Page 62 of Watch Me Burn

Taking my hand away from the wall of opal, I turn into Conall, patting his chest. “You sure about that? Because, I’ll tell ya something: that was amazing. I’ve been with guys who were the biggest players and I was just another number, and they didn’t have half the raw magnetism and skill that you have.”

My hand starts to vibrate. It takes a second for me to realize it’s because he’s growling softly, as though he doesn’t want to scare me off.

How can he? Where will I go?

I’m his, and I’m gonna hold him to it.

So why is he growling after I complimented his prowess? I run the words through my head again, wincing when I realize exactly what it was that I said.

“Oof. Sorry. Don’t talk about the past. Got it.”

Conall shakes his head. “No. I know you had a life before me. I’m not that ridiculous, Red. As long as you know that there won’t be anyone else.”

I dig my fingers into his chest. “Never. Not for either of us.”

“Exactly. And if you could just tell me I’m better than them?—”

“Oh, hands down. Definitely. That’s no problem, Conall. That was some of the best sex I’ve ever had. The only thing that would’ve made it better was if there was, like, a mattress or a cushion so that my knees didn’t have to dig into the hard floor, but other than that? Told you.Amazing. And I’m only half-kidding about the damage you did to my knees so don’t freak out or anything like you do every other time I’ve gotten cut down here. It was totally worth the new scrapes.”

“You’re not lying,” he says in near disbelief. “Your scent… it didn’t change. It smells like you, and it smells like me, but there’s no deception.”

This time, I rap his chest. “It’s because you’re my mate.”

His voice goes thick. “Bridget…”

I’m not done.

“Before I came to Alaska, the head witch I met read me. I don’t know if she was seeing my future or what, but she told me I’d found what I was looking for. Well, I did.”

He nods. “The fire opal?”

Oh, you big idiot. “No, Mr. Grump.You.”

His lips twitch. “Me?”

“Well, yeah.” I mean, I kind of thought that was obvious when I got on all fours and let him mount me like that. “The fire opal was supposed to help me get rid of my powers so that I wasn’t a danger. But I learned control on my own these last couple of weeks. I could take it or leave it. You, though? I can’t leave you.”

“Of course not. I marked you, Red. There’s no escaping me now.”

“And you’re okay with that? If I go back to being human?” I tilt my chin up so that I can use the glow of the fire opal to get a better look at his face. “Would you still love me if I wasn’t a witch?”

In answer, Conall grabs me by the waist, hoisting me up so that he’s holding me. I wrap my legs around him as he buries his face against my chest.

He nuzzles my tit. My shirt and bra are pushed up high enough to bare both of my boobs to my wolf, and he seems fascinated by them. He nuzzles, his tongue lapping out to swipe the nearest nipple, and just when I think he’s distracted me so he doesn’t have to answer my question, he scrapes his fangs over the curve of my tit, then says, “I loved you when you were human. I love you as a witch. If something happens tomorrow and you wake up a corpse like Elise, I’ll love you as a bloodsucker. Fuck, I’ll even let you tap a vein if you need me, too. I loveyou, Red. No matter what.”

Damn. I just fucked him, but a heartfelt, genuine speech like that coming from my wolf? My pussy aches to have him fill me again, and not only because he’s palming my other tit now, sending shocks of renewed pleasure through me.

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get enough of Conall, and since I’m wearing his mark on my neck, I won’t have to worry about that.

Shifters mate for life. Once there’s a bond, there’s no going back.

I’m his—and he’smine.

Lifting his head, he adds, “You know, I’ve been doing some research of my own. About the fire opal. On SupeNet.”

Wait…

“Like, a supe internet? Are you serious?”