Page 19 of Curses and Casualties
I can’t help but chuckle softly. “Life’s funny that way, I guess. One minute your sole focus is a bunch of rocks, and the next you’re trying to save magic itself.”
Georgia’s laugh is quiet but genuine, and I feel some of the tension leave her body. “At least I’m not alone in this craziness,” she says, looking up at me in a way that takes my breath away.
“Never,” I promise, leaning down to capture her lips in a kiss filled with all the promise and peril of our shared destiny. It’s a brief, soft connection, and as we part, I see a familiar glow beginning to emanate from her skin. It’s softer than before, more like moonlight than the sun, but still unmistakable.
“We’re glowing again,” Georgia murmurs, a hint of wonder in her voice. “It seems to be happening so quickly now.”
I nod, feeling the warmth of our bond pulsing between us. “I think... I think this is part of how we do this. This glow is energy, Georgia. Maybe there’s a way to control it, to use it?”
She smiles as she leans into me. “Well, in that case, maybe we should... practice more? We’ll never figure it out if we don’t.”
I can’t help the low growl that escapes me at her suggestion. “I like the way you think, love.”
Mate wants us,Kane rumbles approvingly.Good. Need to strengthen bond. Make powerful.
Reaching down, I lift her effortlessly, her legs wrapping around my waist as I press her against the cool stone wall of the building. Her breath catches, a mixture of surprise and anticipation sparkling in her eyes as I lean in, my lips tracing the line of her jaw to the sensitive spot behind her ear. Georgia shivers, a soft moan escaping her as she tilts her head to give me better access. There’s something intoxicating about the way our bodies meld together, the heat from her skin igniting a fire within me that seems to fuel the glowing light enveloping us both. Our energies intertwine, becoming brighter with each shared breath and touch. As I kiss her neck, the glow intensifies, casting a radiant halo around us.
“Ryan,” she breathes out, her voice a mix of hesitation and desire, “should we... stop? What if someone sees us?”
I pause, my lips still against the soft skin of her neck. The logical part of my mind knows she’s right—the glow is not just a sign of our bond but a beacon that could draw unwanted attention.
But the part of me that’s fueled by the connection we share, the primal urge to protect and be one with her, wants nothing more than to continue. I pull back slightly, locking eyes with her in the dim light. “Let’s find somewhere more private,” I whisper, my voice husky with unresolved desire.
Georgia nods, a mischievous sparkle playing in her eyes. “Lead the way then, mate.”
With a grin, I lower her back to the ground. We pause at the balcony door, listening carefully. Ethan and Scarlett’s steadybreathing confirms they’re both sound asleep. Hand in hand, we creep inside, tip-toeing past them and into the narrow hallway lined with old portraits and flickering candles.
The Crossroads seems to shift around us as we explore, as if the building itself is alive and aware. We pass several closed doors before finding a secluded alcove where a heavy velvet curtain conceals another door.
“Please be empty,” I whisper as I gently push it open. The door creaks slightly under my touch, but to our relief, the room beyond is dark and unoccupied.
It’s a private library, and even in the dim moonlight filtering through a single arched window, I can tell this is no ordinary collection. The air practically hums with power. Shelves stretch from floor to ceiling, packed with volumes that seem to pulse with their own inner light. Some spines shimmer with gold lettering that moves like living things, while others are bound in materials I can’t identify—scales, perhaps, or something more exotic.
I pull Georgia inside and quickly shut the door behind us. The room smells of old leather and parchment, with undertones of sage and something metallic.
Georgia’s eyes widen in awe as she takes in the rows of ancient tomes, her love for mysteries and untold stories momentarily distracting her from our previous intent. “Ryan, this place is incredible. Look at these books. They’re practically alive.”
Her fingers trace the spines as she walks slowly along the shelves, her touch reverent. “Ryan, look at this,” she whispers excitedly, pulling out a thick, leather-bound volume with intricate silver filigree. The cover glimmers like moonlight, and I can feel the pulse of magic emanating from it. The moment she touches it, her glow brightens, as if the book recognizes something in her.
“Careful,” I murmur, stepping closer to her side. Our fingers brush as she hands me the book, and I place it back on the shelf with a soft thud. “This might contain more than we bargained for tonight.”
“You’re right,” Georgia says with a sly smile, dropping to her knees in front of me. “This is what we really came here for.” Her eyes never leave mine as she undoes my pants and frees my throbbing cock, her touch causing my insides to jolt with need. I can barely breathe as she looks up at me and licks those full lips of hers.
“Georgia,” I rasp, my voice barely audible as she takes me into her mouth. “Oh god that feels good.”
Mark this place as ours,Kane growls with satisfaction.Show all who enters that mate is claimed.
Georgia moans against me as she works her mouth back and forth, taking me as deep as she can go. My hands find the back of her head, guiding her movement as I lose myself in the sensation. The glow of our bond flares around us, a primal energy that seems to react with the room. The books begin to whisper. The ancient texts seeming to lean in closer, as if they are alive and breathing with our desire.
“Oh, fuck. That mouth.” I hiss through my teeth, my head spinning with the intoxicating combination of old magic and raw pleasure. The sensation is almost overwhelming, a crescendo of energy that builds as Georgia’s movements become more insistent, her hands gripping me with a fervor that matches the pulsing of our bond.
“Get up here,” I growl, pulling her to her feet and into a fierce kiss. Our bodies press together as our tongues clash in a battle for dominance.
As we spin around, I press Georgia against the shelf quickly unbuttoning her shirt in a desperate need for skin on skin. Her breath hitches as my hands find their way underneath her bra,teasing her nipples. “You make me lose all sense of control,” I tell her between kisses, between grinding my hips against hers.
Georgia gasps, her voice a mixture of delight and challenge. “Then lose it,” she whispers back fiercely, her hands scrambling at my back, pulling me closer. There’s an urgency between us now, a wild recklessness that seems fueled by the very air of the ancient library surrounding us.
With a swift move, I tug her panties down her legs and lift her up, her legs wrapping around my waist as I press her against the bookshelves, my cock finding its way inside her with single thrust.
