Page 84 of The War of Wings
“I have no idea what I’m doing.”
“And look at how well you’re handling it.”
His hands ran up my thighs, closing around my hips as his stare intensified. I almost broke right there, told him what I was planning to do. But before I could open my mouth, he captured it with his.
The kiss was searing in its intensity, breathtaking in its force. The room echoed with the sound of wood against stone as he pulled my chair closer to him still, my legs hiking up around his hips. And suddenly I was drowning and he was the air I needed, my hands clawing at him, bringing him closer, like I’d die without him. I think I would, actually. But he’d live without me. I’d make sure of it.
“I need you,” I whispered as his lips moved over my jaw and to my throat. His mouth closed over my pulse and I gasped at the contact.
And then we were standing and his hand was on my spine, pushing me down over the tabletop as he worked at the waistband of my trousers. There was nothing kind about the way he moved, nothing gentle about the speed with which he freed himself from his leathers and lined my hips up with his.
“You need me?” he growled, his hands coasting over my back beneath my tunic. “Then take me.”
I cried out as he thrust forward, the movement possessive and unguarded and perfect. My eyes were locked on the doors, sure they’d fly open any second and we’d be called to another meeting I wouldn’t pay attention to.
“Fucking Saints, Petra,” he snarled, hands closing over my shoulders as he drove into me at a punishing pace.
“You’re fucking a daughter of the Saints, Cal,” I quipped between gasping breaths, and his throaty laugh sent a satisfying chill up my spine.
“That mouth of yours,” he groaned, and heat coiled within me, growing hotter and hotter as his fingertips dug into my shoulders. My breaths turned ragged, the table screeching against the floor with every movement. “That’s it, Petra. Let go.”
Something about those words brought a sudden barrage of tears to my eyes, and uncontrollable sorrow and mind-bending pleasure intertwined to overwhelm every one of my senses. How many more times would we fall into each other like this? How many more times before I had to let go entirely?
Tears spilled from my lashes as I came undone, my climax tearing through me and echoing off my soul with the most profound sense of sadness I’d ever felt. It was too much, completely overpowering my entire being as Cal tipped over the edge with me. I opened my mouth to scream out that I loved him, that I didn’t want to die but I had to, that every second I’d ever spent with him had been a gift I never deserved to receive. But all that came out was a mangled sob as Cal’s movements slowed.
“I love you,” he murmured, leaning down to place a kiss on my shoulder, but his breath caught. “Why are you crying?” He pulled me to stand and face him, a finger immediately swiping over my cheeks.
“I love you, too,” I whispered, barely able to get the words out before I shattered completely. “I love you so much, I can’t stand it.”I love you enough that I will die for you, so you can remain in this world.
“Petra–”
But his words were cut off by a blinding flash of eerie blue light I’d seen only in Eserene and my most terrifying nightmares.
Malosym!Adorex bellowed down the line, and it felt like the entire world came to a screeching halt as muffled screams sounded outside.
“It’s him,” I whispered.
Cal arranged his leathers, reaching for the sword at his hip. “Stay here!” he called over his shoulder as he sprinted from the room.
Fat fucking chance.
“Goodbye, Cal,” I whispered into the empty room, and when I was sure he was far enough away, I slipped through the doorway.
My opportunity was here. I was going to die tonight, but I was going to take that son of a fucking bitch with me.
Chapter 33
Cal
The corridor was empty as I prowled out of the room, but bone-chilling screams echoed off the walls from every direction. “Hello?” I bellowed, running through the hall in search of anyone. I careened around corners to find nothing but empty expanses, cursing as I drew farther and farther from where I’d left Petra.
I was moving so quickly I almost collided with Tyrak, his eyes wild and lips parted. “It’s him, isn’t it?”
“Assemble the forcesnow!” I barked, and he was gone.
Turning on my heel, I sprinted back through the halls and pushed through the doors to the meeting hall. Theemptymeeting hall.
Saints fuckingdammit,Petra.
