Page 45 of Seared Fates

All night my hand rested on the smooth curve of Kai’s lower back. Every inch of him pressing against me—separated only by his pyjamas I’ve come to fucking despise and my own thick denim jeans and black T-shirt. Never have I been tested more than in resisting the urge to tear away all material between us and finally confront this confusing, relentless attraction.

Well…his old band tee covers the majority of his back. While Kai shifted in his sleep (another frustration I’ve had to contend with), a sliver of smooth skin lay exposed. Just enough for me to stroke with the tip of my little finger, again and again…

The spellbook might’ve burnt, but this little patch of Kai scorches.

His frame is lean, yet his body holds a hidden softness—the opposite of my own hard-won muscles. As the hours passed, my anger at Emma stayed sharp, but it slowly quieted with my nose buried in his braids. So with nothing else to focus on, and in the tranquillity of lavender and pencil shavings, I began to unwrap how I truly feel about Kai.

I’ve never lusted after a man; yet Kai awakens feelings that I’ve only experienced with women.

No. That isn’t right. Or, too simplified. The pull I have towards Kai might be Fate, but I can’t deny that she chose well. He is everything I’ve ever wanted—passionate and kind, funny and stubborn and challenging—all wrapped in a package thatis far too captivating. Place jade and emeralds and every green gemstone in front of me, and nothing would compare to the brilliance of his eyes. Or capture the sparkle that glows within them.

Over a thousand years I’ve listened to music, and not one could conjure the song of his laugh.

So, in the dark with Kai in my arms, I wonder how we could even make this work. Perhaps a non-sexual relationship? I would sleep with women, and he would sleep with—

Jealousy—sharp enough to cut, digs deep into my gut. Any man whodarestouch Kai should hide their necks, unless they want it torn out by my fangs.

I bury my nose deeper into Kai’s hair and inhale to calm myself as frustration eats at me. If even hypothetical men after my soulmate drives me insane, there’s no winning for either of us.

Kai shifts and yawns, taking me out of my thoughts as he rejoins the waking world. I gently stroke between his shoulder blades and the sliver of skin at his back.

“Good morning, little prince,” I murmur, brushing my lips across his forehead.

He sighs and snuggles deeper. He smells warm and sleepy.

“Am I dreaming?” he mumbles, eyes still closed.

I bring my lips down to his ear. “Dreaming about me, are you?”

I should stop flirting with him and touching him, and caring about him. Really, the list goes on for what I should do.

But I can’t stop myself.

Kai blinks, staring up at me for long moments before pinching my cheek hard enough to leave a mark. “Ouch,” I grunt. Though it didn’t really hurt.

“Huh, guess I’m awake.”

“And you couldn’t test that on yourself?”

He stretches out his long body, his band tee riding up, and his pinch is long forgotten as I can finally rest my hand on the sleep-warmed skin of his lower back.

“Why would I do that when you're so pinchable?” Kai sits up, but I tug him back. His weight and heat, and scent are all too addicting to release. Another thing I should stop.

“I need my glasses,” he mutters, his breath ghosting across my neck.

Instead of letting him go, I sit up, my arm anchoring us together and look down to see the things he’s looking for and grab them, sliding his round glasses onto his nose.

“I didn’t know you wore glasses.” It sounds like an accusation. But I want to know everything about him, I want to know more than anyone else. More than his family or Golden.

Rurik.

“Sometimes in the mornings, but mostly when I’m drawing or tattooing.”

His cheek drops against my chest, his hand on my pec. I fight to remain still, hoping he doesn’t notice the cock I’ve failed to argue back to softness.

“The spellbook?” he reluctantly asks.

“Nothing,” I assure him.