Page 6 of Red Ruin

As our soul-silks begin to twine, a connection forms between our souls.

It’s fragmented.

Fire.

Pain.

The bond doesn’t let us read whole thoughts, but sensations and feral emotions flash to me in bursts of steam.

“I won’t hurt you,” I murmur, trying not to reel. “How about we try putting out these flames?”

I can’t tell if he’s responding to my soul or my voice, but something gets through to him.

Soul-silks spear from the Sentinel’s body. I meet his reaching fibers with as many pieces of myself as I can offer.

My touch is gentle.

His rakes like claws, not so much clinging asclaiming.

His desperation scrapes the dry patch in my heart.

Snarling, he grabs my shoulders. His need vibrates along the twisting silks that dig to find the comfort they crave inside my soul.

I’ve never connected so fast, so deep with any Sentinel.

Not even Kevan.

I’d panic if this guy weren’t so damaged.

He’s running on pure instinct.

As our soul-silks test each other out, the bond intensifies. But what should feel like reuniting with half of my missing soul feels more like hugging a hurricane.

I wrap my magic around the screaming roar of his psychic pain, trying to hold this Sentinel together long enough to figure out where to evenstartdoing my job.

He’s pouring out so much lightning-streaked liquid flame that he’s melting the street lamps.

We need to be closer.

As long as our soul-silks are wired together, his flames consider me part of him.

I reach through the hellfire that’s hiding his appearance.

My hands hit the super-heated skin of a bare and heaving chest.

He’s taller than I thought.“Can you lean down?”

He ducks eagerly.

I stroke above his collarbone, catching the thump of his pulse before my fingers find a firm, smooth jaw.

He smells like smoked raspberries.

With my palms pressing his skin, I can barely breathe.

His pain roars, all needles dipped in flames, drilling my brain; I’d be screaming in his place.

“Do you mind if I massage you?” I ask, trying to distract myself as much as him. “I need you to calm down a little. You’ll feel better if we stimulate your vagus nerve.”

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