Time of the Blind Beast - Chapter 27

Ah.

She felt it all too vividly—the dull, searing heat that stretched across her back.

Previously, she might have convinced herself it was merely a biological response, provoked by rubbing his body to stimulate him out of hypothermia. But this time, such a shallow excuse wouldn’t suffice. While he hadn’t fully recovered, he was well on his way to regaining his usual state—healthy enough to begin resuming his daily life.

She knew. No, it wasn’t just intuition; the signs emanating from his body and transferring to hers were far too explicit.

This wasn’t something she could doubt or deny.

This man… wanted her.

“Stay by my side.”

…Was desiring her.

Hearing those words and physically feeling his intentions were worlds apart. While earlier her heart had fluttered, now her entire body responded as if ensnared by a spell, all her senses abuzz.

His warmth seemed to transfer onto her. Her back flushed hot. Her fingertips and toes twitched uncontrollably, and her breath became shallow and erratic.

No matter how hard she tried to calm herself, it was useless. The more she tried, the more intense the sensations became.

A large hand trailed up her waist. Relying heavily on touch to compensate for his lost sight, he explored her deliberately and thoroughly.

Even now, he did the same. He teased her soft belly with his thumb, caressing and pressing down lightly with each finger. He traced the ridges of her ribs with a single finger, running it along the curves. His hand swept halfway around her delicate ribcage to her back.

“There’s not a single part of you that isn’t slender.”

Rose’s skin was so soft and fragile that Ezekiel had to consciously adjust the pressure of his touch to avoid harming her. His hands, hardened by years of pulling triggers and gripping reins, were rough and calloused—far rougher than most.

“…Major.”

Rose’s shoulders trembled slightly. Her voice was barely audible, a faint murmur as she struggled to steady her uneven breaths.

“What? Does it hurt?”

She averted her gaze, her eyes swirling with confusion.

It wasn’t pain. If anything, this was…

A torrent of stimulation.

The firm hands of the man explored her body, gently yet sensually touching her. His every caress sent shivers through her, throwing her breathing into disarray.

This was nothing like the time he had suspected her of being a spy and handled her roughly, nor the times her body had merely been a tool to restrain his fits during withdrawal.

Today, there was no fear. No pain. Only an electric charge that followed wherever his fingers traced. A dull ache stirred deep inside her belly.

“I can’t… breathe.”

It seemed she had forgotten how to breathe properly. Her chest rose and fell irregularly, her heated breaths coming out harsh and shallow.

“I can fix that.”

Ezekiel found her lips with his thumb, brushing them gently before tilting his head to capture them with his own. Their lips met seamlessly, slotting together perfectly.

Their tongues intertwined. Their emotions mingled.

Water rippled, echoing like the sea. Her strength drained away entirely. As Rose swayed unsteadily, Ezekiel caught her, pulling her securely into his arms.

He closed his eyes. Not that it made much difference, but closing them made it easier to imagine Rose.

Beyond this black curtain, she was there.

If only he could tear through this curtain and see her face. He wanted to know what expression she wore as she melted into his embrace. He wanted to feel her completely, with every sense.

But for now, it was an impossible dream.

The unquenched thirst burned his throat all the more. No matter how much he took her in, it was never enough. Ezekiel leaned back against the tub, lifting Rose onto his lap.

She gasped faintly at the sudden shift in position. For a moment, she blinked in surprise, finding his face directly in front of hers. But she had no time to think. His hand firmly cupped the back of her head, drawing her into a deep kiss.

A low, husky groan escaped him as the kiss grew more fervent. Raw sensations brushed between her thighs, the split pressed gently but deliberately by something firm.

A spark of electricity shot through her.

“Uh…”

Rose was startled by the faint moan that escaped her lips, tinged with an unfamiliar stickiness. While she grappled with the sound, the swollen tip of him prodded at her entrance, slick and ready.

“Major… Major, wait… Ah…”

Her confused, sweet voice was intoxicating. Though her entire body was slick, the soft, pliant entrance that his tip teased felt especially smooth, as if drenched in oil.

Supporting her rear, he began to lower her slowly, his lips trailing down from hers. He planted a soft kiss at the edge of her jaw, moving along the line of her neck.

When he reached the swell of her chest, he paused to kiss it firmly, inhaling deeply.

“You smell like flowers.”

Though they were both immersed in the same bathwater, he seemed particularly pleased as he pressed his nose into her chest. Damp strands of hair tickled her sensitive skin, and she shivered lightly at the teasing sensation.

“…You smell like flowers too, Major.”

“Your scent is sweeter. It must be because your name is Rose.”

She lowered her gaze. That name was nothing more than a convenient alias given by Akenaus. She was nothing like a rose.

The soft nub of her breast brushed against his chin, prompting him to capture it in his mouth and suckle gently.

“Ah… Ahh.”

The intensity of the sensation was overwhelming. Twisting under the pressure, Rose instinctively braced herself against a nearby shelf. A misplaced bar of soap slipped into the water below with a loud splash.

Though the sound was conspicuous, it didn’t distract him. He remained focused entirely on exploring her body.

“I’m scared, Major, just for a moment…”

Rose flailed, her voice trembling as the sensation of floating unnerved her. Even though Ezekiel held her firmly around the lower back, leaving no chance of slipping, the sensation of being pushed upward seemed to make her feel unstable.

He, too, was beginning to find the tub inconvenient. The slippery bathroom floor, made worse by the overflowing water, was unsuitable for indulging in her fully.

Ezekiel pressed her pelvis tightly against his abs and lifted himself upright.

“Hold onto my neck tightly.”

It happened in an instant. Carried by his broad strides, she was whisked away and laid down on the bed. Every movement was swift and efficient, as though he had done this countless times.

Rose looked up at his shadowed silhouette. Though she had seen him like this before, tonight he felt strangely unfamiliar. His hands traced her face to locate her features, and he grabbed a handful of her hair before pressing his lips firmly to it.

“It frustrates me that I can’t see this. How red is your hair? Does it match what I saw in my dream?”

“…Dream?”

“I caught a glimpse of your red hair in a dream once. But I woke too soon to really see it.”

Recalling the fleeting sensation and color from his dream, he buried his nose in her hair.

The heady floral scent filled his senses. He inhaled deeply several times, but without sight, his understanding of her was incomplete.

There was so much he wanted to know.

His lips found her forehead.

“Is your skin slightly tanned, or pale enough for veins to show through?”

Next, he kissed her eyelids, feeling the flutter of her lashes.

“Are your eyes like the fresh green of spring, or the deep green of the forest? Are they cat-like and sharp, or round and puppy-like?”

His lips trailed down her nose, pausing at the tip.

“Is this nose long or short? Your face is so small that it’s hard to tell.”

He lightly sucked on the center of her upper lip.

“Your lips… all I know is that they’re soft.”

Even after the brief kiss ended, his lips hovered dangerously close to hers, reluctant to part.

The desire to paint a picture of her face in his mind was overwhelming. Rose turned her head slightly away.

“…If you imagine it too specifically, you might be disappointed. I’m not that beautiful.”

“When did I say I cared about whether you’re beautiful?”

Today, it seemed he was determined to leave her speechless.

“What I’m curious about is you.”

“Ah…”

He pressed his body against hers, keeping them firmly connected. As their chests and stomachs pressed together, Rose shuddered at the overwhelming sensation. She couldn’t move. The bed creaked under their combined weight.

“From now on, I will sense you—hear you with my ears, feel you with my touch…”

It was as though he relied entirely on his sense of touch, yet wherever his hands roamed, grasping and stroking, it felt like sparks were flying. There wasn’t a single spot that wasn’t stimulated.

“If touch isn’t enough, I’ll rely on scent. If scent isn’t perfect, I’ll taste you.”

…Scent? Taste?

“What? Just now… ah, what did you just say…?”

“From your head to your toes, completely.”