Page 19 of Kael (Monsters & Mates #2)

His lips press, part, take, and I let him. I let him consume, let him mould me to him, let him make me forget the cold, the storm, the war brewing outside this cave. Right now, there is only this—us.

His fingers tighten at my waist, his hands so large, they nearly span my back, pressing me flush against him.

Heat radiates from his body, seeping into mine, melting every layer of resistance I still might have left.

I grip his shoulders, nails digging into the hard muscle beneath his tunic as his lips move with a deliberate, aching slowness that undoes me.

He kisses me like he’s learning me, like he’s memorising every shift, every intake of breath, every tremor that passes through me. And fuck, my body responds to him in ways it never has before.

I’ve been kissed before. I’ve wanted before.

But this?

This is something different.

This is a slow-burning fire licking its way through my veins, a deep, consuming hunger that settles low in my stomach and spreads outwards. It’s not just desire—it’s rightness.

Kael groans low, a rumbling sound that sends a shiver down my spine. His hands slide up my back, pressing me even closer, as if he’s trying to fuse us together. His mouth moves from mine, trailing back to my jaw, down the column of my throat, pressing open-mouthed kisses against the sensitive skin.

I gasp, tilting my head to give him more access, and he takes it without hesitation.

His breath is hot against my skin as he murmurs something else in Glowranthian, his voice rough, reverent. I still don’t understand the words, but my body responds, and I push against him, trying to get closer.

The sound of his words rolls through me like a pulse, like a second heartbeat, a calling I don’t fully comprehend but feel all the same. I fist a hand in his tunic, dragging him back to my mouth, and this time it’s me who takes, me who pushes, me who loses myself in him.

Kael groans again, and fuck, I love that sound. Love the way he reacts to me, like he’s barely holding himself together.

One of his hands slides up my spine, tangling in the back of my hair as he deepens the kiss, his tongue sweeping into my mouth, claiming, teasing, coaxing. He’s heat and strength and something else entirely—something mine.

A sharp, unshakable certainty settles in my chest.

It’s never been like this. No one has ever felt like this.

And fuck, I think I’m lost.

Kael’s lips slow against mine, turning soft, gentle. Another press, then another, before he draws back just enough for our breaths to mingle, our noses brushing. His hands remain on my waist, anchoring me, but he doesn’t pull me back in.

I don’t move either.

I don’t want to move. Because fuck, I want him. Desperately. Fiercely. But not like this. Not here, in the cold, in a cave carved into the side of a mountain with a storm raging outside.

I think he senses the battle inside me, because instead of pressing for more, he exhales, slow and steady, his fingers tightening just briefly before he eases his grip. “Let’s finish eating and then sleep,” he says, his voice low and a little rough. “Tomorrow, we’ll need to be alert.”

I swallow, grateful for the out. “Okay,” I surprisingly manage, despite the lingering heat in my veins. “That’s probably a good idea.”

Kael watches me, something unreadable flickering in his glowing eyes. Then, before I can second-guess anything, he leans in and presses a small, sweet kiss to the corner of my mouth. Something in my chest—something uncertain and shaky—unravels at the touch.

“Okay,” I repeat, this time more confidently.

He studies me for a beat longer, then nods in satisfaction before easing back. The space between us feels unnatural after all that heat, but I force myself to move, to refocus. I take stock of myself, running a hand down my arm, my chest.

Huh. I’m actually warm. I blink, then glance up at him. “I’m toasty.”

Kael tilts his head, clearly unfamiliar with the word. “Toast…y?”

I huff a quiet laugh. “It means warm. Comfortable.”

Something shifts in his expression—just a flicker of mischief—before he murmurs, “Then I will ensure you remain as warm as the sun that sets fire to the ocean’s edge, forever wrapped in my embrace.”

I blink. Then I stare. He meets my gaze steadily, like he has no idea he just said something straight out of a dramatic romance novel.

It takes a second for it to click. “Kael,” I start slowly. “Just how often did you read those romance novels?”

His lips twitch. “They were helpful for learning English.”

A chuckle bursts from me, sudden and real, breaking the tension that had coiled tight between us. Kael’s smile is small but there, and I shake my head, shifting off his lap before I do something stupid—like drag him back down and kiss him senseless again.

We eat, his hand on the naked flesh of my back, talking about everything and nothing, the storm still howling outside but feeling a world away. And when it’s time to settle in for the night, I don’t hesitate to let Kael pull me against him, my back to his chest, his arms wrapped securely around me.

His warmth, his strength, the consistent rise and fall of his breathing—all of it eases me into sleep faster than I thought possible. And just before I drift off, one final thought settles in my chest.

For the first time in a long time, I feel safe.