CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

Tem stood by the bar cart as Leo shut the door behind them. Everything was the same as she remembered it: immaculately made bed, packed bookshelves, crackling fire.

“Would you care for a drink?” Leo asked.

“Please.”

He poured them both whiskeys before sitting in one of the armchairs facing the fire. On a whim, Tem set her whiskey on the end table, crossed to Leo, and curled up beside him. He moved to accommodate her, pulling her against his chest with a deep, satisfied sigh. They stared at the fire for a long time, neither of them saying a word.

Tem breathed in his scent, savoring the cologne that lingered on his neck. He smelled so good . She savored other things too. Like the way his arms were wrapped securely around her. And the way a single lock of blonde hair lay over his forehead. He was handsome, she realized. Or maybe she’d always known he was, but had pretended he wasn’t. Tem tried to imagine what it would be like to wake up next to him every morning for the rest of her life. Before she could picture it, Leo looked at her.

“Tem,” he murmured.

Tem didn’t think. She just pressed her lips to his.

They kissed slowly, their bodies folding together in the armchair. Tem expect?ed Leo’s hands to stray, but they didn’t. Instead, she was the one pulling him closer. She was the one running her palms under his shirt, touching his ribs one by one, feeling the angled lines of his torso. She remembered what Caspen had told her:

“You are mine, Tem. Whether you give your body to another does not change that.”

Tem pressed her lips to Leo’s neck. She wanted to taste him.

“Tem,” the prince pulled away, but just barely. “Stop.”

“Why?”

“Because you made me promise not to try to have sex with you.”

“I don’t see you trying. You just told me to stop.”

“You make it rather difficult to keep that promise.”

He pulled back in earnest this time, his eyes gleaming in the light of the dying fire. His voice dropped to a whisper:

“You can’t imagine everything I want to do to you right now.”

“Yes I can,” she traced her fingertips down the center of his chest. “But you’re a man of your word, remember?”

“It is becoming impossible to remain one.”

Tem giggled. She couldn’t help it. It was fun to tease him—to force him to resist her, especially when she knew how badly he wanted to do the opposite. She liked playing these games with Leo. It had always been that way between them—a battle of wills—a test of who held the power. Tem was holding it now, and she did?n’t plan on relinquishing it.

“Tell me what you want to do to me,” Tem whispered.

“Everything.”

“Be specific.”

Leo moaned , the sound vibrating deep in his chest.

“I want to rip this off you—” his fist twisted the strap of her dress, “—and throw it in the fucking fire. I want you to tell me what you like and I want you to say my name while I do it.”

“More, Leo. Be specific.”

His hand went to her throat, pulling her head to his.

“I want you spread open in front of me. I want to bury myself in your cunt until you can’t fucking breathe.”

“More.”

“I want you all to myself. I don’t want to share. I want my name to be the only thing on your lips and I want my cum dripping out of you.”

“ More. ”

His final words were a tortured whisper:

“I want to do everything you’ll let me do.”

Tem sat up.

Leo’s eyes widened. Then, just as quickly, they narrowed in hungry anticipation as Tem straddled him so they were facing each other in the armchair. She grasped the bottom of the dress and pulled it up over her head.

“ Tem ,” Leo said at the sight of her naked body.

Tem’s finger darted forward to touch his lips.

“Don’t worry,” she whispered. “You kept your promise.”

“If you tell me I can’t touch you this time—”

“Touch me, Leo.”

Leo didn’t hesitate.

He grabbed her with both hands, pulling her onto his lap so she was pressed against the hard length of his cock, which was barely contained by his trousers. He groaned while he did it, and Tem moved her hips to meet him, rubbing against his shaft to make him even harder. She took his hand and placed it on her thigh.

Leo’s eyes fluttered shut. For a moment, he didn’t seem to breathe.

Then his eyes flew open and he took over, sliding his hand between her legs and slipping his fingers inside her.

Tem gasped as he slid them in, then out, then back in again, driving them deeper every time.

“You’re dripping , Tem,” he whispered. “Is that all for me?”

Tem nodded.

“Say it,” he commanded.

“It’s all for you.”

“Again.”

She placed her hand over his, angling her hips so his fingers went all the way inside her.

“It’s all for you, Leo. Just for you.”

Tem took control, sliding herself up and down. Leo watched her, enraptured, as if he had never seen anything like her before. His other hand wandered—touching her hips and her waist and her breasts. She let him do this, conforming her body to his touch, showing him how well they could move together.

At some point, Leo removed his fingers, and Tem watched as he raised them to his lips, licking her wetness from them slowly.

“So fucking sweet,” he murmured.

Hot, possessive pride swept through Tem.

“Just for you,” she said again.

She dipped her own hand between her legs, and when she removed it, Leo licked it too, sliding his tongue into the groove between her fingers, closing his eyes as he did it. He looked radiantly happy, like he was savoring his last meal on earth.

As soon as he was done he kissed her.

She tasted herself on his lips, just as she had so many times on Caspen’s. Only this time she also tasted the traces of honey that accompanied Leo’s kiss, and the taste made her so ravenous that she filled her hand with his cock. He was harder than stone, straining against the confines of his trousers. But Tem didn’t release him. Instead she turned around, situating herself so her ass was in his lap, her knees on either side of him.

Leo gave a sharp intake of breath at the change in position. A moment later he twisted his hand around the end of her hair, yanking her head back so her spine was arched against his chest. His other hand slid up her waist to her breasts, squeezing one and then the other, running the hard peaks of her nipples through his fingers until she was whimpering beneath his touch.

Tem arched her back even more, pressing her breasts into his palm.

“So needy,” he whispered. “What are we going to do with you?”

Tem plunged her hand between her legs to grab his cock. Leo grunted at the contact, his fist tightening in her hair.

“So fucking needy.”

His hand left her breasts and Tem gasped at the sudden absence. Then his palm hit her ass with a hard smack , and she moaned as he bucked his hips below her. He spanked her again. And again.

She was so wet it was soaking into his trousers.

“You’re going to turn around,” he said, his lips on her ear. “And you’re going to come.”

Tem couldn’t obey quickly enough.

By the time she turned around Leo had spread his entire hand open beneath her, and she lowered herself onto this palm without a moment’s hesitation. Tem rubbed herself back and forth with quick, contained movements, going steadily faster until her wetness was dripping down his wrist. Her skin felt as if it were on fire—like one single touch might ignite her into a blaze.

“That’s it, Tem,” Leo said, his eyes locked on hers. “Show me.”

Her breath came in short, desperate gasps.

“Show me how pretty you are when you come.”

Tem wanted nothing more.

She wanted Leo to see what he did to her—the effect he had even when she was pretending she didn’t want him—that some part of her belonged to him, even if that part wasn’t hers to give away.

At the last second, Leo slipped his fingers inside her—touching her right where she needed it—forcing her body to collect what it was owed.

She drove herself against him as she came, thrusting her hips with shameless urgency, drinking in every last second of pleasure he had to offer her. Tem knew he liked to see her like this—open and exposed, helplessly reliant on him for her climax. It confirmed what both of them knew, but only one of them denied: she needed him.

Afterward they kissed slowly, Tem still naked, Leo still clothed. Tem made no move to undress him. She’d done exactly what she wanted to do tonight, and she didn’t intend on doing anything else.

“What will it take to get you on my cock?” Leo whispered. He was still touching her, playing lazily with her clitoris, his hand covered in her wetness.

Tem smiled.

“Your undying devotion.”

“You already have it.”

She laughed.

“There are two other girls you can fuck, Leo.”

“I only fuck them because I can’t fuck you.”

Tem took his hands and placed them on her breasts. He thumbed her nipples as she said:

“Then maybe you should eliminate them.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Is that what it would take?”

She shrugged as if this was of no concern to her.

“Maybe.”

Leo arched his head back in exasperation. His hands remained on her breasts.

“Tease,” he said simply.

“Masochist,” she said back.

He pinched both her nipples. Tem bit her lip.

She held his gaze as he caressed her breasts, brushing his long, slender fingers first up her cleavage then down it, continuing until his palms were on her hips. He seemed content to simply touch her—spreading his hands wide so he could feel as much of her skin as possible. Tem watched as he dipped his fingers once more into her center. But instead of pushing into her, he raised his hand and spread her wetness onto her already hard nipple, massaging it into her skin until she was aching with need. He leaned forward and opened his mouth.

“ Leo ,” Tem moaned when his tongue met her breast.

Her fingers threaded into his hair as he sucked her nipple between his teeth. Then he flicked her clitoris, and she cried out. Everything in Tem wanted to pull him closer—everything in her wanted more. But she would not be getting more tonight.

“Leo,” she pulled away. “I have to go.”

His grip on her only tightened.

“Where?”

“To sleep.”

“No.”

“Yes,” Tem smiled.

He kissed her.

The moment his hands started to wander again, Tem swatted them away.

“ Behave , Leo.”

Leo let out a groan of displeasure. He touched her for as long as he could, up until the very last second when Tem finally raised herself off of his lap. Even then he still touched her, stroking her exposed center as she bent over to retrieve her dress. When she stood, he leaned back to look up at her. She looked down at him, sprawled in the armchair, his hair disheveled, his eyes gleaming. He looked luminous.

“I want you to stay,” he whispered.

Tem leaned over him, pressing a soft kiss to his throat.

“I know you do.”

“Please, Tem,” he reached for her, but she straightened.

She shook her head.

“You have to earn overnight privileges, Leo.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Then I suppose I’d better endeavor to do so.”

“I suppose you had.”

With that, Tem crossed to the door and left him.

The moment Tem was back in her room, she bolted for the window.

She had no idea how long she’d been with Leo. Too long. It was late—or perhaps early—and she needed to get to the caves and back before anyone discovered she was gone. What if Leo came to her room in the morning? What if he came to her room right now ?

It didn’t matter. Tem had to talk to Adelaide.

Her journey to the caves was a blur. The air held that certain electricity that came right before it rained, and Tem sprinted in an attempt to outrun it. She hurtled through the village, into the forest, and through the wall, bursting into the cave to find it empty. Tem groped her way down the passageway, not stopping until she reached Caspen’s chambers.

He was already there, standing by the fire with Adelaide.

“Tem,” he said immediately. His nostrils flared, and she remembered how he’d known she’d been with Leo after the carriage ride—how he could smell him on her. Surely, he would smell him this time.

But she couldn’t worry about that now.

“Caspen,” she said. “I need to speak with Adelaide alone.”

Caspen hesitated. Tem knew he was already in the dark—already worried something was happening beyond his control. She didn’t have the capacity to comfort him.

“Of course,” he said quietly. “Take as long as you need.”

He pressed a long, tender kiss to Tem’s cheek before sweeping from the room. Tem waited until the door was closed before turning to Adelaide.

“What is it, Temperance?”

Tem arranged her thoughts before speaking.

“I…can’t talk to Caspen anymore.”

Adelaide raised an eyebrow.

“With my mind, I mean. Our connection is…broken. It’s weak—I can barely hear him.”

Tem paused, gathering the courage to continue.

“And I can lie. For the first time in my life. Easily—the way normal people can.”

Adelaide crossed her perfectly toned arms.

“Why are you telling me this, Temperance?”

Tem met her eye.

“Because you know about Hybreeds. And I need you to tell me what’s wrong with me.”

“I cannot be sure,” Adelaide shrugged elegantly. “I am by no means an expert.”

“Well then guess .”

She sighed. “When did it begin?”

“Right after Caspen crested me.”

Adelaide’s golden eyes searched Tem’s.

“I have never heard of anything like this before. I doubt anyone has. But it is possible that…” she paused, and it felt as if every cell in Tem’s body were tilting forward. “The basilisk side of you is…dying.”

“ What? But the crest didn’t work. I’m not bonded to Caspen.”

“It did not work on the human side of you. You are made up of two things, Temperance. Perhaps the crest could only choose one or the other. It chose the basilisk.”

“You say that as if it has a mind of its own.”

“It may very well have one. Caspen had only crested a basilisk before you. So when he did it again, the crest was drawn to what it knew. The part of you that is human was spared from its effects. The part of you that is basilisk was not.”

“So…what’s going to happen to me?”

“I do not know.”

“But if you—”

“If I had to guess ,” Adelaide said. “I would say that you are…wounded, so to speak.”

Tem’s heart fell.

This explained everything: her inability to speak to Caspen as easily as she once did, her newfound ability to lie. She was losing the best part of her—the part she’d only just gotten to know.

Adelaide was watching her in sympathetic silence.

“What happens if the basilisk side of me dies completely?” Tem whispered.

Adelaide sighed, answering gently:

“The same thing that happens when anything dies. It ceases to exist.”

“But then I’ll be…”

Tem couldn’t say the words. Adelaide said them for her:

“You will be fully human.”

The reality of this revelation sunk in slowly. If Tem became fully human, she would lose the ability to crest. If that happened, Leo’s life was in danger. Bastian had said that the crest was an elegant solution—that the alternative was all-out war. If she couldn’t perform the crest , there would be bloodshed.

“How can I heal it?”

Adelaide pursed her lips.

“I do not know that it can be healed. But if it were possible, it would require a significant amount of power.”

Tem’s mind was racing. Surely, cresting the royals would garner her a significant amount of power. But only if she could do it before the basilisk side of her died completely. She lifted her chin.

“How long do I have?”

Adelaide sighed.

“I do not know that either. Caspen crested you days ago. That means the basilisk side of you has been dying for just as long. If the deterioration of your connection is as bad as you say, I would guess you have a week. Maybe less.”

A week. Maybe less.

Tem fought to ignore the panic threatening to overtake her.

“You can’t tell Caspen.”

Adelaide opened her mouth to protest.

“You can’t ,” Tem insisted. “He’ll never forgive himself if he finds out this is his fault. Promise me.”

But the basilisk shook her beautiful head.

“It will not matter what I promise. He will find out when he can no longer speak to you with his mind. Most likely he has already begun to feel the effects. It is inevitable, Temperance.”

Tem held back tears.

“Listen to me,” Adelaide said urgently. “That is the least of your worries. You must remember that you are bound to Caspen by blood.”

Tem closed her eyes as she realized what Adelaide was about to say. Nothing could prepare her for hearing it.

“His life is linked to yours,” Adelaide leaned closer. “If a part of you dies—specifically the basilisk part…”

Tem finished for her:

“Caspen will die too.”

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