Page 53 of House of Demons and Bones

His tongue stroked mine, lazy and possessive and demanding at the same time. I arched into him, burning for him, desperate for another round. He groaned against me.

The mating bond lit up between us as our power merged once again, lapping back and forth before sinking deeper, until it settled on a dark pulse that was latched inside Killian like a parasite. I zoned in on it—the pulse came from a hidden dark heart that fed on Killian’s darkness, part of his power. I hissedin rage. A new power from our mating bond flared, burning the dark heart until nothing was left of it.

Killian broke the kiss with a gasp, gazing at me in awe. “You broke her bond, little scorpion. Her hold is completely gone.”

I touched his face and smirked. “I don’t always sting, but when I do, I make sure it counts.”

“She knows now,” he said.

“Let her come,” I said, my eyes blazing. “I can’t wait to bitch-slap her.”

I’ll maul her face,Sy chimed in, studying her claws.

“We need a good plan, my vicious little scorpion,” Killian said, brushing a kiss over my swollen lips, and I jolted as a new power rushed through me.

Dark flames and lightning burst from my left wrist. An icon materialized on my skin—two half-circles embracing, glowing dark gold.

Killian’s right forearm blazed with the same glow, an identical icon marking his wrist.

“The symbol of the mating bond,” he whispered, voice filled with wonder. “Stronger than any force in the universe.”

His chest shuddered violently, smoke and fire puffing from his mouth.

“Killian!” I shot upright, alarm racing through me.

“Shit,” he growled, his face distorting. “I can’t rein him in. You’re not just my mate; you’re my dragon’s mate too. Our bond burned out the fake one. There’s no stopping him now. The asshole demands to meet you in his form.”

In a flash, a dragon erupted from Killian with a thunderous roar.

15

Barbie

The bed crumbled under me, my butt hitting the floor with a thud. Where Killian had been now loomed a massive black dragon, his talons spanning half the destroyed bed. His chest expanded with each breath, and those golden eyes peeked down at me with a mix of worry and devotion.

I gaped up at him, my heart hammering against my ribcage as winter sunlight danced across his black and sapphire scales. He was perfect—the most stunning creature I’d ever laid eyes on—and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

“Breathe, mate,” he rumbled, his voice deep and rich, like thunder rolling through my bones.

My gaze caught on the symbol at his left temple—two golden half-circles embracing each other, glowing with power—the mark of our mating bond.

He’s my mate too.

I sensed Killian watching through those golden eyes as a storm of emotions poured through our bond—his frustration and annoyance with his dragon, plus his profound need for me.

“Back off and let me lead,” his dragon growled. “You’ve screwed up enough already. We nearly lost our mate because of your idiocy.”

My brain scrambled to catch up with this sudden transformation. One second, I’d been in Killian’s arms, thinking about round two. The next—dragon. I knew he had one inside him, but watching the actual transformation? Still, I needed to get my shit together before these two turned their alpha-male showdown into something worse. They both radiated enough aggression to spark a war, and I wasn’t about to let that happen.

“Hello, hello, dragon,” I said.

Hello, dragon,Sy also purred.

“Do you require assistance getting up, mate?” he asked as softly as his dragon voice could manage, extending a massive talon toward me.

“I got this,” I said, hopping to my feet.

“I’m Tyson,” he said proudly before lowering his head until we were at eye-level.

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