Page 56 of Fated for Dawn

I nestled deeper into Ryker’s lap, my body still heavy with exhaustion from the day’s training. Across the room, chaos of a different kind brewed.

“You’re going down, feather-boy!” Chad shouted, his fingers furiously mashing buttons on a game controller.

Beside him, Rafe looked uncharacteristically intense, leaning forward like his life depended on winning.

“In your dreams, Chad!” Rafe shot back, his usual calm replaced by a surprisingly competitive edge.

I sighed, content.

Then the door slammed open, shattering the quiet.

Alister burst in, clutching the Sunday Supernatural paper in a white-knuckled grip. His face was grim, his eyes scanning the room.

“Bad news,” he said, tossing the paper onto the coffee table. “Chaos is spreading.”

Ryker’s arms tensed around me as I leaned forward to grab the paper.

“Powerful supernaturals are going missing,” I read aloud. “Freak storms popping up out of nowhere. And…” I faltered, swallowing hard. “Someone’s digging up cemeteries and stealing bodies.”

Chad paused his game, abandoning the controller to come stand over me. “Well, that’s creepy as hell.”

Lucien closed his book with a heavy thud, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Deeply unsettling.”

“What could Eris be planning?” Rafe asked, his usual gentle voice tinged with unease.

Alister started pacing. “We have to prepare for the worst.”

The enthusiasm about my newly found lightning powers vanished. We’d made progress, sure, but let’s face it—we were still no match for a goddess.

* * *

I tiptoed into my bedroom. The air felt different since Lucien had taken over my domain. His scent lingered everywhere: herbs and something distinctly…his.

Lucien was sprawled on my bed, wrapped snugly in my pink comforter. The sight made my heart swell. He was my fatedmate…and an ass. But he was mine.

“I’m expecting more groveling,” I muttered to myself, heading for my walk-in closet.

As I rummaged through hangers, a voice behind me nearly made me jump out of my skin.

“Evelyn.”

I spun around, my heart racing. In the doorway of my closet, Lucien stood, his eyes dark and intense. “Goddess, Lucien! Warn a girl, would you? I almost threw a fire bolt at you.”

He didn’t crack a smile at my attempt at humor. Instead, he stepped closer, his gaze never leaving mine.

“Um, everything okay?” I asked, backing up slightly. My pulse was racing, though I could tell if it was not from fear but…something else.

Lucien didn’t answer. In two quick strides, he closed the distance between us. Before I could react, his hands cupped my face, and his lips crashed onto mine.

Holy shit.

For a moment, I was too stunned to move. Then I found myself kissing him back. I’d always imagined Lucien’s kisses to be controlled and calculated. But this was pure fire, raw and urgent like he’d been holding back a storm.

When we finally broke apart, I was breathless. “What…what the…err, what was that?”

Yep. I had lost all sense of speech.

Lucien’s eyes were wild, his usual stoic demeanor completely shattered. “I could not spend another minute without kissing you, Evelyn,” he said, his voice rough and unsteady.

---