Total pages in book: 401
Estimated words: 390373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1952(@200wpm)___ 1561(@250wpm)___ 1301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 390373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1952(@200wpm)___ 1561(@250wpm)___ 1301(@300wpm)
“That’s why you asked if anyone else visited with you?”
“Yes.” I went to the window and took my first look at the capital since waking. Or at least, I thought it was the first time since. Scattered light broke up the sea of darkness.
“Do you remember what he said?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Just whispers that…kind of sounded familiar. But that doesn’t make sense. I never heard him speak—” I turned to Cas. “I hate that I don’t remember any of this.”
“What’s important to remember is that you could’ve really hurt us, but you didn’t.” Casteel’s eyes, shining like polished topaz, met mine as he stressed, “You did nothing you should worry about.”
“I will decide later whether to worry about what I may or may not have done because we don’t have time for that right now,” I said, and his nostrils flared. “How do you know he’s not still in me?”
My breath caught as I turned sharply. Bile rose, and there was a really good chance I might have vomited if I’d eaten something recently. He’d been inside me. He could still—
The air cooled as a charge of energy enveloped the chamber, sending a shiver racing down my spine. I spun around, eather swelling and pressing against my skin as it responded to the source of power.
Casteel.
He’d moved without me hearing and now stood not even a foot away, towering over me. My lips parted as I looked up at him. His face…
Shadows had darkened the skin above and beneath his eyes and in the hollows of his cheekbones. And his irises? Silver eather laced with crimson swirled through the amber.
I’d never seen a God of Death, but Casteel looked like one then.
And even though I knew he wouldn’t harm me, I knew he was far more dangerous now than he’d ever been. Every ounce of common sense I had in me said I should probably step back.
“I would prefer it if,” he spoke, and my breath hitched at the sound of his voice. It had completely changed, taking on a smoky undertone, each word laced with icy shadows that sent a tight shiver rippling over my skin. “You never say the words inside you and Kolis in the same sentence again.”
“I…I would prefer that, too,” I whispered. Not even I sounded like that when I tapped into the more destructive side of my powers. And apparently, I didn’t possess that much common sense. Not only was I not stepping back, but I was actually feeling something wholly inappropriate in response to that voice, the way he looked, and the power radiating off him. And that reaction was not forced.
There was something very, very wrong with me.
Casteel lifted his hands to cradle my face. His touch was cold, but it elicited a hot, needy rush of desire in me. “Kolis is no longer with you.”
“Okay,” I breathed.
“We severed the connection.” His head lowered. When he spoke again, his lips brushed mine. “I can smell your desire. Sweet and smoky. I can taste it.”
I couldn’t even try to deny that I was turned on. The ache between my thighs wouldn’t allow it.
“I am curious as to how this conversation is arousing you.”
“It’s not the conversation,” I told him, ignoring the desire to lean into him. “It’s you.”
His nose glided across mine as his fingers trailed down the sides of my neck. “Of course, it’s me.”
I started to frown.
“But that doesn’t answer my question.”
What was his question? Oh. Right. Why was I aroused right now? “I can see the essence in you and hear it in your voice.”
His hands halted at the base of my throat. “And that has made you wet?”
My eyes widened, heat flaring in my cheeks.
Cas chuckled, and…my gods, even that sounded dark and smoky. “Naughty,” he murmured, the skin of his hands warming. “We need to finish this conversation.” He caught my lower lip between his, and the ache pulsed. “So, behave yourself.”
I blinked.
Cas lifted his head. A smirk played across his lips as the shadows faded from his face. “Are you able to behave yourself?”
My eyes narrowed. “I don’t know. But I’m pretty sure I’ll knock you through a wall if you tell me to behave myself one more time.”
His laugh was lighter and warmer, sounding more like the Cas I knew.
Smoothing my hands over my stomach, I refocused on the extremely important topic. “How was the connection severed?”
“I asked Reaver to return to Iliseeum to see if anyone knew of a way.” He went to the table and turned over two slender glasses. “Luckily, he found someone.”
I pressed a hand to my stomach. “The gods are awake.”
Picking up the decanter, he looked over his shoulder at me. An eyebrow rose.
“I didn’t forget that,” I explained. “Okay. I temporarily forgot it.”
“Understandable.” He turned his attention back to the table.