Page 75 of Hollowed
“Thankyou,”Isaid, my voice quiet.Mymouth opened, wanting to ask him to kiss me, but thenIclosed it with a click, biting down on the inside of my cheek.Warmthspread through my soul, pulling the oxygen from the room.Mylimbs tingled, remembering the last time he’d kissed me and what it had felt like.
Somehow, he moved impossibly closer, and his eyes darkened as he rubbed his thumb over my cheek, catching beneath my chin and raising my face to his.Hisvoice was dark as he spoke. “Whatwere you about to ask me,Katrina?”
Myface burned, but this time,Icould not tell if it was from desire or embarrassment.Myeyes darted down to his lips, which curled into a smile.
“CanIkiss you,Katrina?”Hisvoice was breathy, butIheard him as clearly as if he’d pressed his mouth directly to my ear, his words skating down my spine.
Insteadof answering with words,Isurged up to meet his lips with mine, consumed by the fire raging in my heart.Thegroan he let out in response vibrated against my face, and his hands tightened as he pulled me closer.
Iwanted to touch him, but holding the dress and my injured arm had both hands occupied.Fora split second, as our lips moved against each other,Iconsidered my options, deciding to let the dress fall to the floor between us soIcould wrap my hand around his neck and pull him back to me with more ferocity.
Ourtongues met, our breath mingling as we kissed.Butit wasn’t enough.Noneof it was enough.Oneof his hands left my face and traveled down my neck, skimming the side of my breast before wrapping around my ribcage.Heslid it down until it rested on my hip, burning a path down my body.
Igroaned into his mouth, and he swallowed the sound, pulling back slightly to kiss at my neck and down my chest as we both panted for air.Myhand moved down to fist the front of his shirt, andIpulled his face back up to mine, unwilling to let us part.Firesurged through my body, andIwanted nothing more than to be consumed by it.Consumedbyhim.
Hishand curved around my hip, tracing over my skin, and wrapping his fingers around the back of my thigh, he pulled my leg up around his own hip.Hisother hand plunged into my hair, tilting my head to deepen the kiss.Icould feel himeverywhere.Itwas maddening, both too much and not enough all at once.
Finally, our franticness slowed, our movements becoming languid, but no less fiery.Myfingers itched to untuck the shirt from his pants and run my hands over the skin of his stomach, andIalmost did, but the twinge of pain in my shoulder pulled me back to reality.
Reluctantly,Ipulled back, dropping my forehead to rest on his chest.Hebent his head and pressed his lips to the top of my head, squeezing my thigh gently before letting my foot fall back to the floor while his fingers traced a path back up to my waist.
“Weneed to train.”Myvoice was hoarse, butIdidn’t care.Raisingmy head,Itraced my fingers over his face, catching the prickly hair along his jaw. “Thankyou for returning my necklace.”
Hebreathed out a laugh, rubbing his thumb over my lip. “Ifthat is the thanksIget, you are profoundly welcome.”
Hiswords pulled a smile from my lips, butIrolled my eyes, anyway. “Yousaid we had more important things to focus on, and that has not changed.Weneed to prepare.”
Helicked his lips, watching me intently for a moment before bowing his head. “Asyou wish.”
Thirty-Five
Summoningevery ounce of my willpower,Istepped back fromAlexanderand bent to pick up my dress from the floor.Holdingit in my hands,Iwondered howIwould get it back on without his help.Wordlessly, he tugged the fabric from my hands and helped me back into it, easing it over my bound shoulder and pulling it over my hips.Despitewhat we’d just done, his hands moved with methodical efficiency, not lingering on my body.Noteven on the parts he’d just been gripping and squeezing.
Neitherof us spoke asIfollowed him from the cottage and into the clearing we’d practiced in before, still gingerly holding my arm against my stomach.Alexander’sshoulders were heavy as he walked ahead of me, andIknew that despite resting, he had not yet fully recovered from the hit of his mother’s magic.
Hestopped in the middle of the clearing, turning around to face me. “Allright, are you ready?”
Iscoffed. “Wedon’t have time for me to not be ready.Let’sbegin.”
Theweight of his stare made me want to fidget, butIfought it back.He’dasked to kiss me, and that had given me a surge of confidenceIhadn’t knownIneeded.PerhapsIshould have been looking for that confidence in myself, rather than in him, but for now,Iwould take it wheneverIcould.Ibit the inside of my cheek and clenched my fists asImet his gaze, determination burning away the anxiety in my soul.Ineeded to do this.Therewas no other choice.
Finally, he nodded, waving his hand as the purple haze of his spirit realm descended over us and his head disappeared.Thespirit magic was thick, andIreached up to rub at the ache in my ear from the pressure change.
Alexanderstepped toward me, his voice louder than usual as he spoke.Hiswords carried every bit of confidenceIhoped to emulate one day. “Focuson visualizing your fire.Pictureit building in your chest and moving through your arms down to your hands.Now, keep it there, don’t let it go.Justkeep it in your hands.”
Myheart squeezed, knowing his volume was for my benefit now thatIcouldn’t read his lips.Takingseveral cautious steps away from him,Itook a deep breath and closed my eyes.Istraightened my injured arm and held my hands out to my sides.Thefire that ran through my veins thrummed, and the heat pulsed asIcalled the flames into my palms.Theyswirled, agitation pressing against my skin from the inside, but they did not obey, deciding to spread through my body instead.
Grittingmy teeth,Iopened my eyes and ignoredAlexander’slooming presence asIfocused on my hands, trying to follow his instructions.Slowly, finally, the heat in my body seemed to move, the flames licking through my veins as they gathered in my palms.Ipushed my hope and excitement down, my brow furrowing asItried to pull the flames from beneath my skin to rest in my hands.
Witha slight pop, the flames emerged, dancing and flickering in my palms.
Icouldn’t help the smile that broke across my face, my eyes lifting to look atAlexander.Myvoice was slightly breathless, but the pride in it was clear to even my own ears. “Idid it.”
“Sustainit,” his voice sounded, echoing slightly. “Don’tlet it go,Katrina.Keepit in your hands.”
Lookingback down at my hands, my fingers twitched, pulling at the flames.Theygrew, the flames licking up into the purple-tinged sky.Iturned over one hand and pushed, directing the flames at the ground and concentrating asIvisualized a small ball of flames leaving my fingers.Ialmost leapt with joy as the fire followed my instructions, landing on the ground and sputtering out againstAlexander’smagical shield.
Theflames in my palm regenerated, both hands alight once more.