Page 18 of Twisted Fangs

"I can take it," she insists, her eyes blazing with a fire that ignites a primal urge within me.

Our dance continues, a ballet of strikes and parries. With each passing moment, Rhea's movements become more fluid, her attacks more daring. I find myself having to work harder to evade her, to anticipate her next move.

Finally, I decide to up the ante. I feint left, then swiftly move right, disarming her with a well-placed strike. Her sword flies from her hand, landing several feet away in the underbrush. Before she can react, I've got her pinned against a tree, my body pressed firmly against hers.

"Do you yield?" I ask, my face inches from her own.

Her chest heaves against mine, her eyes wide but defiant. "Never," she breathes, the single word heavy with conviction.

I can feel the rapid thrumming of her heart, a mirror of my own. The heat between us is undeniable, a living thing that crackles and sparks in the space where our bodies meet. For amoment, neither of us moves, caught in the web of our shared desire.

Reluctantly, I release Rhea. I step back to regain my composure, but the air between us is charged with an electric tension that refuses to dissipate. In this moment, I'm acutely aware of how easily she's slipped beneath my defenses.

"Relax for awhile, Rhea," I say, my voice betraying none of the turmoil roiling beneath my surface. "You've earned it."

I turn to leave, but her voice stops me cold. "Valen," she calls out, her tone laced with a challenge I can't ignore.

I glance back, and that's when she strikes—a sudden, forceful shove that sends me sprawling to the ground. Before I can react, she's on top of me, her practice sword pressed against my throat. Her chest heaves with exertion, and her eyes blaze with triumph.

"Yield," she demands, her voice a sultry whisper that sends a jolt of desire coursing through me.

I could easily overpower her, but I find myself captivated by her audacity. "You've made your point," I growl, my hands gripping her slender waist.

She drops the sword, and it falls to the forest floor with a muted thud. Her lips suddenly crash into mine with a fierceness that matches the spirit of the warrior she's become. I return the kiss with equal fervor, my tongue parting her lips and tasting the sweetness beneath.

In one swift motion, I roll her over onto her back, my body pinning hers to the soft earth. My hands roam over her breasts, firm and insistent, feeling the rapid beat of her heart beneath the thin fabric of her shirt. She moans softly at the pressure of my hard member pressing against her, a sound that fans the flames of my desire.

"Valen," she breathes, her voice a mixture of surprise and longing.

"Say it again," I command, my lips trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down the column of her throat.

"Valen," she complies, her fingers threading through my hair and pulling me closer.

I claim her mouth once more, my kiss dominating, possessive. Without thinking, my hands continue their exploration, sliding beneath her shirt to feel the warmth of her skin. She arches into my touch, her body responding to mine with an urgency that mirrors my own.

"You're driving me mad, Rhea," I confess, my voice husky with need.

She smiles against my lips, her hazel eyes gleaming with mischief. "Good," she says, her tone playful yet resolute.

Filled with a sudden panic, I scoop her into my arms, her body still flushed with the heat of our sparring session. We are too exposed here, too vulnerable to the ever-watchful eyes of our enemies.

Her hazel eyesgaze up at me with a mixture of confusion and desire that sets my blood ablaze. I can feel the rapid beat of her heart against my chest, a drumbeat that echoes the primal urge still pulsing through my veins.

"Valen," she murmurs again, her voice a soft melody that soothes the beast within me.

"Quiet," I command, my tone gruffer than intended. I cannot allow myself to be distracted by the sweetness of her voice or the intoxicating scent of her skin.

I carry her through the dense forest, my Vrakken senses alert to every sound, every shift in the wind. The journey back to our hideout is a test of my self-control, with Rhea's body pressed against mine, her warmth seeping into my very bones. I remind myself that she is more than just a source of my growingobsession, she is my ally, and perhaps something more that I have yet to fully comprehend.

Upon reaching the seclusion of our cave, I set her down gently. Yet the moment her feet touch the ground, I spin her around and pin her against the cool stone wall. My body cages hers, my hands braced on either side of her head. I lean in, my breath fanning across her cheek as I speak.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me, Rhea?" I growl, my voice barely more than a whisper. "How much I want you?"

Her lips part in a silent gasp, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and excitement. "Valen," she says, her voice trembling ever so slightly.

I silence her with another kiss, my lips claiming hers with a possessive hunger that brooks no resistance. My tongue traces the seam of her lips, demanding entry, and she yields to me with a soft moan that ignites a fire deep within my core.

As our tongues tangle in a passionate dance, I press my body against hers, letting her feel the hard, undeniable proof of my desire. I grind against her, a low rumble of approval escaping my throat as she responds with an eager tilt of her hips. Through the thin fabric of our clothing, I can feel the heat of her arousal, the slickness that betrays her own unspoken need.

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