I have no update date on this story, I really am just posted after I finish a chapter. This one is my side project that I love having to come back to when I need a break. I do have a lot of ideas planned for this one, and a WHOLE lot of smut.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! xox

The city passed by, glimpses of the buildings and people going about their normal lives; but Dimitri took no notice of any of it. His eyes were only on Rose.

Since they left the house, there was an itch under his skin. While he was still new to it, he recognised what the feeling was. Desire— he wanted Rose.

Her eyes would shift to his only to wince and move back to the road. "What you're feeling… It should stop soon, or at least be less intense once there's distance between us."

Dimitri's body tensed. He didn't want any distance between them at all.

"Why did they say you claimed me? What does it mean?" Dimitri asked; a desperate hope that if he could keep them talking, she wouldn't just abandon him. An urge made him reach for her and rest his hand on her thigh.

Earlier, he had been driving with Rose bleeding in the seat beside him, and now she was driving him home. A thick blanket draped over the passenger seat so the blood wouldn't soak into his clothes.

Rose's fingers clenched around the wheel.

"When I bit you… I pushed some of my power into you. Now every demon will know that you're…" She paused, and guilt pulled at her expression, "mine."

Dimitri nodded, but Rose doubted he understood. She was reassured at least by the knowledge that the claim would fade; she just had to stay away from him.

They pulled up in front of Dimitri's apartment, and Rose helped Dimitri to his floor. He didn't need much help; the initial effects of the bite had faded. What lingered was the need to touch Rose. His hands would reach for her, letting his fingers trail down the skin of her arm and the back of her neck.

Rose caught his hand and pulled it back to his side, leading him into his apartment. She quickly scanned for any sign of his mother still there, but it was empty. There was a small pool of blood on the floor where she had been shot, but the gun was gone.

"Come on," Rose encouraged him, pulling him down the hall in search of his room. He had to be close to passing out after the amount of energy she had absorbed from him and then the claim. If he thought he was tired after their time in the church, he would be in for a surprise in the coming days.

Dimitri followed her willingly, wondering what she had in mind. The image of them sleeping in bed together crossed his mind—just sleeping, his arms curled around her. It brought a smile to his face.

"You should sleep and then eat when you wake up," Rose instructed once she found his room. She turned and faced him, grimacing at his dishevelled appearance. He experienced a lot of the demon world in one day. "I'm sorry you got dragged into all of that."

Rose began to unbutton Dimitri's shirt; he watched her. "So that's your father?" he asked, the curiosity of it all nagging at the back of his mind. He knew that man was dangerous and it made him feel protective of Rose.

"Yeah," she sighed. "I try to avoid him if I can."

"Did he really–" Dimitri paused, unsure of finishing his question.

Rose eyed him. "Did he really kill my mother?" She waited until Dimitri nodded before answering, "Yeah. Even if it hadn't been by his hand, it was his fault."

The question of what happened was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't bring himself to push for it. Again, Rose could read him easily.

"My mother was human. So technically, I'm only a half-demon," she explained as she continued to help him remove his clothes. "We didn't always get along, but at least she was around, unlike Abe. She was killed when I was eighteen."

"I'm sorry," Dimitri whispered. He brushed his knuckles down her cheek.

It felt intimate. It felt comforting. Rose stepped back and pushed Dimitri down onto his bed. "You need to sleep. I'll take care of everything out there."

"You don't have to," he tried.

Rose knew he wouldn't listen to her; the claim made him want to be close to her. She hated to do it but knew it was necessary. With a deep breath, Rose reached for Dimitri and cupped his face with her hands so he looked her in the eye.

"Dimitri," she began in a sweet voice.

Instantly, his eyes glazed over, and he was at her whim. "Yes, Roza," he breathed.

"I want you to go to sleep. Take care of yourself for the next couple of days. Can you do that for me?"

His brows furrowed, but eventually, he nodded. "I can do that."

"Good."

When she released him, Dimitri did as asked and laid down in his bed. It only took a couple of minutes until he fell asleep, but Rose remained there for longer. There was something about him that made her want to stay.

Claiming him was dangerous. While it gave him protection, it also brought Abe's attention. It would be better for Dimitri if she left him alone—he would be safer.

As she gazed down at his sleeping form, she wondered how she had managed to entangle herself with him so easily, to the point that pulling away from him distressed her.

She took one step and then another. With a final look, Rose walked out of his room and closed the door. She kept herself focused on completing tasks to keep herself from changing her mind.

It was best for Dimitri for her to be out of his life.

She told herself so over and over as she cleaned up the blood and then wrote him a note.

Don't look for me.

Four words to deter him scribbled at the bottom of the page. For a second, she considered crossing them out. She almost did but halted when the apartment door opened.

Rose spun around, on her guard, especially when Dimitri's mother entered.

Olena paused, staring at Rose with wide eyes. "You're still here," she gasped and reached for her bag.

Rose rushed forward and grabbed her wrist, preventing a repeat of earlier. "You know, I promised your son I would kill you if you tried anything again."

Fear filled Olena's face. "Where is Dimitri?"

The demand threw Rose, she had expected the fear to be for her own life, but his mother was only worried about him. With a huff, Rose released her. "He's sleeping. Make sure that he takes it easy for the next couple of days."

"You're leaving?"

Rose cocked her head to the side. "That's the plan as long as you don't try to shoot me again."

Olena stared at her, deciding if Rose was telling the truth. "Please, leave my son alone. You shouldn't be around him."

"What does it matter so much? I have no intention of hurting him if that's what you think," Rose snapped. She hated that that was always a person's first thought when they learned she was a demon.

It wasn't Dimitri's.

"Being near you will only make Dimitri's life harder," Olena explained. "Don't make things worse for him."

Four days passed until Rose couldn't hold herself back any longer.

She had tried her best to avoid Dimitri, even sneaking in to return his car keys after she had the interior cleaned for him. It took every ounce of her willpower to avoid searching him out. After all, she had told him to stay away—the least she could do was follow her own advice.

It might have been easier if her dreams weren't filled with images of him. For hours, Rose would sit and consider Olena's plea. Rather than convince Rose to stay away, it made her curious.

There was something different about Dimitri. And whatever it was, Olena knew about it.

On the fifth day, Rose gave in and went looking for him. As she sat low in the seat of her car, she told herself she wasn't stalking. Dimitri went through a lot in a short amount of time; Rose was just concerned for his well-being. She was just making sure he was okay.

She wasn't just watching him from afar and following him everywhere.

By the third day, Rose had learnt Dimitri's routine. He wasn't lying about stepping away from the church and was focused on working at a gym on the outskirts of the city. It was a large warehouse, with muscular men and women coming and going throughout the day.

At least she knew how Dimitri stayed in shape.

Rose walked towards the gym, staying away enough that she wouldn't be seen, but close enough that she could check on Dimitri.

It was a depressing level she had reached, and she hated that she kept returning. Dimitri was fine, and as far she could tell, completely human.

Demons gave off a scent—they oozed power; it was how they recognised each other among humans. Only the truly powerful demons could hide themselves, and she doubted Dimitri was one of them. That would mean he was stronger than her father, and that didn't fit with Dimitri.

He knew too little about the demon world to be able to use those powers.

Rose paused by the entrance of the gym, peering through the opening of the sliding metal door. A boxing ring sat in the middle of the gym, with equipment and mats against the four walls. It was a standard human gym.

She shook her head. Olena just didn't want her son around a demon—that's all there was to it.

"Thinking of joining?" a deep voice asked from beside her.

Rose jumped, backing up a step, and discovered herself face to face with Dimitri. He grinned at her, face red from working out and a sheen of sweat covering his body. He wasn't surprised to see her, instead, he was amused.

He tapped the brim of her hat. "This is a nice touch, though I think the hood you wore yesterday was better."

"What?" she gasped. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Dimitri hummed and gestured inside the gym. "Come on. I need to change."

Bewildered, Rose followed him. She had been careful about avoiding him. How did Dimitri know she was there?

They passed people working out, and Dimitri encouraged a few of them. Rose kept her head down not to draw more attention than she had; she could feel a pair of eyes burning in the back of her head.

Dimitri led her up the stairs to an office space. It was dated but organised. It didn't surprise her considering how clean his apartment had been. He pointed to the couch, "I'll be quick. Did you want anything?"

"I'm fine," she grumbled, irritated at herself for failing to do the one thing she was meant to. "So, how did you know I was there?"

He gathered a bag from the end of the couch, smirking at her before walking into the bathroom attached. "You are talented at many things, Roza, but blending in isn't one of them," he explained.

Though he mostly closed the door behind him, if she leaned back just enough on the couch, she could catch his reflection in the mirror. It hadn't been that long, but seeing his bare chest again filled her with desire.

Dimitri's eyes met hers in the mirror, and she quickly looked away.

"Any reason why you're stalking me?" he asked after a moment.

Rose scowled. "Who says I'm stalking you? I was just curious about if you were okay. That's all."

The bathroom door opened, and Dimitri reemerged in new clothes; he had applied deodorant, but his natural scent was still prominent. It made her think of when he exerted himself when they had sex. The image of him on his knees flashed in her mind.

He walked over to her and rested a hand on the back of the couch. He leaned down until their faces were close enough that she could feel his breath. "I could feel your eyes on me. I don't know how, but I knew you were nearby."

Rose's heart sped up. She reached for his neck and pushed his hair back; the bite mark had faded, and so should have the effect of the claim. He shouldn't be able to sense that she was near.

"I missed you," Dimitri admitted. "I honestly thought that you weren't going to come back."

Rose licked her lips, "I considered it. Thought it might be for the best."

Dimitri leaned close. "What made you change your mind?"

She hesitated. Why did she change her mind? "You intrigue me," she replied honestly.

Rather than close the distance between them, Dimitri stood back up and adjusted his shirt. "I'm glad. You intrigue me too."

"So, you're doing okay after…"

"I think so," he responded, then his cheeks tinted red. "The first couple of days were filled with a lot of thoughts about you."

"The claim does that," she explained. An awkwardness settled between them. Rose couldn't justify needing to check on him as a reason to still be around him, but she also couldn't bring herself to push for distance again—Especially when she couldn't even stay away.

Dimitri ran a hand through his hair, anything to keep himself from reaching for her. While the sinful dreams and thoughts he had about Rose had dwindled over the past week, he still wanted her.

He wanted every part of her.

He refrained from revealing that to her though; fearful she would leave again.

"Would you like to go out tonight?" Dimitri asked, the offer hesitant, and made him feel like he was in high school again. It was like asking his crush to the formal dance.

A smirk appeared on her face. "Go out? Like a date?" Anticipation filled Rose as she asked, "Are you asking me out on a date, Dimitri?"

Embarrassment made him flush. "I–Yes, I am. Would you like to?"

She should say no. Rose didn't date. She had one-night stands and hookups with a handful of people that knew what she was. Yet, she couldn't turn him down.

"I would love to."

Rose lined up the shot; body bent over the table. The dress did little to contain the spillage of her breast over the top of the tight material, and the fabric clung to her body like a second skin. Every curve showed. Dimitri knew what it felt like to drag his hand down her body, and as they stood in that bar, he noticed all of the eyes that dragged down her form.

His hands clenched around the pool stick.

It only got worse as the night carried on, and rather than be satisfied with just looking, men and women were approaching Rose. He couldn't completely blame them; Rose was attractive and oozed confidence that drew people in—it drew him in. But he hated when she would give them her attention.

It started as her laughing at their jokes and giving them small smiles, but soon she would brush her fingers against their arms, and her eyes would flick to Dimitri's.

Another man approached Rose; his confidence knew no bounds, and boldly placed his hand low on Rose's hip. She was used to the attention and often searched it out when she felt her craving return, but it was more for fun than a need to feed. Dimitri watched every moment, his brows drawn closer together every second that the man towered over her. She wasn't looking for another's company, but she couldn't resist teasing Dimitri as his jealousy grew.

"Would you like to get out of here?" the man asked, the alcohol on his breath filled her nostrils. His confidence was from one too many drinks— easy prey.

Dimitri scoffed behind them, throwing back the beer he had just ordered. A smirk pulled at Rose's lips.

"Not tonight," she hummed and dragged her fingers down the front of the man's chest. He didn't bring her any thrill as Dimitri did, but she pretended. "Maybe you could leave your number for when I change my mind."

"Excuse me," Dimitri's voice boomed from beside them, and he forced a hand between the man and Rose, effectively pushing him out of reach. "She's taken."

A soft laugh fell from Rose's lips. "Am I?" She was having too much fun to stop. Rose pressed against Dimitri's back and rested her hand on his back.

Dimitri was a man of control, something he had spent years learning—Rose destroyed every ounce of control he had. He rolled his shoulders back and used his height to intimidate the man. "Leave her alone."

It seemed to be enough, and the man scurried away. Dimitri spun to face Rose and caged her in with a hand on either side of her. She reclined against the pool table, the game long forgotten.

"What's wrong, Dimitri? Jealous?"

His jaw clenched. "I don't want to watch you messing around with others when I'm with you," he admitted. It seemed alcohol had also made him brave. "When you are with me, I want you to be focused on me, not them."

The possessive note in his voice sent thrills through her body. She was used to humans having blind devotion for her, but for Dimitri to admit how much he wanted her gave her a joy she hadn't experienced before.

"You want my attention?" she drawled, repeating the same motion of dragging her hand down his chest. She brought her hand to his, lifted it off the pool table and laid it over her bare thigh.

Dimitri swallowed, eyes dropping to the tanned skin.

Rose gazed up at him through her lashes. "Keep my attention on you, Dimitri."

It was a challenge. A test of how far he would go.

Rose tried to ignore the fact that even if he didn't rise to the occasion, she would still search him out when she needed her next fix. She just wanted to know how far Dimitri was willing to go.

Dimitri slowly brought his eyes back to hers, his breath laboured. His fingers twitched.

For a moment, she thought he would go through with it, but then there was a commotion at the bar and Dimitri pulled back. He looked around them and began to question what he was doing.

There were too many people around them.

"Keep my attention on you, Dimitri."

He moved before he could second guess his choices. At times he forgot that Rose wasn't like the girls his mother had introduced him to over the years. She didn't want to be treated like some pure flower. Rose was adventurous and impulsive—the thought of being with her made his blood rush.

Rose challenged every part of him, and Dimitri relished in it.

So he did something he never thought he would do.

With Rose's hand clasped in his, he led her out the side door of the bar and into an alley. He looked around before deciding to venture further down the alley to escape the street lights that bled into the small opening between the buildings.

The further they went, the more the shadows hid them. It was only when he felt confident that others wouldn't see them that he pressed Rose's back to the brick wall and then covered her lips with his.

Rose was surprised by the turn of events but gladly gave in to the kiss. Her arms snaked up and around his neck. When Dimitri's hands dropped to the hem of her dress, she moaned into his mouth.

Already she could feel herself absorbing the arousal that rolled off of him. Though it might have been a challenge, Dimitri was turned on by what he was doing.

Maybe it was the risk of being caught that enticed him. It wasn't the first time they had been intimate in a public space.

Rose's legs spread as his hand ventured between them; long fingers teasing the soft skin of her inner thighs as they climbed higher. Her breath caught when he brushed over her core, rubbing her through the thin lace material of her underwear. Part of her considered wearing nothing that night, and she wished she had followed through.

Dimitri deepened their kiss as his finger slipped under the lace. Though he was only human, Rose did not doubt that he could rip her underwear off in seconds. She wished he would.

A thick finger entered her, sliding all the way in until his palm was pressed against her. Rose gasped and broke the kiss, leaning her head back against the brick wall as she enjoyed the feeling.

Slowly he withdrew and then pushed back in, the pace slow and tortuous.

"Am I keeping your attention, Roza?"

She clenched around him, and her hips rolled, trying to make him hit the right spot. Dimitri might be new to sex but was a quick learner. When he withdrew his finger again, he added a second and began to pump them in earnest. His other hand moved to where the man from the bar had grabbed her, slipping under her dress and gripping the firm flesh of her ass. He pulled her closer, making her stand on her toes as he continued to finger her.

Dimitri kissed her again; it was passionate and intense and full of possessiveness. Just as Rose had put a claim on him, he was claiming her, and it brought Rose close to coming just thinking about it.

Rose broke the kiss again; her fingers dug into the muscle of his arm as she tried to regain control. "Dimitri, stop."

He stilled instantly. As if burned, Dimitri removed his fingers from her and backed up a step, only stopping when she tightened her hold on him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. Confusion filled him as he wondered what he did wrong. Had he been mistaken that that was what Rose wanted?

"Don't be sorry," she assured him, catching her breath and regaining control. When she looked at him, there was a faint ring of red in her eyes. "You didn't do anything wrong. I just don't want to come in an alleyway when coming on your cock back in my apartment would be so much better."

The door banged against the wall as it was shoved open, two bodies pressed against it.

Dimitri's hands ventured further down Rose's body and grasped her thighs, lifting her easily, so he didn't have to bend down to kiss her. She was wedged between the door and his hard body, legs wrapped around his waist.

"Where's your bedroom?" He asked between kisses, unable to stop touching her. It had been days since he last saw her, and he wanted to take every chance to touch her, just in case she disappeared again.

Rose hummed, fingers tangled in his hair to angle his mouth where she wanted it. "You don't want to fuck me right here? Have me screaming so loud my whole building knows how good your cock feels."

Dimitri blushed, still thrown by how bold Rose was with words. "I…" he faltered, his confidence fading as the rush of the alcohol left his system.

She took pity on him. "Down the hall, first door on the right." She reclaimed his lips in a bruising kiss that left him breathless and her feeling dizzy from how good it felt. "Don't you dare put me down."

The intensity returned in Dimitri's eyes, hands squeezing her thighs and pressing her hips to his. There was little left to the imagination as his clothed cock rubbed against her; Rose knew how good he would feel. A week had been too long, and she needed him to fill her again.

As promised, he didn't release her, carrying her weight in his hands as he stepped away from the door and kicked it closed. He didn't take much notice of her apartment other than that it was larger than his. Rise peppered his neck with kisses, lingering for a moment over the spot she had bitten. The mark had faded, but when her lips brushed over it, he felt a shot of pleasure go through him.

Rose threw her hand out, blindly searching for the light switch once they reached the bedroom. Enough city lights were streaming in through her window for her to see, but she wanted to see him clearly as she sunk low on his cock.

Watching someone come undone from the pleasure she gave was her favourite thing to do.

He paused a few steps into her room. A moment to take it in and realise it wasn't what he expected. He hummed under his breath. She pulled away from his neck and noted his expression and then that his eyes were roaming.

Rose laughed. "Were you expecting it to be filled with sex toys and a breeding bench? Maybe a big cross on the wall I tie people to while I have my way with them?"

"That isn't–" he began to argue and then sighed. While those weren't exactly what he pictured, it was close. Instead, Rose's room was welcoming—a large bed with dark sheets and a golden blanket, with colourful decorations on the wall. There were more pillows than one person could ever need scattered around the room.

In one word, he would call it comfy.

"Are we going to discuss home decorating, or are you going to take my clothes off and make me beg to come?" Rose asked.

His brows drew together. Rose was purposely pushing his buttons. She had controlled their previous times together, and he decided it was time he tried to make her regret her words.

"Is that what you want?" he asked in a low voice as he walked them to the bed. Rose's face lit up.

"Make me beg, Father," she whispered.

Dimitri dropped her to the bed and gripped her arms to bring her to her knees. Though he was unsure of his plan, his hands were steady as they moved to the back of her dress, fingers gripping the zip and pulling it down.

It was like the dress she wore in the church, the layer falling away instantly as soon as the tension holding it up was released. Despite it leaving little to the imagination, seeing her body exposed made his mouth dry and thoughts stutter.

She was beautiful in every sense of the word. Rose was beautiful and breathtaking, and had him completely at her mercy.

He didn't hesitate to slide his hand around the back of her neck, angling her head as she had done to him. "So perfect, Roza," he praised as his lips met her, dominating her mouth with a sensual kiss.

Her clothes were quick to be removed, and his weren't far behind. Rose laid on the bed, and Dimitri covered her naked body with his. It was the most basic sex position they had done and in a private space for once. It almost felt backwards, but it made Dimitri feel more sure of himself as he settled between Rose's legs.

Their lips moved against each other in an endless kiss as hands ventured. Dimitri's hands dropped between them, and his fingers returned to where they were buried inside her before. He drew out hitches of breath from her with each short thrust.

It was difficult for her to give up the control of the situation—it rarely happened. The people she slept with just wanted to feel the pleasure she could give or they were quick fixes to get her through to the next day. Never had she been with the same person in such a short time.

It almost felt like a relationship.

The thought terrified her but also kept her coming back for more. She wanted whatever it was between them to be mutual, and that meant letting Dimitri take the lead.

Again, he brought her to that edge; achieved quicker than she was used to. It had to be because she was so pent up. It had to be.

"Don't stop." The order was given without a second thought, but it wasn't what Dimitri wanted to hear.

He pulled away again with a determined look in his eyes. "You told me to make you beg, so I will."

Rose blinked at him, a haze in her eyes as more pleasure flowed into her. Dimitri was enjoying himself.

His fingers were removed and replaced by the head of his cock, teasing as he dragged it along her slit. "What do you want, Rose?"

The words caught in her mouth. Though she told him to make her beg, she wasn't used to doing it.

Dimitri's head dipped down closer to hers; his words whispered against her skin, "I need you to tell me, Roza. I'll do anything for you. You just have to tell me what you want."

Her breath caught; words refused to form. "You," she gasped. "I want you."

"What do you want me to do?"

She bit her tongue and fought the urge to switch their positions, to make him beg instead. But Dimitri towering over her awoke new sensations in her. "I want you to make me come, Dimitri."

The corner of his mouth quirked up.

Dimitri's hips snapped forward, and his length was buried deep inside her. He watched as Rose threw her head back, sounds of pleasure falling from her lips. Each time he had been inside her, she was riding him, but now she was laid out under him and it filled him with an emotion he hadn't experienced before.

The possessiveness that overcame him was foreign but only encouraged him to draw their bodies closer and to fuck her harder. He pulled her leg up to wrap around him, fingers digging into her thigh. With nimble fingers, he took her wrists in one hand and pinned them above her head. She felt so small compared to him, though he knew she was powerful and dangerous.

Rose's eyes snapped to his; the red shined brightly compared to the brown colouring of her iris. Each thrust made her moan, feeling herself being pulled back onto his cock; there would be bruises on her thigh, and it excited her.

Only other demons had been rough with her; it never felt that it was for her pleasure but just for them to dominate her. She was just a half-demon and perceived as less. The only appeal she held to them was Zmey's name.

Never had she been fucked like that and felt the plea for more on the tip of her tongue. It was only with Dimitri.

How could a human bring her to her knees so easily?

Dimitri angled his hips up, the sound of their bodies meeting with each plunge of his cock into her. Each time felt deeper and harder. Her fingers clenched around the sheet, hands held in place in his strong grip.

"Dimitri," she breathed, using her legs around his waist to pull him closer. She just needed a little more.

He hooked an arm under her knee and brought it up until it was on his shoulder, practically bending her in half. It gave him more room and set a bruising pace. "You have to tell me," he reminded her. The words were panted, and he doubted he would last much longer, but he needed to hear her say it.

Say please, Dimitri.

She knew he wanted her to say the same thing.

When Rose didn't reply, Dimitri began to pull back. She panicked, "Please. Please, don't stop. Ple–" her plea broken by his powerful thrust back into her willing body.

Dimitri released her hands and moved both hands to her hips. With a firm grip, he fucked her in earnest, determined to give Rose exactly what she wanted. "Come for me, Roza."

It was the command in his voice that sent her over the edge. Pure pleasure overwhelmed her, waves of her own and Dimitri's made it feel endless. It felt better than any of their previous times—it felt better than any experience she had had before.

Dimitri watched as Rose's back bowed, and she cried out in ecstasy. The slight was his undoing, and plunged in one last time and emptied himself inside her.

Rose walked back into her bedroom with a towel wrapped around her hair, dressed in a pair of silk pyjama shorts and a singlet. Dimitri eyed her and then glanced at the pants she had lent him; they were deep green and made of a soft material. He rubbed at the fabric with a frown.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked as she laid on the bed beside him. She pulled the towel off and let her hair fall to the side of her head, the curls cascading over her shoulder and arm.

Absent-mindedly, Dimitri reached out and played with one of the curls. "I was just wondering."

"Wondering what?"

Again his eyes dropped to the pants. "Do you just keep male clothing around?"

Rose shrugged. "It's useful. Sometimes things can get messy," she grinned at him, heat in her eyes.

Images of others being intimate with Rose filled Dimitri's mind—the man from the bar towering over her in the same position Dimitri had been in not even an hour before. Anger burned within him.

"You don't have to keep your distance from me. If you need someone to be with, you can call me anytime," Dimitri offered, and though he tried, he couldn't hide the jealousy in his tone.

Rose tilted her head to the side, and her expression softened. With a sigh, Rose climbed across the bed and threw her leg over his body to straddle him. She let her hands explore his bare chest, softly scratching her nails down the muscles. "I can't do that, Dimitri," she breathed, "and you know that."

His fingers curled around her hands, thumbs stroking across her knuckles. "I can take it. I haven't felt drained the last two times."

"And that might be just luck. If I take too much from you, you could die. I don't want to hurt you like that."

"But–" Dimitri surged up, only to still when Rose's fingertips covered his mouth.

"I can't be tied to just one man," she affirmed. "But, when I'm with you, you can have all of me, Dimitri." It was the best she could do, and Dimitri knew it. He relented and nodded in understanding.

"How long do I have you this time?" he asked in a wistful tone.

Rose smiled down at him, intertwining their fingers again. "You have me all night."