Page 8 of A Spark Of Revenge

“Is it?” he asks, arching a brow, his head slowly angling to the side. “I’m offering you help in exchange for a favor. I feel like that's pretty fair.” Heat courses through me, and this time it’s not from the odd magic that I’m gradually getting used to. I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to ignore the flush as it crawls up my neck. Valen's fingers loosen just the smallest amount as his thumb moves, stroking the sensitive skin on the inside of my wrist, sending goosebumps over every inch of my body. My thighs clench, an ache forming between them, and I clear my throat, using the action to buy me the time I desperately need as I attempt to gather my thoughts.

“But that favor could be anything, and you're not only helping me, but yourself as well,” I point out, making Valen chuckle and draw back, a spark of something I can’t quite place gleaming in his eyes.

“Very smart, Mi Sol. Alright,” he murmurs with a sigh. “A kiss then.” My mouth drops open in shock, not because I don't want the kiss, but because this man could have kissed me whenever he wanted over the last minute or two, and I would have welcomed it. But now he wants to drop his favor and trade it for a simple kiss.

My eyes flick to the full lips that complement his flawlessly carved features that could have been to have been commissioned by some ancient god. I press my lips tight, mentally berating my first thought. No kiss from this man could ever be considered simple.

“A kiss?” I ask in confusion. Valen nods, looking as confident as ever, though I’m pretty sure I see the slight blush of pink staining his cheeks through the bright green glow around us. I blink at him, then blink again and nod, leaning forward to close the small distance between us.

“Not yet,” he rasps, his voice deeper than normal as he suddenly steps back, his free hand fisting at his side. I eye him warily, embarrassment crashing through me at his quick retreat. “I’ll choose when,” he says, softening his tone once more. I look at my feet, my cheeks hot, before nodding in agreement. “Words, Meyer. I need your answer vocally.”

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?” he stresses as the church starts to shake again.

“Yes, I accept your bargain,” I answer in a rush, my eyes flying to the door of the church just as Valen's hand tightens around my wrist again, and he yanks me hard against his chest. Almost like an explosion, the green magic around us bursts into flames, tearing a scream of fear from my throat as the room twists, and suddenly we are falling through the air.

FOUR

Meyer

The dark, musty smell of the church vanishes, replaced by the frigid winter air as stars suddenly gleam and twinkle around Valen and me as we plummet through the night sky. Wonder and awe fill me as I brave a glance around us. Valen's solid, warm body is flush against mine, and every curve of my body is pressed to the hard-muscled lines of his own. The air whooshes around us, tossing my matted and dirty hair into my face and eyes; if I weren't clinging to the man like a damn lifeline, I would try to contain it.

I feel Valen tense under my hands and curse, and I squeeze my eyes shut, gripping him even tighter as my stomach lurches. “Hold on,” Valen yells over the roar of wind and snow around us, and his arms move so that one is looped around my waist and the other grips the back of my neck, keeping my face pressed firmly to his chest.

“Valen!” I can’t help but scream as I peek an eye open and watch as the snow-covered ground comes toward us.

“It’s okay,” he yells back, his fingers digging into my waist and neck so hard I’m pretty sure they will leave crescent-shaped bruises from his nails. I shake my head and bury my face back into his chest, counting the seconds until I feel a burst of magic, and our downward descent stalls so fast that I’m pretty sure my stomach is now in my esophagus.

“Ugh…” I moan, the sound muffled by Valen's shirt, then scream when we fall again! This time, it's over in a matter of seconds, and Valen curses as we land into soft, fluffy, freaking-freezing snow! The momentum of the small fall is enough to jar me from Valen's hold, and I squeak in surprise as I sink waist-deep into the snow several feet from where he lands gracefully, his knees bent as he levels his weight enough not to sink even an inch into the snow.

What the hell? Is he a damn cat?

I scowl at him, then look at myself, and curse when I realize I can’t move my legs. Leave it to me to crash into the snow and get stuck when my literal dream man is here with me. Valen stands, his gaze steady, though his eyes still have dark rings under them. He moves slowly, graceful as ever, but I swear I see his hands tremble as he comes over to where I’m stuck.

“Are you alright?” he asks in a rush, his hand resting on the side of my neck once again. His soft fingers stroke the skin there, resting on my pulse point as he takes deep breaths. His wild eyes move from my neck as his hands drop to my shoulders, then my arms before moving to my stomach and up my sides, checking for injuries.

“Yeah, but I, uh… think I’m a little stuck,” I begrudgingly admit, my hands landing on top of his when they move back to my neck. “Where are we?” I ask, looking around us, disappointed to see snow. Honestly, I was hoping we could avoid the cold white stuff, but that doesn't seem to be my luck. The drift that I’m stuck in is deep, formed against the side of a mountain, and I squint my eyes, trying to make out the different shapes in the dark night.

Valen’s fingers stay there a moment, his face frozen in one of worry and something I can’t quite pinpoint before he nods. Crouching in front of me a little more, he’s able to lift me from under my arms up out of the snow. I’m immediately set back on the ground, and before I can say anything, Valen’s hands are moving over my ankles, then calves. His strong fingers press gently on my joints as they slowly move up my body.

“Valen,” I whisper, watching him closely. He pays me no mind, his fingers grazing over my hips, making me suck in a breath when they trail over the sliver of skin showing just above my black pants. Swallowing hard, I dip my head to the side, deciding not to push his hands away from me the way I might have if it were Lennox. I have a feeling Valen needs to make sure that I’m okay himself. I watch him closely, trying to ignore how his soft presses and intimate touches make my breath hitch and my nipples pebble in my bra. His eyes are wide and panicked, like he’s trapped in a nightmare and can't get out. Shit, he looks like he’s only moments away from some kind of freakout.

“Hey,” I whisper, dipping my head to the side, trying to catch his eyes.

“I’m sorry. I lost control of my magic and put you in harm's way. We should have never fallen like that,” Valen suddenly grinds out, his voice harsher than I have ever heard. I feel my brows draw together as I try to meet his eyes, but Valen avoids my gaze like a fucking pro, his attention fixed firmly on my body.

“It’s fine, Valen. We landed safely, and I’m not hurt,” I assure him, moving my hand to rest over his prodding fingers. They’ve moved up to my stomach, and he’s putting more pressure there than normal.

“It’s not fine, Mi Sol. You would have every right to invoke the clauses of our deal and demand access to my soul. Now…lie back. I need to ensure you don't have any internal injuries,” Valen clips out, ignoring what I just said.

“That sounds a little dramatic,” I muse, then cock my head to the side. “Wait, your soul? Why the hell would I want your soul? That sounds dark and creepy,” I mutter and shiver.

“It’s not dramatic when I almost killed you,” Valen snaps, his hand shoving me back with more force until I crash into the snow behind me.

“Hey!” I shout, feeling the cold immediately penetrate the small amount of clothing I have on. But all other words leave me as Valen moves over my body, hovering so close that if I sat up just the smallest amount, I could wrap my arms around him and pull him more snuggly against me. “Valen,” I try again, and this time, his eyes dart up, clashing with mine and making me gasp at what I see. His pale green eyes shift, almost like they have a raging storm of gray lingering there. The need to move forward, to run my fingers through his soft looking hair, is almost painful as the need to be closer to him, to dive into those depths and reassure him I’m unharmed, comes full force.

“Meyer, please!” he practically begs, eyes fluttering shut as his jaw tenses like he’s in pain. “I just need to make sure you're unscathed. Just let me take care of you for a moment. Please,” he whispers again, hands trembling on my belly as he shakes his head the smallest amount. Magic swirls around us, and I feel a blessed warmth curl in my chest that I hope stays around since I’m currently freezing my tits off here.

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