Page 98 of The Silent
But she loved him too much to say it. She loved him too much to darken his optimism. So she’d try. She’d pretend. Maybe if she loved him enough, it wouldn’t matter. He had powerful friends. She had powerful family. If they lived quietly, maybe they could findpeace.
Kyra wanted to try, even if ultimately they failed. She needed to try. She didn’t have much hope, but she clung to what she had because the thought of losing a future with Leo hurttoomuch.
* * *
She fellasleep in the tub and woke on the bed with his kiss betweenherlegs.
“Softly,” shewhispered.
“Yes.” He’d shaved after their bath, and his smooth cheeks were warm on her inner thighs. He stretched across the bed, taking his time, luxuriating in her taste, and Kyra lay back and let the lingering ecstasy from the magic drift in her head. She closed her eyes and saw stars, but not the stars in the sky. These were a rising and falling pattern that grew brighter as Leolovedher.
Creation and destruction. In the heady moment of release, she saw the stars burst in her mind, raining around her without fading. They scattered and reorganized, chasing each other across hermind’seye.
“Kyra,” hewhispered.
Leo held her on the edge again; he didn’t push her over. When she came, it was because she reached for it, reached for the scattered, pulsing light. She grabbed it and tugged it toherlips.
She climaxed onasigh.
Do you seeityet?
* * *
When Leo madelove to her before dawn, it was in the glow of a single candle. Every other light hadsputteredout.
Kyra pressed her palms to his hips and felt the steady rhythm as he moved in her. She looked up, watching his eyes devour her face, her breasts, her belly. Watched him as he watched himself move in her, awe and hunger parting his lips. He wet his bottom lip and clenched it between his teeth. She felt his muscles harden beneath her fingers as the tension built. Sweat dripped down his chest and abdomen. Kyra felt it drop on her belly as he moved faster andfaster.
He was sobeautiful.
At the last minute, he looked up and methereyes.
Awe.Pleasure.Pain.
“I love you,” shewhispered.
He gasped out her name and came, his marks lighting the dark room as the candle flickered out. In the darkness, he kissed her mouth, running his hands up and down her body as he stole herbreath.
She slept with his arm and leg draped over her, his palm a pillow for her head. Kyra slept more deeply than she ever remembered before. In his touch was complete and utter silence except for a singlevoice.
Hisvoice.
And it was whisperingreshon.
ChapterTwenty
Leo slammedthe Grigori’s head into the wall and watched him crumple unconscious to the ground as Niran held another up byhisneck.
“Tell us where our sister is,” he said calmly, “or I’ll let him do that toyoutoo.”
The young man was dressed as a monk, but Sura said it was only an insidious cover for the Grigori in this village. They dressed as monks to gain the trust of pilgrims, then took advantage of them. Many young women had disappeared in this secluded river valley. And though Niran, Sura, and Leo had searched the temple complex, they’d found nosurvivors.
“We haven’t seen your sister,” theGrigorisaid.
Niran tightened his hold on theman’sneck.
“But we’ve heard rumors!” hechokedout.
Niran relaxedhishand.
