And that was when Evira employed her distraction.
As she shifted back, she created several swirling vortexes of ice and snow and shimmering pale blue magic. They movedcarefully, soothingly around Winter and Zayn, one around me, and even herself, creating a stunning show that had the two of them transfixed.
I ducked and rolled from the one shielding me from view and stepped into hers, just as she shifted back. My breath caught in my throat, my body reacting so very intensely, the primal connection between us often flaring in such a manner, as her naked body materialized. I forced my feet forward and focused on her weaving her glacial magic over her left shoulder and replicating a version of the Crown Heir marking.
She’d already formed it by the time I reached her.
I called my own power, hovering my hand over her shoulder.
And then I hesitated.
“It’s all right,” she assured me. “Really. Do it.”
I grimaced, then pressed my palm to her skin over the ice and magic she’d woven.
I pushed my petrification into it, specifically the ice aspect, then deeper to hold her healing at this specific site at bay, to force it into temporary stasis.
I saw her eyes rolling back in her head.
Just like the time we’d sparred in Combat Conclave and our powers had first collided.
I smiled at the memory, as I continued the process.
“Your animal calls to mine. Dragon to Basilisk. Each time we come into contact, that spark of attraction we both felt when we first laid eyes on one another intensifies. After we introduced violence—a primal act—into the mix earlier, that has become undeniable and even—”
“Unbearable?”
“Indeed.”
I startled back to the moment as I felt resistance—deep enough. Any deeper and she would hurt. I couldn’t even stand the thought of that.
I pulled away. “It’s done, beauty.”
She beamed out at me. “Thanks.”
With a spark of her magic, she clothed herself.
Well, in a manner of speaking.
She stood there in a silver silk negligee with a pale-blue lace bust.
A groan spilled from my lips, my forked tongue even darting out.
And then she swept her hand in an arc, dissipating the show she’d put on.
Not mere seconds later, Zayn and Winter were bolting over.
Zayn jolted to a stop at the sight of her, and his magic inadvertently sparked on his fingers in response.
Winter’s eyes hooded.
And then the three of us were closing in on her.
I hadto lock the door to Evira’s suite on her behalf, because she was too far gone to focus on such a thing.
She was pouncing on Zayn whom she’d tossed onto her bed the moment we’d walked through the door.
Winter was watching the show as he slinked off his leather jacket, then reached for the hem of his T-shirt.
