Page 90 of Wings of Shadow
“Yes. I’ve mastered the shadows, forged them into my own.” My gaze darkens. “And through them, I’ve found a way to awaken my dragon.”
Her lips part, her breath hitching. Excitement. Fascination, even.
“Tell me,” she breathes.
My fingers brush over a rain-dampened strand of her hair, lingering against her cheek. She leans into my touch. “I’ve found a ritual,” I murmur. “An ancient spell that could unlock my power. But I can’t do it alone.”
Realization dawns in her gaze, cutting through the stormy night like lightning.
“You mean to summon a daemon,” she whispers.
I nod.
She blinks once, twice. Her jaw tightens. “The spell calls for blood, doesn’t it?”
My throat works around a single, solemn nod. “My clan’s bloodline has been too diluted over the centuries.”
She exhales sharply. Understanding flickers in her gaze. “So you need my blood.”
Silence.
Clarissa’s brow furrows. “But Kaisner, blood daemons... they’re insatiable. How can we be sure it won’t demand more than you’re willing to give?”
A slow, confident smile tugs at my lips. “You’re right, Liebes. A daemon always hungers for more. But I’ve planned for this.”
I lift the pendant hanging around my neck, the metal cool against my palm. The ancient runes etched into its surface glow faintly beneath the dim light.
“This amulet is imbued with powerful protective magic. A relic I acquired through... less than conventional means.” I smirk. “It can deceive even the most cunning of daemons.”
I lower my voice, my tone threading with seduction, with persuasion. “With this, we can control how much blood is given. It will believe it’s drinking deeply, but in reality, you’ll be safe.”
Clarissa turns away, and I can almost see the thoughts racing through her mind. The risks, the consequences—every warning she’s ever been told about daemons.
And yet, she doesn’t run.
“It’s dangerous, I know,” I say. “But with your lineage, with our combined strength, we could control it. Harness its power.” I pause, letting the words settle. “It’s the only way, baby girl. The only way Nikolaas will ever see me as his equal. The only way we can be together without fear.”
I reach for her, my hand resting on her shoulder. “Clarissa,” I murmur, leaning close. “I wouldn’t ask this of you if there were any other way.”
A slow breath. A heartbeat of silence. The fate of my future, of our future, hangs in the balance of her decision.
And then?—
“Then take it, Kaisner.”
I tense.
She turns, her eyes blazing with something fierce. Unwavering. “Take what you need. I told you, I trust you with everything that I am. My heart, my soul... my blood. It’s all yours.”
Relief slams into me, raw and brutal.
Before I can stop myself, I fall to my knees. And in a moment that feels both unexpected and inevitable, Clarissa mirrors me, sinking before me.
The moment crashes over me. I’m struck senseless with shock. This woman—this beautiful, fearless woman—has just offered me the one thing I never thought I’d ask for. She’s willing to risk it all, to stake her trust in me, despite everything.
A tidal wave of devotion surges through me, a fierce, possessive love that shakes me to the core. This isn’t just desire. This is something far deeper, something I didn’t know I was capable of feeling.
I gather her in my arms, crushing her to me, inhaling the scent of jasmine in her skin, the scent of home.
