Page 218 of The Ascended
"You're the one with sub-par balance," I countered, still laughing.
Our overturned boat drifted a few feet away. Xül swam to it with powerful strokes, flipping it right-side up. He turned back to me, extending his hand.
"Come on. Let's get you out of the water before you freeze."
I swam to him, taking his offered hand. But instead of helping me to the boat, he pulled me closer, until we were face-to-face in the water.
All trace of laughter vanished as our eyes met, suspended in the dark water beneath a canopy of stars. In this moment, with the village lights shimmering in the distance and the weight of everything momentarily washed away, I saw him clearly. I saw the way he looked at me.
"Fuck it," he said, and then his mouth was on mine. I gaspedagainst him, my arms wrapping around his neck as his encircled my waist. The kiss was desperate, hungry, as if he'd been starving for this as long as I had.
My legs wrapped around his waist instinctively, and he groaned into my mouth, his hands tightening on my hips. Water lapped around us, our bodies half-submerged, but I felt nothing but fire.
Every touch, every shared glance, every moment of tension between us had been leading to this—this inevitable collision of wills and want and need.
"Whatever this is, whatever it costs, I want it," I whispered against his lips, the words a vow I couldn't take back.
His hands moved to cup my face, his eyes searching mine. "Are you sure?"
In answer, I pressed myself against him, feeling his hardness through our sodden clothes. "I've never been more certain of anything."
How could I explain what this meant? That after months of fighting to survive, of learning to kill, of hardening myself against the world, I wanted nothing more than to surrender to him. Without warning, he moved us toward the shadow of the overhanging willows, where a small, secluded inlet formed a natural alcove. The water was shallower here, only reaching his waist as he stood, still holding me against him.
"Here?" I asked, surprised by his boldness.
"I can't wait another bloody moment," he growled.
His mouth found my neck, pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses to the sensitive skin there. "You taste like starlight and sin," he murmured against my throat.
The raw desperation in his voice mirrored my own, the need that had been building between us finally too strong to deny. I'd imagined this moment in so many ways—sometimes tender, sometimes rough, sometimes desperate—but none of my fantasies had captured the overwhelming intensity of finally being in his arms inthis way.
His hands found the hem of my borrowed dress, now a weight clinging to my skin. With impatient movements, he gathered the fabric, pushing it up and out of his way. The cool night air against my newly exposed skin made me shiver.
"You're so beautiful," he murmured, his gaze raking over me. "Every part of you."
His hand slid between us. A satisfied sound rumbled in his chest as his fingers explored, drawing gasps and small moans from my lips.
"I've known pleasures both divine and profane. But never—" he said, while his thumb began a maddening circle around my clit. "Never have I wanted anyone the way I want you."
I reached out, fumbling with the ties of his trousers, desperate to feel him. When my hand finally closed around him, hot and hard, his breath hitched. The power of that—of knowing I could affect him as deeply as he affected me—was intoxicating. I could fucking drown in that feeling.
"Show me, then." I whispered.
He went completely still, grip turning almost painful. Then a sharp edge slid across my throat. His teeth.
"Not here," he murmured. "Not like this. I need you properly. All of you."
I felt the familiar tingle of magic in the air as he ripped open a portal with a sweep of his hand, never breaking our connection. The silvery light illuminated us for a moment, casting our shadows across the water's surface.
Without a lick of strain, he carried us through the shimmering doorway, my legs still locked around his waist, his arms supporting me. The peaceful village disappeared behind us as we stepped directly into his quarters at the Bone Spire. The portal closed with a soft hiss, leaving us in the dimly lit room, water pooling around his feet on the stone floor.
In three long strides, he crossed to his bedand laid me down on the dark sheets. He loomed above me, water dripping from his hair onto my face as he stared down.
"Now," he said, his voice a dark promise that made me shiver with anticipation. “Are you ready for me to ruin this perfect body until you're addicted to the way I make you feel?”
Chapter 52
Consumed
