Page 31 of Embers of Fate
“Come for me, Sam,” he growls against my ear, his voice a deep, primal rumble that shoots straight to my core. “Give it all to me.”
With those words, the dam breaks. My climax surges through me in bright, pulsing waves of ecstasy, and I cry out his name as my body shakes and quivers beneath his. My nails dig into his shoulders, grazing his skin as I arch my back in surrender.
Nik doesn’t stop there, however. He pulls me even closer to him, if that were even possible, and thrusts even deeper and harder as he follows me over the edge. “You’re mine,” he growls against my neck, his voice thick with passion as he claims me in more ways than one. “Now… and forever.”
The room around us is a blur of colors and shadows, the only thing in focus being the rise and fall of our chests as we catch our breaths. Nik gently rolls us over, so I’m lying on my back, and he leans over me, his eyes locked with mine. Sweat glistening on both our brows, we share a moment of raw intimacy that goes beyond the physical.
His lips part to speak, but hesitation makes him purse them shut again. Then finally, the words escape him. “That was amazing,” he whispers, his voice hoarse from our passionate lovemaking but laced with raw emotion. “Youare fucking amazing.”
I smile up at him, my heart swelling with warmth as I trace my finger along his jawline. “You’refucking amazingtoo,” I reply, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.
We share a quiet laugh, and he pulls me into his arms. Our breathing evens out, our hearts slowing to their normal rhythms. We stay entangled in each other’s arms. I gently lay my head over his chest, listening to his quickened heartbeat—that’s when I start to feel it.
“Nik...” I murmur, my voice soft in the quiet room.
“Yeah?” he replies, his fingers tracing idle patterns on my shoulder.
“You’re so hot,” I tell him, hoping he can hear the worry in my voice.
He snickers, the sound pleased and a little smug. “You’rehottoo...”
The frown on my face deepens. “No, that’s not what I mean,” I say, lifting my head to look at him. “You’re burning up!”
We both stare at his chest, shocked to see his skin gleaming a vivid red. Patches of flesh subtly blush and coalesce into larger, incandescent plaques, like burning coals smoldering beneath the surface.
“What the...?” Nik springs up on the bed, his eyes wide with alarm as he takes in the sight of his arms, glowing with a muted crimson light that seems to come from within.
My brow furrows as I study him, my mind racing with possibilities. “I’ve never seen anything like it...” I murmur, speaking as a witch. And when his eyes meet mine, I can tell he understands the significance of my words.
I lean closer, sweeping a hand over his forehead, feeling the heat that radiates from his skin. “How do you feel?” I ask, my voice tight with concern. His cheeks are flushed, his face warm to the touch. I think he might be running a fever.
“I feel perfectly fine,” he says, but I can hear the unease in his voice, the fear that lurks beneath the surface.
“Not warm or chilly?” I press, needing to know more.
“Slightly warm, yeah.” Nik’s chest heaves with each rapid breath, his heart racing beneath my palm.
Oh gods... Oh, no.
Without another word, I reach over and turn on the light, needing to see him more clearly. Nik winces and tries to shy away, but I straddle his waist, cradling his face in my hands.
“Let me see,” I whisper, my voice soothing and gentle. He jerks back, but I hold firm. “Please.”
Slowly, reluctantly, he opens his eyes. His pupils are dilated, pools of fathomless darkness. And when the light hits them, they constrict into thin, slitted lines.
In that moment, I know.
A sharp breath leaves my lungs, my heart clenching in my chest.
Nik covers my hands with his own, leaning forward, his eyes searching mine. “What is it?” he asks, the worry in his voice almost tangible.
“I’ve seen this before...” I breathe, the words sticking in my throat. “Something similar, at least.”
For the first time since I’ve known him, Nik’s confidence wavers, a flicker of fear crossing his face. “When?”
“My brother’s first shift,” I say, the air freezing in my lungs.
“No,” he growls, his expression hardening, his jaw clenching tight. “No. That’s impossible. There hasn’t been a dragon shifter in the family for three hundred years...”
