Page 18 of Born of Blood and Ash

And…gods. Ash fucked hard and fast, the force assavage as how his mouth moved over mine. I wrapped my legs around his hips,rising to meet him as my fingers tangled in the silky strands of his hair. Wewere frenzied as he drove into me, over and over, until I could no longer keepup with the wild rhythm. The sounds I made would surely turn my cheeks crimsonlater, but I couldn’t stop myself as I trembled beneath him. He moved faster,harder, working an arm beneath my head. Either his fangs or mine nicked my lip,and he growled, drawing the little drop of blood into his mouth as he thrustinto me all the way. With no space between us, he ground his hips. There was nosteady build-up to release. I felt his cock begin to spasm, and that pushed meto the edge and right over it. A storm of pleasure, almost violent in nature,swept through me, kicking my head back against his arm as I cried out his name.

I didn’t know how much time passed as we remained joined,our hearts slowing. But when Ash spoke, I knew he had complete control ofhimself.

“Sera?” he rasped.

“I’m here, and I’m okay.” I tilted my head to the side,seeking. His lips found mine. The kiss was gentle and sweet but no lessshattering than the ones that’d come before.

Ash eased himself from me, but his body didn’t leave mine.Supporting his weight on one arm, he rested his forehead against mine. “Fates,Sera. I thought…”

He didn’t need to finish the sentence. I knew what hethought, what must have preyed on his mind as he slept, kept under the spelland driven to lose his hold on his mortal form.

“It wasn’t him,” I whispered.

Ash’s shudder of relief caused my heart to ache. Gods, Ididn’t think it was possible to hate Kolis more than I already did, but I waswrong. I knew this would always be a fear until Kolis was dealt with.

For both of us.

I cleared my throat. “It was the riders.”

Ash lifted his head, and his brows rose. “What in the fuck?”

My lips twitched. “That about sums up my initial reaction.”

His fingers coasted over my cheek. “Tell me what happened.”

I did, sharing how I’d ended up in a cavern on the outskirtsof the Abyss. Ash quietly listened as I explained how I’d had to prove myselfworthy. His eyes narrowed as I described the three-headed beast. When I got tothe Tavius portion, he went rigid.

“But it wasn’t really him,” I assured.

“No shit,” he growled. I arched a brow. “He’s a specialcase. I would know if he left where I last left him.” He paused. “In pieces.”

Pieces?

“How did—?” I stopped myself. “You know what? I don’t thinkI want to know.”

His smile was tight, toothless. “You sure about that?”

Actually? Yes. I ran my finger over the faint scar on hischin. “He was just a representation of me.”

“How in the fuck is he supposed to be a representation ofanything of you?” Ash demanded, the eather whippingthrough his eyes.

“The part of me that…reacts violently when I feel like Idon’t have control,” I admitted. It was hard to share when his lips thinned,peeling back until the tips of his fangs became visible. “I didn’t realize itwasn’t really Tavius at first. I…I beat him.”

“Good,” Ash snarled, his eyes fierce. “What did I tell youbefore when it came to him?”

“Not to let him leave a mark.”

“Exactly.” He drew his thumb over my chin. “That hasn’tchanged, whether it was really him or not.”

“I know.” I smiled for him. “At first, I thought he was themonster I needed to slay next. I was about to kill him until I realized that ifI did, it would be a final death. I would’ve…”

“You believed you would’ve destroyed his soul,” Ashfinished.

“I couldn’t do it.” My laugh was short and humorless. “Itfelt wrong. I dropped the sword, and he disappeared. That’s when I realized Iwas supposed to slay the monstrous part of me. The cold bit.”

His jaw flexed. “There is nothing cold about you.”

“But there is,” I insisted, my voice barely above a whisper.“I don’t know if I was born this way, if the embers did it, or if it was how Iwas raised and the choices I made because of that. But I told you before, Ash.I don’t feel things the same way you do.”

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