Page 207 of Red Ruin

CHAPTER48

REMY

Iris darts out her tongue,unconsciously licking her quivering lower lip.

Trezzoran moves, but with a twist of shadow at his ankles, I slide in front of her first. “You needn’t watch them like that.”

A delicious flutter dances along her jugular.

“Like what?” There’s a challenge in her voice, but her silks tremble with fear and longing she can’t hide.

Our souls are too entwined.

My shadows rope her possessively. “Imprints are barely understood. They’re limiting, and at best unnecessary. Sometimes, even harmful.”

Don’t want something that I can’t give you.

Iris absently lifts a hand to Trezzoran’s chest, holding him back. Her other hand settles over my heart. Her sweet scent sears the back of my throat.

“Don’t worry,” she says softly. “I won’t be able to imprint. I can’t leave you.”

Her voice is gentle, but her soul despairs.

I clutch her wrist and press her hand more deeply into my flesh. Flickers of the past few hours swirl with the shards of my long-forgotten memories.

Her unique power.

Her thirst to sacrifice herself.

Kyorgos’s betrayal.

“Do you believe I would abandon you?” I ask.

Iris strokes my cheek.

The touch is warm, but her eyes are empty of light. “We should head back up.”

A shard of ice stabs.

My vision doubles, then whites out.

“Remy?” The sapphire eyes that were avoiding me snap to my face, filled with alarm. Iris grabs my jaw. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

My veins blacken, and I watch through the growing haze, as my nails lengthen to black-tipped claws. “It’s cold.”

“Godsdamnit,” Iris growls, stomping the thread of death magic spearing through my boots. “He’smine, you creepy fucking zombie.”

She yanks me into a kiss.

Her fingers dig into my hair. Her tongue delves into my mouth.

Aggressive.

Possessive.

Her silks wrap around mine, and she glows with furious determination as she shines moonlight in my soul.

I’m too awed to offer much help.

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