Page 70 of The Blood Moon Oath

I tilt my head, savoring her reaction. “Oh, nothing, nothing at all.” I spin my staff in my hands, watching her closely. “Just curious, you know? It’s not every day I get to hear about you and my brothers... spending time together.”

I strike quickly, testing her reflexes, moving fluidly. She blocks with ease, but I’m already on the move again, pressing her to react. Her eyes never leave me, the intensity between us thickening.

"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" she mutters as she parries my strike and tries to land one of her own.

“Oh, kitten,” I say, spinning to the side, just narrowly avoiding her blade, “you know I can never resist the urge to see how far I can push you.”

She huffs, her frustration starting to show as we engage in a fast-paced dance of blows and dodges. I make sure to keep her on the defensive, never giving her a moment to breathe.

"Kael and I didn’tjusttalk, if that's what you're wondering," she snaps, her tone sharp, biting back her bashfulness with defiance. "We... spent the night together. Why? You jealous?"

I grin like a wolf, circling her again. "Jealous?" I chuckle darkly. "No, sweetheart. I'm not jealous." I throw a quick feint and then launch at her from the other side, catching her off guard as she’s too busy trying to work out how to get under myskin. “But I’m curious. How did Kaelfuckyou? Was he slow? Gentle? Or did he just claim you like he does everything else?”

I see the flash of annoyance in her eyes, and she lunges at me with a fierce strike, but I sidestep her, catching her by the wrist and flipping her to the ground in one fluid motion. The move is quick—too quick for her to react—and she’s on her back, pinned beneath me, her breath catching from the sudden shift.

I lean over her, my grin widening as I press my weight into her. “Did he fuck you good, kitten?” I murmur, eyes locked on hers. “Did he claim you like a good little pet?”

She glares up at me, clearly not amused, but there's something else in her gaze. That fight—it's never truly gone. Her teeth clench as she rolls her hips up into mine, and I feel the stir of her desire.

"Fine," she says through gritted teeth, her face flushed. "Yes. We did. Now, can you get off me, or are you planning to take me right here?"

I laugh, pulling away just enough to let her squirm beneath me. "You sure you want me to get off, kitten? Because the way you're moving under me... doesn't exactly say ‘get off’.”

She manages to scramble, pushing me back with a quick shift of her body. Her eyes are filled with something I can’t quite place—frustration, yes, but also the unmistakable heat of desire. She’s trying to fight it, trying to remain in control, but I can tell that she’s losing the battle.

She moves quickly, using a pressure point technique I didn’t see coming. Her palm presses against the base of my neck, just below my collarbone, and I gasp, a shock of numbness racing down my body. My vision blurs for a second, my power slipping just for a moment.

I chuckle, even though my legs feel weak. “Nice one,kitten,” I say, forcing my laughter through clenched teeth. “But you still don’t have me yet.”

Before I can fully recover, she knees me—hard—in the balls.

The air leaves my lungs in a harsh gasp, and I collapse onto the ground beside her, groaning. “Oh, you fuckingbitch,” I laugh, rolling over on the dirt, clutching my groin. "That’s going to hurt in the morning."

She laughs too, a victorious sound, but she doesn’t stop there. The little devil that she is straddles me with a smirk that promises nothing good for me. She holds a blade—my blade—up to my throat, the tip hovering just above my skin.

I look up at her, blinking through the sharpness of the pain, still grinning. “Alright, alright,” I say, my voice breathless from laughter and a little pain. “You got me. Youbestedme. I’ll give you that.”

She leans back slightly, still perched on top of me, that glint of pride in her eyes. “So,” she starts, tilting her head slightly, “why aren’t you jealous, Torin? Of me and Kael? You really don’t care?”

I stare up at her for a long moment, the intensity of the situation building. “Jealous?” I ask, my voice lowering to a growl. “I love my brothers, kitten. Why would I be jealous?” I laugh softly, shaking my head. “You think I care if you fuck Kael? That’shisproblem. Not mine. But... you know, I think Kael’s jealousy isn’t about you. It’s about him not understanding his own feelings. And as for Finn?” I raise an eyebrow. “He’ll figure it out too. Eventually.”

Sable snorts, a laugh escaping her despite the situation. “Finn? Please. He keeps his distance, and that's fine with me. He can stay as far away as he wants.”

I can’t help but laugh too, despite the way she’s stillstraddling me. “You think you’ve got Finn all figured out? You’re as wrong about him as you are aboutme, kitten.”

She presses the blade closer, a little more seriously this time, the edge grazing my skin. The light from the setting sun glints off the steel, making it feel all the more dangerous. “You don’t really care if Kael or Finn figure it out, do you? You just want to watch the chaos unfold, don’t you?”

“Chaos?” I grin, my teeth flashing in the twilight. “Chaos is fun. But there’s more to it than that. I think you’ll be the one tohelpthem figure it out, kitten. You’re going to teach them more than they realize.”

Her brows furrow, and for a split second, she looks like she’s about to say something. Then, instead, she just stares at me, the tip of the blade wavering against my skin.

“Hmm,” she mutters, leaning back, still perched on top of me. “I still doubt it, Torin.”

I shrug. “Well, kitten,” I say, pushing myself up slightly so I can stare directly into her eyes, “all things will happen in the time they should. And now that you’re no longer a virgin... well, that just means we can have our fun together.”

She narrows her eyes, the edge of the blade still pressed to my throat. “Keep dreaming,” she mutters.

I laugh softly, my gaze flickering to hers. “Oh, kitten,” I murmur, my voice low and filled with that unhinged humor of mine. “If you want me to visit you in your dreams, I certainly can. Icando that, you know.”

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