Page 81 of Kai's Hunger

I silenced him with another kiss, our lips meeting in a flash of longing. It was a kiss that held the promise of our future, a future filled with challenges, yes, but also with love that could conquer anything. As our lips parted, we remained close, our breaths mingling, hearts beating as one.

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Kai

As I stared down at Lily, the air itself felt charged with rabid energy. Our fingers were intertwined and my damn fingertips itched, a sign of my growing hunger for Lily.

“Lily, there’s something I want to talk to you about. It’s about the mating, about sealing our bond,” I warned, my voice taking on a predatory edge.

The curiosity in Lily’s wide gaze gave way to trepidation. “Okay, what is it?”

“What we’re doing isn’t simply making love. It’s a primal connection between mates,” I explained, unable to keep the possessiveness from my tone. “And then there’s the exchange of blood.”

Lily’s brows furrowed. “Yeah, this is starting to sound a lot like a movie scene, Kai.”

My fingers trailed a teasing path up her arm. “It’s a way to merge our essences, to bind us on a soul-deep level. Our desires, our passions, all mingled together.”

Lily’s doubts lingered, and she swallowed hard. “I’m a little scared.”

“I know.” My hand cupped her chin, even as I tried to hide the blaze of hunger engulfing me. “My desire for you, my need to claim you, runs deep. I’m drawn to every part of you, body and soul.” My lips brushed against her ear. “But when the time comes, I’ll make sure you’re well prepared, that you’re ready for the wild intensity of our bond. Each time we take from each other will feel like an inferno.”

Lily met my gaze, her apprehension dissipated, replaced by something else even more tangible. Arousal. I could smell the scent of it, and it brought out myYucilonlike nothing else could. A red flag in front of a bull.

The tension in the room thickened, even the air between us sparked like a live wire. She nodded slowly. Nervousness, as well as a budding sense of surrender shone in her eyes.

Surrender. Yes, I needed that from her.

“All right,” she said. “As long as it’s with you, I’m willing to ... explore.”

I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face if I’d tried. “You won’t regret it, Lily. I’ll make sure of that.”

I glanced toward the small window, my thoughts momentarily distant. The predator in me prowled, and my fingers tapped an impatient rhythm against my thigh. All signs of the mounting tension that coiled within me. Patterson. That bastard was still out there. As long as Lily was with me, then she would always be in danger. The thought threatened to destroy the moment. I stood and paced the room, agitated all over again that Patterson still lived. I could feel the ache of desire, the urgent need to claim, to complete the bond that had been growing between me and Lily. The scent of her fueled the beast that lurked just beneath the surface.But what cost will she be forced to pay as my mate?

With each turn I took, my agitation intensified. A wild frenzy resonated with the cabin’s rustic surroundings. A reflection of the untamed energy that surged within me. My gaze darted toward Lily. So beautiful. So innocent. Our eyes locked, and a growl of hunger escaped.

“Lily,” I began, my measured words heavy with the presence of the creature riding me. “I’m desperate for you. Our connection, it’s become a fever, an ache that refuses to be denied, but you’ll be tying your life to someone with a target on their back. You understand this, right?”

Lily’s eyes widened, as if recognizing the storm of passion that raged within me. “You’re talking about Patterson, and I think you’re wrong. I think he’s done with me. And besides, we aren’t letting him decide our future for us. Right?”

The room was charged with a magnetic pull that tried to draw me closer to her. I held back. Barely. I fought to contain myYucilonnature, keeping my voice even. “You aren’t afraid?”

Lily rose from her seat and closed the distance separating us, her gaze unwavering as she reached out to touch my arm. “Kai,” she murmured, her voice a soothing melody, “I’m safe as long as I’m with you. I know that. I’m not afraid.”

I cupped her cheek. “Then no more waiting.” TheYucilonwithin me roared for release, beating at an imaginary cage binding him, but Lily’s presence reined in the savagery that threatened to consume me.

“I’m ready,” she assured me, moving backward a few feet, then stripping out of her clothing. “Make me yours, Kai.”

The cabin’s warm firelight cast an enchanting glow, illuminating the room in a dance of shadows and softness. In its center stood Lily, bathed in the golden radiance, a vision of vulnerability and raw beauty. Her body, stripped of all barriers, was a canvas of truth, adorned with a constellation of healing bruises and bandaged cuts.

My eyes traced her form, every curve and contour a testament to strength. The genuine reverence in my voice broke the hushed silence. “Lily, you’re breathtakingly beautiful to me.”

Lily’s gaze met mine, a teasing smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she gestured to her injuries. “Oh, really? Even with all these imperfections?”

My steps brought me closer to her, my eyes burning with intensity as I replied, “Especially with thoseimperfections.” My voice was a low, seductive murmur. “They tell a story of your strength, of the battles you’ve faced and the courage you’ve shown.” I reached out, letting my fingers trace a path over her skin with featherlight touches. “To me, every part of you is a masterpiece, a testament to the remarkable woman you are.”

The teasing façade in Lily’s expression gave way to vulnerability. My words seemed to wrap around her like a comforting embrace, dispelling the doubts that had lingered. “You make me feel ... seen,” she whispered, “cherished, in a way I’d never experienced before.”

As my fingers lingered on her skin, Lily’s gaze shifted, taking in my presence. She bit her lower lip and frowned. Concerned she’d changed her mind, I asked, “What is it?”

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