The scent of herbs and citrus and warm stone drifted in through the open window. Sitting on the windowsill, I watched the dark night outside the inn. I knew that I should be sleeping. We had another long day of riding ahead of us tomorrow, but I couldn’t get my brain to shut up.
Being this close to Audrey all the time was incredibly dangerous.
I loved her.
Cold terror spread through my chest and made my heart seize up just at the thought of it. But it was true. I couldn’t deny it anymore.
I loved Audrey Sable.
During our scheme to secure blood oaths from the other dark mages, I had been trying to cut those feelings out of my chest so that I could go back to hating her. But now, I was forced to admit that it was futile. At this point, there was nothing that I could do, and nothing that she could do, that would make me stop loving her. All I could do was to at least make sure that she never found out.
But then she did something that made my heart skip a beat, and I desperately wanted to throw all caution to the wind. When she orchestrated a power play against Lance, or when she watched Paige dance with Henry and a slight hint of vulnerability crept into her beautiful eyes, I just wanted to…
Shaking my head, I stopped myself before I could finish the thought.
Hell, what I wouldn’t have given to know what was going on inside her head sometimes. Like when she had taken a knife through the palm to save my life. Or when she had volunteered to come with me on this mission. The reasons she had given me didn’t really make complete sense, which had made something very dangerous spark in my chest in response.
A bird flapped past the window, startling me out of my thoughts. Dragging a hand through my hair, I blew out a sigh and then rose from the windowsill.
The bed looked back at me expectantly as I stopped next to it, but my gaze kept getting drawn towards the door. I wondered if Audrey was still awake. Everyone should already be asleep, but she had looked troubled before we left the outdoor tavern, so maybe she was still up too.
Making a truly terrible decision, I left my lonely-looking bed and started towards the door instead. Halfway across the room, I paused while debating whether or not I should at least put on a shirt before I went to knock on her door. But I knew what my half-naked body did to Audrey, and I wanted to see that look in her eyes again, so the selfish part of me won and I started back towards the door while wearing only the loose gray pants I slept in.
My mind tried to reason with me once more, but I blocked it out and instead yanked the door open.
Audrey whipped her head around and blinked at me.
I jerked back a little in surprise.
She was standing right outside my door as if she had been about to knock on it. But her head and her upper body had been turned away slightly as if she had just changed her mind and had been about to leave again.
“Audrey,” I said.
Not exactly my most eloquent moment ever, but I had been so shocked to find her standing right outside the door.
“Yeah, uhm…” she began while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
It was hard to tell in the darkness, but it almost looked like her cheeks had turned a bit red.
“What are you doing here?” I flicked a wary glance up and down the corridor. “Did something happen? Did Lance try to escape again?”
“No, nothing like that.”
“Then why are you…” I trailed off as my eyes dipped down to the rest of her body.
An iron fist squeezed my heart.
The shirt. She was wearing that large white shirt that I had given her to sleep in when she was my prisoner. My shirt.
Pain crackled through my veins, and I tried to suck in a breath but my lungs didn’t seem to work anymore. Hell damn it all. Why did she have to do shit like this to me?
“Why are you here?” I demanded, my voice coming out harsher than I had intended.
She jerked back a little, and this time, the embarrassment on her face was clear. “Because we need to go over some details about tomorrow. Bastard.”
“And it couldn’t have waited until morning?”
“No, it couldn’t. Because then Lance will be able to eavesdrop on us.”
Forcing out a controlled breath, I turned around and stalked back towards the window. “So? Let him eavesdrop. I’m not in the mood.”
“Well, guess what? I don’t care.”
A bang sounded behind me, informing me that Audrey had slammed the door shut again. Relief washed over me. Good. I didn’t trust myself to keep my emotions hidden when she looked like that.
Closing the window, I expelled a sigh and then turned back towards my bed.
My heart leaped into my throat.
Audrey hadn’t closed the door and left. She had slammed it shut after coming inside.
Standing in front of the now closed door, she crossed her arms and stared back at me with eyebrows raised expectantly. My heart beat twice as hard at the way power and unflinching arrogance pulsed from her body when she looked like that.
“Why are you here?” I snapped as another wave of panic washed through me.
“I’ve already told you—”
“No,” I cut her off as I advanced on her. “I mean, why are you here on this mission, Audrey?”
“Yeah, I’ve already answered that too. Because I don’t trust you with both a Binder and the Enhancer.”
“Except if that was the problem, you could’ve stayed with Lance while I went after the Enhancer.”
“Except we had to take Lance with us,” she countered as I came to a halt in front of her. “Because it’s much more difficult for them to find him if he’s on the move. And we also need him to destroy the Enhancer when we get to it.”
Cocking my head, I stared her down while that dangerous hope sprouted inside me again. “Sounds like excuses to me.”
Before I had even finished speaking, she slapped her hands together and shot poison magic straight into my face. And because we were standing so close, I didn’t even have time to react before it forced its way down my throat.
That smooth and cold feeling of her magic sped through my body and numbed my limbs. I choked while the poison made my legs give out, sending me crashing down on my knees while my arms hung uselessly by my sides.
A hand appeared under my chin.
My eyes found Audrey’s as she tilted my head up. Fire burned inside them.
“Never forget that I can kill you at any time,” she said, her voice dripping with threats, as she held my gaze. “The only reason that you still have your magic, and the only reason that you weren’t forced to swear a blood oath to me, is because I decided to be merciful.”
I dry heaved again as she made her poison swirl inside my throat. Her hand on my jaw tightened, keeping my head up and my eyes locked on hers.
A wave of desire rose up inside me. Fuck. She was so hot when she wielded her power like that.
She gave me a sharp smile. “Never forget that.”
After holding my gaze for another few seconds, she at last pulled her magic back. Air flooded my lungs again and control returned to my muscles. I staggered to my feet while Audrey whirled around and made for the door.
With two long strides, I closed the distance between us again. She had only managed to open the door a tiny bit when I planted my palm against the wood and forced it shut again. It let out a thud as it slammed closed.
Audrey whirled around.
While keeping one hand against the door, I drew my other over her cheek as I moved closer, forcing her to press her back against the wood. A small shiver coursed through her body as my fingers skimmed the edge of her lips.
“The only reason that you are still alive is because I decided to spare your life when I took you captive,” I countered as I leaned closer. “And the only reason that you have your magic is because I gave it back to you.” Her eyes stayed locked on mine, but she made no move to lift her hands when I took her chin in a firm grip. “Never forget that.”
“So… Where does that leave us?”
“At a stalemate.”
“Again.”
“Hmm.”
For a while, neither of us spoke. We just remained standing there, staring at each other from only a breath away. That stubborn tilt to her chin and that fire in her eyes made all of the walls inside me crumble. I wanted to kiss her. I wanted her to kiss me.
But I couldn’t. Shouldn’t. So I released her and got ready to step back.
Her hand shot up and wrapped around the back of my neck.
Surprise flashed through me as she yanked my face back to hers and crushed her lips against mine. For a second, I only stood there while disbelief and indecision whirled through my soul. But at the end of the day, I was a selfish and greedy person, so I shoved reason aside and instead returned the kiss with a need so desperate that it scared me.
Wrapping an arm around her back, I pulled her body closer to mine while taking a step forward so that she was pressed between me and the door.
She drew her other hand up my bare stomach and chest as she continued ravaging my mouth.
Every brush of her fingers against my naked skin sent lightning shooting through my body, making a pleasant shudder course through me. She traced her warm hand over the side of my ribs and towards my back.
My brain flickered with white lights.
Fuck. I wanted her hands on me. I wanted to feel her body against mine. I wanted to feel it all. I wanted it all. I wanted her.
Taking my hand from the door, I drew it up her thigh instead and lifted the large white shirt. She answered by trailing her fingers along the skin just above my pants. A dark moan escaped my throat and rolled into her mouth. She smiled against my lips and tightened her hand on the back of my neck.
I drew my hand over her hip and up the side of her ribs while her tongue continued exploring mine. She squirmed against the door as if my fingers tickled her. Moving my hand upwards, I traced my fingers along the curve of her breast. A small gasp tore from her lips, and her hand slipped from my stomach.
Relaxing my arm around her back, I let my other hand slide down her side and towards her ass while my fingers made slow circles around her tit. She ground her hips against me while her lips claimed my mouth.
Deep desire burned through me. Hooking my fingers around the edge of her panties, I slid the fabric down. A low moan came from her throat.
While keeping one hand around the back of my neck, she pushed up her shirt with the other and slipped her hand underneath her panties, pushing them down from the other side as well.
My fingers continued making lazy circles over her skin, trailing closer to her nipple with each stroke.
She kissed me furiously while helping me push her panties over her ass and down her thighs. When they were halfway down, she wiggled her hips. The panties were already loose enough against her legs that the movement made them fall all the way to the floor.
Drawing my hand over her heated skin, I teased the inside of her thigh while the fingers of my other hand circled closer to its target.
Impatience flickered across her gorgeous features. Taking my wrist in a demanding grip, she pushed my hand the final distance to her pussy while she kissed me angrily. I answered by grabbing her stiff nipple and twisting it hard.
She gasped into my mouth.
Tearing my lips from hers, I kissed my way along her jaw while I relaxed my grip on her nipple and instead massaged her tit.
A violent shudder coursed through her body.
It caused her hair to ripple around her shoulders, and made the scent of jasmine fill the air around us. My heart squeezed painfully in my chest.
Audrey kept her hard grip on my wrist, holding my hand pressed against her already wet pussy, but I made no other moves. My mind was still trying to get back on track after that intoxicating scent of jasmine had knocked it off course.
At last, she took her hand from the back of my neck and instead drew it along my cheek before wrapping it around my jaw. It startled me enough that I followed her lead when she pushed my face away from hers so that we could lock eyes instead.
Her cheeks were flushed and there was dark desire and terrible need burning in her eyes. The sight of it stole the breath from my lungs. And at the same time, caused an enormous amount of pain.
She would never look at me with love in her eyes, which hurt more than I wanted to admit. But at that moment, I did like the way she was looking at me. It wasn’t love. Couldn’t be love. Only lust. But as I stared into those beautiful eyes, I couldn’t deny her anything. So for now, lust would have to be enough.
While drawing my free hand down from her tit, I pulled against her grip on my other wrist. She released it. Then she let go of my jaw as well.
We held each other’s gazes while I slowly touched my palms together.
Force magic sprang up around my right hand.
She leaned back against the door, her chest rising and falling with rapid breaths.
Raising my left hand, I cupped her cheek and stroked my thumb over her cheekbone. She let out a sigh from deep within her chest. It almost cracked my heart.
Lust, I had to remind myself. She didn’t want love. She wanted me to make her body tremble and her skin crackle with pleasure.
Abruptly taking my hand from her cheek, I instead wrapped it around her throat.
She sucked in a surprised breath.
I tightened my grip, trapping the air in her lungs, at the same time as I brought my other hand back down between her legs. A shudder coursed through her, and her eyes fluttered as the vibrations from my magic pulsed against her pussy.
While tracing my fingers over her sensitive skin, I relaxed my grip on her throat slightly, allowing her to draw in strained breaths. A moan spilled from her lips as I rubbed my thumb over her clit. Closing her eyes, she rested the back of her head against the door.
“Audrey.” I increased the strength of the vibrations heavily while tightening my hold on her throat for a second. “Eyes on me.”
She blinked a few times before her gaze once more rested on my face.
I answered by pushing two vibrating fingers inside her.
Another shudder coursed through her body, and she wiggled her hips as I traced my thumb around her clit while I began pumping my fingers in and out at a slow pace. A small and needy noise dripped from that pretty mouth of hers. It was followed by a flash of impatience.
Grabbing my wrist again, she tried to push my fingers deeper inside her.
A dark laugh built in my chest. Oh she really should have known better.
I stopped moving my hand and let the vibrations fade until they could barely be felt anymore. With one hand still around her throat, I raised my eyebrows as I stared her down.
For a few seconds, she just glared up at me. Then she reluctantly released my wrist again and spread her arms wide in defeat. A wicked smile curled my lips.
But I didn’t start back up again. Instead, I only continued staring her down.
“Please,” she pressed out at last.
The smile on my lips grew, and I increased the strength of the magic while I began sliding my fingers in and out again. It tore a satisfied groan from her lips.
“Please,” she breathed again as I drew my thumb over her clit.
Burning desire flared up inside me. I wanted more. I wanted all of her. And I wanted to hear her moan my name.
I pumped my fingers harder.
A gasp escaped her throat as she fought to keep her eyes locked on mine like I had instructed. I kept a firm grip on her throat, only allowing her strained breaths, while I slowly increased the vibrations. Her pulse fluttered under my fingers as she forced air in and out of her lungs.
Once I had reached the intensity right below the one I knew that she needed for an orgasm, I stopped increasing it. While pushing my fingers in and out of her soaked pussy, I studied every line of her face and every flicker of emotion in her eyes. I wanted her to say my name. I needed her to say my name.
Desperation flooded her eyes as I pushed her to the edge over and over again without letting her come.
Her hands shot towards me. And for a moment, it looked as though she was going to grab my right hand and direct it herself again, but then she seemed to remember what had happened last time. Instead, she reached up towards the hand I still had around her throat and gripped my forearm hard.
“Please,” she pleaded again. “Please.”
I stroked my thumb over her clit.
“Callan.”
My name tore from her throat like a moan.
Satisfaction washed over me. I pumped my fingers and rubbed her clit while I increased the strength of my magic to what I knew she craved.
Her chest heaved and her eyes rolled back in her head. I tightened my grip on her throat. She forced her gaze back to mine while the orgasm built inside her. Once she was looking straight at me again, I moved my thumb into the exact spot that always made her fall apart.
Pleasure exploded behind her eyes.
Her inner walls clenched up around my fingers, and she tightened her grip on my forearm. I kept sending pulses of magic against her clit until unintelligible moans fell from her lips while she came hard. Only my hand around her throat seemed to keep her upright as her limbs shook and her knees buckled.
My own heart pounded in my chest. I loved that look on her face. That intense pleasure that sparkled in her eyes. And I loved knowing that I was the one responsible for it.
Leaning down, I kissed my way along her jaw while the orgasm crashed through her body. “What do you want?”
She only sucked in deep breaths while tremors racked her frame.
“What. Do. You.” I punctuated each word with a kiss on her jaw until I reached that spot below her ear that made her toes curl. Moving my lips to that place, I spoke the final word directly against her skin. “Want?”
“You,” she gasped out. “I want you, Callan.”
My heart skipped a beat even though I knew that she hadn’t meant those words in the way I wanted her to mean them. She didn’t want me me. She wanted me to fuck her.
Drawing back, I looked down at her while I took my hand from her drenched pussy and released her throat. I was just about to lift her up and carry her to the bed when alarm flashed across her face.
The panic in her eyes was so intense that I staggered a step back. My mouth dropped open, but I didn’t know what to say, so I just stared back while closing it again.
She abruptly bent down and pulled her panties back up.
Before I could say anything, she shot me one last panicked look and then yanked the door open.
Dread and confusion rose inside me as she hurried out into the corridor and slammed the door shut behind her.
I stared at the slab of wood.
What had made her panic like that? Had I done something wrong?
Fear exploded in my chest like ice.
Had I made her feel like she had to have sex with me just because I had given her an orgasm first?
My eyes darted towards the other wall, as if I could see through it and all the way into Audrey’s room. And for a moment, I considered going after her. But that would most likely make things worse.
Forcing out a deep breath, I raked my fingers through my hair and stalked over to my bed.
Shit.
I should never have let it get this far.
