Before I begin to savor the victory—even open my mouth to tell Dani how fucking amazing she is, the ground beneath us lets out an ominous groan, and the world starts to tilt sideways.
What the fuck now?
I scramble to find purchase on the slick stone, my fingers clawing uselessly at the rock as I feel myself starting to slide. Dani is struggling beside me, her eyes wide with terror as she tries to brace herself against the crumbling ledge.
But it's no use. The ground is too wet, too unstable—we're falling, plummeting down the side of the cliff like a couple of ragdolls.
I hit the ground hard, the impact driving the air from my lungs and sending a bolt of agony shooting through my battered body. I can hear Dani somewhere nearby, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tries to push herself onto her hands and knees.
I crawl towards her, my vision blurring and my head spinning as I try to focus through the pain. I reach her and pull her close. The ground shifts again, and we're falling, tumbling head over heels into the darkness below.
I hear Dani scream, the sound cutting through the roar of the water and the pounding of my own heart. I feel the rush of the wind, the sting of the spray, the sickening lurch of my stomach as we plummet into the unknown.
And then, with a bone-jarring thud that feels like getting hit by a fucking semi-truck, we hit the ground again, Dani on top of me, and the world goes black and silent and still like the goddamn grave.
Icome to with the taste of Dani's sweet blood on my tongue, her voice cutting through the fog in my head like the sweetest beacon. "Rhyland, sweetie. Come on." I blink, my vision swimming as I try to focus on her face. She's got her wrist slit, the crimson liquid dripping down her arm as she presses it to my lips.
I don't hesitate, my instincts taking over as I latch onto her wrist and gulp down the life-giving elixir like a man dying of thirst. The power of it surges through me, knitting my bones and mending my wounds with every swallow.
I sit up, my head clearing as the last of the fog dissipates. And that's when I see it—the pain etched into every line of Dani's face, the way she's holding her side like it's about to fucking fall off. And she's worried aboutme? After taking a fall that could've fucking killed her?
Not on my watch.
"Come here," I growl, my voice rough with concern as I feel her pain pulsing through our bond like a damn siren.
She winces, her face twisting in agony as she tries to move away from me. "I think I broke a couple of ribs and maybe my ankle."
Fuck that noise. I don't waste a goddamn second, tearing into my wrist with my fangs and shoving it towards her mouth. "Drink," I command, my tone leaving no room for argument or any of her sassy bullshit.
My blood seeps out, dripping down her chin as she latches on and drinks deep. I can feel the power of it flowing into her, mending her broken bones and knitting her wounds back together.
"That's it, baby. Fuck. I'm so sorry." As I watch her drink, the words are a rough whisper, a plea for forgiveness. Her caramel-gold eyes snap open, locking onto mine with a heat that makes my blood fucking sing. I can see the pain receding, replaced by a heady mix of lust and love and want that makes me want to fuck her right here on this fucking cave floor.
I pull my wrist away when I'm sure she's had enough, gathering her into my arms and holding her close as I listen to the snap and pop of her bones knitting back together. I know she's got that fancy-ass rock to heal her, but I'm not about to sit on my ass and wait for it to do its job when I can get it done faster and better.
I take a moment to survey our surroundings, my eyes adjusting to the dim light of the underground cavern. I spot a calm, blue pool surrounded by glittering, electric-blue rocks that cast an eerie glow over everything. It's beautiful, in a creepy sort of way.
The same ethereal, blue glow emanates from the rocks beneath the water's surface, casting a mesmerizing light that dances and shimmers through the crystal-clear depths. It's like something out of a dream, a hidden oasis of beauty and calm amid all this chaos.
"Looks inviting," Dani purrs, her lips brushing against the sensitive skin of my neck. She stands slowly, testing out her newly healed ankle with a cautious step. "Damn, that blood of yours is amazing stuff."
I rise with her, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth as I meet her gaze. "Not as good as yours, baby." I throw in a wink for good measure.
Dani's eyes darken the heat in them enough to set me on fucking fire. But instead of launching herself at me as I half-expect her to, she turns her back, strolling over to the edge of the pool with an extra sway in her hips that makes my mouth go dry.
Without a word, she starts to undress, her fingers deftly unzipping her top and shrugging it off her shoulders like a goddamn tease. I stand there, transfixed, as she reveals inch after tantalizing inch of smooth, golden skin; the curve of her spine and the dimples at the base of her back are enough to make me weak in the knees.
But it's when she hooks her thumbs into the waistband of her pants and shimmies them down over the luscious swell of her ass that I nearly lose my goddamn mind. I'm half-convinced that I will spontaneously combust from the sheer, overwhelming need coursing through my veins.
She toes off her boots, kicking them aside with a careless flick of her foot, and then she steps into the water, a sigh of pure bliss falling from her lips as the cool liquid envelops her like a lover's embrace.
And fuck me, the sight of her like that—naked and glistening in the ethereal blue glow, her hair fanning out around her like a halo—is enough to bring me to my knees. I can feel the blood rushing south, my cock swelling in my pants until it's almost painful, every nerve ending in my body screaming at me to take her, to claim her, and who the hell am I to deny what my mate is so obviously asking for?
Rhyland
51
Idive into the water, the warmth embracing me, but it does little to quench the fire burning within me for the beautiful woman who awaits.
