Page 72 of Baneful Magick

Then Bones’ lips brushed mine, and the world exploded.

Chapter 27

Bricriu

THURSDAY

Isla whimpered against my lips but there was no hesitation as she kissed me back. I groaned, tilting her head to deepen the kiss needing to savor this moment. Her small hands grasped my arms, clinging to me and pulling me closer.

The feel of magick surrounding us thickened, pushing us toward some unknown destination that had my heart pounding in my ears.What was happening?

“Isla,” I purred, forcing myself to break away from her. “Do you know what’s happening?”

“No.” She gulped, her cheeks flushed and hazel eyes wide. “The magick… It’s everywhere.”

I blinked slowly, trying to process what she was saying. “You can feel it too?”

“I canseeit,” she whispered. Reaching out a trembling hand, she moved her fingers as if she were playing with something I couldn’t see. Whatever it was sent a shiver through my body.

While she watched those invisible strands of magick, I watchedher. We were close enough that I could see her clearly for the first time, and she was absolutely breathtaking.

There was a hint of brown roots at the top of her head, but the rest of her wavy hair was pitch black. Expressive hazeleyes looked around me, a cautious smile tugging on her lips that weren’t painted their normal black. She had pale skin that reminded me of the bones I was wearing, and there was enough softness to her curves that I had to refrain from kneading her body with my hands.

She wore a pair of sweats and a t-shirt that seemed out of character for her. They held the scent of someone else on them, probably the incubus. It should have bothered me more, but right now, I didn’t care at all.

“Are you really okay?” I asked, unable to hold back my worry.

Isla shifted her attention to me. Pain flickered in her eyes, and her expression was pinched for a moment before she let out a shaky sigh. “No and yes. I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

“Then what do you want to do?” I asked, my voice thick. I was trying to fight the magick thrumming around us, pushing me toward her.

Magick or no magick, I wasn’t going to force myself on Isla. She’d just been through days of nonstop sex that she may or may not have been okay with. Just the thought of it made me want to hunt down the man who’d taken her and rip his body apart with my bare hands.

A soothing hand was placed on my face, and I forced myself away from my rage.

“I want to be here with you at this moment and forget everything else for a while.”

“Isla—”

“I choose you and this, Bones. No regrets. Whatever you want to do.”

I growled and pounced on her. My illusion magick rushed over me, the cool power covering me in skin until I resembled a high fae. She looked up at me, her hair spread around her like a dark halo, with a soft smile on her face.

“I’m not fucking you in that form. It’s more?—”

“Next time then,” she ordered, then wrapped her arms around my neck to pull me down on top of her. My lips found hers again. I lost myself in her, and the power around us suddenly caught fire. It felt as if the very air was about to boil over. Lips, teeth, and tongue danced together in a battle as I tugged at her clothes and she at mine. We separated for mere moments to take off our shirts.

I knelt there, looking down in fucking awe of the woman splayed out in front of me. There were bruises and marks decorating her body, but nothing looked particularly painful. Part of me wanted to add just one more mark. I needed to leave a visible claim on this witch, wanted the incubus to know, if he tried to touch her again, that she wasn’t wholly his.

“Bones,” she whimpered, her back arching. “Touch me.”

“Witchling—”

“Memorize me with your hands and your tongue, Bricriu. Take your time and make sure that every inch of me is burned into your memory. No matter what happens after this, I want to be burned into your thoughts forever.”

There was no way I could refuse such an offer. Starting with her feet, I slowly teased her body, my fingers tracing every inch of her before following with my tongue. Time became nonexistent as I worshiped every part of her.

I bypassed her pussy, laughing mockingly at her whimpers and pleas for me to touch her there. Instead, I kissed my way up her soft stomach, breasts, then arms before I got to her face. Ignoring her lips for now, I gently ran my fingertips along her face, tracing the planes of her expression and softness of her lips.

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