Page 15

It was funny. Once I stopped fighting the other Eva, it was so easy to simply close my eyes and search for who I wanted.

Zane.

Out of all the mages who had saved me, he knew more than any of them what it was like to fight with something inside of you, tearing you apart until you feel powerless.

Except what Zane didn’t know was that he had another choice. One that would not only help him but me and my plans as well.

If I was going to take down the mages and get justice for my mother and myself, I needed allies. Specifically, someone on the inside, someone close to Arch Mage Adam.

Not surprisingly, Zane was in the chapel, kneeling before the stone cross, a red branch twisted into a matching cross embedded into the center of it. The rage that usually boiled beneath the surface at the sight of the symbol of the mages barely even itched now.

My fingers trailed through the air as my consciousness found the faint lines of magic wrapped around the building. It took just the barest stroke of my own magic against it to inch my way between the lines of their security.

With barely a thought, purple mist enveloped me, and I reappeared on the stone bench just to the left of where Zane knelt.

I tossed the skirt of my violet gown to my sides. The split exposed my legs as I crossed one over the other, one hand settling onto the bench as I leaned to one side.

For a moment, I didn’t say anything. I let my gaze slide over Zane’s form. His blood red hair half hazard braided over his shoulder; his black shirt wrinkled. He still hadn’t been sleeping. The bruises beneath his eyes were faint but they were there.

It made my heart ache to see him so distraught because of me.

“Is anyone listening?” I finally asked, announcing my presence.

Zane jolted, falling over as he spun around to face me. His hazel eyes widened when they locked onto me. Relief filled his eyes but also... fear.

“Eva. What are you doing here?” His eyes shifted from side to side, a slight tremor to his voice. “How did you get in here?”

I cocked my head to the side, my lashes lowering as a sultry smile played on my lips. “My, my, Zane. Are you scared of me? I’m hurt. And here I thought we really had a moment before in your office.”

Zane dragged his hand through his bangs, pulling on at the end of his braid. “You killed Master Tuck, Eva. And you did it so...” He wiped his mouth with his hand. “So easily. It didn’t take you any effort at all.”

My lips curled up higher. “Well, Master Tuck was in the way. Now, Adam is Arch Mage, and his biggest competition is gone.”

“That’s not how this works,” Zane snapped, his face flushed red with anger. “You can’t just decide who lives or dies. We would have taken care of Master Tuck the right way.”

I slid off the bench onto my knees and crawled across the floor toward him. Zane tensed, not moving as I came toward him. Though the fear was still there, his eyes kept darting down to my ample cleavage and my legs, where my dress had drawn up higher.

If I hadn’t accepted who I was, the very idea of crawling to him would have sent me blushing madly as I fled the room. Now, though, the power of having his eyes on me, knowing that he desired me, warmed my body and sent a thrill down my spine.

“Did you know,” I murmured, placing my hands on either side of him, drawing in close until our breath mingled, “that it was Master Tuck who found me?”

“What?” Zane breathed, his eyelashes fluttering darting down to my lips before meeting my gaze.

“Oh, yes,” I purred, straddling his lap where he knelt, my hands settling his shoulders. “You see, Tuck thought to use me to take out the competition and then the mages council, because he,” I trailed my fingers along the side of his face, brushing my thumb beneath his eyes where bags had sunk in his skin, “he thought they were weak. That they were being too kind to the humans.” I rotated my hips against Zane’s, pulling a grunt from his lips.

“And he thought you would help him.” His long fingers grasped my hips, not pulling me closer but not pushing me away either.

He hardened beneath me. I pushed down harder on him, grinding my core against him, his legs spread slightly pressing our cores closer together. I brushed my lips against his, not quite kissing him yet. “All of his research made him think I was some powerful mage who hated humans as much as he did.”

“And you know what you are now?” His hands tightened on my hips, not just holding me, but rocking against me.

My lips ticked up at the edges and then I gasped, a long moan escaping me. “I’m a queen.”

“What happened, Eva?” His hand held my hips, keeping me from moving against him. “You’re... different.”

My eyes lit up. “Am I?” I trailed my fingers down his chest, pushing my breasts up until they were pressed up against him. “Maybe I’m just becoming who I really am. Is that a bad thing?”

Zane’s hands cupped my face, his gaze searching mine. “Only if you’ve become a danger.”

I threw my head back and laughed. “Oh, Zane. I’ve always been a danger. Just not to you.” I leaned in to kiss him, but Zane turned his head from me.

“Do you hate humans, Eva?”

I licked my lips and pulled my lower lip between my teeth, hoping to tempt him back to what I was offering.

When he didn’t comply, I sighed, smoothing my hands over his hair. “My mother was human, and they killed her for it.”

“Eva. I don’t know what to say. And your father?”

I licked my lips again before leaning forward and nipping at his lower lip. “A mage.” My hand dragged down his front, playing at the top of his pants as we locked eyes.

He didn’t stop me but leaned his head to the side, staring at me. “You must hate us very much.”

I huffed a laugh before dipping my hand beneath his trousers, pulling his length out, hard and hot in my palm.

Zane sucked in a breath as I stroked him.

“Hardly,” I murmured as I pressed my lips to his in a chaste kiss.

Lifting myself up, I let him feel how bare and ready I was for him. Desire pulsated through me. The combination of having everything I wanted in my grasp and, in no small part, just being with Zane had me more than ready to take the next step.

To my surprise, Zane stopped me. “Are you sure we should be doing this, Eva? We should tell the others. They’d understand if we just explained this all to them.”

“I will,” I promised, tightening my fingers in his hair. “But first, I want this.” Capturing his lips with mine, I kissed Zane as if it were my last day on earth.

Our tongue tangled, all hesitancy in his movements quickly dissolving with each press of our lips. Zane helped me guide him to my entrance, our mouths breaking to breathe as I sank down onto him.

I sucked in a breath, acclimating to the size of him inside of me. His hands stroked up and down my sides, not rushing me until I was ready and I began moving.

Our eyes bored into each other as I moved on him, gasping and groaning with each movement. Zane’s expression held so much awe and adoration that it made my chest tighten just a bit at what I planned to do.

“You’re so beautiful.” Zane kissed me again, his eyes closed briefly as he gave himself over to the moment.

Sliding my hand down his chest to the sigil tattooed over his heart, I waited for the inevitable.

Each time Zane’s demon took over, it was because he’s dropped his guard. While I could have accomplished this without bedding him, the desire to touch him, to have his lips against mine, gave me every excuse I needed to choose this way.

Zane’s eyes tightened and his brows furrowed for a moment before the hands on me became a bruising touch. His lips on mine turned brutal and violent.

Pain slashed through my lower lip, blood filling my mouth at the cut on my lip.

There he was.

Red piercing eyes bore into mine as Zane’s demon took over. His hand gripped the back of my neck, jerking my head back. “Now, what have we here? Who knew that our little pious cleric had it in him?”

“He cares for me.” I traced the lines of the sigil on his chest, moving my hips just a little faster to draw a moan from the demon.

The demon chuckled, his nails scraping against my throat. “Oh, little sinner. I think we both know he more than cares about you. Our little cleric is in love.”

“And you?” I leaned forward and teased his lips with my own. “How do you feel about all this?”

Suddenly, Zane pushed me back until I laid flat on my back. From there, he thrusted into me with a renewed force. “I think our little cleric needs to get laid more often if it lets me come out and play.”

“Good,” I moaned, taking everything he gave to me in earnest. Where Zane was all softness and love, the demon took me with a force that teased the line of pain.

Just what I wanted right now.

The hand on the back of my neck moved to the front of my throat, pushing down until breathing became worrisome. Still, panic didn’t settle in my heart. In fact, the more he tried to hurt me, the more I reveled in it.

After a moment, the demon pulled back, his brow furrowed once more. His hand on my throat loosened, and his thrusts slowed but didn’t stop. He grabbed one of my thighs and hitched it up around his waist.

“You’re different. Where’s that fear I so loved to breathe in from you? It was intoxicating, but this... is new.” He cocked his head to the side, pausing his movements. “Who are you?”

“Let’s play a game.” The vicious grin that covered my face made the demon frown. Pushing up onto my elbows, I stroked my fingers over his chest, playing with the edges of his shirt before pulling him down to my level so I could nip at his lip. “Do you want to cause a bit of.. chaos?”

A low growl came before his mouth descended on mine. Instead of just taking what I gave him, he grabbed at my dress, ripping the bodice until my breasts came free. His mouth moved from mine and dipped down to my chest, sucking and biting at my flesh.

Not one to let someone else have all the control, I grabbed the hand on my hip and dragged it between us.

Those red eyes lifted from my breast to meet my gaze as I pushed his fingers against my core. I used him to stroke myself in hard movements that had me opening my mouth in a silent scream. My inner muscles spasmed, gripping around his length until his eyes flickered from red to hazel and back.

Before Zane could take over, I brought my lips to his ear, my eyes catching movement over his shoulder. “I need you to find some secrets for me.”

“About who?”

“The council.” I pulled back, now knowing if he heard me before Zane’s eyes finally shifted back to his own.

My gaze locked with Gage’s in the doorway of the chapel. My lips ticked up ever so slightly.

Zane jerked back into himself and looked at me, panic in his eyes. “Oh my god, Eva. I’m so sorry.” His gaze settled on my ripped dress and the bite marks on my breasts. “He hurt you.”

I cupped his face with my hands and drew him close. “No. No. He didn’t. Don’t stop.” I rolled my hips against him, squeezing him until the feeling of me around him overrode what his alter half might have done in his stead.

Kissing him softly, I rode him until his body tensed and he held me closer, groaning against my neck. “God, Eva. I can’t hold it.”

My eyes locked with Gage’s. He hadn’t moved from where he stood.

I bent my lips to Zane’s ear and murmured, “You feel so good. Don’t stop.”

Zane thrust into me in rapid succession, chasing the end so near. My eyes stayed on Gage the whole time, my own release a slow ebb that wouldn’t crest before Zane’s.

But Zane surprised me. He reached his hand between us and pinched my clit, sending a shock of pleasure through me.

My head fell back, a long cry ripping from my throat. Zane groaned in turn, pulsing inside of me until he filled me with his release. His forehead pressed against my throat before he placed a soft kiss there.

“That was amazing. You were amazing.”

I pressed my lips to his brow before locking eyes with Gage once more. “I know.”

Gage’s hands tightened into fists, and he stepped forward.

I’d gotten what I wanted and didn’t see this going well if I stayed any longer. So I drew back from Zane and brushed my nose against his. “I’m not your enemy, Zane. Remember that.”

Purple light surrounded me before I disappeared and reappeared back in my bedroom at Rebecca’s house.

I collapsed back on the bed, my fingers trailing over the bite marks on my breasts. Only time would tell if my efforts had been wasted or not.

Though, at that moment, I couldn’t imagine anything about what had just happened as a waste.