Page 189 of Never Kiss a Fae
Almost there.
My Claire.
My breath stuttered out of me at the sight of her, all those golden locks illuminated by the flame in her palm. Her blue eyes seemed lit from within, her smile rivaling mine. “There you are,” she breathed, studying my prison cell. “Back up.”
Vox and Sol came to stand behind her, their postures protective. Especially the Earth Fae’s. And the look he directed at me said I was the threat in his mind.
I tilted my head as I stepped away from the bars—per Claire’s request—and met the male’s gaze. “You’ve been hurt by one of my kind.” I could see it in the scars lurking in his spirit.
“Understatement,” he grunted.
My lips curled. “I bet you and Cyrus get along famously.”
Both Sol and Vox snorted at the mention of my brother, which only amused me more. Cyrus only knew how to rule, his royal blood providing him with the authority and power to do so. And he excelled at it by not putting up with petty bullshit.
Like past grievances that didn’t apply to either of us.
Hmm, but with Sol, I bet he took a measured approach, not demanding he do anything at all while allowing him the false perception of making his own choices.
I shook my head. Cyrus was good. Very, very good.
Claire’s elements whirled around her, a mixture of water and air building in her palm. “I’m going to blast the hinges,” she said, focusing.
“Damn,” Sol replied, arms folded. “I’d sort of like to see you burst through this door like you did upstairs.”
“And hit the Spirit Royal in the face?” Vox asked, arching a brow. “Would definitely leave a mark.”
Sol smiled. “Exactly.”
“We’ve only just met and already you’re making threats.” I tsked. “And here I hoped we could function as a happy unit.”
“Yeah? Talk to your ass of a brother about that.” Sol’s animosity clouded the air, suggesting I’d missed some sort of altercation.
“Shh,” Claire murmured, her eyes closing. “I need tohear.”
Energy singed the air, blowing her hair away from her face and painting her spirit in a warm glow that rivaled my own. I braced myself against the wall, sensing the building power, and grinned as she expertly honed in on the hinges of the door with a shock of ice. They froze instantly, then rattled beneath her onslaught of wind, cracking and inevitably shattering to the floor.
Sol reached over her with an open palm and sent the door crashing to the ground with a harsh shove.
Claire jumped over the iron and ran right for me. Her lips were on mine before I could speak, her arms winding around my neck and yanking me down to her for a hungry kiss. Our bond sparked to life, humming in approval at our shared touch and solidifying once more. We both knew how close we’d been to losing one another, how our connection nearly faded away into nothing. But neither of us had dwelled on it, too determined to fix the problem.
And that was the way it should be.
The way I always wanted it to be.
Claire responded in kind, accepting the third stage of our link with a bold thrust of her tongue into my waiting mouth. We had so much to go over, so many items to discuss, but it all paled in comparison to the near sense of loss.
Never again, she whispered.I’m never losing you again.
Took the words right out of my mind, baby.I deepened our kiss and grasped her hips to lift her into the air. Her legs wrapped around my hips as I braced her back against the wall and well and truly devoured her.
I missed you.The words were spoken by us both, simultaneously, over and over and over. Her body sung to mine, her mouth openly receiving my worship. Each swipe of her tongue invigorated my soul, giving me the strength I hadn’t realized I needed and bringing me back to full health in an instant.
“Claire,” I whispered, reverent. I wanted to do so much more than kiss her, but this wasn’t the place. And we had an audience.
Ahungryaudience.
I could feel their desire for her through the bond. They were only in the initial stage, their courtship fragile, while her other three mates were already promised for eternity. That had the potential to create another imbalance, one Claire had only just fixed. But it was too soon for her to promise herself to them as well. I could sense it in her mind that she wanted more time to get to know them, to make sure it was whattheywanted.
