Page 71 of Ivy & Bone

Cyrus leaned in, his breath tickling her ear as he hissed, “The last one to touch me there lost their life for it.”

Prue’s eyes closed, her body succumbing to heat and desire. Her voice was raspy as she asked, “Who?”

“A demon lover. She was curious. Playful. Too explorative for my liking.”

“And me?” Prue breathed. “What will you do to me for it?”

A low, feral sound rumbled in his throat, somewhere between a growl and a snarl. It made Prue’s toes curl.

“I will do all manner of despicable things to you,” Cyrus promised, his nose gliding up and down her throat and jaw, his breath sending shivers along her body.

Prue arched into him, rubbing against the hardness in his trousers. Please, she thought. But she wouldn’t give him the pleasure of begging. Not again.

She needed to take control of this situation. Fast. Before he undid her completely.

In a moment of panic and weakness, her hand snaked forward, plunging into his trousers until she grasped him firmly.

He stiffened, his body going rigid. But his cock throbbed under her touch.

“Shit,” he groaned. His hands slammed against the wall behind her as he made a pained sound. But he thrust against her, his body clearly demanding more. Prue squeezed, then ran her hand up and down with deliberate slowness.

“Shit, Prue.” His words sounded like a plea.

There we go. A triumphant smile lit her face.

And then he lowered his head, his teeth scraping against her neck. Her breath hitched as tingles shot through her body. Heat pounded in her core, and she couldn’t stifle the sigh of longing that swept over her.

Goddess, this is agony. Pure agony. She wished he would get on with it. But at the same time, she wanted him to slow down.

His mouth traveled lower. And lower. With one hand, he tugged her shift to the side, cupping her breast and running his thumb over her nipple. She moaned, throwing her head back. His fingers continued working, fondling her breast, until his mouth joined in. His tongue skirted over her nipple, and he closed his mouth over it, sucking and teasing. Then, his teeth grazed her, the sensation hard and soft all at once.

“Goddess above,” she whispered, her insides churning with liquid fire.

Cyrus’s hands found the edges of her skirts before hiking them up. She wrapped her legs around his middle, grinding against him. Moisture pooled in her core as she urged him onward, tugging at his cock to pull it free.

“No. Stop, stop. Please.” Cyrus rested his forehead against hers, gasping for breath. “I can’t, Prue. I can’t.”

“Why—why not?” Her words were nothing more than a rasp.

He drew back to look at her with haunted eyes. “Because if we do this, you’ll be bound to me for all eternity.”

SEALED

CYRUS

Gods, this witch would be the death of him. He was certain of it.

As much as his body cried out for her, as much as the fierce intensity of the moment set fire roaring in his blood, he refused to do this to her.

When their journey first began, he told himself he wouldn’t take her by force. Then, he told himself it was merely a game, to see how long she could last.

But now, when she all but begged him to take her, he couldn’t deny it any longer.

He cared for her. So much that he couldn’t sacrifice her for more power.

“What?” Prue asked faintly. Her ragged panting was driving Cyrus mad.

He stepped away, letting her legs drop. He had to put distance between them. Now.

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