I can’t help but flinch at the sharpness of his tone, the anger practically dripping from his words.
The sound of approaching footsteps has me glancing up to see my mother’s worried expression as she makes her way toward us.
“Kale?” She says my father’s name with uncertainty.
“Mater!” I cry, running into my mother’s outstretched arms.
Scooping me up, she runs her hand soothingly over my face as she stops next to my father. I breathe in her comforting scent, her long black hair braided on either side of her face, two eagle feathers woven in.
“There must be some mistake. Ashwiyaa holds no magic,” my father says.
“We all saw her!” snaps Cheveyo.
A murmur of agreement rings through the small group.
“She is only five. How can she wield magic this young?” my mother says pleadingly.
“The chief will assess her immediately,” Cheveyo says. “We will take you there.”
Terror fills my stomach, and I begin to feel ill, like I’ve eaten a poison berry.
Chapter six
Ashwiyaa
“Live in the moment.”
“Morning, beautiful.”
I turn as Kai makes his way down the stairs, and I groan, tipping my head back. Fuck, he looks like a damn god. Barefoot, wearing only black sleep pants, with his defined and perfectly sculpted chest on full display.
Kai laughs. “Well, that’s not the reaction I was hoping for.”
I bring my face back to him and bite my lip, unable to stop my eyes as they roam over him. “Could you not have gotten dressed?” I mumble.
Kai stops in front of me, a cheeky smirk on his face. “Where is thefun in that?”
His hands land on my hips, pulling me closer, his mouth stopping inches from mine. Just as I’m about to close the gap, he suddenly steps back, leaving me stunned with my mouth hanging open.
“Coffee?”
I blink my eyes in disbelief. “Are you serious?”
“Totally. One does not joke about coffee,” he says, turning and heading to the coffee machine.
A low growl rumbles from my throat, and in a flash, I jump on his back, my legs wrapping around his waist. Swiftly, Kai uses my momentum, bringing me around his body to his chest. One of his hands tangles in the hair at the back of my head, and the other arm bands around my lower back.
The smirk on his face makes my pulse race.
“I love it when you chase me,” he teases.
Anger and pure, unadulterated lust floods my body. With a growl, I bury my fingers in his blond hair, feeling the soft strands between my fingertips, and desperately press my lips against his. Kai matches my tempo, his growl blending with the passionate kiss, creating an electrifying sensation.
My ass suddenly lands on the cold stone countertop, and Kai’s hands run up my thighs, pushing my T-shirt up. I reach for the hem, ripping it over my head and sinking my nails into his shoulders, dragging him back to me.
Kai places his hand around the front of my neck and squeezes before tipping my head back and plunging his tongue into my mouth. The hot slide of his tongue along mine sends my head spinning. Frantically, I push his pants down with my heels, desperate to have him inside me.
“Okay, beautiful,” Kai says.
