The pain pulls Nathaniel back to himself, and on one inward thrust, he pauses, panting, his eyes shut as he pants. He doesn't want to hurt Asher. He doesn't want to be that, not now, not on the heels of what had just happened.

Slowly, Nathaniel's eyes open, still gray, but less cat-like. He leans in to gently lap the blood from Asher's lips, his tongue dipping into Asher's mouth, and his movements in and out of his vampire become more controlled, more tender. He moans low in his throat, able to focus entirely on what he's feeling, and by doing that, the beast is slowly pushed down, Nathaniel regaining control of himself.

"Asher," he breathes into a kiss. "I'm sorry..."