Page 48 (2/2)

My dress hikes up to ainst hirowl A smile finds its way to my lips I love him like this, when all his self-control shatters and he becomes vulnerable to my touch

There’s desperation in hisbench-seat, capturing me between the soft leather and his hard body He lowers his uides his lips slowly to my ear I moan and he moves to the hollow of my throat and--oh, shit The iering on the scar on the side of my neck I tense, but he only presses a kiss there He doesn’t notice the extra heat of the stone

Slowly, his hand slides down my silk-covered side, over h He draws patterns on

His hands are tantalizingly hot I kiss hi with a human will never compare to this

Ah, hell

"Naito"

Kyol’s hands still, but his chest heaves with his breaths "What?"

I closethis aze "The shadow-reader you took through the gate in Lyechaban Is he okay?"

A line creases his brow "You’re thinking about Naito?"

"No, not really I justI didn’t see you give hiave hi his hand froh "I didn’t know you were there"

Da pause, then, "He’s fine" He smoothes back riup as well

To ives me a small smile "It’s okay, kaesha We’re aluilty--because I shouldn’t have asked if Naito was okay The Court fae go out of their way to keep huo and have rescued others ere under the control of false-bloods Aren’s justwill ain

EIGHTEEN

I AWAKEN TO a kiss on my forehead It’s so tender, and I’ skates acrossover me

"Shh, kaesha You’re safe here"

Kaesha, not nalkin-shoh, I think it would have calmed me just as much I let out a breath, then sink back into a pillow and focus on Kyol "What ti," he says "I shouldn’t stay any longer, and I need to speak with Atroth"

Stay? I scan s We’re not in the li uest bedroom by the look of it Has Kyol been here the whole tiitated, h the lights are off, electricity runs through the wires in the wall, and there’s likely Wi-Fi or cordless phones around With the wedding, the limo ride, and this house, he’s been exposed to tech for far too long