Page 322 of Sigils & Spells

Burn, baby, burn.

Brandon’s eyes flashed, desire making them smolder. Next, he moved in quickly. So fast, he blurred before my eyes. I felt his smoky breath across my lips before he dipped his head and claimed them with his own. I’d been kissed by boys before, but not like this.

The Druid dragon shifter hybrid was killing me with his sensual assault. Noise filled my ears, buzzing around my head, and I realized it washim. He was growling with each swipe of his mouth against mine. His tongue stroked the seam of my lips, and I opened for him, reveling at the fiery delicious taste that was all Brandon.

I pressed myself against him, needing to be closer, but the dragon stilled me with one hand on my waist. He closed his eyes, pressing his forehead to mine, and ended our kiss with a long, drawn out hissing sound.

“Slowly, we must tread slowly,” he whispered.

But I pushed forward, hardheaded, and unheeding of his plea. The dragon’s kiss set me on fire, and for once I didn’t fear the flames. At least, not until I looked down and saw my hands covered in them. I jumped back, scared I’d hurt him.

“Tana?” he asked.

“Stay back,” I warned, frantically shaking my hands.

The movement did nothing to stop the red and orange flickers of the fire my magic had called forth. In fact, it only made them grow, moving up my wrists and forearms. It did not hurt me, well, not exactly. Yes, I felt the heat, and against my recent cooler core temperatures, it was stark. But since it was my fire, it did not burn my flesh.

I could not say the same for others, having learned that lesson after accidentally burning Da one weekend when I’d gone home for a visit.

My gaze flicked to Brandon, and he was staring at me with confusion. He stepped forward, and I panicked, making the flames rise higher.

“Stop, dammit. I don’t want to hurt you,” I ground out, trying desperately to focus so I could get my flames back under control.

“Hurt me?”

He looked like he wanted to say more, but I needed to get out of there. Away from him.

“Leave me alone,” I yelled, sprinting away.

I closed my eyes, tears running down my face as I tried to concentrate.

Could I have nothing just for myself?

I supposed not. Anger and turmoil filled me, resentment, too.

My roommates and the other students had their whole lives to live, but my life had already been planned. My journey was determined by events that had happened before I could ever understand them.

Thank goodness it was late and no one was around. I’d have a fuck of a time trying to explain why I was wandering around outside at night with my hands on fire. Finally, the flames died down as I reached the side door leading to my dorm.

I took the stairs two at a time, my breathing harsh as I reached the door. Before I could even touch the handle, Enid was there, pulling me inside. She wrapped her arms around me, and I felt the lavender-eyed beauty tremble as she hugged me.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, bewildered by her behavior.

“I felt your terror,” she whispered, and clung to me.

I didn’t know what to do. Affection, especially the physical kind, was not something I was used to. As I pretty much just demonstrated by almost turning the guy I was crushing on into barbecue.

Talk about unlucky at love.

Oh well, I did not have time to worry about all that right now. I had my arms wrapped around a trembling witch whose affinity we did not know. Hell, not everyone at Westwood was an elemental, but most were.

“You alright, Enid?”

The female gasped, her body bending unnaturally. Enid yelled, her back arching painfully, and levitated off the ground. It was eerily similar to my experience earlier in the woods, but there were no flames on Enid’s body. I jumped back in shock, shouting for my other roommates, but keeping my gaze trained on the floating witch.

“What’s going on?” Brandon busted through the front door, and I realized he’d followed me after all.

Was he planning on guarding me through the night?

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