Page 20 of King of Inferno

Undeniable Pull

Ihad to get out of that room. I sat watching her sleep for as long as I could. Once I began to sweat, I had to leave. I, of all beings, sweating as I sat and did nothing. It has never happened in my existence.

If I questioned my little one being my mate before, I certainly don’t now. This pull to her is insane. My throat feels like I’m walking through a desert.

When I kissed her forehead before I left, there was this intense spark between us. Almost like her presence alone meant to latch on to me and keep me there.

Like I told Kendrick, I at least need to try to hold out. Seraphina is a fire fairy with a temper as hot as mine. I didn’t know the pull of the bond would be this great when I promised her I would give her time.

To be honest, I had given up on ever finding my mate. I had been content with finding fire fairies strong enough to bed me. At this point, I will have a crazy ex on my hands either way, but I would rather stand on my word.

“But can you truly stand on your word against this?” I mutter to myself.

The farther I walk away, the louder the answer rings in my ears. I try to distract myself by focusing on each step I take. I’ve walked these streets when they were nothing more than dirt and dust.

Long before I watched them become this concrete jungle where the suits feed off the weak. Drinking their souls while growing fat off broken dreams and soiled consciousnesses. Humans have chosen their gods once again.

However, I’ve watched them choose wrong constantly. Material things and those who have promised them have become their altars. Beings like myself are too old to fall prey to such things.

“We can finally be free,” I grumble as I pass by the expensive human shops.

The Ricci family won’t be able to hold us now that we have mates. They will have to find some other way to indulge in their greed.

“Bond with your mate.”

The words float through my head as if spoken through our mind link. Yet it isn’t the voice of my brothers or any of the others I recognize.

I begin to overheat once again. Rubbing my forearm across my forehead, it comes away wet. I won’t last the night like this.

Reel it the fuck in, Bradan. I think to myself.

I try to swallow to relieve the burn in my throat. It does no good. I would think I didn’t know how to swallow flames.

“Bond with your mate.”

I shake my head as the voice comes again. Then suddenly it’s as if I know she’s in as much pain as I am—probably worse. If this were just my battle, I would do my best to endure.

However, this is not my burden alone. My little one is suffering with me. She didn’t make the promise I did.

I will not leave her in pain for my mistake. This ends now.

Taylor

Exhaustion hit hard and I passed right out. I had questions on the tip of my tongue, but those turned into drool. However, I awake from my peaceful sleep, feeling like someone has lit the bed on fire.

My face is soaked in more than my saliva. My entire body is drenched. Bradan’s shirt already swallowed me. Now it’s soaked and feels like a weighted blanket.

I groan and toss the covers off. Rolling onto the dry side of the bed, I inhale and regret it instantly. I pop up in the bed and grasp my throat. It feels like it’s on fire.

“I need to get out of this shirt,” I croak.

It is as the words leave my mouth that I notice Bradan is gone. His scent still permeates the bedding, but he’s not here. I start to panic as heat rushes throughout my body. Jumping up from the bed, I claw at his shirt to tug it off.

Tossing it to the ground, I stand in nothing but my red thong. Yet the heat and burning don’t recede. I continue to sweat and feel like my skin is searing from my body. Stumbling forward, I try to blink the pain away.

When my eyes focus, I note the scorch marks on the concrete floors. I hadn’t noticed that earlier. The marks form a circle in the center of the room, almost facing the throne chair I had noticed before.

I stumble to the center and collapse to my knees. I want, I need, I can feel that there is something I need to make this stop. I manage to move to my knees and place my hands on my thighs to steady myself.

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