Page 134 of Phoenix Burn

And then much more.

Every moment of our time together played out in vivid detail, along with the times I wasn’t with him, but very much on his mind. The images came faster, taking me back to our arrival at the academy, then back to our first meeting—and beyond. To his landing at the airport. To the territories, and his cattle station...

Caught up in the fading pleasure of the moment, I wasn’t aware of what was happening. Until I saw images of a man that must be his brother, and then another, older man. Coming at him with a heavy leather belt, his face twisted in fury...

No.I was doing it again.

Desperate, I shoved at his face with my hand. His teeth were still buried in my shoulder as his hips thrust gently back and forth in the last throes of his orgasm.

“Matt, let go, you have to let me go!”

He groaned, low and deep, but the teeth didn’t move, and his tongue lapped at me—through the torn fabric, against bare skin.

“Dammit!” I closed my hand into a fist and pounded it into his face. “Matt! Let go!”

His tongue hesitated.

“Matt,you’re hurting me!”

His teeth released instantly, and he pulled off me as though scalded. I spun away, tripping over my leggings, holding myself up by the railing as I yanked them up over my hips.

His eyes—the barest glimmer of his beast in them, and they gleamed out from hollow sockets.

“Strewth, Angel. I’m sorry—it’s the moon. I couldn’t stop myself.”

I moved toward him, grabbing him by his shirt when he tried to back away. “It isn’t that. I wanted you too,” I said. “But I was draining you.”

His eyes widened, but then it seemed to hit him, and he staggered sideways to lean against the rail. “I didn’t even feel it happening,” he whispered.

The beast inside me wasn’t sated. It wanted me to put my hands on his face and finish. I trembled with the power of it, and as Matt met my gaze, he said, “Crikey, Angel. Your eyes areglowing. Like a bloody Dire.”

“It wants more.” My voice broke. “It would have killed you, Matt. Without a thought.” I backed away from him.

“Cara will teach you to control it,” Matt said, but I heard the desperation in his voice.

I spun and ran off the balcony and into the suite. He staggered after me, fumbling with his clothing, but I made it to the bathroom, slamming and locking the door.

He hit it hard. His beast could have no doubt torn it right off the hinges—but maybe he no longer had the strength.

I’d taken it all.

“Dammit, Angel,” he pleaded, his voice hoarse. “Please, talk to me.”

I leaned on the sink and stared at myself in the mirror. My eyeswereglowing, one a pale gold, the other blue. My entire body shook, but not with weakness—I was riding high on energy.

Energy stolen from Matt.

My stomach twisted.

My tee shirt was torn open over my shoulder, and there was blood on it. I pulled it off. The wounds already looked half healed. I rinsed the shirt and tugged it back on.

“Angel, if you don’t say something, I’m coming through this door.” His voice was filled with conviction. I believed him.

“What is there to say?” With my elbows braced on the counter, I covered my face with my hands. “I could have killed you, Matt.”

He brushed against wood from the other side. When he next spoke, it was from lower down, and I realized he’d slid down the door to sit on the floor.

“I could kill you in a second—have you never thought of that?” He warmed to the discussion. “Compared to me, you are so fragile. I have to leash my beast, or I could hurt you, even when I don’t mean to.”

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