Total pages in book: 214
Estimated words: 195876 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 979(@200wpm)___ 784(@250wpm)___ 653(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 195876 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 979(@200wpm)___ 784(@250wpm)___ 653(@300wpm)
"We should stop," he murmurs against my mouth, even as his hand slides beneath my tunic to trace patterns on the sensitive skin of my lower back.
"Why?" I ask.
"Because I've wanted this for too long. When I finally have you, I don't want to fucking rush. I'm going to take my time."
The simple statement sends waves of magma beneath my skin. I bite my lip. "I guess I can't complain about that logic."
"Good." His lips trail down my neck, finding a pulse point that makes me gasp. "Voss," he reminds us both, his voice strained. "We need to get it over with."
I sigh, resting my forehead against his chest. "I know."
When he pulls away, the loss of his heat is physical pain. But there's a promise in his eyes that steals my breath—it's a guarantee that what we just started isn't even close to finished, and it won't be long before he has me how he wants.
"Focus, angry human," Typhon grumbles in my mind. "Your heat and pheromones are making it impossible to think. And we have much to consider before meeting with the Rector."
I throw a pillow in Typhon's direction, which he dodges with insulting ease. "Were you watching the whole time? Creep."
"I was not watching. I was attempting to rest while ignoring the mating display happening in my vicinity. It was most distracting."
"Does Pyrin drive you crazy by constantly talking in your head?" I ask Raith.
He chuckles. "No. Pyrin doesn't speak much. But he's fiercely protective of me. Always patrolling the area and inspecting situations for danger. He's... It's nice having him. I always heard stories, but I didn't realize how much I would appreciate my elemental as an individual."
I smile softly. "Yeah. Typhon is... interesting. But he's kind of accidentally hilarious, and he does care. He just also loves the sound of his own voice."
"Careful, angry human. I am listening."
"But," I add with a meaningful look toward the water dragon glaring at me from the corner of the room. He has doubled in size since yesterday, but is still far smaller than normal. "I know exactly what you mean. Having somebody in your corner no matter what... it's a good feeling. Especially for those of us who got used to doing things on our own."
Raith watches me for a long moment, then nods his head. "Yeah." He rises from the bed, stretching. The movement pulls his shirt taut across his shoulders, and I catch myself staring at the strip of skin revealed at his waist.
"I can feel you staring," he says without turning. "Keep looking at me like that, and I'm not going to be able to wait until we're done with Voss."
I let my eyes linger on the muscular, tanned strip of exposed skin a moment longer before dragging them away. "I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't looking at anything."
Raith eyes me over his shoulder, his expression amused. "Pyrin says you were definitely looking."
"I thought we were friends, Pyrin," I say, not knowing where to look to address the fire panther.
I rise too, my muscles complaining only slightly. The void corruption is almost completely gone from my body, along with the strange waves of cold it brings. My strength is returning rapidly, enough that I feel almost like myself again—though I know better than to say as much to Raith, who would insist on more rest regardless.
"How should we play this meeting with Voss?" I ask as we prepare for the day, my voice deliberately casual as if we're discussing the weather rather than a potential confrontation with the most powerful man at Confluence.
Raith pulls on a fresh uniform, his movements precise and efficient. I try and fail not to stare, especially when he strips down completely naked with his back to me.
Gods. Does the man have no shame? Then again, why would he when he has a body like that? It's carved perfection. Beautiful enough that it's impossible not to stare.
"We listen," he says as he pulls black uniform pants up long, toned and muscular legs. "We learn what we can. We give away nothing. And we leave at the first sign of trouble."
"And you're still planning to come with me? He might not let you in."
"He doesn't have a choice," Raith says flatly. "I'm not letting you face him alone. Not after how he abandoned us with the siphon."
I pull my hair back into a tight braid, thinking as I still sit on the edge of his bed. "But he did save us first.”
"We don't know what game he's playing, Nessa."
"If he wanted us dead, why intervene at all? Why not just let the siphon finish what it started?" I shake my head. "It doesn't make sense."
Raith tosses me my uniform—not his oversized clothes from yesterday, but my own, freshly laundered along with a pair of academy-issue women's underwear. "That’s what worries me. So we stay alert.”