Characters and dialogue belong to Karen Chance. This is my version of Pritkin's POV of the latter part of chapter 26 of Hunt the Moon, the healing scene in the back of the car. (Oh yeah, that one.) Contains no specific spoilers but since you only get one chance to experience this scene for the first time, I recommend you read the real thing first. :) This scene is pretty smutty so please leave now if you're not into that.
pain pain hurt dying pain dragon kill burn pain
Pain.
PAIN.
Pleasure?
pleasure feed beautiful power yes save me pleasure power pain don't stop yesssss
stop.
stop.
Stop.
STOP.
It was with the last shreds of willpower available to me that I wrestled control of my body from my demon. I still wasn't quite clear on where I was, who I was with, or what was happening, but I knew that whatever had Emrys so...stimulated couldn't be good for me. I quickly took stock of my situation. Back on fire. Clothes mostly destroyed. Where was my potion belt? And whose hands...
Cassie. And it all flooded back in a rush. The dragon, the chase, the pain. Dragon's blood. I was most likely dying. But Cassie...
She all but glowed with heat, with desire. And she was currently doing her best to divest me of my jeans. I grabbed her hand and held her fast. "You don't want this."
She didn't say anything, just wrapped her hand around my neck and tried to bring me closer for a kiss. I couldn't let her do that - couldn't let her offer herself up as a sacrifice just to save my worthless life when her life was the one that mattered. I took her other hand too, pinning her to the seat. That seemed to be all the strength I had, though, as I didn't do anything else but loom over her and stare, wanting so badly to just give in and take her. Take all that glorious power and drink it down, drink her in.
I had to focus. "Cassie, was Rosier here? Did he do something to you to make you like this?" The bastard had probably put her under a compulsion again. She didn't seem to realize I was talking to her, she just ate me up with her eyes and I swear I could feel her touching me, even though I had her held motionless. Then she wrapped a leg around me, leaned in, and...
"Cassie, please..." Her mouth on my chest was like a brand, claiming me for her own. She ignored my pleas and bit down harder and I couldn't stop myself from crying out, couldn't stop the craving that rippled through my body. She leaned into me again and her nipples brushed my chest and oh god. oh god oh god oh god oh...
Somehow I forced it down. "Cassie!" I grabbed her face, trying to get her attention, to get her to focus on me rather than the sensations flowing over us. "You've been influenced. Do you understand? Remember how it felt before?"
She didn't respond, just struggled against my grip. When it gained her nothing, she cried out, such a desperate, hungry sound.
I sensed a presence. Rosier. I'd rip him limb from limb, if only the bastard would materialize. I cursed. "What did you do to her?"
His voice was amused. "What do you think?" Laughter. Bastard. "You know, you really should help the poor girl."
So that's what he'd done. Dammit. Damn him to hell and back. "Stay out of this." I barely recognized my voice. Cassie just whimpered below me, and her need washed over me again.
"If I had, you'd be dead," Rosier replied. "You're welcome, by the way," he said as he faded out. I was already ignoring him, focusing on Cassie.
I couldn't tell her how I felt about her. She was with Mircea, and I couldn't interfere. I was just her bodyguard; she deserved so much better than me. But I could give her this. I could show her - with my hands and my fingers and my lips and my tongue - exactly what she meant to me.
I let go of her hands and reached for her feet. I removed her shoes, then ran my hands upward. She reached for me, but I wanted this to be all about her and her pleasure. "No. Stay still." I had unconsciously used my command voice, and she immediately complied, falling back against the seat, breathing heavily. I returned to my task.
My hands were rough against her perfect, smooth skin. The friction was heavenly as I brushed the backs of her knees, sliding slowly up, up her thighs, to the shorts that were in my way. I kept going until I reached the waistband, then I paused. I wanted her to see me, to see who was undressing her. Her eyes locked on mine, and she must have liked whatever she saw because a fine tremor rippled through her body.
I slowly, slowly slid the shorts down her legs and off. She was wearing yet another pair of tiny lace panties with a delicate little bow. God. I fought to keep Emrys in check, my body quivering with the strain. I reached to move her legs apart, and she made a sound of desire that was barely human, so low it almost seemed to come from her chest. Emrys and I both liked that.
I leaned over and simply breathed her in. I explored her scent, how strong it was in some places and how faint in others. I wanted to memorize every second of this, every inch of her. Goose bumps broke out on her skin wherever my breath ghosted over it, and soon she was writhing underneath me.
I had to taste her, to make sure it was as good as I remembered. My mouth closed over her belly, just above the top of those flimsy little panties. And no, she didn't taste like I remembered...but infinitely sweeter. She tasted of sweat and magic and Cassie, my Cassie. Her hands plunged into my hair and I savored the sensation of those delicate fingers on my scalp. I managed to maintain some measure of control as I sampled her thighs, and moved upward to the sensitive junction of her hip. She liked that too - a low moan escaped her and she tried to move again.
"Stop," I said, and my voice actually sounded normal, even a bit amused. I bit down, just a nip, just enough for her to feel it. She melted, boneless, and I continued my exploration. I feasted on her hips, her abdomen, finally working my way back to that scrap of fabric. I had a sudden impulse, and smiled as I gripped the lace in my teeth and tugged...down, down, and off.
I spared a glance at her and she just stared blankly at me, something like amazement on her face. I bent back down so she wouldn't see the satisfaction on mine. My mouth returned to her flesh, tracing patterns and runes and symbols with my tongue. I stopped just above her center, on bare, smooth skin that tasted just like honey. Her hands found my hair again and she tried to move my head just that small distance further. I wasn't ready for that, though - I wanted her out of control with need first. She was almost there, but not quite. I nestled in, tormenting her with gentle pressure. It didn't take long.
There. That sound. That deep, rough sound ripped from her throat, that turned my name into a plea. I wasn't sure why but I liked that she called me Pritkin. It wasn't my name any more than John was, but no one else ever called me just that. It was our thing, just ours. I responded by moving my mouth to her core, worshiping her with it. She shuddered and I felt it move through me, like we were sharing each other's skin. My breath hitched, and I hissed out "Yes." Or maybe that was her; I couldn't tell anymore where she left off and I began. I tightened my hands on her hips and picked up the pace, waging an all-out assault on her senses. My tongue dove deeper, my mouth opened wider, and I forced her legs further apart. She responded beautifully, her body telling me exactly what she needed.
Like...
...oh yes, that. I gently bit down and was rewarded with a surge of pleasure, of power. She cried out and I went deeper, and again closed my teeth on her tender flesh. That was it. She exploded around me, and all I could do was hold on and ride it out. Beautiful, wonderful power flowed out of her and into me, and I suddenly realized I was no longer in any pain. I groaned in ecstasy, and her body responded with another pulse of sweet pleasure. I drank it down, all of it, and the sensations nearly overwhelmed me. Somehow, somehow, I managed to stop feeding without completely draining her.
"God-" her voice cracked and she couldn't say anything else. I just reached for her and held her tightly, her head against my chest, my hand in her hair, as I tried not to think about the feelings coursing through me. Tried to convince myself that she didn't feel the same way; it was only Rosier's compulsion that made her want me. Because anything else might just drive me mad, for real this time.
So instead I just held her, savoring the moment before reality reasserted itself, before everything went to hell again.
So that's my take on what was going through Pritkin's mind in the car. I'd love to know your thoughts!