Costin stood and placed her on the bed. He stepped back and pulled his shirt over his head, discarding it on the floor. Sally’s breath caught in her throat\ at his chiseled chest and abdomen.  In that moment she was very glad for the black gown, no matter how naked it made her feel. Costin was beautiful and she wanted to be beautiful for him.

He pulled her up onto her feet and sat on the bed, pulling her down onto his lap. He brushed the hair back from her shoulder and neck and nuzzled her just below her ear. He took a deep breath and reveled in her scent. Mine, the scent told him. She was his. He felt his wolf pushing forward and knew his eyes were glowing.

“Do you want me to go first?” he asked her, his lips so close to her neck that she shuddered as his warm breath caressed her skin. She nodded, speechless.

“Is it going to hurt?” she whispered.

Costin kissed her skin and his tongue darted out, tasting her. Sally let out a soft moan.

“I will be gentle,” he told her as his hand wandered up from her hip and across her back and back down. He pulled her tighter against him and with his other hand he reached up and tilted her head to the side, exposing her neck. He trailed his nose down her jawline to her neck and shoulder, letting out a low growl.

Sally let out a gasp as she felt Costin’s teeth sink into her flesh, but relaxed when she felt him suck. She felt the pull of her blood from her body and sank deeper into him. Sally had never really felt sexy, but in that moment, with Costin’s lips against her skin, his hand on her hip, tightening and pulling her close – hearing him moan and a low rumble emanating from his chest –  in that moment she felt sexy.

Costin fought his desire for his mate as he swallowed her blood. He was marking her and that would be enough for now. He wouldn’t lie and say he didn’t want or need her. He needed her like he needed air and he knew he would never get enough of her. Relishing the thought that he had the right to hold her, he heard her moan and thought how easy it would be to seduce her. He wouldn’t, but he looked forward to the day that he could.

As he pulled back from her neck, she felt his tongue trace a path from just below her ear to just below her collarbone; she felt the rise and fall of her chest as she tried to catch her breath.

Costin leaned over and grabbed a towel, dipping it in the warm water. He wiped it across the bite mark, then kissed the tender spot.

“Are you okay?” he asked her.

Sally’s eyes fluttered open as she tried to regain some semblance of control. She let out a breath and took in another, doing it over and over until she could finally talk and sound somewhat normal, instead of like a love-stuck teenager.

“That was -” she paused, trying to find just the right word, but couldn’t so settled for, “interesting.”

Costin chuckled. “I was going to say incredible, but interesting works.”

Sally blushed. “I didn’t expect it to feel good.”

“You liked it?”

Sally ducked her head. “Did you?”

Costin placed his lips next to her ear and whispered, “I loved it.” He shifted her on his lap so that she could reach his neck more easily.

“How am I supposed to bite you, Costin? I don’t have sharp, pointy teeth like you.” Sally was nervous She knew it was important to complete the blood rites, but also knew that her human teeth were blunt and wouldn’t break the skin as easily as his teeth had.

Costin’s brow furrowed. “I think that the Great Luna has probably worked that out somehow. Let’s just give it a try and see what happens.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she told him sincerely.

Costin brushed her hair from her face. “I’m pretty tough, Sally mine. I think I can handle it.”

Sally leaned forward and kissed his lips gently. Costin held still. She wasn’t one for initiating physical intimacy and he didn’t want to scare her off. Boldly, she trailed kisses from his lips across his jaw and down his neck. Costin tilted his head back, his neck available for her exploration. She licked his skin tentatively and he moaned, pulling her closer to him.

Sally decided not to over think what she was about to do and gave herself over to the emotion behind the act. She sunk into the deep conviction that Costin was meant for her and she for him, that they were destined for one another and this was right, that this was meant to be and because of that, it would work itself out. She enjoyed the feel of his body pressed to hers, reveled in his hands roving over her.

Finally, she opened her mouth and to her surprise, her teeth sank easily into his skin. She felt the warm liquid flood her mouth and nearly gasped. Expecting a metallic taste, instead she was rewarded with a sweet taste that spurred her on. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, drawing another moan from her mate.

After several minutes she felt Costin pushing her back gently. Sally pulled away and closed her eyes. She should be sickened by her actions she was sure, but she couldn’t be. She was too engrossed in the emotions rolling through her. Costin grabbed another towel and after wetting it, handed it to her so she could wipe his neck. She watched the wound begin to heal itself rather quickly.

Costin leaned forward and kissed away tears that she hadn’t realized had begun to fall.

“What’s wrong, my love?” Costin asked quietly.

Sally shook her head and tried to hide her face in his chest, but he would have none of it. He tilted her chin up to look at him and looked intently into her eyes, searching for the reason behind the emotions.

“Tell me, Sally, what are you thinking? Why the tears, beautiful?”

“I just didn’t expect it to be so intense, so intimate and right.”

Costin nodded. “I understand what you mean. It seems even more intimate than making love to you would be.”

Sally nodded in agreement.

“Are we – okay?” Costin asked, unsure.

Sally smiled sweetly. “Yes, my love, we are better than okay.”

Costin let out a deep breath and drew her to him. He held her face gently as he kissed her thoroughly. In response, she opened her mouth, allowing him to explore the inside. Costin pulled her down next to him on the bed, never breaking their kiss.

They kissed, talked, and kissed some more as the night wrapped around them, cocooning them in darkness. They didn’t allow themselves to think about the things that were outside their door. They didn’t talk about all that was to come or not to come. They didn’t allow the evil in the world to penetrate the safety of this time.