Page 121 of A Kiss From Death
His large, rough hands engulf my face, angling me to look up at him. “Do you know what you do to me, Nyxi? Your gorgeous fucking eyes,good lord. One look from you could bring an entire army to their knees. Youdecimateme every time those silver orbs grace my skin.”
In one fluid, sure movement, he crashes his greedy lips to mine, not giving a damn where we are or who’s watching. He’s ravishing me like it will be the last time, desperate to taste all of me. I lean into the kiss, letting him take all he wants and reveling in the way my body hums to life under his burning touch.
Pulling back, we take deep breaths, trying to calm our racing hearts and heaving lungs. His eyes bore into mine, a plea and a promise shining within them, a plea to take a risk and a promise for tomorrow and forever.
I smile back at the man in front of me, a genuine full smile, and pull him close again. I mold my body to his, joining us as one. We sway to the music, more upbeat than the last song.
Squealing, my feet lift off the ground as Hade drops me to stand on his shoes so he can take the lead. I playfully slap his chest but stay put, enjoying this little slice of fun. It’s light, it’s easy, and it’s something I could get used to for the rest of my days.
“Are you going to do that little darkness trick again if another man asks to dance with me?”
He chews the inside of his cheek. “I have no clue what you are referencing,woman.”
“So you wouldn’t be an overprotective jealous brute if I were to say…” Looking around the room, I find the tallest man standing on the perimeter of the ballroom and point his way. “Ask that man if he would fancy a dance with the Crucible champion?”
Hade’s fingers dig possessively into my hip, and he leans down so his lips brush the shell of my ear. “You can go ahead and try, Nyxi, but it would be his life you are forfeiting. I dare you to walk over there, but I fear by the time you make it to his side, there won’t be an ounce of air left trickling through his pathetically weak lungs.”
His deadly calm threat washes over my skin; I don’t doubt that if I were to take two steps in his direction, he wouldn’t hesitate to strangle the life out of that man with his shadows. Weirdly, I don’t feel put off by his comments. No, instead, I feel wanted.
Important.
“So you admit you’re a jealous man?”
“I would have to be envious of him to be a jealous man, and that man has nothing of value.” Leaning over me, he drags his finger possessively down the bodice of my dress, sending chills scattering in every direction. “The only thing I truly envy right now is how my shadows are currently wrapped around your bare flesh instead of me.”
I am well and trulyfucked.
“Oh,” I breathe, trying to find the right words to respond to that bomb he just left in my lap. I think I would prefer the oneTank threw at me during the Crucible to this one that has my lungs heaving for air under this tight dress and his even more suffocating gaze. I swear, I feel Hade’s shadows weaved into my dress squeeze me tighter. I’m suddenly overheating, squirming under his half-lidded gaze crawling across my skin and leaving permanent marks in its wake.
“Oh,” he repeats in a gravely tone.
Trying to break this tension I swear I could grip between my fingers, I reply sarcastically, “So that’s a no to going over there, then?”
“Negative.” He warns in a deadly low tone.
“Was just double checking,” I say sweetly, booping his nose with my finger.
He growls under his breath but loosens his hold on me slightly, spinning us to the beat again. Both of our moods lighten instantly, to the point I start to giggle as he throws me out and spins me back to him, my dress billowing like a cloud of mist.
Des and Winston eventually join the chaos as we dance and laugh. Odessa downs her fourth glass of alcohol while Winston nurses a glass of orange juice, trying to savor it. They begin to dance to a beat that doesn’t line up with the music, and I can’t help the boisterous laugh while watching them trip over each other.
Des’ immaculate, sparkling silver cloud dress catches on Winston’s feet, and they topple into each other while laughing the entire time. We are becoming quite the spectacle, and with my second glass of champagne sitting deep in my belly, I welcome the attention with open arms.
“Attention! Attention!” Empress Gwyn stands center stage, clinking a knife to her glass. “Welcome, my citizens, to another wonderful Blessing Ceremony.” Cheers and claps erupt, and she lets them play out for a moment. “Can we please have our guest of honor join us on stage?”
I gulp thickly, dragging my suddenly clammy hands down my dress. Hade grabs my arm firmly in his and leads the way to the stage, anchoring me the whole way. He gives my hand one firm, supportive squeeze before gesturing me up to join the Empress.
She reaches out for me, pulling me up next to her. Weirdly, her grip feels warm and comforting, which I find odd, but I don’t pull away.
Swinging my arm above my head, she announces, “Ladies and gentleman, this year’s Reaper Crucible winner, Nyxi from Vagrant Sector.” Another round of shouts and whistles ring out, louder this time, and I look out over the crowd, feeling a pang of pride for once.
We did it, Theo.
Dropping my arm, she continues. “Now, the fun part. The blessing. As you all should know, I’m an Impart, meaning I can pull from the very ground below me and grant someone the ability to wield magic. While I can grant magic, I cannot choose the type they are blessed with. That is solely decided by who they are at their core and what the universe deems they can handle.” Pausingfor dramatics, she says excitedly, “Shall we see what magic the universe has decided to bless our dear Nyxi with?”
The crowd goes silent, and I close my eyes, committing this last moment of peace to memory.
Opening my eyes, I feel steadier than I have in a very long time. The Empress points her palms down towards the ground, closing her eyes. Her fingers curl as bright light erupts from the ground, her hands moving slowly as if she’s plucking the magic through the floor.
