Page 24 of Stars in Umbra
Her smirk faltered as her stomach flipped again.
Mo’s mouth curved, slow and dangerous. ‘You want honest or charming?’
‘I’m always in the mood for flattery.’
‘I don’t do it, but here’s my offering,’ he said, his voice a warm murmur meant only for her. ‘You walked in like a flame, and I’m the moth too stupid to stay away.’
‘That was charming,’ she said, impressed. ‘Like a marksman used to hitting a target others can’t reach.’
He took a sip of his whiskey, his eyes still locked on hers. ‘Wait till I tell you about my antique gun collection.’
That made her arch her brow. ‘You collect guns?’
He arched his in response, a smile lurking on his lips. ‘Naam, earth-made, 19th and 20th Century collectibles. They’re elegant babies. Beautifully crafted, lethal asfokk. They’re also a lucrative investment; some can command sky-high prices due to their limited supply and excessive demand.’
‘Fascinating,’ she said, her tone dripping with mock seriousness. ‘Do you sell them for the Riders?’
‘I acquire them. Most are rare. I likewise dabble in the latest in high-tech arsenal, and I cut them in when needed.’
Silence fell, and Rina marveled at how content she was in it, with him.
There was no need to fill in any awkward quiet moments, because there were none.
It was uncanny how fast they slid into being comfortable with one another.
‘What about you? What does the Colonel do for fun?’
She arched a brow at his burred timbre.Damn, it was delicious.
‘Glassblowing.’
He raised his chin at her. ‘For real?’
She nodded, as disbelief turned to intrigue on his face. ‘It’s the one place I can lose time. Just me, fire, and breath, then a sacred, delicate object that can be shattered with the wrong touch. It’s invigorating, to say the least.’
He leaned in just enough to catch her scent, mingled with the aroma of star lime and her unique perfume. ‘Let me guess,’ he murmured. ‘Controlled danger appeals to you.’
Her mouth tilted into a small, knowing smile. ‘Why? Is that what you think you are?’
‘I know I am,’ he purred.
The air between them tightened, forming a subtle, delicious tension that coiled with the promise of heat, excitement, and an inevitable, beautiful collision.
They kept talking, delving deeper into their philosophies, favorite books, and music, as if they were on a date.
Rina found herself laughing at one of Mo’s dry and dark remarks.
His humor loosened her up and had her laughing with abandon, and his intentional listening spoke to her heart.
They were so lost in each other that she scarcely noticed when two figures approached them, silent as mist.
It was a pair of Sacran luminaries, radiant and lit from within.
Their complexion shimmered with that unmistakable bioluminescence, veins pulsing like starlight beneath translucent skin.
Their robes flowed like liquid light, humming with energy, and their eyes, silver and endless, settled first on Mo, then on the glyphs winding along his exposed chest.
The taller of the two spoke first, voice gentle yet commanding, like someone used to being listened to. ‘Forgive our intrusion, but may we inquire, where did you receive those markings?’
