Page 14 of Tempest Rising

For a moment, I wondered if he’d ever say my name without that silky voice dripping with temptation. Did he even know how to turn it off? How much of Draven was the incubus doing what he’d been born to do—seduce, entice, provoke—and how much of him wasjustDraven, a person beneath the demonic charm?

I supposed that was the thing about someone like him. You could never truly separate the two. And yet, standing this close, with that simmering tension between us, there was a part of me—I couldn’t deny it—that thrilled at the idea of being the storm he wanted to chase.

"Ah, Tess, is it?" Draven’s tone was a low hum, like honey slipping off the edge of a spoon. His hand stayed on my waist, fingers brushing the bare skin beneath the water. "Short for Tempest... but I think I rather like the storm beneath that calm surface."

My breath hitched, the tension between us now a palpable force, pressing down against my chest like the weight of the wateritself. His hazel eyes flickered with something more intense than simple amusement, something that pulled me in deeper, until the world around us seemed to narrow to just this one moment, this one space between breaths.

And then I felt it—a subtle shift, at first, and then undeniable. The hard press of his arousal beneath the water, unmistakable against my thigh. Heat flared in my cheeks, my stomach flipping as I registered the growing pressure and the depth of desire reflected in Draven’s half-lidded gaze.

Oh.

Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. The river, once refreshing and cool, now felt too stifling, too close. My pulse thundered in my ears, and my palms against his chest curled slightly, as if some part of me was instinctively bracing for whatever would follow. His hand slid up my spine, fingers tracing the line of my body as if testing just how much of my resolve would melt under his touch.

He leaned down slightly, the barest hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "I find you fascinating, Tess," he murmured, his breath warm against the shell of my ear. "Every inch of you."

My chest tightened. The air, the water, the weight of his words—all of it crashed into me like a wave. My body fluttered, eager yet uncertain, lost somewhere between excitement and fear.

But then, I blinked, reality catching up to my spiraling thoughts.This was Draven.The man practically radiated sexual energy; he was an incubus, after all. It was literally hisjobto make people feel like this. I was just… caught up in the moment. Right?

I had someone who could help me figure it out.

"Thalon?" I sent the mental call out hesitantly, trying to plan what I wanted to say so as to keep the conversation brief. "I may have... accidentally interrupted Draven skinny-dipping in the river."

An amused chuckle resonated through the bond."Ah, Draven. I must say, he's quite bold. Was this... encounter accidental on his part as well?"

"Pretty sure it was." I huffed, though I couldn't help the smile pulling at my lips. "Thalon, the thing is..."

"You're horny,"he finished my sentence, chuckling.

"Thalon!" I mentally groaned, mortified. The mixture of embarrassment and lingering desire made it hard to think straight. This wassonot how I wanted to bring this up, but there was no point in denying it now.

"Do you think... Could this attraction be because of his Incubus abilities?" My voice wavered as I spoke, vulnerability creeping in. After all, I wasn’t used to this kind of raw, intense desire.

I half-expected Thalon to chuckle further, but his response was surprisingly soothing.“No, little one,”his voice echoed in my mind, calm and amused.“The protection I placed on you should still be shielding you from any supernatural influence. Any attraction you're feeling right now, Tess…”He paused, a soft chuckle reverberating through our bond,“… is entirely your own.”

I swallowed hard, feeling the heat in my cheeks intensify. Great. So, this wasallme, then. My heart thudded painfully in my chest as the realization hit home, making the moment even more potent. I was ridiculously attracted to Draven. No mind games. No incubus seduction tricks. Just raw, untamed desire.

Damn it, I cursed inwardly. I barely even knew this guy! And yet... my body was practically humming, vibrating on a wavelength that felt completely foreign to me. What the hell was it about Draven that made me react like this?

As if sensing my inner turmoil, Draven’s hand slid up, tracing the line of my spine slowly, purposefully, coaxing a wave of sensation through me. “What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours, Tess?” he asked, his voice soft, teasing, but with a dark undercurrent that hinted at deeper wants.

I gulped, trying to find my footing in the rush of conflicting thoughts and feelings swirling inside me.This is way too fast.I couldn’t deny that I was undeniably,achinglyattracted to him, but I didn’t know him—I couldn’t just throw caution out the window and give in to this tension, no matter how tempting the spark felt.

"It’s, um… getting late," I stammered, taking a somewhat awkward step back. My skin still tingled where his hands had lingered.

Draven raised an eyebrow, amusement and curiosity flickering in his hazel eyes, though he didn’t push against my retreat. Instead, he offered a knowing grin, like he understoodexactlywhy I was pulling away—and, of course, enjoying my flustered reaction.

"Late, is it?" His voice was a low purr, watching me with a dark intensity that made my pulse quicken all over again.

I cleared my throat, fighting to control my breathing. "Yeah, I, uh... have a lot to prep for tomorrow. You know, survival challenge and all." I winced inwardly at how unconvincing I sounded, but Draven didn’t call me out on it.

"Of course." Before I could process his next move, he'd shifted out of the water to stand waist-deep at the riverbank. His naked form gleamed in the fading light, water cascading down his perfectly muscled back, ass, and thighs. Without his flirty words to distract me, my gaze followed the lines of his body, my thoughts snagging painfully on the sheerperfectionof him.

He turned his head just enough to look back at me, catching my staring. A wicked grin crept across his face as he stepped forward, reaching for his discarded clothes on the shore. “Well,” he said with casual ease, as if he hadn’t just turned my world upside down in the space of a few minutes, “I look forward to watching you in action... Tempest.”

"See you later,” I managed.

Chapter 6

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