Page 18 of A Heart of Crimson Flames
“If we lose that sliver of control on them or if we never get it at all,” she said with a shudder, “then they will kill us. And what if wecancontrol them, what then? Do we bring them back here and start a farm of beasts? How are we meant to keep them under our control even when we sleep? Forever? We are not fighters—not like that.”
I put a hand on her forearm, steadying her. “I am.” I squeezed, both firm and gentle at the same time. “Hey,” I said, making her blue eyes lift to meet mine. “If there’s one thing I can promise you, it’s that I’m always ready for a fight. I may not have this magic, but I have a power all my own. I will protect you.”
Her throat bobbed and she nodded.
Kian leaned down the aisle. “Where are those books?”
“The ones you told me to put back?”
“Yes.”
I glared back at him, gritting my teeth.
“Do you wantmeto slap him for you?” she muttered out of the corner of her mouth.
“I’m starting to warm to the idea.”
NAVIN LIFTED HIS CANDLE HIGHER, HIS EYES TRAILING THElight to find me in the darkness. “How are you doing that?” he asked, tipping his head to where I stood reading by the light of the moon.
For me, the slivers of silvery moonlight were enough to illuminate the pages. “Wolf, remember?”
“How could I forget.” He set the candle down and wandered over.
“Couldn’t sleep?”
“The others are all asleep at the cabin,” he said, tipping his head to the window and the ring of outbuildings that surroundedthe temple. “But I sensed someone was missing in the night.” His arms banded around me, and he kissed the top of my head. “And when I realized she was gone, I also realized wherever she was would be far from the others, and that perhaps we would find ourselves in a quiet place alone together. At last.”
I shut the book in my hands and hastily shoved it back on the shelf. Navin chuckled as I lifted on tiptoes and slung my arms around his neck. It was all the invitation he needed. His mouth was on mine in an instant. Hungry. The last week had been a torture of wanting looks and taunts, brief touches promising more, and now we were finally here.
We devoured each other, the frenzy building in us instantly.
Navin scooped me up by the ass and roughly pinned me against the bookshelf. I moaned into his mouth, loving the way my sounds unleashed him. He nipped at my bottom lip as I scrambled for his belt buckle. He spun us around, dropping me on a table covered in dusty old scrolls. With little care, he swept them off the table and onto the floor. I loved his maddening desire for me, loved every single way we joined—soft and sweet, fast and rough, and everything in between. The multitudes of our relationship each brought their own unique satisfaction.
But we both knew what this moment was. Perhaps if we weren’t interrupted, we’d go slow on the second or third round, but right now I needed him to fuck me fast and bring me to the climax that had been edging me for days.
Navin seemed to read every thought in my lust-filled mind as he shucked off my boots, hooked his fingers in my trousers, and yanked them off. My knives clattered to the ground, and he chuckled, shaking his head.
“What?” I balked. “You know I’m always prepared.”
“I would expect nothing less.” Navin stooped and picked up one of my knives, trailing the blade up my leg in sharp tingles. My chest heaved as he pushed in ever so slightly, nicking my skin. I let out a little groan, lifting my head to watch him lick away the bead of blood, something so incredibly lupine about the action.
“You would make a very good Wolf,” I panted as his tongue swirled and moved, tasting my skin all the way to the mound of my pussy.
When he licked my sex, I saw stars, my back bowing off the table. My needy little clit was so desperate for him as he sucked and swirled, making my inner walls clench around nothing. It made me even more rabid for him, desperate to be filled.
I reached down and yanked him by the collar, pulling him up from where he laved my swollen bud with his tongue.
“Fuck me,” I begged. “Now. I need you inside me.”
Navin let out a pleased sound that caught in the back of his throat, sliding down his trousers and freeing his rock-hard erection.
I lay there, bare from the waist down, legs spread wide, waiting for him. Navin’s eyes dropped to my glistening core, taking me in for one breath before he prowled over to me, grabbing me around my knees and tugging me to the end of the table. He hooked my legs over his broad shoulders, hoisting my ass off the table as he positioned himself at my entrance and slowly pushed in.
My eyes rolled back as he filled me, the sensation so all-consuming, like stepping into a hot bath after a long day of training, like free-falling. I moaned, crossing my ankles to hold myself up as Navin grabbed both of my hands and pinned them over my head. I completely surrendered to him as he rocked into me. Each rolling thrust made me moan out a cry of pleasure.
“Did you miss my cock?” He panted as he picked up a punishing pace, driving into me over and over.
“Yes,” I cried out.
