Page 115 of Stone Temptation

Attacking Seth wasn’t the smartest move I’d made. It hadn’t been smart back when I’d caught him with Billy, and it wasn’t now. But bollocks to him. No one hit my mark and got away with it.

Still, I’d better be careful. The last time I’d kicked his smug ass I’d been sent to a labor camp for five months in the frozen south of my realm. Man, that had not been fun. And I never wanted to be that gargoyle again. I liked my fuse long. But being around Seth cut it down, piece by piece.

Fuck Seth!

I waited outside the changing rooms for Luke with two amethyst bracelets joining my rose quartz—to wash away the negativity and to keep me better centered.

The pool was pretty quiet. Safe. Had to kill a monster lurking near the entrance, but all was good and Luke was happy to be here.

Mine.

Mine to protect.

After two days spent in his company, I knew I’d break a billion skulls for him, fight any army of bog bears if it came to it. Fuck their size, their stink, the danger. I’d do it for the human. I’d lay down my life for him, burn the world. Because it was my job now. Because he was…Luke.

Man, these markings were wild.

The man in question appeared. “I’m ready for my dip.”

Butterflies danced in my stomach. I short-circuited, unable to respond. Floored by the sight of him in skimpy black trunks. They hugged him perfectly, accentuating his thighs, every inch of him.

Can I rip them off with my teeth?

I nodded, following him to the poolside.

Whoa.

A lifeguard greeted me with a nod as I took up position against the wall, given full access due to the mark. Like fuck would I sit over in the spectator zone.

Luke crouched, dipping his goggles into the water as swimmers did to prevent fogging or whatever. I imagined him squatting on my face like that, me feasting on him, consuming every delight available to me in the position.

There went my dick, standing to attention.

Luke fixed his goggles in place and dove into the pool, gliding through the water with mesmerizing speed.

Everything about his movements were a living painting for me to enjoy. Him and the water were a perfect fit.

Dude should’ve been a merman.

He stopped after three lengths, giving me another wave. I waved back, all sparkly on the inside over his cuteness.

He climbed out of the pool for a moment at the opposite end, water sluicing down his body as he stretched. The glow of the overhead lights caught every droplet, turning them into liquid diamonds.

Take him.

Take him.

Take him.

He dove back into the water.

Killing the idea of whipping out my dick and beating every drop of spunk from my balls, I got to work on the info he’d shared with me after wearing the ring.

I came to one conclusion: that burned woman and the gas mask humans were either the threat, or they had information on what was.

Obviously, it made zero sense.

Carissa messaged my flip phone.

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