Page 183 of Lady for Embers

“That’s it, Love,” he coaxed, his voice nothing but gravel. His ?ames licking along her bare skin had her palms coming to his chest, ?ngernails leaving crescent-shaped indents as she steadied herself, moving faster and letting her shadows loose to play with his ?re. “Gods, yes,” he groaned.

She was hissing her own curse when she felt his hand glidingup her thigh again. His thumb pressed down on her center, and he worked her with small, ?rm circles that had her legs trembling as she squeezed her thighs around his hips. His other hand slid up her back until he found her long hair. He wrapped the ends around his ?st, pulling her head back and forcing her to arch her back, her breasts pushing out.

“Come for me,” he said in raspy demand, thrusting up into her.

There was just him and her and them and what they were together as he drove into her hard, his thumb continuing to work her center. Embers ?ickered on the edges of her vision when release crashed through her so hard she fell forward onto his chest. Sorin buried his face in her neck. He bit down as she felt him pulsing inside her, his canines piercing the spot between her neck and shoulder, as a low guttural groan came from him. Her entire body was already oversensitive, still coming down from her high, and she cried out again when the aftershocks of her pleasure ?ared more intensely from the unexpected bite.

“You will come back to me, Scarlett,” he murmured onto her skin, tongue laving away the hurt. “But know that I will hate every single second you are away from me.”

“I know,” she whispered, peppering kisses along his chest before she settled on top of him. Her ear was directly over his heart, and she could hear it hammering away, slowly returning to its normal, steady beat. She sighed deeply as Sorin lightly brushed his ?ngertips up and down her spine. “I will come back to you.”

He didn’t ask her to swear it, and even if he had, it was something she wouldn’t do. They both knew that such a promise was too easily broken these days.

Chapter 35

Sorin

"Make sure you are all touching when you come back,” Cethin said, pressing a vial into Scarlett’s hand. A vial that contained his blood to make sure they could get backinside the Wards when this was done. He tossed another vialof the same to Razik.

“Will the Wards stop my Travel attempts?” she asked, tucking the vial into an inside pocket of the Witchsuit she was wearing. “Do I need to be prepared for suddenly ?nding us all suspended above the water?”

“Yes,” Cethin answered. “If possible, let Razik Travel you back. We have locations along the Wards set up for this purpose. We set them up when we learned of you.”

“Maybe you should have mentioned those earlier instead of right before we are ready to leave?” Eliza said, tightening buckles on her leathers.

“Don’t worry,General,” Razik drawled from where he stood near Cassius. “I’ll make sure we all get back safe and sound.”

“You have learned enough to be able to defend against Alaric for at least a few seconds. Enough time to get away. Try not to ?ght him if you can avoid it,” Cethin said, ignoring the bickering now happening between Razik and Eliza.

The others were going in under the cover of night again, which meant it was late afternoon in Avonleya. They were all gathered outside Tybalt’s Estate. Briar and Luan were going, along with his Fire Court, Cassius, and Razik. Briar would be guarding Hale, Luan with Callan, and Eliza and Cyrus would be with Drake, while Cassius and Razik were with Scarlett. It was part of the negotiatinghe’d done in agreeing to stay behind, even though every part of his being was screaming at how wrong this was.

Rayner would be moving among them all, his power ?nally re?lled enough to be able to do so. They would be Traveling in right outside the Eternal Necropolis. From there, Rayner would scout ahead as much as possible before they went in. Callan would have to lead the way again. Sorin knew this plan inside and out. When they’d made it, he’d assumed he’d be with them. Instead, Razik was in his place, and he was standing here waiting to send them off to ?ght while he stayed behind.

Scarlett looked up at him, and he could see the question in her eyes. Would he still willingly stay behind, or would he suddenly ?ght her on this? He’d be lying if he said the thought hadn’t crossed his mind, but it was a ?ght he would lose. After he ?lled her power, he wouldn’t even be a challenge for Cethin.

They’d planned with the others the rest of the day yesterday, but today they’d spent holed up in their suite until two hours ago, when it was time for Scarlett to start getting ready. They were waiting until now to re?ll her power wells to make sure they were as full as possible, and he drew a dagger from his side. Neither of them spoke as he sliced his forearm and then her palm. He felt the familiar rush of power the moment their blood mixed, ?re and shadows, ashes and star?re. He tugged her into him, her brow falling to his chest, his chin resting atop her head.

I will come back, she whispered down the bond.

I will hunt you down if you do not.

She looked up at him, swallowing thickly. His lips met hers in a slow kiss that he dragged out, memorizing the feel of her. He’d kissed her more times than he could count, but it would never be enough if this was the last time he did it.

Her hand slipped from his arm, but she held his gaze as she backed away from him, her palm already beginning to heal over. She held out her hands at her sides, waiting for the others to take them, never looking away from him as ?ngers slid into her palms.

I love you, Sorin.

All the way through the darkness.

And they were gone, disappearing into the air.

“She will come back,” Cethin said. “They will all come back.”

Sorin couldn’t tell if he was trying to reassure him or reassure himself.

Probably both.

“Do you want company for the evening?” Cethin asked, his hands clasped behind his back.

---