Page 20 of The Obsidian Curse

And then I did something I never had before. I told him about my parents, about life before the orphanage, when I was loved and cared for, when my home was full of joy and light and laughter and music. It hurt so much to think of those days. Some of the other children in theorphanage liked to speak of their families, but most of us didn’t. I hadn’t even shared these stories with Safina. But if Keeran was indeed my fated mate, and if we were actually going to complete the bond, then I wanted him to truly know every part of me.

For his part, he told me of growing up in the Ember King’s castle in the capital of Ashcrest, of the day he understood what his fate would be as the youngest son. Of coming of age, having his moon day ceremony, and then being sacrificed to the flames. Of transforming that first time into the beast. How it felt to have his body shift and grow. To enter the lava and become one with it.

For years, he had been in a somewhat dormant state, cognizant of the passage of time but not of much else aside from ceremony days when his family would visit the Obsidian Oculus and he would emerge. Until the day he was summoned by traitorous Water Mages.

When I yawned loudly, then hurriedly covered my mouth, he chuckled. “We'd better get some rest.”

The double doors were open to the sleeping chamber, where a large and cozy bed lay, especially inviting after days of sleeping on the hard ground on pallets.

In the washroom, preparing to scrub off the day’s grime, I regarded myself in the mirror, searching for signs of any Ember Fae. My hair was darkest brown, and there had never been so much as a hint of wings flickering behind me. But I knew Keeran wasn’t lying. The fact that I could speak to his beast in my mind, that even in his human form, his emotions were laid bare to me, and that being separated had caused me an agony I hadn’t been familiar with before—we were fated. And even though hehad offered a way to sever this growing bond, was that what I truly wanted?

The water running from the tap into the wash basin was cool. Being on the top floor, it would likely take quite a while for heated water from the inn’s boiler to reach us. I concentrated on the basin. The seaglass gems in my hair and around my neck connected to Morros’s power. I couldfeelthe water.

I told it to heat.

Having no idea what I was doing, merely acting on some instinct that I half thought I’d invented, I raised my hands over the water, like some storybook witch over a cauldron. I pushed my intention and my will into the water.

Steam rose from its surface.

I stumbled back. Then moved forward again to dip my hands in. It was the temperature I preferred for bathing. The smile overtaking my face could not be contained. I washed, then changed into the nightgown that the innkeeper’s staff had brought, along with changes of clothes for both of us and toiletries. Then I sped out into the bedroom.

Keeran had acquired a cot from somewhere and was spreading a blanket across it. “Niara, I wanted to tell—” But I cut off whatever he was going to say when I smashed into him, chest first, wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him.

His shock sizzled across our bond, the emotions much stronger now than ever before. But he got over the surprise quickly and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me even tighter to him as if trying to fuse our bodies together.

That’s exactly what I wanted. This draw that had been growing over the past few days was jarring in its intensity.Instead of trying to fight it or even spending one more moment second-guessing the whys of it, I decided to lean into it. Wholeheartedly.

I wanted to crawl inside of him. To meld with him, melt into him. I wanted us to become one.

He responded to my kiss with fervent need. His heavy weight pressed me against the wall, the cool bark rough against my shoulder blades. But I was beyond caring, lost as I was in the taste of him. His smoky, honeyed flavor invaded my senses, surrounding me and making my head spin.

The sensations overwhelmed me. His mouth still connected to mine, our tongues engaged in a rhythmic dance as his hands began to roam. They caressed my calf, stroking up and underneath the hem of my nightgown. My leg rose to wrap around his waist, chasing his touch. Those fingers moved higher, brushing against the back of my knee to my thigh. Fabric rose in the wake of his touch until it was over my waist, snagged between me and the wall.

That’s when he hitched my other leg around him and took all of my weight into his arms. I was dizzy with longing and barely registered that Keeran was spinning me around and carrying me to the bed. Then my back hit the buttery soft sheets and I sank into the mattress.

He hovered over me, arm muscles bulging on either side of my head. “You want to accept the bond, Niara?” His voice was nectar on gravel, rough and sweet.

I nodded, running my hands up his gloriously bare chest.

“I need to hear you say it. If we do this, then we can never sever the twining—even if the curse is never broken.”His breathing was labored. I could feel how hard he was working to keep himself off of me.

“I accept the bond, Keeran,” I said, slowly and clearly. Then wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down until he covered me completely.

As we kissed, he somehow managed to remove my nightgown. I tugged at his pants, but he pulled my hands away, trapping both my wrists in one of his own above my head. He loomed there, eyes flashing bright, turning from dark brown to the vibrant fiery flame of the beast. His skin started to glow and behind him, the glimmer of his retracted fire wings danced. I’d never seen them in their fully extended state and hoped they wouldn't set fire to the sheets.

Where our bodies touched, steam rose, heating the room by several degrees. My skin was slippery with sweat. The space between my legs was slick and pulsed with a needy ache. I had never felt so muchwantbefore.

Keeran’s lips seemed to be everywhere at once: my breasts, my belly, my thighs, my knees, my feet, and then back up again. When his mouth traced my ear, his low voice rumbled in unfamiliar words that sparked notes of recognition. It was the language from my dream. Only now, every part of him was very much real and visible to me.

His body slid down mine and stopped, head between my legs, gaze locking me in place. He extended his tongue and took an exploratory lick. I bit my lip to keep from moaning aloud.

As his tongue delved into my folds, I tried to stay quiet, to be mindful of other guests in the inn, but I lost the battle and my cries rose. His tongue was heated as it sunk insideme, lapping at my core until all the buildup within me crested and finally burst.

I was hoarse, my throat suddenly raw as I writhed with the intensity of the pleasure. And then his face was above me. His mouth descended to my own, and I greedily responded, tasting myself on his lips.

His hard length pressed between my legs, begging for entrance. My body was doing its own begging. I needed him, needed him, needed him. And thankfully, he obliged.

He plunged inside of me, causing my back to arch. My lips formed an O as the breath was forced from my body. My eyes widened at the invasion—the feeling of being stretched so far verged on pain.

---