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His breathing deepened. A growl emerged from the back of his throat as his head descended. But he didn’t open his mouth, merely laid a soft kiss at the juncture. “You must go.”

Panic filled her as the words rolled through her head. She knew what he would attempt before he did it, and she tore away the chain that held back the power she needed to stop him.

Magic tore through every pore in her body in a rush so painful, she fell to her knees as she tried to control it.

They had been right to be concerned. If she’d been asleep, it would have been impossible for her to reinforce the annihilated gates that allowed everything inside. But she was awake now. And though magic was a temperamental wave, she had the skill and strength to hone and control every particle, including the portion of Alessandro’s that tried to send her away.

Alessandro knelt in front of her, silver eyes flashing red as he looked her over for any obvious wounds.

“Fuck! Why did it have to be someone like you?” He asked, sounding defeated as he dragged her back into his chest once more when he realized she was okay.

“I need you.” She dug her face into his bare chest. “Please, Alessandro.”

In her mouth, she felt her teeth lengthen.

Alessandro closed his throbbing silver eyes as if trying to gather his thoughts, but she felt the magic he was trying to pull together again.

She let out a frustrated growl. “This is my choice.”

“It is the wrong one.” He spoke with his eyes still closed.

“My choice.” She sunk her hands into his curls and tugged.

When his eyes opened to stare down at her, they were so bright when she blinked, she saw stars.

“Give me your neck, San.” She whispered.

His breath hitched and he squeezed her tighter. “You can still run, little elf.”

She cocked her head to the side. “I thought I informed you of my preferred form of cardio.”

He let out a laugh as he tipped his own head to the side, revealing the roiling scales on the expanse of his neck. “Fine. Your choice. You go first.”

Her vision swam with red and pink hues, her succubus so eager her heartbeat pulsed on her tongue.

Hoping her demon side knew what it was doing, she lowered her head, opened her mouth and bit down hard.

Blood rushed into her mouth, oddly cold. She sucked and sucked until she felt him go limp in her arms.

It was only when she was the only thing that kept him from crashing into the dirt floor that she knew it was time to pull away.

He was unbelievably heavy, and so her struggle to place his mouth on the juncture of her own neck took her by surprise.

“Graceful” He teased as he extended his own fangs.

“You did this on pur-” A sharp slice of pain that erupted from the bite mark cut her words off. Pain morphed into unbearable heat, as if every vein in her body was boiling.

Relief came as ice took the place of the heat, followed by a buzz of electricity that she could see arching off her body in blue lightning. It smelled like him, mint and honey.

“It should ease some of the discomfort.” He whispered, extending his hand out to touch the arcs, and in it she could see frost where it touched him. “This is how I see your magic. Bright, clean, electric.”

She smiled as he replaced the nulling necklace around her neck. It was for the best. She couldn’t concentrate on keeping her gates up while she allowed the most intrusive bond she’d ever experienced to take root.

Chapter 28

Visions flashed in her head. Places and faces she didn’t recognize mixed with an odd assortment of stimuli so strong on her senses that she believed for a second she was there.

“They’re my core memories. Parts of the past that have established the Alessandro, you know.”