Page 57 of Of Serpents and Ruins
"I can't keep them off you." I burst into another fit of laughter.
His shoulders dropped as he raked his hand across the back of his neck. His mouth twitched as if he fought a laugh. "Stella."
This was dangerous beyond all reason.
The charm at his throat was orange. If it turned yellow, he would attack me again, but I stepped closer, drawn to him like a stupid moth to a vicious flame. And oh, did he make me hot.
"I think I need someone to warm me up."
He placed his hand on my shoulder, his thumb stroking up the curve of my neck. "Youarecold." He stepped closer, towering over me. Leaning closer, he pressed his forehead against mine.
My breath caught in my throat. As he nuzzled me, I bit my lower lip. His masculine scent consumed me like the heat that radiated off him.
Hold me.
Kiss me.
Take me.
Kill me.
I didn't care.
"How long do we have before the curse overwhelms you?" I gasped.
His lips grazed my cheek. "Six hours. If it doesn't leap forward again. You stubborn, ridiculous, horrible little seductress."
I splayed my hand over his chest, drawing in a sharp breath. "Then stop wasting time—"
He gripped the back of my head and kissed me, his lips crashing into mine with a desperate urgency. One hand slidaround my waist, pulling my body flush against his muscular form while the other tangled in my hair, holding me in place as his mouth claimed mine. The kiss obliterated every thought, all sensation fading away until there was only Brandt—his warmth, his taste, his scent.
My fingers dug into his shoulders, nails scraping against the taut muscle as I tried to eliminate any last speck of distance between us. Our mouths moved together feverishly, tongues twining and dancing in a dizzying rhythm.
My knees grew weak, and I clung to his shoulders, my fingers digging into his hardened muscles. He groaned into my mouth, nipping at my lower lip.
His kiss consumed me, enveloping my senses until the rest of the world faded away. Our lips moved together with escalating urgency, making up for lost time and the unknown number of moments left between us. His fingers tangled roughly in my hair as he held me against him, my body molding to the hard planes of his chest.
I was dizzy with desire, my heart racing wildly. My nails raked down his muscular back, and he shuddered, his tongue delving deeper to taste me fully. We strained against each other, both desperate to eliminate the space between us.
The entire world shook, shuddering and groaning.
His grip around me tightened as he lurched forward, staggering against me. "Earthquake!"
STELLA
My mind spun, struggling to comprehend his exclamation as I clung to Brandt. The ground rumbled beneath our feet. The crystal walls of the grotto shook all around us, their humming intensifying.
Brandt dragged me under one of the thicker marble arches and knelt over me, shielding me with his body. The amethyst and quartz cracked, silt and dust raining down in a kaleidoscope of violet. The hum of the crystals became a roar.
Then as swiftly as it started, it stopped.
I remained frozen, heart pounding. His body stayed pressed over mine, protective and warm. I slid my hands up his back, feeling the rapid rise and fall of his breath and grounding myself with his presence.
The elation of being near him faded as I looked around, fighting to catch my breath.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
I nodded, though my legs still felt like jelly. "I think so."
