Lauri felt consciousness swell into her very body even with the pain that echoed her body. She knew it wasn't true pain as she opened her eyes and saw that she was no longer in the meadow with the witches. Nor was she alone. She saw Dorian before he saw her. Dorian stood watching outside of the castle through her huge windows. He had a single hand resting against his chest. She knew from what she had seen in the meadow that he must be in pain. She knew however that if she asked him if he was in pain, he would deny it. Just like he denied that he had kissed her in the cave. It hadn't been like any of the kisses she had shared with the man who should've been her husband. Or the demanding kisses that Raphael had given her, when she had first been here, in Vemos.
Dorian's kisses had been sharp, passionate and had felt that he was devouring her from the inside out. She closed her eyes at the thought and sat up in her bed and immediately regretted moving. Her hand went to her chest, as she let a slight moan escape her lips. She felt soft hands pull curls away from her face. She looked up surprised to see Dorian his eyes full of concern for her at her side on her bed leaning towards her. She only needed to lean forward and she would be kissing his soft welcoming lips once again. And how she wanted to. To close that distance. To wrap her arms around him and allowed herself to believe that he loved her, like she had fallen in love with him. She loved Dorian and she knew she couldn't have him.
"Are you hurt?" Dorian said clearing his throat. "No. Just dizzy." She said ignoring how good it felt to have Dorian touching her again. "That's the magic. You drained yourself." Dorian said his long fingers brushing her cheeks, a single thumb on her chin. "It was that witch." Lauri said tiredly.
Dorian smiled. "Eliza with talons. Not very nice." He said. Lauri nodded in agreement. "She hurt you." Lauri said pressing a hand against his chest. Dorian's eyes closed at the touch. He never should've kissed her in the cave. Every touch he felt from her was like a white-hot brand to his skin. And yet he hungered for her touch. He wanted to drown in her. To make her his. Not Raphael's to let her touch every corner of himself with no regrets. He felt her unbuttoning his shirt. He had shed his jacket and vest when he reached the castle. He was extremely under dressed as an Ariste working in the castle. And in pure heaven as Lauri's fingers brushed the skin of his chest. He should stop her. But he was tired of fighting his attraction for this, beautiful, beautiful woman. As her fingers traced the three long scars that now marred his chest he leaned forward and captured her bottom lip in his mouth sucking hard. Clearly all sane thought had fled from Dorian's mind. He had meant for it to be one kiss but was fully unprepared for the strength of Lauri's reaction. Her mouth opened against his, her arms going around his shoulders, throwing him backwards on the bed. Lauri straddled him, the heat of her against him. And he went insane with his desire for this dark-haired vixen. His arms went around her lithe body, as he pulled her over and under him, releasing her mouth to drag his lips over her jaw and down her throat. Claiming her for his touch, in a way Raphael had never dreamed of doing. Dorian burned, knowing he was breaking every rule in the kingdom as he took and took from Lauri until she was his and only his for all eternity. And while they joined Simeon backed away from the door his heart heavy with the knowing of how complicated they had just made everything for themselves. Their joining would have more consequences than they would ever realize.