Page 129 of Dark Angel

Kora turns to change out of her dress when Clarence stops her. He waits for the others to leave the room before he murmurs to her quietly, “If Colton is there, he’s going to be difficult to attack.”

“He’s my twin. I have to try to stop him.”

“I know,” Clarence says, falling onto the lounge, “that’s what I’m afraid of.”

Kora sits beside him, her hand on his. “I have trained my whole life for this. We can do it. We have to do it. If Colton isn’t stopped, then I don’t know what we’ll do.”

Clarence looks at her for a few moments as they sit in silence. The only sound filling the room is the crackling of the flames in the hearth.

“You won’t kill her, will you?” Clarence asks suddenly, his voice cracking as he questions her.

Kora thinks for a moment. She’s not entirely sure what she will do with Daisy, but she knows she will never forgive herself if she hurts her friend. “No. I won’t. I can’t hurt Daisy.”

“Thank you.” Clarence expires in relief. “We should prepare as well.”

Nodding, Kora gets up from the lounge, brushing down the fabric of her dress. “I’ll be upstairs.”

She heads up to her quarters. Closing the door behind her, she grabs her fighting leathers from her wardrobe to change into. A pair of tight black pants with loops for her weapons belt. A tight leather tunic with strings crossing down the front, and her thick black lace-up boots.

Kora undoes the ribbon binding her dress together. It’s tight, but she manages on her own. Falling to the floor, she slides out of the skirt. Her bodice clings to her chest as her thin silky chemise clings to her figure underneath. Kora goes to pull at the binding when her door creaks open.

Jolting upwards, her eyes collide with Jordan’s cerulean ones. She wants to pull her dress up to cover herself, but she’s frozen in place. She watches his throat work as Jordan closes the door behind him and leans against it, as if he’s too afraid to approach her now.

“Jordan,”

“I know. I shouldn’t be in here.” He starts, pushing himself off the door to step closer to her.

Kora doesn’t move. Her heart is thumping so loudly she's scared he’ll be able to hear it himself. She feels her blood heating and tinglingas his eyes stare at her. “I just needed to see you alone before we go there and fight.” Jordan says almost breathlessly.

Her lips part as he nears her. “You make it sound like one of us will die.” She says honestly, wanting to break the tension between them with humour.

One side of his mouth ticks as he stops in front of her. His scent soothes her nose as she breathes Jordan in. His hair is looking slightly dishevelled, and she wants nothing more than to run her hands through it. Kora swallows, feeling the heat radiating off him, his energy mixing with hers as he stands before her. “I hope that doesn’t happen.” His voice dropping lowly. She eyes him, her gaze not moving from his as she itches to touch him. “But I also can’t die without ever kissing you.”

Her heart stops beating for a moment. Her racing pulse pauses. Passion flushes her skin in a wave of fervour. Her hazel eyes burn with intensity.

Jordan’s hands reach out to hold her face gently. His skin on hers awakes every sense and nerve ending in her body. Turquoise eyes search her own as his face inches closer to hers. Her chest flutters as his hand moves lower to the back of her neck, threading his fingers through her delicate hair.

She lets out the smallest gasp as Jordan draws her towards him. Soft lips connect with hers, and Kora feels electrified. Pressing lightly against her mouth, she can taste him. Notes of salt and coffee linger on his lips.

Her body almost melts into his like molten metal. His fingers continue to hold her as their eyes close.

Kora moves her lips against his tenderly, never wanting this feeling to end. It will have to, but for the moment, she pretends as if nothing else exists in the world. Like they’re the only ones here, and this is all she needs to survive.

Heat burns through her as her hands snake around his back. Jordan’s fingernails dig into the skin at the nape of her neck, deepening their kiss.

She moans against him lightly, her mind going utterly blank apart from focusing on him. Her muscles slacken with bliss. She can feel Jordan loosening under her touch.

Fingers griping the fabric of his shirt, Jordan continues to hold her against him, forgetting that she’s barely wearing anything. He’s not thinking about her in that way right now. He just wants to hold her before the plan begins.

After a few long minutes, his lips fall away from hers, and Jordan leans his forehead down to rest against Kora’s. Their chests pant as they collect themselves, soaking in each other’s warmth.

“I needed to do that.” Jordan murmurs gently. His lips are so close she can feel his breath on her.

Kora’s eyes close as his hands remain on her skin, as if he’s craving her touch as well. “I’m glad that you did.”

He sniffs a laugh. “I should have the last time we were in here.”

She lifts her head to look up at him. Sea-blue is quickly becoming her favourite colour. “At least you did this time.”

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