha Serpentis-the brightest star in the Serpens. It was supposed to shine brightest for the viewer when they needed it most, and tonight, Tem felt as if it were shining just for her.
She wondered if Caspen was looking up at these same stars. Or perhaps he had simply retreated beneath the mountain and removed her from his mind entirely. But Tem refused to believe that. It didn’t seem possible that he wasn’t thinking about what had happened tonight-that he wasn’t thinking about her. Surely, their connection wasn’t one-sided.
Tem decided it was time to find out.
She closed her eyes and concentrated, saying his name in her mind as forcefully as she could:
Caspen.
Silence.
But Tem was determined. She would not let things end like this-she needed to know that what they had was worth repairing. So she said his name again, this time crying it out in her mind: Caspen!
Silence.
When Tem opened her eyes, they were filled with tears. Perhaps she shouldn’t have bothered; perhaps communication with Caspen was contingent on his consent, and she was wasting her time trying to speak to someone who didn’t wish to speak to her.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.