Page 151 of Starkeeper of the Fractured Crown

One corner of my lips lifted. “You could call it that. Close your eyes and listen.” Armor is still armor. I suppose we were the same in that sense. Anger was what I wore. Doing this? I was uncomfortable in this space, but it was worth it. She was worth it.

She was quiet, the sound of her heartbeat filling the room.

Seconds ticked by when she finally snuggled down a bit. “Fine. They’re closed.”

I fixed my eyes on her, my thoughts, my entire being. I focused on that trail of shadows that connected us through that collar, through the shadows she had absorbed into her skin, through the consent that came with that signature.

“I want you to imagine something for me, baby, just for me.”

She needed to focus too. It was something I had noticed a long time ago. She had a difficult time pausing her thoughts. I enjoyed making her forget everything just by how I made her feel. I drew pleasure from it.

“Are you going to use your special shadows to help me?” she muttered angrily.

“You’re using your imagination with this one. I won’t touch you unless you beg for it.”

She scoffed and pulled her blanket up to her chin.

Ilaughed a breathy laugh. “Imagine yourself drifting off to sleep—”

“I was already asleep before you attacked me.”

I rose a brow. “Angel,” I warned, but the smile wouldn’t disappear. Attack was a strong word for touching her lightly.

Kyra released a huff, wiggled her body deeper into her bed. “Fine, fine. My eyes are closed. Keep going with your twisted fairytale. But if the villain doesn’t end up fucking the hero, I don’t want it.”

I chuckled then, unable to help myself. “You’re drifting off to sleep,” I began again, watching as she complied this time. “Everything is becoming heavy, hazy, laced in the euphoric hum of the night. Your body falls into your mattress, muscles relaxing, your breathing becoming even as your heart slows. My voice calms you, soothes you, brings you a dark kind of peace that you’ve never known before. Listen to it sing for you. Let it carry you into oblivion.

I watched it happen before me. Some of the tension released from her shoulders, her spine curving against the lumpy mattress. Something I would need to upgrade for both she and Mark soon. Her waist dipped further, her hips and chest becoming more defined. Her breathing slowed, her heartbeat steady.

All I could imagine was how she would look bathed in the moonlight, not a scrap of clothes on her, my cum coating her skin, healing her, cleansing her of any wicked touch that wasn’t mine. Fuck.

“There’s a man in your room,” I began, watching her ribs expand anddeflate with each breath. “Made of shadows and death. He had been watching her. From the darkest depths of hell, he craved her more than he craved justice for stolen lives. He craved her more than he craved air, more than he craved blood. He craved her in a way that didn’t make sense.

“Death stood in her doorway, watching her as she slept. Watching each breath she breathed because her breath was his. Her heartbeat was his. Every piece of her, every hair on her head, it belonged to him now. He had waited so long. Watched her speak with other people, wanting it to be him. Watched her eyes light up with every reckless decision knowing that he’d be the next one she would make.

“Death was done watching. The hunger he felt in his bones to touch her was too much for him now. He was losing control, and hehatedthat. Hated what this beautiful creature did to him. He was ready to claim what was his. No matter the consequences.”

I heard her swallow, but she remained still. I could feel her focus on me now. Every single ounce of it. Every fiber of her being was on me, and it caused a shiver to fall down my spine. If she looked at me now with lust in her eyes, I would have fallen to my knees.

“He walked over to her bed, his steps silent, slow. If he was going to take her tonight, he wouldtakeher, but first, he wanted to savor this moment. Death neared her and gently pulled back her covers, a shiver rolling through her, causing her skin to tighten.”

Kyra shivered, stretching just enough to give her whatever relief she was looking for.

My own heart thudded. “She was wearing too manyclothes, so he pulled out his knife and easily cut down the length of her body. When the air touched her skin, she shivered again, but still did not wake. He used the tip of the knife to push aside the scraps, revealing her bare skin from shoulder to thigh. He let the tip of the knife graze over her beautiful scarred skin—”

Her eyes flashed open.

“Scars from a lifetime of fighting,” I went on, wondering why that made her lose her focus. “Untold stories he wanted to bless. He may have been death, but she was his salvation, and he would worship every inch of her skin as if it were the only thing saving him from an eternity of pain.”

Salt touched the air and I wanted to address it, but I knew she wouldn’t talk. I felt it in my soul, so I kept going.

“He flicked his knife down her sleeve, across the top of her pajama bottoms, so all fell away, before finally sliding his knife back. After tonight, if she wanted to wear pajamas, she would wear only that which gave him the most access, but tonight, this would have to do. Death ran his finger down across her ribs, her waist, her hips, her thigh, and finally, he gently nudged her over until she rolled onto her back.

“His beautiful little darling relaxed into the bed, one leg falling to the side, her hands falling to either side of her, her nipples peaked, one breast still covered by her shirt the other visible to the world.”

Kyra squirmed just enough for me to notice. She pressed her thighs together, pulling her knees up, but she didn’t make a sound.

I watched her with bare hunger. If she turned around now, she would see me with my hands fisted into my pockets, my cock hard against my thigh. I wouldn’t touch myself though. Not tonight. Perhaps it was my own version of a punishment. Something I felt I fully deserved.

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