Page 16 of A Lost Light

Hasumi could contain my magic. Zhong felt safe because I knew he could physically restrain me if the need arose. ButSunshinecould completely and utterly consume my soul and wipe me from existence. He could undo everything I was.

“Dyre is fascinated with you, little jinn,” the wraith informed me, snapping me out of my stupid introspection. “I will not deny him his desires.” The eerie multi-layered voice of death and darkness deepened, dropping all pretense of joking. “However, if you harm my host—if you hurt him in any way—you will have me to deal with. Do you understand, little spark-wielder?”

I shivered involuntarily. “Yes,” I heard myself whisper.

I didn't want to hurt him. Not really. That urge to destroy had been largely erased over the past few months. I just didn't want to be left behind.

The wraith studied me with his black eyes, and I tried to rebuild my defenses so he couldn't see the soft, squishy thing I had become. Then he bent his head and kissed me.

Fuck. There was danger, and then there wasdanger.Darkness drifted through me, called to all the hidden, secret fears and desires inside me. I moaned as I leaned into the kiss, suddenly ravenous. My fire magic flared, rising up inside me, fending off the darkness, making meburn.

And then the wraith withdrew. It was a strange sensation, knowing that I was now kissing a different man, even though our positions had not changed. The lips against mine softened slightly. The grip on the wrist of the hand that held his throat loosened. And I felt his smooth, cold skin warm slightly under my searing touch.

His aura changed too, from pure ancient blackness to dangerous witch steeped in dark magic. And yet, my need never wavered. Some small, scared, pathetic part of me trembled and begged to be seen.

Dyre lifted his head, and the eyes that met mine were once more pure violet. The wraith might watch, but the witch was in control once more. I was surprised to see wariness on Dyre'ssharply handsome features. His body still sang with arousal, and he hadn't kissed me like a man who was having second thoughts just now. And yet…

“What?” I demanded, firming up my grip on his throat and his wrist, using my body to hold him in place.

He swallowed, and I could tell the all-powerful necromancer was struggling not to appear nervous. “Did you figure out what you were after?” he finally said, his deep voice carefully even.

I narrowed my eyes at him, tilting my head to study him, my eyes noting the way the pulse beat in the visible blue tracery of veins just under his jaw. I smirked as I met his eyes again. “I thought that was fairly obvious,” I said, lifting one brow, trying to hide my shameful feelings. Trying to play the part of jinn tempter. “You, under me, incoherently begging for whatever pleasure I see fit to provide.”

His long, lean body shuddered, and his eyelids fluttered closed. “Aahil, be serious. I'm not like Andy. I don't have the energy for games.”

I finally released his wrist, though I kept my other hand around that marvelous long, white throat. “I haven't a fucking clue what you are rambling about, necromancer. But I won't repeat myself.” I lifted my chin, reminding myself what and who I was. “It's not every day a jinn of my caliber propositions a lowly witch.”

He huffed a wry laugh, his flat belly jumping against my torso. “Oh, I'm duly honored, Your Majesty, don't get me wrong. I just…” He sighed and finally met my eyes again. “I'm not exactly anyone's idea of attractive. I assumed you had just realized it was Sunshine you were after. Not me.”

Ah.

Suddenly I saw what Andy must see in this frustrating conundrum of a magic user, and I didn't feel quite so ashamed of my own stupid emotions. Did he actuallybelieveall the thingspeople said about his kind? Did the man never look in a mirror? Yes, he was the exact color of a corpse. I'm sure to some, the dark midnight blue of his teeth and nails, and the bluish undertones of his pale skin might be off putting. But only if that person had lived under a rock their entire lives and never encountered a non-human. The man was gorgeous.

Yes, I had made jibes at him myself. But no one tookmeseriously.

Did they?

Groaning, I released Dyre and ran a hand over my face in frustration, once again hating who I had been most of my life.

Dyre didn't move from his place against the bookshelf. If anything, hewilted.His tall body hunched inward for a moment before he unfolded and forced himself into that haughty ramrod posture that I knew someone had probably drilled into him at some point, hiding the pain of the perceived rejection. Oh, I knew that act very well. “Yeah,” he said, his face going blank. “I get it.”

Fury was overtaking my embarrassment.

How did Andy ever deal with these morons she was so in love with? It was mortifying enough that I had stormed in here unable to overcome my stupid impulses. But this... Was he joking right now? Was he trying to test me?

I stared at him. Was he really going to make mesayit? Panic clawed at my chest, warring with my fury and mywanting.Damn it all. Why was this wholeaffectionthing so horribly awful?

He was going to leave. I could see him preparing to slink off somewhere and nurse his wounds as he turned away. Because hewaswounded at the thought that I didn't actually want him. He thought I only wanted the wraith, the dark power inside him.

Moron.

Growling again in frustration, I dematerialized, transporting myself a few steps away, blocking Dyre's escape. Planting a hand on his shoulder, I took the necromancer with me when I dematerialized again.

Taking someone along with me wasn't easy. And if the necromancer had wanted to prevent it, he probably could. But he came willingly, and we didn't have far to go. We landed on the nest of cushions and blankets that made up my bed, Dyre on his back and me straddling his hips. “Listen very closely,” I warned impatiently. “Because I will only say thisonetime. I've wanted you for a long while now, and you know it. I've seen how you watch me. You know I watch you too. You aren't that oblivious.” I planted my hands on his t-shirt clad chest and leaned forward, nearly choking on my words and the unaccustomedhonesty.“I simply won't stand idly by while you get so wrapped up in your new angelic pet that you forget I exist.”

His eyes widened as what I was saying sank in. I didn't give him a chance to talk again. Or to judge me. Or to continue to wallow in self-pity. Leaning forward, I planted my hands on his chest and kissed him, hard.

He froze in surprise. Then he melted under me with a delicious little whimper. Smiling, I drew back and studied his face, enjoying the way his long red hair spilled out beneath him and his violet eyes nearly glowed. “Do you understand now, idiot witch? Or will you truly force me to continue tochat?”

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