Page 74 of First Ritual

“What’s going on?” Sven asked.

“I’ve gained a tattoo. A symbol,” I said quietly. Wild stepped toward me, and I reared back again, head thumping on the shelves behind.

“Wait,” Huxley said to Sven when the hulking magus moved to intervene.

“Don’t wait,” I corrected, not daring to remove my focus from Wild. “He’s cornering me.”

Corentin leaned against the opposite shelf. “Looks that way.”

A blur.

I yelped as my chin was tilted upward. I began to drown in Wild’s gaze.

“Show me,” he said in the same hoarse voice.

“I was going to anyway,” I eventually managed to say. Except… now I felt unsure whether that was wise. “I think this means something. In whatever is going on. I don’t want to show you the symbol.”

The force of Wild’s growl upset a heavy tome overhead. He swiped it away, not otherwise shifting.

Corentin swore and cast his magic out. Silence charm.

“I think he’s telling you in growl that he wants to see,” Sven translated.

I remained very still before the predatory Wild. “No kidding. Okay, I’ll do it. But give me some space.”

Wild didn’t move.

“Space, Astar,” I hissed. “Now.”

He gave me one step. Then another.

Doing my best to ignore his gleaming interest, I pushed the waistband of my skirt down. “I noticed this at lunch.”

Huxley walked forward but was stopped when Wild whipped out a strand of magic to wrap it around his friend’s throat. Just a threat. He released him a breath later, dark eyes never leaving the X marring my stomach.

Wild dropped to his knees, wonder blanketing his features. He crawled closer, crawled, and all I could do was stay frozen on the spot. Heat pooled low in my stomach. My chest rose and fell. His hands gripped the sides of my thighs as he gazed adoringly at the symbol, and I groaned at the heat from his body.

I could feel his breath on my skin. That felt impossibly good. Incredible.

I pressed my thighs together, squirming on the spot.

Fuck. My breaths came fast.

“Tell me,” Wild demanded in a voice only half his. “Tell me, my queen.”

I gasped as fire swept through me. “Kiss it. Kiss it now.”

His lips touched the X, and a thunderstorm hit me. Only his grip kept me upright. The rumble rolled through my body, leaving nowhere untouched. It seared. It soothed.

And where there was thunder?

There was lightning.

The heat reached an inferno. My body flushed with it. I screamed at the suddenness and intensity of a pleasure I had never, ever felt.

My legs shook.

Wild let me drop to my knees to match his position and his eyes weren’t on the symbol any longer. They were on me, drinking in my climax from behind hooded lids.