Page 118 of Courting War
It was ecstasy, every nerve ending in her body lighting up with the indulgence of it all. “You’re perfect.” She groaned into him, raking her fingernails down his back.
They found a rhythm—a seductive dance, pounding into each other and playing at desire.
Playing at love.
Kellyn palmed her breast; his thrusts fast, wonderful, and aching. His mouth came down to circle her nipple as she criedout. “Yes. Oh gods, you’re so—” she gasped again at his truly gifted tongue.
They reveled in each other, in the closeness, the connection, the glorious hard, fast movements until they came utterly undone, falling over the edge together and shattering.
Ruined for anyone but each other.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
THEODRA
In Love Ex-God
(No, one cannot even think that!)
Moderately happy,definitely not in love Ex-God
LOVE CAVES, CITY OF THE GODS
Kellyn held her firmly in his arms, stroking languid fingers down her back, the glowing cave light dancing on his brow. His touch sent fireflies into her stomach, warming her chest, and filling her with an unfamiliar feeling.
Safety.
After coupling a few more times, Love’s magical chain broke off with a crack that sounded like a piece of a glacier fracturing. Of course, it was lovemaking that ended the bargain. Theo rolled her eyes.
Afterwards, they’d whispered secrets into the darkness until sleep claimed them.
But now they were awake again, and Kellyn’s mouth was on hers. They would never have enough of each other. “I see you enjoy courting danger,” she breathed into the kiss.
“No, I enjoy courting War.” He tangled his hands in her hair and pulled away to gaze into her eyes. “I love you, Theodra.”
“I know,” she breathed.I love you, too.
Theo flinched when she realized the depths of her thought. The danger in it.
Kellyn’s fingers stilled, and he tilted his chin down, his eyes filled with concern and affection etched into the amber irises. “Are you alright—”
“Oh, neither of you are, foolish boy.” A dark, hollow, disembodied laugh soaked the room.
“No.” Theo shuddered, her entire body shivering, spiders of anxiety crawling all over her skin. She sat up and grabbed her shift into her hands, covering her breasts and awaiting the impact of her mother’s magic and wrath. They were in terrible trouble.
The Immortal Law. A mortal couldn’t fall in love with a god—at least not true love. True love was forbidden between a god and a human. Gods were forbidden to procreate, and immortals were infertile unless they lay with their true—fated—mortal love. The punishment for breaking the Immortal Law was death for the human and a hundred years of torture for the god. A confession of true love triggered the Immortal Law.
Kellyn’s words doomed them because he meant them.
“He didn’t mean it.” Theo’s voice quaked. “Mother, he didn’t mean it. He doesn’t truly love me.”
“Put your clothes on, wretched daughter,” Nefeli said, materializing like a nightmare, towering above them. “I thought you would be different. I thought you would resist the sinful temptation of man.”
“I have. I just used him for his body.” Theo glanced at Kellyn, begging him to understand her lies. Her nostrils flared, and she cracked her neck like a snake preparing to consume its prey whole. To save Kellyn, she would break him. “I mean, can you blame me? Have you seen him? I was having fun playing with him.”
Theo’s throat ached. It felt like hydra acid devoured it and stole all her words, but she forced the worst of them out, anyway. She said the following words to him. “You don’t love me, and I don’t love you, and I never will. I’m not capable of loving a human. It’s not possible. You were all one big game.”
Theo swallowed, wanting to die. His eyes stormed with betrayal and pain. His deep olive skin paled and dripped withbroken hopes and tarnished dreams. Seeing the hurt she caused destroyed her, and she hated herself.
