Page 42 of The Anointed's Paladin

I panted, sweat coating my back as I came down from the high. The fire in me settled, and I stroked Kaine’s back as we separated, suddenly worried I’d gone too far. But he shot me a sly smile as he started to clean up the evidence he’d enjoyed himself too. I leaned back, spent, only able to watch him for now. It was a pleasant sight—his round ass as he bent to pick up his clothes, the taut muscles on his arms, the subdued lines of muscles on his chest. I took it all in, not having to glance away when our eyes met. My cheeks did heat a bit, though.

He had his smug smile back on his face as his eyes raked over me. “Well, well, well.” Kaine slung his shirt over his shoulder and cocked his head. “Aren’t you a naughty Paladin? Going around fucking devils. Isn’t banginganythinga cardinal sin for the Guild?”

“They can go fuck themselves,” I said flatly, a faint lisp undercutting the seriousness of my statements. “Bunch of stuck-up, self-righteous pricks.”

“You know, you are a lot smarter than I thought you were,” he said, pleased, coming over and ruffling my hair. The casual touch somehow cemented that this was real. For some reason, he’d actually invited me to fuck him.

I started to wash off, watching him saunter back to his bedroll. He was back to his cocky self. He’d won this little game we’d played, despite my previous resolve to resist. And I thought he’d win every time he tried.

That cautious voice in my mind whispered to me again.Just don’t forget he’ll drown you.

18

Hang on: What in the name of Olissa’s tits was that?

Kaine

Isat up as Talon started snoring, throwing him a reproachful look. But, well, it was classic enferni. He’d snore until his tongue had fully settled. Plus, he did look very cute when he was asleep—a big mound of muscle breathing gently, his silvery hair falling on his face and sticking on his lip. I guess I’d forgive him. My face relaxed, my mind replaying the events of the night.

Hmm.

Things may have just gotten a teeny, tiny bit out of control. I took my necklace in my hand, running my thumb around the smoothedges.

I sighed. This would require thinking and reflection, two things I hated doing. But I did need to figure this out.

I’d been convinced Talon was planning to kill me. It was nice to find out that I was mistaken. Apparently, almostdying was what I’d needed to change his mind. So, he’d gotten to play nurse, and he’d practically bared his soul to me, and it had done something strange. I’d found myself blabbing about my past. My pain. Not part of the plan.

As for the physical parts…

I looked at him again, admiring his massive shoulders, the veins climbing up his forearm. The curve of his tall horns. It was probably for the best that he didn't live among other enferni. His wings and horns were enough to stir up a lot of jealous trouble.

Drinking his blood was a given. Especially after he’d confirmed he was one of the enferni who’d triggered Mirilith’s fervour. Their blood was practically sacred to maoferni. It was burning hot, dark, and always brimming with electric energy.

That hadbeen my plan; to crawl over to him once he’d fallen asleep and take some blood. I hadn’t had a choice. It was that or die. My thumb slipped off the back of the locket, creating an uneven streak of pressure on my knuckle. I matched it on the other side before continuing.

So, why did I feel so guilty about it now? It must have been his whole bit aboutI won’t touch you if you don’t want me to. A luxury I’d not been able to offer or receive with anyone before.

I could tell he was intrigued, so I’d planted the idea of biting him and pretended to leave. I’d planned to tease him again, watch his lovely face redden and hear his heart pound before I bit him. He squirmed more than a rat on a hot griddle when I so much as looked at him, and it was well known that fighting and fucking were the two things that made Mirilith’s blood particularly potent.

But it was way too early to actually be whipping out dicks. I was supposed to be stringing him on for much longer.

I’d managed to walk away the other night, despite the kiss, despite his doe-like eyes begging me to fuck him. I’d thought I had this.

But then he’d gazed down at me with his blue-in-black eyes and breathed my name and begged for me, and I was so screwed because it was the hottest thing I’d seen in three hundred years.

Wasn’t it?

I considered it.

…Yeah.

Definitely.

That’s why I’d made him do it again. He was the perfect package. A huge, menacing wall of muscle who craved dominance. I was more than happy to oblige.

I let go of my necklace and folded my hands behind my head, frowning. I glanced at him again. Something about Talon had pulled down my defences, had me sharing when it was stupidto, had me fucking him when that wasn’tthe plan.

Shit, I needed to figure out what it was because I had to decide if I was going to kill him tonight.

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