Dark Hunter 00 - Dark Bites (Novellas) Read Online Free PDF

comprehend this.”
    Aricles pondered it for a moment. “Love obligates you because you want to take care of the person who holds your heart. Their happiness and well-being mean much more to you than your own. So yes, but it’s not truly obligatory, because you don’t really have to take care of them. It’s your own desire that makes you feel such.”
    “Ah… that makes sense.”
    “And,” he continued, “when they’re gone from you, it’s a harsh loss that haunts and saddens you. All you want is to see them smile. To watch joy light up their face, and to be with them.”
    Bathymaas nodded. “I think I understand now.” It was how she felt about him. She didn’t like to see him struck in practice, and when he bled, it caused pain to her chest. Like now… she was still concerned with the fact that he was bulging when she’d never known him to do that before.
    And the thought of him hurting…
    It, too, gave her a pain in her chest.
    She lowered her gaze to his groin. “Why are you not bound today?”
    The color returned to mottle his cheeks. It was so adorable and sweet that it somehow made her want to touch them and ease his embarrassment. “I was injured in practice and didn’t want to risk reopening the wound with the binding.”
    She gasped. “Where were you hurt?”
    “Across my hip.”
    Aricles caught her hand as she reached to see it. His breathing ragged, he stared at her with a pain-filled expression. “Please, goddess. I’m hard enough already. If you touch me there… it’ll only be worse for me.”
    “My touch hurts you?”
    He nodded.
    “Then why do you spend time with me?”
    He smiled at her as he let go of her wrist. “Because the pleasure of your company is worth the pain it causes me.”
    That made no sense to her whatsoever. “I cannot comprehend mortal emotions. How can any pleasure be worth pain?”
    “It just is.”
    The fact that he was willing to suffer to be in her presence brought a strange sensation to her stomach. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it compelled her to lift her hand and lightly brush her fingers against his lips again. “Will you kiss me, Aricles, so that I can see why people do it?”
    He expelled a long breath and the light faded from his eyes. “I would love to, my lady. But I fear I’ve never kissed anyone like that. I’m sure I would bungle it.”
    “I wouldn’t know if you did since I’ve never had a kiss either. And even though you might bungle it, I still think I’d like to see what the fuss is about. Are you not curious, Ari?”
    Aricles felt his heart pound at her question. He was more than curious about how her lips would taste. But he was also a bit scared.
    Who are you to question a goddess?  
    He was her servant and her warrior…
    Still unsure, he gently laid his hand against her cheek and stroked her lips with his thumb. “Are you certain you want me to do this?”
    She nodded.
    Ever so slowly, he lowered his lips to hers. The moment he tasted her, his entire body erupted with a heat so high that it made his past attractions to other women seem mild and insignificant. He shook all over as images of making love to Bathymaas tormented him. He would give anything to hold her like that, but he knew it could never be and he was lucky she’d allowed him this much.
    Bathymaas wasn’t sure what to expect, but as his tongue swept across hers and his scent filled her head, something inside her splintered. Her breathing intensified even more… as did his. She felt his heart pounding against her hand. Strong and powerful.
    Like him.
    He was so hard and fierce, except for his lips that were soft and gentle. And in spite of his inexperience, his kiss was wonderful and it did the oddest things to her body. Made her throb and ache.
    Aricles’s head spun at the taste of Bathymaas. In all his fantasies, he’d never dreamed a kiss could be so sweet. His body roared to life, making demands on him the likes of which he’d never felt before. It