Page 49

Arianna stood, wincing from the pain. Rion stepped forward as if to help but seemed to think better of it. She pulled a baggy pair of pants from his drawer and one of his shirts before locking herself in the bathroom.

Arianna peeled away her filthy clothes and used what little magic she possessed to heat the water.

She stared at her reflection wondering if the gods could ever forgive her. Or if she could forgive herself. She could still hear their final breaths. Their hoarse gasps for air. Arianna clenched the sides of the basin and shook away the memory.

It took far longer than she would have liked to clean away the blood coating her body, especially with the wound in her side. Every movement felt like fire shooting through her core, but she gritted her teeth against it and continued.

She dressed, ran her fingers through wet hair, and emerged.

Rion had made the bed with fresh sheets and a thick blanket. He sat at the edge, closest to the fire, and electricity shot through her body when his eyes met hers. He stood and Arianna blushed furiously, thoughts running wild.

She took a step forward. Another. Then Rion’s hands were reaching out to cup her cheek. She met his gaze and, for the first time, noticed the golden flecks that danced in his emerald eyes, the firelight bringing them out like stars in the dimming sky.

Instead of kissing her, Rion guided her toward the bed where she crawled in, opting to lie on her back. The pain was an afterthought as she watched Rion circle to the other side. He moved deliberately, slowly, though for her benefit or his she couldn’t be sure. He propped himself up on one elbow to study her and his gaze floated down toward her hands. Arianna clasped them over her stomach.

“I won’t touch you,” she promised again. But gods did she want to. Rion’s gaze softened, and he inched closer, his body heat just out of reach. Particles of earth floated around them in slow, lazy circles, as if content by her presence.

Her breathing sped up when his fingertips met her cheek and trailed down her neck, tracing around the still-fresh wound. He paused, his brow furrowed, and a hint of his earlier anger returned.

“I’d never do that to you.” Her heart clenched at the pain in his voice. “I’d never hurt you.” His hand fell away. “I want to apologize for what I did on the field. I shouldn’t have threatened you.”

The growl he’d given her. A warning to back off. The Demon wasn’t known for his warnings.

“I knew you wouldn’t hurt me.” He huffed out a laughed, more to himself than at her. “Does that make you angry?”

“No, it’s relieving. I need to know if I do things that upset you. I need you to tell me.” His fingertips returned to her chin, and he tilted it a little closer to his face. “Because that’s all I have to go on.”

Her breathing hitched and every muscle in her body longed to reach out to him when Rion pressed his lips against hers. He pulled back slightly. “I’ll stop whenever you want,” he promised. “If I make you feel uncomfortable, or you simply want me to.”

She wanted him to stop talking.

“Just kiss me,” she breathed.

And he did. Rion pressed his body closer to hers and Arianna had to clench her hands together to keep them still.

His lips moved in a desperate rhythm, devouring her whole. She flicked her tongue against his mouth by mistake, but the moan that escaped from him shot straight to her core.

He slipped his tongue over her bottom lip, testing, teasing, then dove straight into her mouth. Rion wrapped one arm above her head and buried the other in her hair, pulling her impossibly closer.

She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Rion kissed the side of her mouth, and she tilted her head as he trailed those kisses down her neck, pausing at the racing pulse to lick her skin. Rion lingered there, exploring, running a delicate touch around her throat before his lips returned to hers.

His hands moved over her shoulder, then down her arm and back up. She’d never felt anything like it. His touch was like fire, igniting every cell in her body. It devoured her, left her wanting more.

Then she was shaking. She couldn’t tell when it’d started, or if she’d ever stopped, but her lips trembled and Rion pulled away so suddenly she might as well have burned him.

Arianna covered her face with her hands and an uncontrollable sob tore through her. Rion had frozen. She could hear his heart pounding yet didn’t know how to explain. His magic, which had previously been crawling across her skin, had stopped and fallen away.

His voice was so soft she barely heard it. “Did I hurt you?”

Arianna shook her head and let her hands fall away. She swallowed hard against the tears, trying to clear them away enough to speak. “I killed them.” She still couldn’t look at him. “I’ve never—I’m not supposed to—” Another wave hit her, and Arianna covered her face again, sucking in breath after desperate breath. She could see the first male’s startled expression. He hadn’t expected the blade to his abdomen, nor the amount of blood that followed. Arianna could still feel it running down her hand despite having washed it away. She could still hear the screams of those she’d felled, see the blades flying, feel the limbs of her victims shriveling into nothing.

And she’d forgotten all of it in the moments that followed. She’d been more concerned for Rion, yearning for things in such a selfish manner. She should be thinking about how to bury the dead. Would Eoghan see to it? Would their bodies be left to rot in the sun?

“I’m here.” Rion said. His tone made her turn. “But I don’t have to be.” She hadn’t seen so much vulnerability in his gaze since the night he’d returned hurt, bleeding out in this very room.

Arianna shook her head. Would he understand? Did he care? Killing seemed like second nature to him. Like something he enjoyed. Rion pushed up on his elbow, but she cleared her throat. “Stay.”

He sat up anyway and she did the same, resting her back against the wall. Arianna rubbed her hands together but quickly looked away, unable to stand the sight. “I never intended to hurt anyone.”