Page 20 of Kraved By Krampus

“Space is the last thing you need.” His voice drops, sending a vibration through me and straight to my clit. “Your magic demands more.”

No. I shake my head, backing further away, desperate to escape the smoldering intensity in his gaze. “I—can’t.”

“You can, and you will.” He looms over me, a force of nature. “Deny it all you like, but fate has brought us together.”

“Fate?” I choke out a bitter laugh. “Is that what you call it?”

“It is our destiny.”

“Destiny.” I repeat the word, tasting it like ash on my tongue. “Because burning manuscript pages and a ridiculous threat are so romantic.”

“You think this is a game?” His voice rumbles, deep and dangerous. “I’m offering you a chance to embrace your true self. To set your magic free.”

I swallow, my mouth dry. “What if I don’t want to?”

“Then you deny us both.”

“I’m not some prize to be claimed!”

“Nor am I.” His eyes flash, and the temperature drops. “I will not be denied what is rightfully mine.”

Anger flares within me, a welcome distraction from the yearning building inside. “You think you can just intimidate me into submission? That’s not how this works!”

“I’m not trying to intimidate you.” He steps closer again, his eyes never leaving mine. “I’m trying to show you what we could be.”

“And what’s that?”

“Something powerful.” His voice drops to a whisper. “Something passionate.”

The word passionate hangs in the air between us, heavy with implication. My pulse quickens, my skin tingling with awareness.No. I won’t give in to this. Not to him.

He senses my resistance and takes a step back, letting the moment stretch. “You want to be craved, Clara. Truly, deeply desired.”

My breath catches as his words sink into me, stoking a hunger I’ve kept carefully buried.It’s just words. I try to convince myself, but it’s a lie.

“Say it. Tell me what you want.” His eyes hold mine, intense and unrelenting.

I part my lips to deny it, but the truth burns on my tongue. With a frustrated growl, I turn away, stalking toward the window.

“Get out.”

He doesn’t move. “You can’t run from this forever.”

My hands ball into fists at my sides, my nails biting into my palms. The sting grounds me, clearing my head.

“Get. Out.”

For a long moment, he doesn’t speak, then finally, he sighs.

“Until next time.”

I stand rigid, listening to his footsteps move away, the cabin creaking in his wake. Only when I sense he’s truly gone do I sink into the nearby chair, my heart pounding.

What am I doing? I press my hands to my burning cheeks. Is this how I treat the hero of my fantasies? With disdain and defiance? But he’s not just a fantasy anymore. He’s here. Flesh and blood and... whatever else he is.

A shiver runs through me at the thought. I can deny it all I want, but there’s no ignoring the pull between us. What if...

No.

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