Page 55 of Fortune Academy: Year Two
“Never.”
The calm of the icy wasteland contrasted against the battle I’d just left behind. Dante wrapped around me, shielding me from the worst of the blizzard that beat at us on all sides. The snow was too blinding to see if anyone else had made it along for the ride.
I shook him as tears sprung to my eyes when he didn’t respond. “Dante?”
The cold should have been debilitating, but I felt at peace. I wasn’t warm. I was quite freezing, in fact, but it felt natural. It reminded me of that cold pit in my chest that always tried to come out when I was hungry, but this was different.
Dark veins threaded over my arms, reminding me that I was one-third demonspawn.
And I had come home.
“Dante?” I tried again, but the Hunter fell over limp when I turned him, snow clumping in his coat.
His lips were blue and his skin was a ghastly pale, making me fear the worst. I pressed an ear to his chest and only found the lightest of heartbeats providing life to the Hunter.
He wasn’t going to survive, not like this.
He needed warmth.
My fingers dug into the snow as I searched for the Blood Stone. If it had survived the realm transfer, then it would have enough heat to keep him alive. I sent snow spraying everywhere as I searched, digging up piles of the fluff until I spotted a melted puddle with a warm, red glow inside. I dunked my hand into it, flinching at the wet cold, and plucked out the stone that was like a scalding brand in my grip.
“There we are,” I whispered with triumph and scurried back to the Hunter.
I tried giving him the stone by wrapping his fingers around it and pressing it to his chest, but it wasn’t going to give him power that way.
Only I could control it without consequence, Kaito’s words rang in my head, coming back to haunt me.
I bit my lip as I brought the stone over my neck and decided what to do. Dante had protected me and didn’t deserve to die like this.
He was one of my Virtues and I had chosen him.
“You’re not dying unless I say you can!” I shouted, hauling him into my lap as I brushed his frozen hair away from his forehead. “You hear me!”
A tear fell from my face, freezing on its descent and pinged off of my Hunter’s cheek and leaving a mark. I bent down, acting out of instinct as I licked the small hurt.
He stirred.
I had to do that again.
I ran my tongue over his lips, and they parted.
My fingers went under his coat, spreading across his muscular torso and he flexed underneath me.
My legs straddled him, and his eyes flashed open.
There’s my Hunter.
Sensuality wrapped around us, the half-established Virtue bond flaring to life. A fresh ache ran up my arms and through my torso until it settled between my thighs with a demand I couldn’t ignore.
By the flare of need in his gaze, he was feeling it too.
My connection could keep him alive, but only if it was cemented right now.
“Lily,” he breathed, his breath puffing steam into the air.
“I’m here,” I said, leaning in closer as I caressed his face and stoked his heat. Color returned to his cheeks from my touch and I ran my fingers down his muscular chest.
We didn’t need any further words as an indescribable swelling of need rang between us until it was taut enough to snap.
