His rage slams through me, and the wet exploration of my tongue on every inch of her neck, the devouring kisses, end in an instant. I bite her throat. The ground cracks open next to us. Her delicate skin breaks, enough that I taste her perfect blood again.
She cries out, more of a needy moan than anything else, then bites my shoulder and claws at my face in retaliation. She’s the only one capable of penetrating my skin with her bare hands. Her nails easily rip open my cheek, and she lets her magic loose. “You sweet fucker.”
I have to smile at that, even as I stiffen and groan, pain ravishing every godsdamn nerve until she pulls back her attack. She smears my blood over my cheek in slow circles as we stare at each other. Our heavy breaths overpower the sounds of the woods around us. She leans closer and closer, moving so slowly that I’m frozen, waiting to see what she’ll do. Her lips reach my neck, smacking kiss after kiss, one side to the other. I don’t know what to do with the softness of it, the tenderness.
Finding someone to be with would not be an issue if I weren’t chained to a wall in Zandrite’s chamber!Kelter yells, finally working up the balls to voice the fury that led to my own outburst toward Never—my teeth sinking into her throat.
I take in the fresh trickle of blood on her neck.Look what you made me do.Not that she minded…
I thought you had control?Kelter accuses.
Of myself, not you. And you’ve been lying. You got yourself locked up again and need saving?
No.His alarm punches my chest. And I hate the way it makes me care.Don’t come for me. She’s not safe around me. Or you.He sighs.We’re not good for her, Eli.
We’re going back to the Underbroke to kill Zandrite once the others are back and we have a plan, and we’ll save your pathetic ass too.
“What do I taste like?” Never whispers into my skin. Her voicecarries over my entire body, the touch of her soft lips rolling through me. She’s a seductive little thing.
“Like you’re mine” I say, touching any bit of her I can, finding it harder to control my strength with every inch I cover.
She’ll be fine without me, he insists.
She would, but…maybe I’d rather my brother live. I mean to only think it to myself, but nothing is my own anymore. A warm rush comes from him and wraps around my heart like a serum gone bad.I didn’t mean that, you sentimental sap.
I know, he lies, for my sake.Let her go, brother, before you slip up and trigger the second half of the curse. I don’t want to lose her.
I willneverlet her go.
Dammit, Eli. Then at least satisfy yourself so you don’t give in and kill her. The blood helps too.
I slide my hands inside her shirt and cup her soft tits.That, I can do.
Chapter 46
EVER
Isuck in a breath at his cold hands on my skin. The earth shakes. I don’t doubt it’s me this time. And I don’t care either. His touch is a reprieve. With the residual effects of linking, I’m constantly aroused. And this beautiful man holding me in his lap only makes it worse. He’s soft and rough at once, gripping my breasts tight and gently flicking his thumbs over my nipples. My treasures fall between us, bringing a smirk to his face.
I let my head roll back and push my chest out, my hips closer to his. I expect him to throw me to the ground and tell me precisely how hard he’ll take me, where he’ll come. Instead, he kisses my neck again, nipping at the skin between each kiss. Over the cut and bite. Up and up my jaw. I bring my head forward, my lips in search of his. It’s soft at first, the way he slides his tongue against mine, as if forcing himself to hold back, then urgent. Passionate.
I squeeze my legs around him. His hands stray from my chest, roaming under my shirt. To ribs and shoulders. To my back and neck. He raises the fabric, and not even flinching at the sight of my impression, kisses a circle around the stone on my chest.Ametrine.I remove it with a quick tug of the chain over my head and find his lips again.
But his touch changes, his grip painful, his tongue forceful. Until he breaks our kiss, gasping. “Get up.”
I search his eyes. They’re as molten as my rings were, brown and gold and green, marbled and swirling around the deep black of his dilated pupils. He’s not even trying to hide the chaos inside him. I climb off his lap, mesmerized. And much too obedient for my liking. But I can’t helpit, not when he looks at me like that, like I’m his next long-awaited breath. He shifts onto his knees, arranging them far enough apart for me to stand between.
Then fire catches his gaze. He puts his hands on my ass and walks me closer, until I’m an inch from his face.
I grab a handful of his soft ringlets. “What’s going on inside that head of yours?”
He rests his nose against me and turns his head side to side, then, ignoring my question, drops my pants to the ground. Then my underwear. They gather at my ankles, warming my cold, bare feet. The frigid air raises goosebumps as if on command.
I pull his hair. “Tell me.”
“This, between us”—he runs his hands from the back of my calves up my thighs and onto my ass cheeks—“it’s a matter of life or death for you.”
I loosen my hold on his hair, chills scrabbling over my skin.
