Page 10 of Ignited Spirits (Haunted Magic #3)
LUCA
I push open the door to one of the empty sitting rooms I found while I was wandering the castle over the past few days.
It’s not like I had much else to do while stuck in this realm, and I needed something to take my mind off the fact that both my mate and little brother were injured and unconscious.
Clenching my free hand into a fist at the anger coursing through me at the reminder of what happened, I try to breathe through the rage. Izzy doesn’t need to see how fucking livid I am over everything with Archer and what she did.
Apparently, I don’t mask my emotions well enough, because her shoulders tense up.
With a sigh, I gesture for her to go through the doorway first. She reluctantly follows my directions and hesitantly walks into the room.
Taking in the thick green carpeting, dark walnut bookshelves, and comfortable navy chaises for a moment, Izzy eventually turns back to me. “You wanted to talk?”
Nodding, I try to gather my thoughts and figure out the best way to word what I’m feeling. Eventually, I start with, “Thank you for bringing Archer back.”
When I thought I’d lost my little brother, it felt like all the happiness and joy and light inside me had vanished. He’s the one who lifts everyone else up, makes the darkest days easier, and is always there for everyone else.
It’s taken me years to realize how badly I’ve been failing him. I thought he’d died never knowing just how much I see him and appreciate all that he does. I worried that I’d never get a chance to make it up to him.
But because of Izzy, Archer’s back. She did the impossible and gave both him and me a second chance.
I’m determined to do better for him this time. Once I’m done talking to her, Archer’s the next on my list to make things right with.
Her gray eyes widen in surprise before she ducks her head. She shoves a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear before mumbling, “No problem.”
I clench my jaw at her saying it wasn’t a problem. I know how close she came to not making it, so it was, in fact, a huge problem.
I step into her space until I’m toe to toe with her. “Don’t, Isabel. Don’t act like you didn’t almost die healing my brother.”
Looking up at me in surprise, Izzy crinkles her forehead in confusion. “What?”
Running a hand through my hair, I try to pull myself together.
“We had to watch you writhing in pain on the ground and bleeding profusely for three hours. Three goddamn hours. You let out the most heart-wrenching screams for about an hour until you lost your voice. Then we had to watch you scream silently until you finally passed out. None of us were sure you were going to make it.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispers while avoiding my gaze.
“Are you?” I growl at her. “Because you jump into danger at every turn.”
She has a stunning disregard for her safety when anyone else is in danger, and it infuriates me.
“It’s not like I had a choice, wolf boy. I couldn’t just let Archer fucking die.” Her voice chokes up, and she struggles to get out the last word.
I know she’s right. I know she was in an impossible position. I know there’s nothing else she could’ve done. But if she keeps making these choices, she’s eventually going to run out of luck.
When she does, my little mate will be gone forever, and I can’t live in a world without her. I just can’t.
Wrapping an arm around her, I haul her against me. “I know you didn’t have a choice in that situation, and I’m endlessly grateful you brought him back. But I need you to promise me you’ll never do anything like that again.”
Her mouth opens in surprise before she narrows her eyes at me. “You know I can’t make that promise. If something like this happens again, which I hope to God it doesn’t, I would make the exact same choice.”
As much as I don’t want to lose Archer, Cain, Bishop, or even Levi, I’d rather one of us die than Izzy.
“Wrong fucking answer,” I growl before swooping down to slam my lips against hers.
Even though she’s angry, she still melts against me and opens for me when I sweep my tongue into her mouth.
She tastes exactly like she smells, and I have to hold in a groan at the sunshine and berry flavor exploding across my taste buds.
She throws her arms around my neck, trying to get as close to me as she can. I tangle a hand in her hair and tilt her face for better access as I continue devouring her.
When I eventually pull away from the kiss, I lean my forehead on hers. “You drive me crazy. You know that, wildcat?”
“I’ve heard it a time or two,” she pants, still looking dazed from the kiss. My lips kick up into a smug smile at how much I affect her with just a kiss.
“You going to promise me not to put yourself in danger like that again?” When she shakes her head, I sigh. “Guess I’ll just have to find a way to convince you.”
She has a second to look puzzled before I grab her around her waist and lift her up into my arms. Squeaking in surprise at the sudden position change, she wraps her legs and arms around me to keep herself steady, like she thinks I’d drop her.
Huffing at her lack of faith, I carry her the few steps to one of the chaises. I kneel on it before lowering her down onto her back.
She blinks up at me in confusion until I hike her long dress up around her hips, giving me a great view of her pussy. The only thing in the way is her underwear. Fisting the material in one hand, I yank it toward me, effortlessly tearing the thin lace.
“Luca!” Izzy shouts in surprise. She looks between the black lace in my hand and me a few times, like she doesn’t understand what happened.
“Yes, wildcat?” I try hard to keep the smile out of my voice, enjoying her reaction more than I should.
She glares at me and crosses her arms over her chest, pushing up her breasts. “You just shredded my panties! What the fuck?”
“It was easier than taking them off. Don’t worry. I’ll buy you ten more pairs, if that’s really what you want.”
“That’s not the…” She trails off as I rub her clit in small circles. Tilting her head back and closing her eyes, she loses herself to the sensations.
“What’s that?” I ask, knowing full well what I’m doing.
She opens her mouth to say something right as I shove a finger inside her. All that comes out is a breathy moan. I can’t help the satisfied smile at making her lose all coherent thought and unable to do anything other than feel.
Pushing another one inside her, I let out a soft groan at how she clamps down around me, her pussy milking my fingers. My dick twitches at the thought of being buried to the hilt in her. With my other hand, I rub my erection, trying to get a little relief from how rock-hard I am.
After a minute or two of working my fingers in and out of her, I feel her start to get close. Her breathing picks up, and she digs her fingers into the velvet of the chaise. Izzy’s entire body pulls taut as she prepares to fall off the edge, but I stop before she can come.
Her eyes pop open in surprise.
One side of my mouth tilts up. “You can come when you promise never to do something so damn reckless again.”
“It wasn’t reckless,” she protests. “I had no other choice and had the waters of the Styx to help. That was just about the least reckless healing I’ve ever done.”
That doesn’t make me feel better like she thinks it should. I hate that she’s been healing spirits for years alone and without backup.
Even with the help from the river, she still almost didn’t make it, according to Hades. And there was nothing I could do to help her.
“I want your answer, wildcat.”
She shakes her head. “I’m not promising that.”
I shrug. “Fine. We can do it your way.”
I climb off the chaise and kneel on the floor. Grabbing her by her ankles, I slide Izzy across the chair and over to me. She yelps in surprise at the move and gives me an exasperated look, but she doesn’t say anything.
Grabbing her thighs, I spread her legs apart, wide enough I can wedge my shoulders between them. Then I lean down and suck on her clit.
She lets out a choked shout and arches off the chaise. I place one hand on her stomach to hold her still and use the other one to plunge a finger inside her.
She shoves her hands into my hair, holding on to me like she needs something to anchor her. I swipe my tongue through her folds, and she clutches at me tighter.
I can’t get enough of her sweet, addictive taste as I keep driving her closer and closer with my mouth and fingers.
When I feel her clamp down on me, I pull away. I lick my lips, savoring the lingering flavor of her.
She digs her nails into the chaise and throws her head back in exasperation. When she comes down from her denied release, she lifts up to look at me.
“You’re a dick,” she growls, which is adorable. She is incredibly powerful and could absolutely take me in a fight, but her angry growl is one of the cutest things I’ve ever heard. Not that I’d ever tell her that.
Fighting my smile, I tell her, “Just promise me you won’t sacrifice yourself to heal someone again, and I’ll make you come over and over until you’re begging me to stop.”
I can see that part of her wants to give in. Unfortunately, the more stubborn side of her wins. “Not happening.”
I shrug like it doesn’t really matter to me, but it does. I have a primal need to keep her safe, and I’m willing to do anything and everything to achieve that, even if it makes her pissed at me.
Pushing to my feet, I bend down and grab Izzy by her waist. She rolls her eyes at me for all the manhandling I’m doing. But it’s not like my little mate is the best at following directions.
Walking over to the full-length mirror, I set her down and spin her to face the reflective surface. “Put your hands on the mirror.”
“Why?” she shoots back.
“Because I want to fuck you from behind and look at your gorgeous face at the same time. That okay with you, wildcat?”