Page 32 of Burn Bright
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Are you certain you're all right?" Casimir asked, early the nextmorning.
We were packing to return to the others. The fire had died down, due to lack of wood to feed it, if nothing else. Its flames still licked hungrily, feeding on virtually nothing at all. I kicked snow over the ashes, and they hissed at me malevolently, and then flared upagain.
"Neva?" Cas grabbed me by thearm.
"No, I'm not all right!" I snapped. "This quest is wrong. Everything is wrong. You're going to kill a creature of myth and for what? A king? A tyrantking?"
His face darkened. "Don't say that tooloudly."
"Or what will happen? Is Hussar lurking behind that tree?" I demanded, forced to look up at him. "Ready to leap out and expose me for a traitor? Wouldn't you hear himcoming?"
He captured my upper arms, still looking behind him. The corded muscle in his throat flexed. "Of course, I would. That doesn't mean voices don't carry." The tension in his fingers softened, and he looked down at me. "I've spent over ten years watching what I say. They burned a man once, just for calling the king greedy. I don't want that to happen toyou."
"It's not going to happen." My hands came to rest on his chest, though I had a moment of doubt about what exactly my intentions were. I'd pushed him awayonce.
"Just be careful," hestressed.
"One would almost think you're worried about me," Ijoked.
His hands kept skimming over my arms, moving a little slower. Our eyes met. Heat from his breath skittered over my sensitive lips, and it was only then I realized his head had lowered, almost unconsciously. The breath punched out of me. My gaze slid to hismouth.
"Cas," I breathed, and it was the first time I'd called himthat.
"I don't want to see you hurt," he saidgruffly.
Last night sprang tomind.
"Are you asking?" Was that my voice? So rough andraw?
His lashes fluttered lower over his cheeks. "Are you sayingno?"
Some sort of strangled noise came out of my mouth. "I'm not sayingno."
Those eyes lit up like hot coals, as the predator flared within him. I expected him to pounce, but he moved as though he didn't want to scare me away. Like I was some bird fluttering in the bushes, and the second he moved I'd vanish in a flurry ofwings.
His thumbs slid over my cheeks, as his hands cupped my face. "Last chance, Neva Bane," he growled. His head angled, and then his breath whispered over my open mouth. "Yes? Orno?"
Sweet Vashta. There was no way to answer that. Not with words. I grabbed a handful of his shirt and stretched up onto my tiptoes, as our mouthscollided.
Dozens of butterflies swirled through my stomach. His mouth was on mine, his fingers threading through my hair, tangling in the tight curls. A kiss, and not that swift thing I'd stolen behind the inn once when I was curious. This was hot, and wet, and fierce as want suddenly surged through me. The wall of his chest crushed against mine as he dragged his hands down my back and tugged mecloser.
The world vanished. It felt like the firebird's feather brushed against me, setting me alight and chasing its way through my veins like the steady flow of molten lava. I had a fist in his hair, my tongue darting over his. Exhilaration breathed new life into me, and I bloomed the same way I did when I ran through the forest, turning into something malleable and utterly helpless in hisarms.
Cas broke the kiss first, breathing hard. Confusion danced through his eyes. A look I had no way of interpreting, for I could still feel his breath on my mouth, and my hands were stroking over the hard leather covering hischest—
"Ho! I see smoke!" someone called, and both of us broke apart insurprise.
"The prince," Iblurted.
Cas looked around wildly, and I couldn't help thinking he hadn't heard the men coming either. No, that look of confusion—and something else I couldn't define—had been all for me. I shoved away from him, taking two stumbling steps across the clearing as I glared at the fire that had given usaway.
I touched my heated lips. What had I beenthinking?
Clearly I wasn't the only one thinking it. Cas's hand brushed against my hip and he leaned in close. "Sorry. That should never havehappened."
Then he was moving past me, the muscle in his legs bunching as he hurried up the small incline to greet themen.
