Page 48 of Fractured Souls

The weirdest thing about it was how calm their expressions were, as if they were merely asleep.

She couldn’t shake off the silent horror of that moment.

“You can keep asking yourself that question until the end of days,” Nythian rumbled, drawing her ever closer, closer, until her body was pressed against his and she could feel his warmth radiating through the thick fabric of her robe. “But that won’t change what happened. You survived, Alexis. Don’t question it. Use it. That’s all we can do.”

His words were blunt, but they were exactly what she needed to hear right now.

All of a sudden, things became crystal clear.

She had to get Anuk back to Tharos before it was too late.

She had to find the Kordolians who were trying to kill her.

And she had to return to Earth, because leaving for distant Miridian-7 was a fantasy, a mistake, a choice forced upon her by some faceless bureaucrats at the Agency who didn’t want her blood on their hands or any sort of internal investigation to happen.

She wanted her old job back.

She wanted to see her mama, her brothers, her friends, her colleagues at the HPA.

She wanted to find Tasha.

She wanted to feel normal again.

“That’s better,” Nythian growled. His voice changed, becoming stern and commanding. “I prefer that look on your face. From now on, you aren’t going to dwell on those things anymore. It’s done. Finished. Lock it away and move on. You’re going to become strong. Work with us, Alexis. Work with me.”

“I…” Suddenly, she was breathless, speechless, her lips parted slightly, her eyes wide, her heart pummeling, her body hot and alive beneath her voluminous robes.

He leaned in.

Kissed her on the lips.

Blew her fucking mind.

His lips were surprisingly soft, and he tasted faintly of cinnamon of all things. At first, he was gentle, tasting the salty tear that had slipped down onto her lips. Alexis’s frantic thoughts floated away on a tide of impossible sensation.

This whole scenario was impossible, and yet it was really happening.

That was her last rational thought as she kissed him back, probing his lips with her tongue, momentarily finding the alien strangeness of his twin fangs, and although they were terrifyingly sharp, he never once drew blood.

He took charge, kissing her hungrily, tapping into the deep vein of need hidden inside her.

She sensed something wild inside him, something she was only scratching the surface of.

His hands were on her cheeks, then her neck, curving up the back of her head, his bare fingers sending electric thrills down her spine.

Her body was on fire. Heat spread between her thighs. Her clit throbbed.

She put her hands on his chest, and…

“A-ah,” shocked, she gently pushed him away, and to her surprise, he relented, giving her just enough space to breathe.

Had that really just happened?

She could still taste him on her lips, which tingled with the memory of his touch.

“I only wanted to come down here to run,” she gasped. “T-this wasn’t—”

“…part of my plans either,” Nythian rasped, and she loved how his voice reverberated right through her. “Not that it’s a problem.” He remained close, and she forgot to breathe as she took in his sheer size, his honed torso, his massive arms…

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