His chest hadn’t been moving. She’d been ready to die for what she believed in. She’d expected it. She’d never imagined a scenario where he was the one to die. Her chest tightened, her throat suddenly too dry.
She stood, pulling him up with her as she grabbed the fur they’d been sitting on with her other hand.
The snow was trampled down and slick, and she slipped a few times as they walked, Fox catching her each time. Everywhere he touched sent sparks through her, and she walked faster until they made it to a small cavern farther down the slope. It was too small to house more than a couple of sleeping pads, so it had never been claimed. The bonfires and stars beyond let in just enough light to see by as she pushed Fox inside and pressed him against the cavern wall.
His head was bent down from the angle of the stone, but she didn’t care, too busy looking into his eyes, reveling in how alive they looked. He read something on her face because he didn’t speak. He cupped her face with warm hands, soaking her in.
“I almost lost you,” she said, her voice cracking. “I almost—I?—”
“You saved us all,” he said, brushing his thumb across her cheek. She realized she was crying as he wiped away a tear.
“You almost died. You should have died, and I—I was the one who killed you.”
He grabbed her hand, pressing it against his chest. “I’m still here.”
She pulled her hand from his. “You weren’t supposed to die. You weren’t supposed to sacrifice yourself like that.”
“But I didn’t die.”
“But you did. You died, Fox.”
“What? Did I take your job?”
She didn’t answer. They both knew that’s exactly what she’d been thinking.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said, his voice going soft. “I made it. We both made it.”
Her throat tightened painfully.
“You called fire from the sky,” he said, examining her hands as if they might spark to life again even now. His fingers traced the veins and calluses along her hand, the barest whisper against her skin. “You are a fucking goddess.”
“And you survived. You survived what killed him.”
Something passed over his face, there and gone in an instant, and then he was smiling. “Even your magic knew you couldn’t kill me. After all those threats.” He cupped her face once more, gently.
She laughed despite herself.
“It knows I’m not done with you yet,” she said, turning her head to nip gently at his thumb as it ran along her cheek. His pupils went wide, and she bit down harder, taking his thumb into her mouth slowly and running her tongue along it, all while keeping her eyes focused, boring into his. His breath hitched. She dropped the fur onto the ground, sinking to her knees, still not breaking eye contact. His hands moved, fingers weaving into her hair, holding her delicately.
She was eye-level with his crotch, and she could see his bulge growing. She ran her lips along the hard ridge of his pants, and his fingers spasmed in her hair, not quite tugging, but tightening. Her scalp tingled at the sensation, and she hummed against him. He let out a soft “fuck” above her.
Even in the dark, she made quick work of his pants, pulling themdown in one go. His cock stood at attention, but she ignored it for a moment, kissing along his thighs, biting down softly when he made a sound of protest. Her nose brushed along the golden curls around his base, and he let out another groan before she pulled back. She kissed and teased him until his thighs were trembling and his fingers pulled tight in her hair. And then she heard what she’d been waiting for.
“Please,” he practically hissed. She looked up and saw him watching her, pupils blown wide and lips parted.
“I believe last time you made me say I was sorry,” she said, grinning as his eyes narrowed.
He clenched his jaw and said nothing.
She let out a hot breath, just an inch away from his cock. It twitched, and she heard the groan rumble through his chest.
“Sorry for scaring me. Sorry for endangering your own life. Sorry for almost dying.”
“Damn you, woman,” he growled, teeth clenched. “You are the most stubborn and infuriating?—”
She darted out a tongue, just licking the tip of him, and his words cut off, his head flying back against the wall with a soft thud.
“Fuck! Sorry. I’m sorry. Just—please.”
