Page 2 of Fire Touched

I bite back a snort. They’ve been going at it like rabbits. Which, I mean, good for them, but jeez, get a room. Actually, a room would be really, really nice. ‘Not that they’re entirely alone.’ I press my lips together, regretting the words. I shouldn’t have mentioned Carter. Though, technically, I could have meant Ella, our new Water wolf friend.

Killian stills at the mention of my former mate. Though he would never call Carter that. Mostly he calls Carter ‘him’, or ‘the heir we kidnapped’. One of the main things stressing him out, actually—that he, the son of the Fire Pack alpha, was an accomplice in stealing away the Water Pack alpha’s sole heir. He’s been grousing about it all week, about how Carter travelling with us makes it look like we took him. How it will start a war between the Fire and Water Packs.

I don’t bother saying that we didn’t kidnap Carter, that he came willingly. That his uncle is a total prick who beat him. Who did abduct me, and then Moira. But there’s no point. We’ve been over it. I inhale, staring out at the sunrise. He just wants to be with me. I won’t risk spoiling that. I lean into Killian. ‘It’s stunning. Thank you.’ It’s too late though. The tension is back. I can see it in his eyes, tight and pinched. His shoulders, bunched and coiled.

Killian offers a tight smile and draws me in for a hug. ‘I’m trying, Katherine.’

I know he is. I know he’s thinking about his pack, about Carter, about me. He is a representative of his father, and our pack, whether he likes it or not. Approaching Earth Pack is setting him on edge. We have never been allies. But needs must.

Killian’s shirtless and already sandy. I lean into his chest. This past week has not been easy, but I’m hoping things will settle down when we reach Terran—Elijah’s home—and we don’t have to be so close to Carter all the time. I try to ease him, nuzzling my cheek into his chest. I press a kiss to his collarbone, up his neck. I twist in his lap, my lips leaving a trail over his body.

My chest eases as he smiles. That’s it. Right there. I kneel before him, between his legs, peppering warm kisses over his shoulders.

Killian takes my face in his hands—squishing my cheeks. ‘I love you, Katherine.’ His lips meet mine, tender, yet possessive. His tongue presses into my mouth, seeking, claiming.

I’m by no means a morning person, but I’ve missed this. Being so free and open with him without worrying if someone will stumble onto us or get a good view of us taking each other’s clothes off.

Killian hauls me into his lap. ‘I am a man of my word.’ He gestures to the blanket I hadn’t noticed, too enamoured by the sand, the beach, the tide and being alone with my mate.

My mouth falls open. ‘It’s a morning picnic!’ I smack his leg excitedly. ‘Aren’t you the best?’

Killian smirks. ‘Why, yes. I am.’ He leans over and grabs a thermos and hands it to me.

I unscrew it and drink, a smile curving my lips. ‘A man of your word,’ I agree, practically inhaling the coffee. ‘Where did you get this?’

Living on the road, sleeping on the ground or taking turns sleeping in tents, bathing in rivers and hunting our meals doesn’t usually come with freshly made caffeine. I’m still getting used to my mate’s expressions, but that definitely looks like a sneaky one. I prod his chest. ‘What did you do?’ I take another swig of coffee. ‘What did you pay for this liquid heaven?’

Killian smirks, delighted by my sense of humour, no doubt. ‘I might have made a deal with Elijah. Moira’s been bugging him about having nothing to read—’ He raises his hands as I’ve been bugging him about this, too. ‘Which, I know, is a travesty. We agreed that the next time we come across anywhere we can get books, he gets to go in and take Moira shopping.’

I gape at him. Stopping and resting isn’t a luxury we’ve had much of. The general consensus is that it is safer to stay on the move. Julian, the Water Pack alpha, will be coming after his only living heir. So shopping days aren’t really part of the plan.

I whack him. ‘You traded coffee for books?!’

‘You love coffee!’

‘I also love books!’

Killian winces as I screech. ‘I know.’ He wraps his arms around me. ‘Life is cruel to make you choose.’

I drape myself over him, exhausted. ‘It is,’ I mumble. ‘S’okay. I can just steal Moira’s books when she and Elijah are having sex.’

‘I am surprised she has time to read,’ Killian murmurs.

I snuggle down into Killian’s embrace, both of us watching the sun rise over the water. ‘Thank you for this.’ I wish we had time to make love on the shore, to sex the sand into crystals of glass with my mate’s flames. To build sandcastles, and swim, and float in the ocean.

Killian takes a small bowl of berries and starts feeding them to me between sips of coffee. ‘You’re welcome, love. I want everything for you.’ He peppers gentle kisses over my head, rubbing my arms. ‘Are you cold?’

‘A little,’ I admit. I don’t like advertising that I’m not one-hundred percent Fire wolf. It sometimes makes me feel… less than.

Sensing my thoughts, Killian waves me down. ‘Don’t worry, I’m a little cold too.’

He might not be, but I appreciate it. I watch in awe as he gathers a few damp logs and sets them a couple of feet away. A plume of fire dances to life in his palm—just like that! So easy!—as he flicks it toward the wooden pile.

Within moments, the goosebumps on my legs and arms recede. My eyes fall closed, lapping up the warmth. ‘Thanks,’ I murmur.

‘We practice today,’ Killian says gently.

I try not to cringe. Apart from sleeping, hunting and eating, practicing has been the only reason we stop travelling. Killian is determined to unlock my fire powers which he says are there inside me, just dormant. Which, I think is very lazy of them. I kind of hate practicing though, because after nearly a full week of my mate patiently trying to teach me, I still suck at my fire power.

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