Page 65 of A Lost Light

Despite his words, there was no hesitation, nothing but love in his touch when his lips met mine. His hands landed on my hips, long fingers squeezing, pressing me up against the bulge in his pants. Fire licked through my veins as I rubbed against him, my breasts smooshing against his chest, my clit finding friction against his rigid dick, despite the layers of clothes. We were both breathless in seconds. But I wanted more than this.

Forcing myself to end the kiss, I leaned in to whisper in his ear instead. “If you want Hasumi so bad, you should go do something about it,” I taunted. “Today seems to be their day.”

He growled, and the grip on my hips grew tighter, bordering on painful. “I want to taste you, to be inside you, witch,” Sunny growled in his dark, multi-layered voice.

I shuddered, unable to help my response to the wraith's seductive darkness and need. “Later,” I managed to gasp out. “Right now, Dyre needs this.”

I looked into their eyes, knowing they could both see me, on some level, and spoke to Dyre. “Don't hide behind the wraith. I see you, Dyre. I've told you before, and I'llkeeptelling you for as long as it takes to fully sink into that stubborn head of yours. You. Are. Worthy. And I'm not the only one who thinks so.Hasumiasked you to stay.”

The blackness in his eyes bled back to a more normal violet color, and Dyre pressed a soft kiss against my lips. “I hate when you do that,” he muttered. “When you see everything I try so damned hard to keep to myself.” He kissed me again, then pressed his forehead to mine. “And I love it too. This doesn't mean I don't want you as well,” he whispered, suddenly sounding shy. “Like with Ambrose. Or… that one time with the jinn. I don't… you can't think you're not enough… or think that I'm not devoted to you.”

I huffed a soft laugh. “Idiot. Do you thinkyou'renot enough, when I'm off fucking the others? That my loving them makes me love you any less?”

He shook his head. “No, of course not. But I…”

I took his face in my hands and sat back a bit so I could look into his beautiful, terrified violet eyes. “You still think you're different somehow. That I love you less, or somehow would judge you differently. That, what? That you still aren't one of us?”

He pressed forward to kiss me again, short and hard. “Sometimes. Until you remind me otherwise. I love you, Lovell.”

I chuckled against his lips. “I love you too, idiot.”

A strong, graceful hand slid over my shoulder, and Niamh leaned in to whisper in my ear. “Too much talking, witch. Too many clothes.”

I watched as Hasumi strolled to the other side of fainting couch, their flowing pants still on, but small breasts and lean torso bared. They placed a knee on the couch beside Dyre and stroked a hand through the necromancer's long ponytail. “So beautiful,” Hasumi purred, emotion dripping from their achingly beautiful voice as they made no attempt to reel it in. “Take this out.” They tapped the band holding Dyre's hair. “I want to see the blood red curtain of your hair fall around us when you fuck me.”

I thought Dyre might actually die right then and there.

Chapter 39

Dyre

Ishouldn't be surprised. Everyone in this house was apparently sex-crazed.

But still… When I first realized Andy was as attracted to me as I was to her, I thought it was a once in a lifetime miracle. I had eyes. I knew I was in no way handsome or beautiful, like the others. And my looks and my black aura made it impossible to hide the aberration I had become. It was usually enough to send most people running in the opposite direction. But Andy wasAndy, and I had come to understand that she could see through all of that to the man underneath. To what was left of the good in me.

When Ambrose expressed his interest, well, I at first assumed it was just a passing thing. It could be argued that he was as monstrous as me, in his own way. I was sure some people would see his strange red eyes and sharp teeth, be caught up in the aura of fear and shadow that hovered near him at all times, and be put off. But he was compelling in a way I was not. His physical body wasn't wasted away, all leeched of color, and covered in scars. I knew I was probably just a curiosity to him. An amusement topass the time now that he was free from the bestiary. And I told myself I could enjoy that attention while it lasted, fully expecting it to end. Except, it had turned out to be something more. Somehowhesaw me too. Somehow, healsoseemed to genuinely care about the abomination he'd bedded.

It had taken some time for me to accept that the two of them really did care for me. That it wasn't just about sex or some fun, perverse diversion at the necromancers expense. I knew now that they loved me as fiercely as I loved them. And that all of us here in this strange pocket world cared for the wellbeing of the others, even if we didn't always see eye-to-eye.

And, well, there was that strange interaction with the jinn. But I was pretty surethatwas just him being impulsive and weird. There was no way I was going to try to figure outhisfeelings, not when he couldn't even figure them out himself most of the time.

But this… Hasumi seemed determined to show me that my perceptions of myself were wrong. Not long ago, in this very room, the stunning, perceptive water weaver had encouraged me to explore my feelings for Elijah. Then they hadkissedme. And it fucking blew my mind.

Afterward I told myself they were simply being dramatic. Only trying to prove a point. That they couldn't really find me attractive. And yet… why bother to speak with me about Elijah? Why did Hasumi care what I did or what I felt? Unless my bottled-up emotions were leaking out, annoying the sensitive elemental.

Now, though, I couldn't hide behind my excuses and fears. It was obvious, if I let myselfactuallybelieve what common sense was telling me. Hasumi had pursued me that day, had insisted I follow my heart, and had even gone so far as to show me unexpected affection because… they genuinely cared. Somehow, I was permitted the strange, incomprehensible blessing of being loved by Andy and Ambrose, of being allowed to be part ofthis odd family we were building with the others, and now… Hasumi was watching me with those all-knowing turquoise eyes, standing half naked before me, making demands that made all the blood rush to my dick in a painful throb.

And… I tore my gaze away from the ethereal creature before me to glance at where Niamh had coaxed Andy to her feet and was slowly stripping our witch out of her clothes. She was good-looking, but I didn't see Niamh that way. The fae wasn't attracted to men, and I wasn't attracted to her. But still, something seemed to have changed. She wasn't shy about her body, or about sharing Andy with the rest of us. But… I thought she hated me. That deep down, she only tolerated me because she had to. And yet there was no feeling of awkwardness or resentment in the air right now.

Her eyes met mine for a brief moment, and she… winked. Could I have readherwrong as well? Could we be… friends? Platonic partners in this strange new world I found myself in?

Hasumi's graceful fingers tugged at my hair again, reminding me that I'd been given a request… no, anorder.I shuddered, a full-body thrill going through me. This couldn't be real.

Do as they wish,Sunshine insisted, jolting me from my paralysis.Or I will take over completely. My patience is not endless, witch.

I smiled, both at Sunshine's impatience, and at the thought that I could, maybe, just let myself enjoy this moment.

Standing, I reached back and pulled the band out of my hair, then shook it out, letting the long, deep red locks spill down my back and over my shoulders, my one tiny point of vanity. The one bit of pretty or soft that I had left to my name.

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