Page 48 of Kingdom of Ashes & Bone
We both moaned at the contact, the pain and pressure a dangerous aphrodisiac as he set a brutal pace. Dark blood smeared across his forearm, right under my chin. My tongue reached out and licked it, wondering what the big fuss was about the blood.
“You naughty flower,” he chastised me, tightening his grip on my neck. Spicy heat blossomed across my tongue, and he yanked my head back to give me a rough, passionate kiss upside down. Never once did his hips cease snapping against me, driving him further and further into me.
Gold scales erupted across his body, winking and flashing as the sun streaming through the windows hit them at different angles. The bedsheet became hopelessly tangled and hot, so we flung off the bed. His weight on top of me increased as his skin heated to an inferno against mine.
A small warning bell went off in my head, but I didn’t want to stop. The growing pressure and weight was soothing, like a heavy blanket. His cock inside of me swelled as he thrust in and out, both of us slick with heat and mad with desire. I—
IF YOU FUCK HER IN YOUR DRAGON FORM, I WILL RIP OFF WHATEVER SCRAPS OF YOUR WINGS ARE LEFT.
Zariah’s angry tirade snapped me back to reality, allowing my brain to catch up with what we were doing. Zion, however, roared in defiance, his body half-way between man and dragon. I twisted around and elbowed him as hard as I could.
He made a funny ‘oomph’ sound and rolled off the bed, his scales and fangs vanishing in an instant.
I scrambled to look over the edge, afraid he’d hurt himself further. We shouldn’t have even been doing what we’d been doing—I’d promised Zariah I’d make him rest, not taunt his dragon with some hanky-panky!
“Zion! Are you all right?”
From his spot on the floor he propped himself up on his elbows, dark hair eschew and still a bit of his dragon’s feral gold in his eyes.
“I … fuck” was all he managed, his breaths coming in gasps. His chest heaved up and down as he fought for control. “Yeah. Fine. Shit, that was a bad idea. Mari, I’m so sorry, I—”
I put a hand up, not wanting to hear it. “It’s fine. I’m glad there’s two of you because it helps you check each other. That would probably have been bad,” I finished lamely.
His eyes flashed gold one more time before fading into their normal black. Zion flushed and looked away, running an embarrassed hand through his hair.
“Yeah, probably.”
“Probably,” I added after him, though I was mostly trying to convince myself.
An awkward silence surrounded us, compelling me to fill it with something.
“Maybe …” I began, hesitating. I couldn’t believe I was about to say it, but I plunged on anyway. “Maybe … someday. When you’re both here to watch each other?”
Zion’s eyes flashed gold again, a telltale sign of lust. He crawled up the side of the bed toward me on his hands and knees.
“Careful, flower. Don’t want to burn your petals.”
The adrenaline of what had almost been drained through my system, leaving me empty. His arms wrapped around me and he tucked me into his chest. He smelled like ashes and spice, like rain and rebirth. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat quickly lulled me into a deep sleep.
ChapterFourteen
When I woke, it was Zion nuzzling my neck with his nose and holding a small cake to my lips.
I bit down without thinking, my stomach rumbled with hunger. Sugar and flavor exploded in my mouth, waking me more effectively. I sat up in bed, a little sore but feeling more recovered than I thought possible.
“Here, there’s more.” Zion slipped out of bed and picked up a plate, setting it on my knees. An entire selection of little cakes and fruits met my eyes, the smells divine.
“Enough about me! How are you?” I demanded instead, looking around and frowning. “And where’s Zariah?”
Zion popped a cake in his own mouth, brows furrowed. “If I know him, he will need to be relieved. Otherwise, he’ll work himself to exhaustion.”
I moved the plate and got out of bed, running my hands through my hair to comb it and quickly threw it in a braid. “And how do you feel?”
Zion winced. “My back is still on fire. I’m afraid to shift and see what the damage is.”
That was understandable.
“Let’s go. I need to see my mother, and let’s find Zariah.” I paused. “You haven’t seen Shava or Zephyr, have you? They disappeared right before the queen attacked.”
