He pulled his head back, lust shining in his eyes as he took in my face. In a sudden burst of movement, his wings speared from his back, flaring in the dim blue light before curving around us, almost as if he was trying to shield me from the outside world.
My chest tightened at the thought, but I made myself focus on the pleasure building in me. On the way his fingers made me feel like nothing else mattered.
Wait. Wings?I vaguely registered what the appearance of Locke’s wings meant. Usually, whenever his wings were out, his claws were too.
Panic shot through me at the idea that Locke’s finger was now clawed as he fucked it into me, and I imagined myself getting mangled down below, but as he continued to finger me, it was all pleasure. As if he could sense my fear, he slowed his movements like he was trying to show me that he wouldn’t hurt me. I knew I should have been disgusted at the thought of his claws. Iwantedto feel disgusted, but even if his finger was clawed, he made me feel alive. His touch drove away thoughts of Jarin and Warrick, and somehow, even though he was the one pushing me against the wall, I felt more powerful than when I’d had my blades pressed to Jarin’s neck.
Sensing that I’d calmed, Locke slid a second finger into me, and he pumped them faster inside me. The pleasure became so intense that I let go of the wall, and I buried my hands in his dark hair, enjoying the feel of his silky strands between my fingers.
He groaned at my touch and flicked at my clit with his thumb, and I gasped as a wave of pleasure rushed over me, making my head spin. Stars dotted the backs of my eyes, and I gripped him as my body shuddered. Locke’s breathing was harsh, but when my body relaxed, he dropped his wings, folding them behind his back, and pulled away from me.
Cold settled into me as he moved away, my hands falling back to my sides.Oh fuck.I blinked as I stared at his tousled hair, still shocked at what he’d just done.
His lips quirked to the side as he stared back at me, and he lifted his hand that was still glistening with my release. Bringing his fingers to his lips, he licked them clean like I was the most delicious thing he’d eaten in ages, and as I took in his wicked claws, I swallowed. Rationally, I knew he could have made his claws appear after he’d fingered me just to mess with me, but I didn’t care. As I watched him lick his lips, desire began building in me again.
“Don’t go searching for fun outside our rooms again, Raine,” he said, and then he turned toward the tunnel again and began walking.
His words echoed in my head, and I couldn’t help but wonder what he was implying. That I could have fun with anyone in the rooms? Did that also include him?
Pushing off from the wall, I straightened before smoothing down the front of my dress. Then I trailed after Locke.
~ Locke ~
Itwashardforme to walk with a rock-hard cock between my legs rubbing painfully against my leather pants. I thought about asking if Raine would give me a hand, but I knew I shouldn’t. She’d seemed to enjoy my company enough, but I hadn’t meant to pleasure her. I’d intentionally been keeping my distance, watching from afar while my brothers stayed by her side during the parties. With every night she stayed in our rooms, I felt my desire for her grow, and that was dangerous. I had more enemies than my brothers had, and the scent of her blood called to me, making me want to drown in her. I didn’t need my father setting any more of his attention on her either.
While Kade, Asher, and Darian had dark pasts, they weren’t like me. They hadn’t been twisted like I had been when I was a child. I knew they saw me as the strongest of us, but at times, it felt far from the truth. I was unhinged and fueled by anger. No, I’d keep away from her. I’d find a way to break our bond, and then she’d be free of me. I didn’t acknowledge how that made me feel.
The incredible taste of her lingered on my tongue, and I could still feel her phantom hands buried deep in my hair. When Raine had told me she was at the party to have fun with other monsters, I’d suspected she was lying, but the idea of it still drove me mad. I had become overwhelmed with the irrational need to erase the thoughts of any other fucking monsters from her mind.
It didn’t bother me that she spent time with Kade and Darian, and I wouldn’t have cared if she’d been with Asher. But the thought of her with an outsider had fury burning through me, even though I knew it was what I wanted. She needed to join a house and find a place in Katakin away from us, but we were still bonded. I told myself the bond was the only reason I cared who she was with and when the connection between us was broken, I’d have no trouble sending her on her way, but deep inside, I knew there was more to it than that.
Fuck, I hated to imagine what would have happened if I hadn’t still been at the party. When Kade and the others had left, I’d stayed behind. I’d spotted one of the monsters who’d witnessed the last outlier attack, and I’d taken the opportunity to speak with them. When I had first noticed Raine’s scents of coconut and steel a while later, I’d thought I was going crazy. That my borderline obsession with her was messing with my mind. But then I’d detected her again, getting hints of those same delicious scents that made my mouth water and my pants tighten. I’d gone searching, half expecting I’d come up empty-handed, but then she was there before me.
At first, fear went through me as I wondered whether she’d been hurt. Whether some monster had dragged her there to have his way. The most depraved tortures went through my mind as I thought of what I’d do to any monster who touched her against her will, but a quick assessment of her body calmed me.
Fucking Halced, what is happening with this female?I’d never had those feelings when I’d been with any other monster.
I thought again of how wet she’d been for me, and my gaze slid to where she walked at my side. I wanted nothing more than to pick up where we’d left off. To press her against the wall and fuck her until she stopped biting her beautiful pink lips and gave in, crying out my name as the pleasure drove her mad. But instead, I rolled my shoulders and kept striding forward, using what willpower I had to concentrate on keeping my hands to my fucking self.
CHAPTER 21
~ Raine ~
Thenextnight,Iwas glad to learn I didn’t have to fight. All the newbloods who had lost the first group fight were given the chance to battle against one another in a kind of redemption fight. The winner would redeem themselves and gain a spot with the finalists the following night.
I sat in the stands with Asher and Kade on one side and Darian and Locke on the other. Locke hadn’t spoken to me since our time in the tunnel, and that suited me just fine. It was easier to imagine he’d simply had a lapse in judgment than contemplate whether there was any other reason for his actions.
I wiggled on the stone seat and focused my attention on the sandy arena below us. The fight had just begun, and all six of the newbloods were quick to go on the offensive, attacking the others as if they were determined to repair any damage to their reputations.
The two sirens stayed close to one another as they fought, but before they were able to sing a single note, the ogre had them down with two harsh blows to their heads. On the other end of the fighting sands, the banshee and two demons were battling it out in hand-to-hand combat. The banshee delivered quick punches to the demons, then she opened her mouth and wailed.
Immediately, I covered my ears, as did the other monsters in the stands, but the ogre and one of the demons went down hard. Black blood oozed from their ears as they writhed on the ground in pain before falling still. If I hadn’t known death was against the rules, I would have worried they’d been killed. Within a matter of minutes, only the banshee and a single demon remained standing.
I was surprised to find that the demon was Bri, the girl from my village with chestnut-colored hair and green eyes that shone like emeralds. Small green horns peeked from her hair, and her forked green tail hovered in the air behind her.
Bri had always been a placid, quiet person, and as far as I was aware, she had never fought before arriving in Katakin. Now she kept her ears covered with her hands, and she launched herself at the banshee. The narrow tip of her boot collided with the banshee’s throat, making the female cut off her wail and splutter instead, and Bri’s triumphant smile was terrifying. The banshee clutched at her neck, and Bri followed up with a back kick to the banshee’s chest that left the banshee sprawling to the ground, gasping for air.
The crowd went wild at the violence, their bloodthirsty howls and cries making my skin crawl. Across from us, Borren, the demon alpha of the House of Thorem, was eyeing Bri with more interest and appreciation than I’d seen him show toward her during the previous nights. From the way Bri’s sharp gaze found his, I was guessing it was exactly the attention she was hoping for. I wondered whether Borren would be interested in offering her a place at his house, and even if he’d want Bri as his mate. Kade had explained that monsters chose the strongest mates they could find, and I had no idea if Bri had shown she was powerful enough for the demon alpha.
