Page 41 of Chains of Love

My stomach twists. "It's small," I reply, keeping my eyes fixed on the path ahead.

"That's it?" Darak's laugh echoes off the rocks. "I assume it's not your mother's coven, considering what you've told me about them."

I shrug, adjusting my robes against a particularly strong gust of wind. "You'll see when we get there."

"Always so mysterious." His crimson eyes dance with amusement. He tugs me closer, his free hand brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Though I suppose that's part of your charm."

"My charm?" The word comes out with a rough laugh as his fingers linger on my cheek.

"Mmm. Along with those pretty green eyes." He leans in, his breath warm against my ear. "And that delicious sound you made last night when I?—"

"Darak!" Heat floods my face as I push against his chest. I feel his satisfaction at my reaction. "You're so smug."

"What? No one's around to hear." His grin turns wicked. "Unless you'd like to go another round?"

The worst part is how tempting the offer sounds. I roll my eyes instead, trying to ignore how his thumb has resumed its maddening circles on my palm.

"Keep dreaming."

"Oh, I will." Darak's voice drops to that dangerous purr that makes my skin tingle. His crimson eyes fix on me with predatory intent. "What happened to that appetite you mentioned? Wasn't it the size of an army?"

A bold laugh escapes me, the tension in my chest finally easing. The cold mountain air nips at my face, but warmth spreads through my body from our strengthened bond. "You wouldn't survive my appetite no matter how hard you tried."

The words have barely left my lips when Darak's hands grip my waist. He spins me around, pressing me against the rocky mountain face. The rough stone digs into my back through my robes, but I barely notice as his body cages mine.

"I'd like to test that." His breath fans hot against my neck, sending shivers down my spine that have nothing to do with the altitude.

One of his hands slides up to cup my face, thumb tracing the scar he gave me what feels like a lifetime ago. His other hand grips my hip, pulling me closer until there's no space left between us.

My breath catches as his thigh presses between my legs. "Here? In the open?"

"Why not?" His lips brush my ear. "No one's around for miles."

I should push him away. We need to keep moving. The longer we take to reach the shrine, the harder it will be to face what comes next. But when his mouth finds that sensitive spot below my ear, rational thought becomes increasingly difficult.

The icy wind cuts across the mountain path, but Darak's body against mine is a furnace that stokes an entirely different kind of shiver. He's all hard muscle and heat, his fingers skimming my cheek before tangling in my hair. His touch is both a challenge and a promise—a taunting reminder of the power we hold over each other.

"Careful, Liri," he murmurs, his voice a low rumble that vibrates through me. "You look like you're about to devour me whole."

I lift my chin, meeting his crimson gaze with a defiance that belies the way my heart races. "And if I am?"

His smirk is answer enough. He leans in, his lips grazing the shell of my ear. "Then I'd say it's about time you got a taste."

The world around us fades into a backdrop of shadows and whispers as his mouth finds mine. The kiss is fierce, all teeth and tongue and the sharp edge of need. My fingers clutch at his armor, pulling him closer, as if I could meld our bodies together and never let go.

Darak's hand slides into my robes, his palm hot against my skin. He cups my breast over my shirt, his thumb circling my nipple through the fabric, and I can't help but moan into his mouth. He tastes like victory and sin, and I am all too willing to surrender to the temptation he offers.

He pulls back just enough to speak, his breath mingling with mine. "Let go, Liri. Let me hear you."

I bite my lip, hesitating for a fraction of a second before releasing a soft whimper of desire. Darak's eyes flash with triumph, and he rewards me by rolling my nipple between his fingers, sending jolts of pleasure straight to my core.

"Is this what you want?" he teases, his voice a silken thread that wraps around my senses. "Or do you need more?"

I answer him with another kiss, this one even more fervent than the last. My hands roam over his chest, feeling the steady thump of his heart beneath my fingertips. He growls in approval, his fingers gripping my hair as our bodies press flush against each other.

We're a tangle of limbs and desire, the bond between us thrumming with an energy that's as wild and untamed as the mountains themselves. Darak's touches are both a balm and a provocation, each caress igniting a fire that threatens to consume us both.

The cold stone at my back is a stark contrast to the warmth of our embrace. I cling to him, my lips trailing a path along his jawline, savoring the salt and leather scent of his skin. His thigh presses between my legs, and I grind against him, seekingfriction, seeking release from the exquisite tension coiling within me.