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)
The admission hangs between us, raw and honest. I reach up, covering his hands with mine where they still cradle my face.
"I don't want to lose you, either," I whisper, leaning into his touch.
He studies me for a long moment, searching for hesitation, for doubt. Finding none, he nods. His mouth finds mine with unerring accuracy, and the kiss is one without any semblance of control. Just raw need and desperate relief. My arms wrap around his neck as he pulls me flush against him, his body radiating the heat I've come to crave.
We stumble closer to the pool, stepping down into the waters until it soaks our boots and pants up to the calf. The rain drifting down on us is warmer now, drenching our clothes and running down between our hungry kisses.
I feel his power flowing into me, fire essence filling my veins, but it's no longer about siphoning his magic. It's about connection—about giving and taking in equal measure. For the first time, I feel myself giving something back to him, a whisper of my own essence flowing into his body, making him shudder against me.
"Wait," he murmurs against my lips, pulling back just enough to gesture toward the clouds above the pool. The gentle warm rain droplets still hit the water with soft plinking sounds. But now steam rises immediately.
I feel its perfect heat on my skin. Not so hot that it hurts, but hot enough to soothe away aches and make me want to curl into him forever—just like this.
"Too hot?" he asks.
"No,” I say, looking straight into his eyes until I feel like I’m swimming in their molten heat. “It’s perfect.” I can feel the magic within me shifting as the thunder stops, but the downpour of rain picks up, falling on us in thicker and thicker sheets. I lean in for more kisses, but he presses a fingertip to my chin, making me pause as he stares into my eyes.
"I remember the first time I saw you." His finger traces the line of my jaw, then drifts back to my lower lip, exploring it slowly as if the world will stand still for us—as if we have all the time we could ever want here. "I heard you were a volunteer. Assumed that meant you were an Empire fanatic like Serena. I wanted to hate you for it, but I still knew I wanted you, even if I didn't admit it. I was scared to want you, but I couldn't stop thinking about you. Worrying about you. Trying to make sure you didn't get killed, but it turned out you were pretty good at watching your own back."
I laugh softly. "I've had a lot of help."
"People want to help you because they see what you are," he says, gaze intensifying. "Your strength. Your determination. Your intelligence." His hand slides to the back of my neck, fingers tangling in my hair. "Your stubborn refusal to die when people want you to."
The words bring unexpected heat to my cheeks. "Is that what really attracted you to me? My stubborn streak?"
A hint of a smile touches his lips. "That. And this..." He kisses me again, deeper, his tongue sliding against mine. "And this." His hand skims down my side, over the curve of my hip to cup my ass greedily, pulling my body up and into his.
I arch into his touch as a moan slips from my lips.
"Let me see you," he says, his voice rough with desire.
My fingers tremble as I reach for the clasp of my uniform and slip out of my boots, clothing, shoes, socks, and underwear already completely soaked as we stand up to our claves in the pool, rain cascading down on us.
His eyes track every movement, darkening as I slowly undo each fastening of my clothing. The black fabric falls away, leaving me in just my underclothes—simple cotton, nothing fancy, but the way he looks at me makes me feel wrapped in silk.
Raith's breath catches. "Nessa."
Just my name, but the way he says it—like a prayer, like salvation—makes me braver. I remove the rest of my clothing until I stand before him completely bare, the rain drenching me as a slight drift of steam rises from the water around me. Water droplets catch on my eyelashes, slide down my collarbone, trail between my breasts.
His gaze scorches me, traveling from my face to my breasts, down to the curve of my hips, the juncture of my thighs. He swallows hard, adam's apple bobbing.
"Your turn," I whisper.
He doesn't hesitate. His uniform joins mine on the stone floor, revealing a body sculpted by training and battle, touched with dozens of hidden scars I want to trace with my fingers and ask about in some future, sleepy morning where death isn’t breathing down our necks.