Page 49 of Wicked Chains
A full-body shudder comes over her, then her eyes fly open, now clear and sharp.
"Whoa," she says, blinking rapidly. "That was intense."
"Did it work?" I ask, genuinely curious.
She touches her temple, then nods slowly. "I think so. My head feels clear. And I'm not dizzy anymore." Her gaze locks with mine, and now it’s more focused, more aware. "I'm sober."
"Congratulations," I say, stepping back. "Now I should go."
"No," she says quickly, reaching for me again. But this time her movements are deliberate, precise. "Don't leave."
I watch her carefully. "You're sure you're sober?"
"Completely." She takes a deep breath, and I see the way her earlier bravado wavers slightly in the face of clarity. She's less certain, more vulnerable. "But I still want you to stay."
The hunger in me bubbles up, clawing at my insides. She's beautiful, powerful, and so perfectly uncertain.
"Rose," I warn, but my voice has dropped an octave.
She steps closer, her eyes never leaving mine. "You said when I was sober." Her hand comes up to my jaw. "Well, I'm sober now."
I should leave. I should walk away. This can only end in complications neither of us needs. The connection that opened up before, it leaves us both vulnerable.
Instead, I lean down and capture her mouth with mine.
She makes a small sound of surprise before melting against me, her hands grabbing my hair. Her mouth opens under mine, eager and demanding. Her tongue slides against mine, and the taste of her makes me groan. I feel my control slipping as I pull her flush against me.
She breaks the kiss, gasping for air, her pupils black and wide. "Finally," she breathes, then dives back in, kissing me with an impatience that matches my own. Her hands are everywhere, in my hair, on my shoulders, sliding down to grab my ass with a possessiveness that makes me growl against her mouth.
I pull back. "You don't know how close you are to ruin," I warn her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asks, her lips swollen from my kisses, her cheeks flushed. She doesn't look scared. She looks aroused.
"The last time," I say, struggling to form coherent thoughts with her pressed against me, "when I fed from you. It created a connection. I can feel your energy, your desires. And others, others like me, they might sense it too."
Her eyes widen slightly. "What kind of connection?"
"A bridge," I explain, one hand coming up to cup her face. "Between your energy and mine. It's why I can sense you across campus, why I feel when you're in danger or distress." My thumb traces her lower lip. "It's dangerous, Rose. For both of us."
"Because Ash could use it against us?"
I nod. "If he realizes the extent of our connection, he could exploit it."
"Then why are you here?" she asks, her voice soft. "Why risk it?"
"Because I'm selfish," I admit. "Because I've wanted you from the moment I saw you. Because I've spent my existence taking what I want when I want it, and the very fact that I've resisted you this long is nothing short of astonishing."
She stares at me, her eyes searching mine. Then, a slow smile spreads across her face.
"You told me once," she says, her fingers playing with the buttons of my shirt, "that you wouldn't be with me until I asked you." Her gaze holds mine, challenging. "Well, I'm asking. I want you, Soren. Now."
My restraint snaps like a thin twig. I pull her to me, my mouth crashing down on hers with all the want I've been suppressing. She responds eagerly, matching my intensity, her body arching against mine. I walk her backward until her legs hit the bed, then lift her, hands gripping her thighs as I lay her down. The dress she's wearing, black, tight, perfect, is in my way.
I grab the fabric at her neckline and tear it down the middle with one clean rip.
"Hey!" she protests. "It took me twenty tries to get that dress right."
"I'll give you twenty new dresses," I growl, pushing the torn fabric aside to reveal her body underneath. "But I need you naked. Right now."
