“I’m wrong.” Sebastian’s voice contained raw emotion. “This...” His wings repositioned.
Jesus. He had wings.
“I know. We’ll figure out what’s going on.” She spoke with a false confidence that she clung to. “How are you feeling otherwise? Any pain? Faintness?”
He rose to his feet without her assistance, and the stomach that contracted painfully before released just a fraction. She wanted to inspect his back, to study his new appendages, but if he was on the brink of destruction, that had to be their priority.
As she stood next to him, all of her senses became hyperaware. While her stomach might have been put at ease, the rest of her body went taut at the looming presence of Sebastian in this new form. He had always been gorgeous, no doubt. The transformation, however, had given him a new strength. More definition. A devastating beauty.
The sharp angles of his face became slashes of bone and shadow. When he’d spoken, the teeth he kept well hidden were longer. More lethal looking.
And those dangerous eyes. They gave her delightful shivers.
“I hurt everywhere.” His gaze was disconcerting. “And nowhere. I’m hungry too.”
Alice took a slow step closer, keeping her hands outstretched and nonthreatening. Not like she could ever do him any harm, but the underlying skittishness in Bast needed reassuring. “Let me take a look at you,” she said. “Maybe I can help a little.”
“You think it’s wise?”
She smiled. Not only was he still nude, he was sporting an impressive erection. “I’ll take my chances.”
He remained rooted, indecision spread across his expression. “I don’t know who I am anymore. What I am.”
“You are still the man who protected me from a blood-thirsty vampire and a dangerous werewolf. I believe you are the man who vowed to protect me from any and all dangers. You’re also the man who kisses me until I can’t think straight anymore.” She paused, licking her lips. “Finally, you’re the man who promised me sexual oblivion. Remember that?”
It probably wasn’t appropriate to bring up his promise, but it was hard to think straight with the sign of his arousal so blatant.
“Like this? You would have me still?”
Alice took another step forward. She wrapped her arms around him, astonished by his new definition. Cautiously turned on. “You’ve got wings now, honey. It’s kind of hot.”
That seemed to startle a chuckle out of him.
“Let’s check you out and make sure you’re okay. We’ll take it one step at a time after that.”
“Fine.” A curt nod. “How’s my temp?”
“Just under combustible. Pain?”
“Tolerable. Notice any blood?”
“No, just this stuff on your wings. Mucus of some kind.”
Sebastian sighed. “This just gets better and better. Not only do I have wings, I’ve got snotty wings.”
She ignored the dry humor. “What about your hunger?” She looked up in time to catch the clenching of his jaw.
“I can’t keep drinking from you, Alice. I’m taking more than you can regenerate. Your fatigue isn’t just from going nocturnal. You need time to recover from blood loss. I’ll need to find someone else to supply me.”
That thought sent a rush of liquid anger erupting through Alice. The idea of Sebastian putting his mouth on someone else, bringing the woman immeasurable pleasure, filled her with a bold jealousy.
She shook her head, clearing the senseless emotion. “One thing at a time, as we agreed. The fever has to go.”
“Ideas?”
“Just as before. Kiss me.”
He peered down at her, his gaze narrowing. His focus intense. This close to him, she could see those pretty blue eyes slowly begin to shift. Ocean blue becoming a brilliant jade.
“Your eyes,” she whispered.
Sebastian set his jaw, his body tightly drawn. He placed a warm hand beneath her chin, tilting her face toward his. “You’re always saying that to me. You need a new line,” he teased.
What Alice might have said next melted when he lowered his mouth to hers.
This could never get old. The way his lips whispered over hers. The warmth that spread over her, as if allowing every bone in her body to dissolve so that she could mold herself to him. Incredibly strong Sebastian was there to hold her, to make sure their bodies fit so very, very well together.