“It’s that or nothing,” I push, chin lifting in defiance. A beat of silence. Then a slow, wicked grin curls across his lips.
“Fine, then you can’t touch either.” Pulling his mask down, his tongue slides deliberately along one of his canines, slow and purposeful. The flash of fang isn’t just for show; it’s a warning, a tease. A reminder of what he is beneath the charm. A predator, coiled and patient, always aware of his hunger. And right now?
That hunger is focused entirely on me.
Kai takes a step back, shrugging off his black hoodie to reveal his strong build. With that same calm efficiency he brings to everything, he unstraps the safety jacket, each buckle clicking open as clockwork. The straps drop to the floor with a dull thud. Then the shirt, one pull and a casual shrug. The fabric drags across his skin, and what it reveals is pure sin; every inch of him is muscle. He runs a hand back through his hair, the motion flexing every line and curve of him as some kind of living threat. One that knows exactly what he’s doing. His hair falls loose, untamed. I like him better like this; less soldier, more storm,closer to the truth. Both arms are sleeved in ink, just like I figured. But his torso is bare. All smooth skin over sharp muscle, his stomach taut. And that V-cut at his hips?
It’s the kind of thing that dares you to lose your dignity. My mouth waters, my knees?
A little less cooperative than I’d like. Kai makes me feral. I could drop right here, chase that line with my tongue, and not care about the consequences.
But just as fast as that heat rises, the shadow follows. Because that’s how it always goes. The thoughts sneak in sombre, cold, familiar; I don’t have the flattest stomach. My hips are wider than what society calls ideal. And just like that, the confidence I was clinging to peels away as cheap wallpaper. I love myself, I do. I’ve worked hard for that.
But in moments like this?
It’s harder, heavier. And those old doubts? They don’t knock, they just let themselves in, breaking down walls.
“Hey.” Kai’s voice is soft, almost hesitant, as if he's afraid to shatter the moment between us. “Where did that beautiful mind of yours go?” I blink, my thoughts still tangled in the remnants of doubt.
My arms instinctively cross over my chest, a futile attempt to shield myself from the vulnerability I feel. I can't stop myself from asking, even though the question feels like a betrayal of myself.
“Do you ever… look at someone, and think, what the hell are they doing with me?” The words escape before I can stop them, raw and unfiltered. Kai steps closer, his presence grounding me. His gaze is unwavering, as if he's searching for the right words to say.
“Yeah,” he admits quietly. “I do.”
His honesty catches me off guard. I expected deflection, a joke, anything to lighten the heaviness of the moment. Instead, he stands there, open and sincere.
“I look at you,” Kai continues, stepping closer, “and I think, how the hell did I get someone like you to look back?” The words hit me in the chest, unexpectedly, and for a second, I forgot to breathe.
“Why her?” The words catch in my throat, tight and raw with pain. Kai’s hard lines soften, an unfamiliar vulnerability flickering in his eyes. Slowly, deliberately, he cups my face, his hands warm, searching for my gaze.
“It was never about her,” he whispers, his voice barely more than a whisper. “It’s always been you.”
I can’t speak. My brows crease, confusion leaking through. The knot in my chest is tightening, aching and twisting like a blade.
Kai swallows hard, voice trembling with something looking a lot like fear. “You scare me. When I’m with you, I’m not the man I’ve been raised to be… That I’ve been trained to be. It’s unsettling. Terrifying, actually, but nothing happened with Heather; I pushed her away. I waited… I waited for you to look away.”
My voice breaks, “And you want me to believe that? How… How can I trust you after all this?”
Before I can even process what’s happening, Kai pulls a dagger from his side and presses it into his palm, easily breaking the skin.
“What are you doing?” I reach out, panic clawing up my throat, but he pulls the blade just beyond my trembling fingers, his eyes unreadable.
“I’m trying to earn your trust,” iron edge beneath his words.
“A blood promise?” The realization is deafening.
A binding, a sacrifice, that comes at a great cost. Kvirr is the power we wield, because it’s safe. But blood magic? That’s a different kind of enchantment, one worshiped in Netherworld. Those spells always come with a greater price, and the cost isn’t just blood; it’s a distortion, a twisting of your very soul. The reason why it’s forbidden in Elgar.
Kai’s smile is dark, the wildness barely held in check.“Yes.”
I shake my head, voice breaking under the weight of fear and doubt. “I’m not worth that.”
His gaze softens, but the fire in his voice doesn’t fade. “You’re worth everything. The world, my soul. I’d burn it all down for you.” There’s a fire in his words, raw and unyielding, and it leaves me dizzy.
Then, without warning, he closes the space between us. His mouth crashes against mine, urgent, greedy. Teeth scraping, breaths hitch, and our bodies press close, every sharp, desperate motion telling me just how much this means to him. And yet it’s not close enough, his hand slides low, gripping the curve of my ass before lifting me effortlessly with one hand. I wrap my legs around him without thinking. A soft, involuntary whimper breaks free as I bite down on his lower lip, and copper floods my tongue. Kai’s hips press against me, hard and relentless, while his fingers find the nape of my neck, pulling me closer, deepening the kiss.
Our breaths mingle roughly, ragged, two storms colliding. His other hand threads through my wild curls, anchoring me as if I might drift away. Slowly, deliberately, he brings his forehead to mine, and for a moment, the chaos quiets down. All that’s left is the sound of us. Shallow, uneven, and utterly alive. Kai slowly lowers me down, then raises his bloodied hand into the air.
