Page 64 of Shadow Kissed
“The dragon was his brothers. Aelius, the god of fire.”
Her brow wrinkles as we pass through the gates. “Why were they fighting?”
“Because of a woman.” I scoff, shaking my head. “An Asen woman.”
Eretreya snickers and grins. “Seems we are good enough for gods but not good enough for you.”
Our eyes meet as we leave the safety of the valley. “I have my reasons, just as you have yours for your hatred of my kind.”
She bobs her head, considering my words. “I guess so.”
“Let’s pick up some speed,” I suggest, tapping my steed. “Think you can keep up?” I ask with a smirk.
She laughs at my question, and her eyes sparkle with challenge. “I think the question is, can you keep up, Lord Commander?”
“My shadows feed my stamina. I can keep up for hours,” I reply with a lick of my bottom lip that she follows with her eyes. I watch as she swallows deeply.
“We’ll see.” Her eyes move away from mine as she looks out in front of us. “Last one to the foot of those mountains must pay a forfeit.” Before I have a chance to reply, she squeezes her thighs and orders Qeyna to gallop.
Swearing under my breath, I order Nuri to race after her. She looks over her shoulder at me, her wild hair splaying out with the wind and her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Slow down, Eretreya!” I shout in warning, worrying that she is riding far too fast and doesn’t know the terrain.
“Catch me if you can.”
My shadows itch to come out and play with her. They want her here on my steed, between my thighs. I gallop after her, pushing Nuri, and closing the distance between us. If she thinks she can outride me, she’s mistaken.
She laughs into the wind as she pushes her mare to go faster and risks glancing over her shoulder at me. It’s like she sees danger and rides headfirst into it.
I shout at her to slow down, concerned that we are coming up towards some rocky bedrock, but with the wind in her ears, she can’t hear me. My shadows roar at me to protect her. She laughs, enjoying the thrill of the ride, unaware of the danger ahead. Iglance out ahead of her path and see a large rock jutting out from the ground.
“Eretreya! Stop!” I yell out, but it’s futile. My shadows refuse to wait any longer. They seep out of my body and race across the distance. She looks back, and frowns when she spots my shadows racing toward her. Just as her horse catches its hoof against the jutting rock. It’s like it happens in slow motion. My mind screams at me to protect her from harm. Those old insecurities in my head branding me a failure.
Just as she is thrown from the saddle, my shadows reach her, wrapping around her and lifting her to safety. I’m there within a heartbeat and I jump from my horse and stride over to where my shadows hold her hovering in mid-air.
“Do you have a death wish, woman?” I bark out, furious at her reckless behaviour.
“Put me down!” she demands, wriggling against my shadows as she hovers from the ground.
“My shadows are the only thing between you and a likely broken neck right now, you insufferable female!” I bellow at her, my mind churning with memories of how I failed to protect my brother and sent him to his death.
“Maybe I’d prefer to be dead than face the fate awaiting me!” she snipes back, her fists clenched. “Now put me down!”
“You are like a petulant child!” I shout back as my shadows lower her to feet.
Crack!
I flinch in shock when her hand connects with my face. She hit me!
I reach out and, grabbing her by the back of her neck, yank her towards me and slam my lips against hers. She jolts in shock at first, but after a brief pause, she groans and kisses me back. I grab her thighs and lift her, and she wraps her legs aroundme. Her hands going to my hair, winding her fingers through its length.
My shadows revel in the feel of her.
Ours, claim, keep.
I devour her like she is the life force I need to sustain me. I’m driven with a deep desire to touch every inch of her and mark every inch of her with my mark. She groans against my lips, and it goes straight to my cock that is throbbing with the need to be inside of her. I walk with her in my arms until her back hits the trunk of a tree and I press my body into hers.
“Too many clothes,” I growl, wanting to feel her soft skin under my hands. I tear at her tunic, ripping it down the middle and exposing her breasts; my mouth seeking her right nipple. Whilst my shadows tease her other nipple, pinching and rubbing it. She throws her head back, pushing her breasts further into my face and, gods, I could die happily smothered against her chest. My shadows whisper in my ear to take her, fuck her, and claim her. They slither down to her jodhpurs and yank them down past her knee. Her hands reach for me as she tries to guide me back to her waiting lips, and I let her have what she wants. I hold her chin prisoner in my hand as I plunder her mouth, wanting and needing to own her. My other hand travels down between our bodies and I growl when I part her folds and find her wet. I circle her clit and the feral moan she releases sends me into a fervour of hunger.