Page 69 of A Realm of Fire and Ash

He tries to mumble a protest, but with my hand right next to his hair, I take a tight hold of it, eyes wild as I get in his face.

"I said take. It. All." I punctuate each word. "I'll regenerate. You won't, gods dammit!"

My eyes dart over to Az, desperate to see if his injury has improved in the slightest. Gripping Emeric’s hand, I force it against his gushing wound. "Now, use your magic. Quickly!"

A faint glow illuminates where they’re joined. But it's not enough, not fast enough. He forces more vitality into him, the room heating with the energy of it as I plead with the gods to heal him.

Azazel’s body trembles beneath Emeric’s hand and he lets out a low groan. I watch, amazed as his fingers dig into the meat of my arm, trapping it beneath his own hand. I have to close my eyes for a moment, preparing for another burst of pain.

Instead, a whimper escapes me. With Az's feeding, he can either make it extremely painful or extremely pleasurable—there is no in-between. He lives to the extreme. His lids flutter open, and he immediately zeros in on me.

My eyes lock on his face, burning with a frenzied passion. Fear, desire and anticipation all simmer beneath my skin, begging him to take me. My entire body trembles with arousal. Pleasure fuels my veins, my lips part and my tongue darts out, as if begging for him to satisfy the raging fire within me.

Pure, unbridled need takes over me as Az digs his fingers into my flesh, holding me as he takes what he needs. I gasp, moaning and arching back as his fangs sink deeper into my veins. His grip is primal and possessive, driven by instinct and wild craving, as though claiming me for himself.

And in that moment, he is. But when I start to sway, Emeric releases his bite and heals it, confident he has enough to mend him the rest of the way.

When Az sits up, still gripping my wrist, he slides to the ground, back pressed against the stove. He pulls me into his lap, and I curl into him with a sigh as Emeric is forced to follow to keep healing him. Crouching beside us, he watches as Az’s free hand wanders along my curves, exploring my body as if coming back to a familiar form. I’m trembling in his arms, head thrown back in blissful abandon.

This isn't just him saving my life, or him giving me pleasure through his bite. It's an intimate moment between three people who are growing closer by the minute.

* * *

Az

Slidingmy fangs out of Morte's wrist, I lap at the puncture wounds to close them. My hand tangles in her hair as I take in her glazed eyes.

"Thanks for saving me," I whisper. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you, but I'm glad you found Emeric."

Considering she's naked, she must've died between my passing out and her reviving me. Unease stirs in my gut at the idea of it.

A blissful smile crosses her lips just before she presses them to mine. She nips at them before pulling back and scrambling out of my lap. "I have a hunt to win." She helps me up and we both sway a little.

"Let's go find where Emeric ran off to."

“I’m going to have a bowl of this soup really quick, be there in ninety seconds.” She grabs a ladle, and I turn towards the bedroom to find where Emeric snuck off to while I finished healing.

I find him sitting on the bed, head hung.

“Hey, man, you alright?” I sit beside him.

“Nah.” He grips his hair. “I’m fucked. So fucked.”

“What—”

“You’re in love with her, aren’t you?” Emeric interrupts me.

I hang my head in my hands, too. “Is it that obvious?”

“In the end, all of us demon fae are searching for something. It's good to see that even you have found a little slice of heaven in the form of a fiery redhead.”

This fierce little phoenix, with all her fire and strength, is loyal and brave, and has captivated me in ways I never could've imagined. But something stirs in me as I turn to face Emeric, the longing in his voice registers a moment later.

“You, too?” I croak.

“Like I need air to breathe.”

Just then, Morte comes bouncing into the room, a hunk of bread hanging from between her teeth. She pulls up short when she sees us. “Guys?”

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