She’s shivering on the beach, and I use some of my power to make her towel warmer. A rock lodges in my chest as I watch her giggle with her friends. This is one of the last moments they’ll have with her, before she’s torn away fromusthem.
Morgana needs to know about the Keeper bond. My instincts are screaming at me to stay and keep her safe. But that isn’t my job anymore – it’s his. The thought goes down with an acrid burn, and I apparate back to the Shadow Realm.
The mortal hasn’t freed Leon yet, so technically, she still isn’t safe. That’s the excuse I give myself when I’m back in her apartment less than a day later. I’ll have to erase all traces of my scent to ensure Leon never knows I was here.
Rage wells up inside me at the thought of him being inside her safe place. He’d better bring her fucking books to the Otherworld.
The mortal’s friends are here, and she’s managed to open a portal, allowing Need to make contact.
Clever girl.
When the others leave, the loud boy stays behind and finally makes his move.
I’m torn between amusement and molten anger as I watch him ask her out. Amusement, because my little mortal isn’t even remotely interested. But watching him try sends possessive fury surging through me.
Mine! Fucking mine! The words are snarled by a dark and dangerous voice inside me.
I wait until she’s reading in bed, then trail after the boy. I won’t hurt him. I just want to pay a visit to his nightmares. Then, I’ll double back and make sure my little mortal remembered to blow out her candles.
She’s so fucking cute when she’s trying to be sneaky.
I watch, shaking with laughter, as she tries to steal a surfboard. I’ve already disarmed the alarms for her, but she’s still struggling.
Her frustrated mutters might be one of my favorite sounds in the universe. It’s one of the only times she lets herself feel angry, rather than swallowing the emotion back down.
I avert my eyes as she starts to strip, but look back just in time to catch the sway of her ass as she wades into the water.
Fuuuuuck. My cock jumps to attention.
I could jump into the ocean to cool off. But then I’d be in the water with her, while she’s almost naked…
I grab my dagger and stab myself in the thigh.
It’s still not fucking enough.
She’s far into the water now, and the tides are rising. Her clothes are about to be drenched, and I pick them up to move them a little further up the beach.
Do not be a creep. You already know her scent. Don’t–
I should stab myself again.
She smells like honeysuckle blooming on a moonless night. Fucking sweet and dark, all at once.
I want to drown in her.
Drowning – fuck!
I turn just in time to see Leon apparate them onto the beach.
Something’s wrong. She’s not fucking breathing, and that idiot is pressing on her collarbones instead of her fucking lungs!
Fuck the rules. My power lights up inside her lungs, erasing the water and forcing her to cough up whatever was stuck in her throat.
White-hot rage sears through me as I watch him check her out instead of getting her warm.
Every time I’m around the mortal, the dark, violent urges inside my mind grow louder. Usually, I can ignore them, but right now, they sound very rational.
She’s huddled in a sweater now, and I spot Leon’s hard-on tenting against her pants.
