Page 37 of Tortured

He smooths his palms over her cheeks, her hair, down to her shoulders. And then he takes her chin with a light touch.

My chest rises with a deep breath as hers does.

Owein leans toward us. Oh, no. This is the first kiss; I feel its meaning through my core. My mouth parts as Owein touches his lips to mine. I mean Niawen’s.

Oh, ick.

He’s touching his lips to Niawen’s, but I feel it as if he’s touching his lips to mine.

His rough lips.

The pressure.

His hot tongue.

Niawen moans.

My stomach turns.

I cough and roll to my side and retch.

Stop. Just please, stop!

With horror, her voice comes to me. Kenrik?

And then I lose her. Lose him. The vision mercifully leaves.

“What’s the matter with you?” Riahn’s whisper is harsh. “You’re going to alert everyone to our presence.”

“I just kissed a man.” I spit and then paw at my mouth, willing the taste to leave.

Riahn grabs my shirt and throws me against the fence. “Get a grip, soldier.”

I snort. Every once in a while, she tries speaking as if she’s in command. It doesn’t work for her. She’s less stern than she should be and just plain creepy.

It’s the demon thing inside her. I still can’t reconcile myself to her demon.

I stare into her brown eyes, wishing I wasn’t seeing Owein’s in my mind’s eye. “She’s in love with him,” I wheeze out. “I just experienced their first declaration of love.”

I once declared myself to Niawen. You have my trust, always. Keep nothing a secret. Whatever I have is yours. Whoever you love, I love. To whoever and whatever you give your life, I give mine.

Riahn snickers. “Creator help you, Seafarer. I wish I could help you, I do.”

I swallow and swipe the rain out of my eyes. My mind pushes away the disturbing experience as I narrow my focus. “I’m gold. Let’s kill something.”

“Good. Move,” Riahn says.

Our feet glide into action at the same time the rest of the team does.

The adrenaline pushes away my harrowing experience. Killing is something I’m good at.

Something that doesn’t steal my control and make me kiss men.

Chapter 18

Seven years as an assassin.

Seven years of killing.

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