Page 49 of Braving the Valley

It's mesmerizing.

I shouldn't look.

It's too late.

I bring it to the bottom of her chin, and she squirms, trying to get away. I'm already there, though, at the spot where her head meets her throat, and she goes utterly still. I let it singe the nearly invisible hairs there. She hisses as I watch it broil the flesh. Tears spring to her eyes, and she tries to scream, but I'm holding too hard. She doesn't have enough air to yell for help.

The flame is gorgeous, dancing in front of me as it licks her flesh. Orange and yellow melt together, gyrating in a slow dance, against her pale skin. I'm in awe, amazed, and my cock is rock-hard as I watch it lave at her skin, burning its mark and cooking her. I watch it spread.

Repress, Gabriel.

I watch a moment longer.

Fucking repress!

With some effort, I release the button and let the flame die. She sucks in a breath between her clenched teeth as I force her head up, admiring my handiwork.

There, along the bottom of her chin, a pink welt starts to blister. It makes me want to whip out my dick and come all over the disfigured flesh. It would only take a couple of pumps before I exploded.

The mark defiles her.

It screams she is mine.

It iseverything.

The air smells like barbecued meat and smoke and her.

Fffuuuuccccckkkkk.

She whimpers, and I realize she's shaking. I may be a psychopath, but on a scale of one to sadist, I'm like an eighty-five on the antisocial personality disorder chart. I'd love to watch her burn. I want to watch her burn. But I also want her towantto burn with me.

"Shh, baby girl," I tell her as I move my hand from around her throat to her hair and yank it down, further exposing the wound to me. I force her head to the side and press my lips to her skin, sucking on the burn. She tastes like ashes and salt as I lave my tongue against the wound.

She squeezes her eyes shut and goes completely and utterly still.

The fuck?

I back away a little and look at her.

This is unexpected. Sure, I knew she was afraid of a little fire play, but why does she have doll eyes now and look dead inside?

"Avery?" I ask her.

No response.

I let go of her and repeat her name.

Again, no response.

I snap my fingers in front of her face.

Still no response.

Uh oh.

I can't believe my Firefly went fucking catatonic. Saint and Kill are never going to let me live this down. On second thought, they don't need to know.

There are guards and students walking down the hallway, and I've bought myself a little time. I made sure the cameras were still down from the last time a student torched the server room before I came here.

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