Page 172 of Born of Blood and Ash

“Sera,” he began.

I gripped his shirt again. “Kolis knows we have The Star,Ash. And he also knows what can be done with it.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, it does. Kolis is clever enough to expect us to useThe Star in the same way he did. And he has to know that you could take thetrue embers of death. That makes you a target.” My heart felt like it hadstopped—just like when I realized it before. “You can be killed without anyhuge impact on the mortal realm, and I know you realized that. Why didn’t youtell me?”

“Why would I make you worry?” His eyes searched mine. “Overnothing.”

“Nothing?” I nearly screeched the word. “Confidence is sexy,Ash, but not when it becomes idiotic. You’re a target. That’s when I got thefeeling that something bad was about to happen. And I was right. What justhappened with the Dogs of War is evidence of that. If not Kolis, then anotherPrimal will come for you.”

A lock of hair fell against his cheek. “I’ve always been atarget.”

“But this is different—”

“You’re right. It is different now,” he cut in. “Because of you.Because of us.” He cupped my cheek. “Do you really think I would allowanyone to take me out when I have you to fight and survive for? That I wouldallow anything or anyone to steal our future? That’s never going to happen,Sera. Never.” Strands of eather spun as he held mystare. “I am a Primal of Death. You are the fucking true Primal of Life. No twobeings in any realm are safer than we are. Because I also know that you won’tallow that to happen. Or am I wrong?”

“No,” I whispered, anxiety swirling.

His eyes flashed pure silver for an instant. “Say it likeyou mean it, Sera.”

“I do…” I stopped and took a deep breath. Ash was right. Hewouldn’t allow it. Neither would I. None of that meant I would suddenly ceaseworrying about something possibly happening to Ash—that wasn’t in mypersonality. But determination was. Resolve poured in, crowding out the fear aseather hummed through me, turning the corners of myvision white. “No.”

“That’s my wife.” He kissed me and then drew back, his gazelowering. “This is such a pretty slip of lace. Did Erlina make you many ofthese?”

I blinked, caught off guard by the subject change. “I thinkso.”

“Good.” With a quick jerk of his hands, he tore theundergarment in half.

“Ash,” I gasped.

“I’ll make sure to pay her double if you find yourself inneed of more.” Grasping my hips, he lifted me with shocking ease and placed meso my ass was on the edge of his desk. He cupped my nape and guided me so myhips were angled upward. “Liessa?” His lipsmade their way to my ear. “I want to fuck you.”

Oh, gods.

“I have wanted to fuck you from the moment you shadowstepped into Vathi.” His cool breath against the skinbeneath my ear sent a taut, enticing shiver coursing through me. “And Idefinitely wanted to fuck you when you took out the kynakos.You were so powerful. So beautiful. Fucking glorious,” he said. “But Ineed to taste you first.”

A full-body shudder took me. I watched him draw back, and mychest tightened, but for the most delicious reasons.

“And speaking of things I’ve wanted to do…” He dropped tohis knees before me. Seeing him like that always left me breathless. “When yousought to distract me as I wrote names in the Book of the Dead?” he said,tugging off my boots and then my leggings. “I wanted to toss that gown up andget between your thighs.”

I was going to melt. Right here. “I wouldn’t have stoppedyou.”

“You should have.” Spreading my thighs, he looked up at me.A lock of chestnut hair fell forward, softening the brutal hardness of his jaw.“I wasn’t as deserving of you then.”

Before I could protest, he was on me. His mouth. His tongue.His fangs. He licked and sucked, drawing my hips off the desk, and when histongue dipped, the most needful sound rumbled from deep within him.

Ash was…insatiable.

He tasted me—no, he feasted—and all I could do washold on to the edge of the desk and try to keep my precarious balance. Tensioncoiled tight with each plunge of his tongue, drawing me closer and closer tothe edge of release. I shook with need, caught on an almost painful precipiceas he lifted his head.

“Sunshine,” he murmured, his lips glossy as he kissed myinner thigh.

He rose with the quick grace of a wolf hunting its prey, andas he shoved his pants down, I wanted nothing more than to be devoured.

“Ash?”

His hand halted, and his eyes flashed to mine. “Liessa?”

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