Page 46 of Forgotten Monsters
“When Erron told me about the ritual, I couldn’t get it out of my head. I knew releasing Beth’s spirit was important to you, and it had to be done on an unsuspecting soul, so it made sense.” Our lips brush. “But mostly, I was scared shitless of losing you.”
I grip his hand and press it to my beating heart. “I’m here. You have me.”
“I should have looked for you. I can’t forgive myself for being duped by Darkwood, for abandoning you—” he frees himself from my grasp, eyes cast down. “If I hadn’t been so stubborn, I would have been with you that night, and none of this would have happened.”
I try to meet his gaze. “I was angry, too. I pushed you away.”
He shakes his head. “You were right. I shouldn’t have done it without your consent, or at least tried to find a better way to do it.”
“Thank you. It means a lot, even if years have technically gone by, it’s still…raw for me.”
“I’m sorry.”
I cup the side of his face. “I forgive you.”
“All these years lost…because ofme,” he whispers.
Our noses bump as I lean in. “We’re togethernow. Nothing else matters.”
The pad of his thumb travels across my cheekbone to my bottom lip. The move is slow and methodical, and it feels like it’s part of some sacred, ancient ritual meant to worship me—before cutting me to pieces.
Cole swallows my hungry moan with his lips, his tongue impatient as his hand continues its journey past my chin to the hollow of my neck. We kiss as though we’re holding our last breath, eager to rediscover each other. I let the bright, unwavering need swallow everything else.
He spreads my blouse open, one button at a time, and untangles the knot in my shirt. Cold air blows across my chest, and my entire body tingles in anticipation.
I reach under his shirt and drag it up his chest, dying to feel his heat. He curls a hand around mine, stopping my ascension, but not before I feel the deep imprint of a scar on his left pectoral muscle.
Our gazes meet again.
Lips pressed in a thin line, Cole allows me to work the shirt over his head, revealing the deep, iridescent scars. Deep claw marks dig into the left side of his chest, like the monster almost ripped his heart out. Fire rages to the surface of my skin. I want to burn the world down to find this creature and bring it pain.
The fire slips beyond my control and burns through my clothes.
“Did you kill whatever did this to you?” I ask through clenched teeth.
“Not yet.”
“We’ll do it together.” I reign in the urge to pity my warrior king, knowing his pride will not stand it.
“The mark is nothing.” He digs his nails into the scar. “I’m dead…on the inside.”
I rest a hand over his wild heart. “You’re obviously not.”
Our noses touch, his breath hot on my lips. “Bring me to life, Fire Girl.”
He dusts off fiery embers from my shoulders and swallows my answer with a kiss. I fight his tongue for dominance as he drags my pants and underwear off in one fluid motion.
I tug on his belt, working the buckle open, delighted to find out he’s not wearing anything underneath his pants. A purr escapes me when I push his clothes out of the way and wrap my hand around his hard length, stroking it up and down.
He curls his hands into fists, clearly holding himself back.
I happily take the lead, guide Cole to the rug and climb over him. The carpet chafes my knees as I discard my blouse.
He clings to me, hands in my hair, as though I’m the last thing tethering him to this realm, and kisses me stupid before sliding his hands down to knead my breasts.
I arch my back, delirious, my core so wet I can barely think, aching for his fullness to stretch me to the limit between pleasure and pain. His jaw clenches as I align myself with his throbbing cock, taking it in inch by inch.
I rock back and forth, and Cole teases and pinches my nipples until I writhe on top of him.
