Page 24 of Gothikana

His face came closer, along with his whispered demand.

‘Stop me.’

Her lips parted.

‘Fuck,’ he cursed, his mouth inches away from hers, hovering. She inhaled, her chest pressing deeper into him just as he exhaled, exchanging the same breath of charged air between them, the staticpulsing between her legs, throbbing, making her wet and swollen and needy.

His hand left hers, going to the side to grip her skirt, his gaze ensnaring hers.

‘I told you not to give me those eyes.’ Silver met violet in a dark corner of the library. ‘Your eyes have such hunger. Your soul is starved, and your flesh is famished. Tell me, Miss Clemm, do you want relief?’

She did.

Her entire being felt seen, splayed open before him, the cracks in her soil visible, waiting for him to quench its thirst.

‘One taste. That’s it.’

Yes, she wanted one taste. He was close, so close, and she was dying to let his taste penetrate her.

He stayed exactly where he was, shielding her with one arm on the side of the shelf, keeping their gazes locked as he slowly began to inch her skirt up. The fabric rustled over her legs, exposing them to the air on one side, adding to the sensory overload in her body, and Corvina felt her breathing stutter.

His hand—his big, naked, skilled hand—brushed over her hip, her thigh, his fingers glancing over the wet, needy spot between her legs, discovering nothing but flesh.

His breathing grew ragged as his finger made contact with her wetness. ‘No panties?’

Corvina shivered. ‘I don’t… don’t like underwear. I skip them sometimes.’

‘You’ve ruined me with that knowledge.’ His middle finger circled her opening once, and she leaned back into the books behind her, thrusting her hip forward involuntarily, needing more pressure, more contact. But he removed his hand, bringing it out from under her skirt, making it fall back into place.

Eyes on her, he rubbed his wet finger over her lower lip slowly, coating it with her moistness, then leaned forward, licking the juice he’d smeared there.

Her walls clenched.

‘Ambrosia,’ he muttered, giving her lower lip another soft lick, her head dizzy with the sensations. Their noses brushed, chests heaving, his pupils blown wide, his mouth parted with hers.

‘Witch,’ he muttered, there, right there, so close she could almost feel his lips.

‘Devil,’ she murmured back, seeing his eyes flare with molten fire, feeling the heavy bulge of him pressed against her stomach, right where heat coiled deep.

The sound of something crashing in another aisle had them both jerking back.

He scanned the area quickly, blowing out a breath, running his hands through his hair. For a long moment, he just breathed, as though trying to rein himself in. And then he stepped back, a mask falling over his face as his jaw tightened.

‘We cannot let this happen again, Miss Clemm. Do you understand?’

Corvina gulped. ‘Yes, Mr Deverell.’

Without another word, he turned on his heels and left, taking the electric air with him.

Corvina collapsed back against the shelf, putting the hand he’d been holding over her chest, trying to calm her racing heart, trying to ignore the tingle in her mouth, trying to clench the muscles between her thighs. She didn’t know him, didn’t know who he was. He could be evil. He could be responsible or connected to the disappearances. And he was her teacher. She couldn’t risk it all for him, just like he’d said. This was her new start, and with her history, she couldn’t risk anything. Not now.

Verenmore was her clean slate, and Vad Deverell was her writing on the wall.

CHAPTER 7

Corvina

‘Let’s talk aboutdeath, shall we?’

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