"Breathe..." My mouth trails down her neck, tasting ozone and desperation. "Stay grounded."
She laughs, sharp and breathless. "Says the man shredding my clothes."
My teeth find the junction of her shoulder. Her back bows, pressing her ass against my throbbing cock. The core's pulse quickens, shadows coiling around our legs.
"Not a man." I rip the rest of her suit open. "Not kind."
Her hand snakes behind her, grasping me through my trousers. "Prove it."
Discipline fractures.
I flip her to face the wall, my forearm braced beside her head. Her breath fogs the glass as I yank my pants down just enough. No finesse. No mercy. One thrust and I'm buried to the hilt.
Paragon screams.
Or maybe I do.
She chokes out a curse, her inner walls fluttering. "Data spike—right quadrant?—!"
"Fuck your data." I drive deeper, watching her breasts sway with each brutal snap of my hips. Golden light bleeds from my skin onto hers, swirling where we connect. "This is biology."
Her palm slaps against the conduit. The city responds, tendrils of black mist weaving through her fingers. "Slower. Or we'll overload the?—"
I bite her earlobe. "Make me."
Her heel hooks around my calf, throwing me off rhythm. She spins, all defiance and disheveled hair, and shoves me against the ruined conduit. "My turn."
The core holds its breath.
She sinks onto me in one fluid motion, her nails drawing blood from my shoulders. "Now. Breathe."
Gold light erupts from my scars.
The city...
Her reinforcedsuit tears like ceremonial silk under my claws. Alana’s breath hitches—not fear, challenge—as I pin her against the core’s pulsating wall. The chamber thrums with Paragon’s failing heartbeat, shadows coiling around our ankles.
“Still think this is about biology?” Her hips arch into my grip, the scent of her arousal sharp beneath ozone.
I move in time with her rhythm. Hot. Clenching. “You talk too much.”
Her laugh fractures into a gasp as I curl my fingers. “Says the—ah!—man with a glowing problem.” Her nails score my forearm, drawing beads of gold-tinged blood. The Jalshagar’s light radiates from my scars, illuminating the sweat on her collarbone.
I press my thumb against her clit, ruthless. “This what you wanted? Human. Curiosity.”
Her heel digs into my flank, urging me deeper. “Slower. Core resonance needs?—”
“Need’s got nothing to do with it.” I scissor my fingers, relishing her choked moan. The walls shudder, black tendrils snaking toward her bare shoulders. “Your science. My rules.”
She seizes my wrist, stilling my hand. Eyes blazing. “You’re syncing pulse patterns. Faster isn’t smarter, Chieftain.”
A conduit bursts overhead. Molten shards rain down. I shield her with my body, my free hand splayed across the wall beside her head. Her breath mingles with mine—spiced adrenaline and ozone.
“You’re bleeding,” she murmurs, swiping gold blood from my brow.
I bite her thumb. “Focus.”
Her thighs lock around me as I drag her higher. “Breathe,” I growl against her mouth.
