Page 1 of Tempest Rising

Chapter 1

Tess

My heart raced, pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat. The dark taste of Ciaran lingered on my lips, leaving me dizzy. I stumbled back, my hand flying to my mouth.

"What was that?" I blurted out, my voice embarrassingly breathless. I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of confusion and arousal that clouded my thoughts. "You can't just... What are you doing? You have no reason to interfere in my life like this."

As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt a shift in the air. The shadows in the room seemed to pulse and writhe, reaching towards me like grasping fingers.

Ciaran's eyes glowed silver, luminous and intense in the dim classroom. His tousled black-and-white hair fell across his forehead. His pale skin seemed to glow in the shadows, accentuating the powerful muscles visible beneath his tight black shirt. I found myself fighting the urge to reach out and touch him, to run my fingers through his hair and trace the contours of his face.

A low growl rumbled from his chest, the sound primal and possessive.

"You're wrong," he snarled, his voice rough and raw with emotion. "You're our mate."

Before I could process what he'd said, the shadows around Ciaran surged forward. They wrapped around my waist, impossibly strong. In one fluid motion, I was pulled back into his arms.

His mouth claimed mine once more, hot and demanding. This time, there was no hesitation, no moment of shock. His kiss was pure passion, raw and unrestrained. One of his hands tangled in my hair, tilting my head back to deepen the kiss, while the other splayed across my lower back, pressing me flush against him.

A soft moan escaped me as his tongue swept into my mouth, tasting, exploring. The heat of his body seeped through my clothes, igniting a fire that spread from my core to my fingertips. My hands, seemingly of their own accord, slid up his chest and around his neck, pulling him closer.

His fingers tangled in my hair, the gentle tug sending sparks of pleasure across my scalp. I gasped as his teeth grazed my lower lip, the slight sting only intensifying the pleasure. My fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, desperate for an anchor in this storm of sensation. The taste of him—dark and addictive, like rich coffee with a hint of danger—flooded my senses, leaving me craving more.

For what felt like an eternity, I lost myself in the kiss. The stress of the past few days, the fear and uncertainty that had been gnawing at me, all of it melted away in the heat of Ciaran's embrace.

But then, like a bolt of lightning cutting through the haze of desire, his words finally registered in my mind.

Our mate.

I jerked back, breaking the kiss. My chest heaved as I struggled to catch my breath, my lips tingling from the passionate exchange.

"Wait," I gasped, pressing a hand against his chest to keep some distance between us. The rapid beating of his heart under my palm matched my own frantic pulse. "What... what did you mean? About me being your mate?"

Ciaran's eyes, still glowing with that otherworldly light, locked onto mine. The hunger in his gaze made me shiver.

"Exactly what I said," he replied, his voice low and husky. "You're our mate, Tess."

"Our mate?" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. "What do you mean by 'our'? And how can I be your mate? I'm human, Ciaran. I'm not... I'm not like you."

Ciaran’s lips curled into a slow, predatory smile, his silver eyes glowing with an intensity that tugged at something primal deep inside of me. It was a look that promised answers—dangerous, intimate answers—but ones I wasn’t sure I was ready for.

Without a word, he reached down, his fingers brushing softly against my arm. The simple touch sent a shudder racing up my spine, making it impossible to focus on anything other than the heat that radiated from his body, the way his presence seemed to engulf mine entirely.

"Let me show you," he murmured, his voice low and velvety, wrapping around me like a caress. He took a step closer, his chest nearly brushing mine.

Before I could react, his warm hands trailed up my arms, slow and deliberate, stirring the air between us. Gently, he movedbehind me, the sensation of his body so close to mine, but not quite touching, making every breath feel tight in my chest.

"Turn around," Ciaran whispered, his breath tickling the sensitive skin of my neck. His hands found my shoulders as he gently guided me to face one of the large windows in the dimly lit classroom. I blinked, watching the glass shimmer and ripple as his shadow magic transformed it into a perfect, reflective surface.

I swallowed hard, captivated by my reflection, but even more so by the dark, smoldering glow in Ciaran’s eyes as they watched me from behind. His hands slid down to my hips, firm but unhurried, his fingers pressing just enough to make me lean back into him. I shouldn't want him this badly. Not when I still had unanswered questions. But every fiber of me screamed to close the gap between us.

"Where do you feel it?" he asked, his voice a raspy whisper that vibrated through every part of me. His lips barely brushed my earlobe, sending a shiver through me.

I blinked, struggling to focus. “Feel what?”

A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. His hands moved in a slow, deliberate pattern over my shoulders and down my arms, as if he wanted me to feel every millimeter of space between us dissolve with his touch.

"The pull, Tess," he murmured, his voice low and intoxicating. "The pull that tells you we are bound." His fingers lightly brushed the top of my shoulder blade, sending my pulse into overdrive. My skin tingled beneath his touch.

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