Page 153 of The Sins of Silas

I read her as I pulled her bottom lip into my mouth, finding confidence in the overwhelming desire that flooded through her body, heightening my own.

She withdrew slightly. “Merrick,” she rasped over my lips. “I…we can't—”

I captured her lips again. “Just let me kiss you,” I whispered. “Just a few more.”

Her heart thundered. I could feel her pulse as my hand slid down to hold the side of her neck. She gave me a rushed nod.

I continued to kiss her slowly, healing her with my other hand. Our tongues never touched—both of us too intimated to deepen our kiss. But when she sucked my lip gently, her tongue gliding against my lip ring, I felt myself losing control. I felt want, need, and desire unlike ever beforein my life.

But before we could go any further, Era groaned, her wound spurting out more blood, coating my hand.

“Fuck,” I panicked, pulling away from her. I stopped reading her, focusing all my power on healing this wound.

My eyes hesitantly rose to meet her widened ones, noting the significant flush to her cheeks. She blinked rapidly, then averted her gaze, not wishing to look at me.

Clarity washed over me as I accepted that I had just kissed a married woman…and that she had kissed me back.

Chapter Forty-Two

SILAS

Blood was streaming from the stab wounds in my chest, one still with the knife embedded into it, and I could hardly open my eyes as Dimitri rushed back into the room. He quickly shut the door, eyes widening as he beheld me.

I was surprised I was still breathing, honestly.

“Fucking hell,” he muttered, lowering to his knees and taking in my injuries.

“What, need me alive after all?” I choked.

Looking at me, I watched as Dimitri's appearance morphed into my purple-haired companion.

My pathetic lip trembled. “Viola?” I damn near cried.

She immediately placed her palm over the first bleeding wound, beginning to heal it.

“We…we need to get out of here,”I panted. “Where is Dimitri?”

“On the run. We'll find him.” She assessed my broken arm, noting the out-of-place shoulder on the other side. “I have to stop the bleeding at least,” she murmured. “I won't be able to heal your broken arm that fast, but I'll pop the other back in place when I'm done.”

I cried out as she quickly withdrew the blade piercing my chest, her glowing palm slapping over the gushing wound.

“Sorry,” she winced.

My dizziness had bile gathering in my mouth. “Why are you up here?” I rasped a few moments later. “What's going on?”

“The battle is in full force,” she admitted, her palm roaming over the next stab wound. “And I came to find you.”

“You came up here looking forme?”

“Of course,” she answered as if my question was absurd. “That's what friends do.”

My breathing began to steady as she weaved my injuries back together. My heavy eyes fell to the bloody floor beneath me. “Friends…”

She offered a sweet smile. “My magic isn't at its best right now. Shifting this much has taken a toll.” She took a deep breath. “But I couldn't leave you. Plus, Lena insisted I find you, and she is my Supreme.”

I hesitantly glanced up at her. “Where is Lena?”

“In battle, I'd imagine.”

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