I wanted Beast more than I wanted my next breath. His every touch sent warmth charging between my legs. I'd become used to the curdling and twisting of my Vessel behind my ribcage but this was something else. Something hot swam through my veins and it was all I could do not to swing my legs around Beast's hips.

His lips crashed into mine and he pinned my wrists behind my back as though he couldn't get enough—as though he knew that I was struggling to keep myself from pouncing.

Because that's exactly what I wanted to do.

I wanted him closer until I couldn't think of anything but him.

Smoothing a single finger down the slope of my neck, he paused over the mark he'd left. His eyes became hooded as he took in the dark trace of where his teeth had punctured my skin.

"This mark," he said, pressing his finger slightly against the bite. I bit into my lip to stop myself from gasping at the warmth settling in my womb. "Is never going to fade, Pandora."

I winced slightly at the wooden shelves digging into my back—he pulled me away from them immediately, my chest pressed up against his.

"But you like that, don't you?" he said darkly, his golden gaze glittering. His lips brushed against mine with his every word as his voice dropped into a low whisper. "You like that everyone can see who you belong to."

I shuddered. "I don't think you know what I like or want, Beast."

Shadows shifted over his expression. "You don't know what I want either."

I didn't miss a beat. "Then tell me."

He let out a menacing growl, picking me up off my feet. I hooked my legs around him as he threw me onto his bed. The silken sheets were all too familiar, conforming to my skin like a glove as he towered over me.

Sliding his fingers into my panties, he yanked them off my legs.

His lips parted. "So fucking wet," he swore under his breath.

Pushing my knees back, he swiped a slow, long finger up my folds.

"Why don't I show you what I want?"

At my silence, he slid a finger into me; I gasped at the intrusion. His digit curled against my walls, his thumb toying with my clit.

He tore my shirt apart to circle another finger around my nipple. "Do you know what I want yet, Pandora?"

Before I could think of a response, his lips closed around the taut bud. My back arched of its own accord, a shiver snaking down my spine as his tongue flicked out across the sensitive skin.

"Beast," I whispered, winding my fingers through his thick hair.

He looked up at me, amusement dancing on his lips. "Yes, love?"

Every single trace of air left my lungs when he caught my other nipple between his thumb and forefinger. It was almost too much—he had a hand between my legs, thrusting into me. He added another finger and I found myself struggling to keep my legs open.

He rose to push my legs further apart, his eyes pinned to mine as he increased the pace of his ramming fingers. I let out a soft moan and Beast quickly fixed his palm to my mouth.

"There's a good girl." His thumb worked at my clit, circling, rolling—oh. "You cum when I tell you to," he warned. "Am I understood?"

I could barely nod.

"Ten," he counted.

His fingers were almost a blur.

"Nine."

The pressure building in my belly threatened to erupt.

"Eight."

My legs clamped shut around his hand again and he forced them back apart with a growl.

"Seven."

His fingers only grew rampant, striking against my inner walls with wild ferocity.

"Six."

Tears of pleasure pricked the back of my eyelids as I let out a muffled scream.

"Five."

Beast landed a slap to the inside of my thigh and I jolted, overcome with the need for release.

"Four."

He didn't slow; not once.

"Three."

Stars erupted behind my eyelids and I grabbed Beast's hand with my own.

"Two."

"Please," I murmured against his fingers.

"One."

He shook his head with a dark grin.

"Zero," he whispered.

I sobbed out against my orgasm, pressing my shaking thighs together. He silenced my gasps with a kiss that was sure to leave bruises.

I was on his bed, in his arms. And I never wanted to leave.

He pulled his shirt up over his head in one fluid motion. His eyes seemed to burn a brighter shade of gold against the bare skin of his chest and my fingers itched to trace every hard crevice of his muscles.

I had barely the time to recover before he bunched my shirt up around my waist, his cock positioned at my entrance.

"My turn," he growled.

Beast hooked his hands under my legs and thrust into me without warning.

I clawed at his shoulders, my nails digging into his back.

He gripped my jaw to tilt my face up to his. "Look at me," he ordered.

I did, holding onto him for dear life as he pulled me into his lap.

"Tell me what you want." His fingers gripped my hips as he brought me down over his length repeatedly. "Tell me, love."

"You," I said shakily. "I want you."

He wrapped my hair around his fist, tugging to bear my neck to his sinful lips—and soon, I was biting my lips to stop myself from moaning again.

He swiped his thumb along my bottom lip, pulling it free from my teeth. His voice had turned bestial, like the beast he was. "Say it." Thrust. "Say my name."

"Beast," I breathed, letting my head fall onto his shoulder. Suddenly, a scream ripped through my throat as his cock hit deeper, the force of his rams tearing through my walls. "Beast!"

My legs froze over his length as my orgasm rocked through me. He hissed as my nails dug harder into his back; almost as repayment he pulled me back down onto his cock.

"Fuck," he cursed, growling as he came. He kissed a path down the slope of my neck; a jolt of electricity shot straight down to my core as he sucked and nuzzled my mark. Something sharp extended over my skin and I whimpered as his teeth grazed over the sensitive skin.

"Pandora," he whispered. "Pandora, Pandora, Pandora."

Tucking my hair gently behind my ears, he pressed his lips lightly to my cheek, kissing my forehead, my jaw, my temples—as though I was a prized delicacy.

I felt moisture sting the backs of my eyelids.

Suddenly, he blinked, a frown etching between his eyebrows. His lips melted into mine in a mellow kiss as he cupped my face tenderly.

There was so much I wanted to say—and there was even more that I couldn't because—because Beast didn't love me. I swallowed that fact down like it was a bitter pill but still the tears escaped my eyes.

My heart battered against my ribcage as he pulled away to kiss each of the tears that had rolled loose over my cheeks. For a moment I let myself imagine what it would have been like if I hadn't been cursed with a Vessel—if I wasn't a ticking time bomb hanging over all of the Sins' and Virtues' heads.

I found myself wishing to trap this moment into a bottle and live it over for the rest of my life.

"Pandora—," he stopped himself.

He was going to tell me to leave. I saw it in his eyes: the reflection of my humiliation.

I'd lost count of how many times Beast had told me to leave.

And I'd lost count of how many times I'd gone to him anyway.

"Where—Where are you going?" he asked as I pulled free from him.

"I'm leaving before you can tell me to."

If my heart hadn't been broken before, his silence broke it now.

•••

Sorry for missing an update last week! Leave a vote if you enjoyed <33

Love,
Laila.