Page 145 of Stone Temptation

He snarled at me. “Are you really asking me stupid questions when your mark is in trouble?”

The milky shit continued to leak from Luke, spreading further across the floor.

With no other choice, I got my mark onto his back. His arms and legs stayed where they were, making him look like a dead bug.

Seth parted Luke’s lips, pouring the milky green potion into his mouth then tilted his head back slightly, making sure it all went down his throat.

What happened to the sex and the happiness and snuggling? Couldn’t we go back to that?

Seconds ticked by, nothing happening.

“What now?” I stroked the side of Luke’s cold face, begging the stone gods to keep him safe and in my life.

We’ve only just begun… For real this time. Crossed a line, opened up new possibilities.

“Don’t go yet,” I said through the amulet still around his neck.

Seth cleared his throat. “Let’s get him somewhere comfortable.”

“What’s happening?” I asked, sounding like a plea.

“Move him first, then we can talk.”

I picked him up, his body much limper now. I hated Seth’s eyes on his gorgeous body. It wasn’t for him, no inch of skin for him anymore. This human was mine.

I carried Luke into the other bedroom, settling him down on the bed. Quickly found our clothes, dressing us both while Seth watched on, smoking.

“Things are changing,” he said, visibly shaken. “His power must be growing. I’m a fool.”

There were better words to describe this piece of shit, but whatever. He wasn’t getting one drop of my pity, only my angry face.

“Start talking,” I demanded, my body language warning of impending uppercuts.

Luke’s chest rose and fell with even breaths. His body temperature improved to a steady human warmth, no more milky liquid leakage.

“Luke is dangerous,” Seth said. The statement came at me like a truck.

I went to fall on my mark to save him from that suggestion. “What do you mean?”

“Dangerous, Asher. A seriously powerful threat.”

My stomach churned. “Wait. What? Luke’s not a threat. He’s got one hanging over him. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here with him now.”

He puffed on his manky smoke stick. “A baffling development I still don’t understand. This burned woman, the humans, the ring, the king… Where does it all connect?”

By the gods, I didn’t need this waffling. “Get to the point, Seth. Stop pissing about. Explain.”

He watched Luke, then shook his head. “It feels wrong without him listening.”

I bit back a laugh. Feels wrong? Ha! What a joke.

The knobhead carried on. “I’ve been protecting him, keeping his power suppressed with that potion. I could have killed him that day at Crab Cove. Maybe I should have.”

I growled, an arm across Luke. “Fucking touch him and?—”

He cut me off. “But you didn’t see what I saw. The possibilities, the mystery to be unraveled. You don’t just throw away opportunities like that.”

“You’re making no sense!” I snapped.

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