Page 74 of The Stone Initiation
Fuck.
Not again.
* * *
We landed in the clearing.The fucking clearing in the forest again. Serath kneeled with me cradled in his arms. His grip so tight I could barely breathe.
“Serath…you’re crushing me…”
“He was too close. Touching you. On your bed…” His voice was a deep animalistic growl. “Mine.” He gripped my jaw and forced my head up. His pupils were blown, his expression wild, teeth bared, jagged and sharp. “He was touching you.” His tone was accusatory. He squeezed his eyes shut for a long beat. “One moment. I need one moment.”
His heart beat hard and fast against me. There was nothing to do but wait for him to compose himself. Nothing to do but register every point of contact between us—his muscular thighs beneath my ass, taut and powerful abs pressed to my side, and the calloused pads of his thick long fingers that could crush my head if he wanted. The control…the absolute control he had in that moment made me liquid with desire but left my throat dry and aching.
He finally opened his eyes and looked down at me. His pupils were still large but not unnaturally so now.
“Hey…” I smiled up at him. “There you are.”
He stroked my cheek with his thumb and my heart fluttered, desire unfurling like a wicked twisted vine low in my belly. “You know I’m not into the overbearing macho types.”
He let out a soft surprised laugh. “No?”
“Nope. I’m kinda into consent and conversation.”
His gaze fell to my lips, flicked back up to my eyes, then back to my mouth. “Then…Can I kiss you, Cameron?”
Oh fuck. My stomach flipped and heat spread through my groin leaving me throbbing eagerly.
His nostrils flared, and he tucked in his chin and inhaled. “One kiss. Just…just a taste.”
This was a bad idea. This whole fucking situation was dangerous as hell, but I wanted to feel him, wanted to taste him. I deserved this. I was owed this. He was mine, dammit.
One taste…What could it hurt? “Yes.”
CHAPTER32
My consent floated on a breath that a human ear may not have picked up, but Serath’s preternatural senses heard me just fine.
His grip on me tightened a fraction, his body tensing as if he needed to brace himself, ready to hold back so he could stay in control.
The muscles beneath my hand flexed as he lifted me slightly before leaning in so that his mouth was mere inches from mine. My eyes fluttered closed.
“Do it. Please.” I needed it. I needed to know.
His lips brushed mine with a tantalizingly feather-light pressure that stalled my breath. He did it again and a soft whimper fell from my lips.
His chest vibrated in a purr, and he carefully pressed his mouth to mine. We breathed each other in, mouths parted, aching to lose control and devour one another. But like this, with him in gargoyle form and me in my human body, his sharp teeth would rip my delicate mouth to shreds if we lost control. Still, I needed more, I dipped my head and claimed his bottom lip sucking on it softly.
He stilled, barely breathing, his arousal swelling against me, thick and hard. I wanted him between my thighs.
“No.” He pushed me away slightly. “Careful.” He looked down between us, at the huge bulge that begged to be touched.
But the beast inside me was awake now. Hungry for the feel of him. For the taste of him. “I want it.”
He groaned. “Fuck.”
Shit. Had I said that out loud?
His hand slipped from around my neck, down over my collar bones to my breasts.
