Chapter 24
Twenty-Four
Brevan
My skin feels like it’s on fire, and sweat beads on my forehead.
My cock strains against my trousers. I don’t reach for her anymore.
The dreams won’t go away. The worst part is, I’m not sure I want them to.
There’s no other way to be with her, but I know they’re making it worse.
Making it harder for me to release her from my mind.
Sitting up, I work to catch my breath, to imagine anything other than the way her body would feel against mine.
The way my fingers tangle into her hair, the way she tastes.
Gods, I could die happy if I had one more night with her.
But it’s not my life on the line. It’s hers, and my sister’s, and Anya’s.
It’s taking all my willpower to keep my hands away from my aching cock. I can’t let myself lean into this. I have to get her out of my head.
The knock on my door is so quiet, I think I might be imagining it. Then it comes again, a little louder. Heart thundering, I hesitate, what if it’s her? What if she’s feeling the same things I am?
Fuck. That’s my imagination getting away from me. These dreams are going to push me to the brink of insanity. As I stride toward the door, I make a note to seek a sleeping draught. Something to eliminate the dreams.
The knock sounds again, stronger this time.
“This better be good.” I turn the handle and then my heart falls into my stomach.
Her cheeks are flushed, her lips parted, her hair a glorious, gorgeous mess. “Sabina?”
“I’m sorry. I had to see you.” She shoves past me, and I close the door behind us.
“I know what you said. I know I shouldn’t be here. I know we can’t do this. But please, let me talk for a moment. You don’t need to say anything.” There’s pain in her expression. I would give anything to take that from her.
“It’s not fair what they’re doing to us. And I don’t deserve any kindness from you after what I did. I lied to you. Then I…I kissed him back and…” she leans her head back in anguish, and I swear to the gods I might lose control completely if I don’t get her in my arms soon.
Tears stream down her cheeks, but I don’t reach for her. I don’t speak. I can’t. If I do anything, I’m going to take this to the one place it can’t go.
“I know I fucked up. But if I had a choice, if I could choose you, I would.” She shakes her head.
“I hate that I’m so close to sacrificing everyone else and begging you to run away with me.
But what does that make me? Who thinks like that?
I’m awful. I’m no better than any of the people I came here to kill.
To consider trading one person I love for another person I love. It shouldn’t have crossed my mind.”
I need to send her away as she’s spilling her heart out to me. She’s going to hate me for it. My hands tense as I imagine punching him in the face.
She reaches for the door handle.
I’m shaking as I resist throwing her over my shoulder and carrying her to my bed.
“I just wanted you to know that. Thank you for listening to me. And I wish…” She bites down on her lower lip.
Fuck.
I close the distance between us and cup her face with my hands. “You love me?”
She nods.
I lean down and press my lips to hers. She throws her arms around my neck and kisses me eagerly, hungrily.
I kiss her back with equal fervor, our tongues clashing, teeth grazing.
Everything empties from my mind and my attention tunnels in on the woman in my arms. She tastes like wine and the soft scent of roses envelops my senses.
She’s everything that is good in this world and the thought of not having her in my life isn’t something I can fathom.
“You’re married,” I whisper against her lips.
“I don’t care.” She licks my lower lip, then slides her tongue into my mouth. I kiss her back, desperation sinking into every movement of my lips. This is what I want. Who I want. The whole fucking world can burn but if I have her, it doesn’t matter. I’m not sure anything matters.
She slides her hands up my bare chest and I grip her ass, then lift her. She throws her arms over my shoulders, but doesn’t break our kiss. Her breasts press against me but the fabric between us has to go.
Breaking our kiss, I reach the small couch in front of the fireplace and set her down on the center.
I’m on my knees in front her in a second and when her fingers run through my hair I nearly groan.
Even the simplest touch from her sets my blood on fire.
I slide my hands up her legs and under the fabric of her dress, hesitating when I reach her mid-thigh.
“Please don’t stop.” Her words are breathy and urgent.
I push the fabric up and she lifts her hips so I can bunch it around her waist, then I kiss her knee before moving my mouth to her inner thigh. I drag my lips up higher. Her breath hitches and she digs her fingers into my hair, pulling slightly.
Pushing her legs wider, I continue until I reach her center.
Her muscles tense under my hands, and her fingers still.
Her underclothes are already soaked and I can smell her arousal.
I nip at the fabric and she rewards me with another tightening of her hands in my hair.
The only thing better than giving her pleasure is seeing her completely unravel and lose control.
I hook my fingers under the waistband of her panties and she lifts her hips as I pull them down. After I toss them aside, then begin stroking. Slowly, I trace my finger down her slit, then circle the bundle of nerves.
She whimpers and her hands move, her fingers ghosting over my neck and shoulders. I slide my finger inside her. She’s so wet I easily add another one. I move slowly, taking my time and watching as her breathing hitches when I curve my fingers inside her.
The fire crackles and pops, sending strange shadows dancing along the walls.
“Brevan.” My name on her lips sends a shiver through me and I rise so I can kiss her again. She presses against me but my fingers are still inside her and I thrust deeper. “Oh, fuck,” she moans into my mouth, then bites my lower lip.
I groan. I wanted to toy with her longer, but I can’t take it anymore. Pulling my fingers out, I start working on the laces of her dress. I want all of her. Everything. Always.
“Let me,” she suggests, then stands and pulls the gown over her head. She drops it to the floor, revealing everything.
I’m still on my knees in front of her, but holy fuck, look at her. She’s a goddess and I would give everything I have to worship her.
She leans over, then takes my face in her hands. “You have far too many clothes on.” After a quick kiss, she stands, then offers her hand. I take it, and as soon as I’m on my feet, her hands are at my waist, undoing my trousers.
When they drop around my ankles, she slides her hands around my hips, then up my back, pulling me against her.
I take a handful of her hair in my hands and tilt her head back before claiming her mouth with mine. I pull and she moans. Maybe I’m not the only one who likes a little pain with my pleasure.
Something cool glides over my skin and out of the corner of my eye, I notice the room is darker than it was. Breaking the kiss, I look down to see a swirling cloud of darkness circling us.
Taylan’s brow furrows but then she notices the shadows. Her lips part and her eyes widen. She takes a few steps to the side, moving closer to the window. The shadows follow her, slithering and flowing along the floor in undulating wisps.
“Is that me?” she asks.
For a moment, I can’t speak. My chest tightens and all I can think about is how her magic is the same as Caiden’s. I don’t want to think of him in any way related to her.
“Brevan?”
The fear in her voice brings me back to myself. The shadows swirl around us, intwining us in a figure-eight. Like they want us to move together. But they’re gentle, a soft brush against my bare skin. They’re nothing like Caiden’s.
And she’s not with him right now. She’s with me.
“It’s alright. Your magic sometimes manifests when emotions are heightened.
” I step closer, the dark tendrils weaving around us, circling us in a swirl of strange mist-like swirls of darkness.
They’re cool and light, a sharp contrast to anything I’ve ever seen from Caiden.
Yet, they’re not the same as the shadows produced by the Night Legion, either.
Theirs are more mirage than anything. This is something else. Something entirely her.
“Does this mean I’m like him?”
“Of course not, you don’t even know what your true magic will be yet.” I pull her against me and she melts into my embrace, her body relaxing. I let out a breath, relieved that I can still bring her that kind of peace. “Give it time.”
“What if it’s something terrible?” she asks.
I cup her face, then kiss her softly. “Whatever your gift is, it changes nothing about who you are, understand?”
A corner of her lips lifts and she nods. The shadows dissipate, and everything returns to normal but my dream flashes in my mind, the strange shadows that held me down.
My cock hardens again, all the momentum I lost suddenly returns and once again, all I want is her. “Now, where were we?”
She smirks, then rises on her toes as I lower my face to hers. Our kiss is gentler this time, soft and tender. I slip my tongue into her mouth and she meets mine, the two of us moving in unison. This time, when I lift her, I carry her to the bed, then drop her right in front of it.
I’m panting and blood roars in my ears. It’s taking everything I have not to shove her to the bed and claim her. But I can tell she’s still a little shook up.
She’s looking at me with such adoration, I almost walk away. I’m not deserving of a look like that. If I were a better man, I would get her dressed and help her escape. I tried, but I have to admit that every time she refused to leave, I felt nothing but relief.
Keeping her means putting her life at risk.
I take a step toward her.
It means endangering everyone we care about.