Page 34

Chapter 34

Damien

I stood in front of the burning house, the heat licking at my skin, the scent of smoke and destruction thick in the air. Flames roared like a wild beast, consuming everything in their path. But all I saw was her.

Holly.

She stood there, covered in blood and soot, her chest rising and falling in sharp, ragged breaths. The chaos faded as I focused on her—my heart pounding against my ribcage like it wanted to escape. There was something different about her now. Something darker. Wilder.

This wasn’t just the girl I’d loved through all our twisted moments; this wasn’t the same Holly who had clung to me when I was drowning in my own demons. No, she had stepped into something more primal today—a fierceness that made my gut twist with both admiration and fear.

I had always thought of myself as the one who would protect her, but now she had done something so fierce and unyielding that it shook me to my core. She wasn’t just a reflection of my darkness; she was a force unto herself, standing defiantly against everything that sought to destroy us.

I watched as she took a step toward me, blood-stained hands trembling but resolute. Her eyes were bright, illuminated by the flickering flames behind her, alive with a fire that matched the inferno consuming the house that had once held so many painful memories.

This was no longer just about me or my past; it was about us—together in this moment of chaos. She wasn’t merely an extension of my pain anymore; she was mine in a way I hadn’t fully understood until now.

She’s mine.

The thought reverberated through me with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. In this storm of fire and ash, I felt an undeniable connection—the kind that bound us together even amidst destruction. Whatever awaited us beyond this moment wouldn’t matter because we would face it together.

But even as these thoughts solidified into clarity, another part of me screamed at how reckless this all was. How could I let her dive deeper into my world? The world where darkness lurked behind every corner?

Yet as she took another step forward—her gaze unwavering—I knew there was no turning back.

His voice was raw, hushed. “What did you do?”

Holly exhaled, her eyes steady, unwavering. “She’s gone.”

The weight of her words settled over me like a blanket, heavy and suffocating. My blood thrummed in my ears, something dangerous, something primal twisting inside me. I should’ve felt fear or regret for what had just happened, but I didn’t.

I only felt her.

The fire behind us roared with an insatiable hunger, but it was nothing compared to the heat building in my chest. It ignited a dark sense of pride within me I couldn’t ignore. Holly had stepped into that chaos, faced down the monster that had haunted my life for years—and she hadn’t flinched.

She didn’t back down.

She fought back.

The realization struck me harder than any punch I’d ever taken on the ice. She had become the warrior I never knew she could be—a force of nature willing to risk everything for us, for me. The lines between right and wrong blurred as the adrenaline coursed through my veins, amplifying every sensation. The fire illuminated her face, casting flickering shadows across her features that made her look fierce and wild—an untamed spirit refusing to be caged.

I moved closer to her, my breath coming out in ragged bursts as I took in the sight of her—the blood on her hands from defending herself against my mother’s wrath. There were no barriers left between us now; no distance we needed to traverse.

There was no going back now; we were bound by this moment, sealed in a way I hadn’t anticipated but desperately craved. In that instant of chaos and destruction, everything felt possible; our pasts shattered around us like broken glass scattered across a darkened street.

I didn’t think. I just moved.

In an instant, I was on her, grabbing the back of her neck and crashing my mouth to hers. The kiss was brutal, wild, almost violent. It was a claim—one that echoed through the chaos surrounding us, drowning out the crackle of flames and the fading screams of a world that had tried to tear us apart.

Holly gasped against my lips, her body tensing for just a heartbeat before she melted into me. She didn’t resist; instead, she pressed closer, fingers tangling in my hair like she wanted to pull me even deeper into this moment. It felt primal—an unspoken understanding passing between us as we lost ourselves in each other.

I had been afraid of what I might do if I let her in completely, but right now? I didn’t care about the consequences. The taste of smoke still lingered in the air, but all I could focus on was her—the warmth of her body against mine, the way she fit perfectly like we were two pieces of a puzzle that had finally found their place.

Every worry faded as she pulled me closer, demanding more with each fierce movement of her lips. It was like she was trying to siphon off the chaos and pain that had consumed my life for so long. She needed me as much as I needed her, and it was intoxicating.

The world blurred into insignificance; there was no one else but us in this moment. I felt alive—more than I had in years—and it terrified me how much power she held over me.

When I pulled back slightly to catch my breath, Holly’s eyes locked onto mine, and for a brief second, everything else disappeared. The fire behind us raged on, but it couldn’t touch what we had ignited here—an inferno far more potent than anything raging around us.

I leaned back in for another kiss, pushing aside every thought except for the taste of her on my tongue and the way her body responded to mine. She needed this just as much as I did—this recklessness that felt so damn right amidst all the wrongs we’d faced together.

We stumbled back against the hood of my car, the metal cold beneath us, but I barely registered it. My hands found her thighs, gripping hard as I lifted her onto the hood. She gasped, eyes wide with surprise and something else—something that ignited a fire in my chest.

I spread her open for me, not gently. I couldn’t afford to be gentle now, not after everything that had happened. Not after the way she’d faced down my mother and stood beside me when I’d felt like I was losing control. The anger still coursed through my veins, mixed with an insatiable need.

I tore at her clothes, fingers fumbling but desperate to expose every inch of her skin. My mouth found hers again—biting, marking, claiming. This wasn’t just about desire; it was about possession. It was a primal need to remind both of us who we were to each other.

Every kiss was rougher than the last, each bite more demanding as I marked her neck with bruises that would linger long after this night ended. My hands roamed over her body like I was trying to memorize every curve and contour—the warmth of her skin against mine sending jolts of electricity through me.

This moment felt monumental—a collision of pain and passion that could only exist in the wake of chaos. I pressed my weight against her, feeling the way she bucked beneath me, how her body responded with a fierce heat that matched my own hunger. She wrapped her legs around my waist, pulling me closer as if she could anchor me here in this moment.

This wasn’t just sex; this was something more—something permanent that defied all logic and reason. I wanted to etch myself into her memory just as deeply as she had carved herself into mine.

I pulled away for a brief second to catch my breath, our gazes locking as the world faded into insignificance. In this chaos we created together, nothing else mattered except for us—this wild recklessness fueled by everything we had fought against and everything we had yet to conquer.

I took her breast in my mouth, the taste of sweat and smoke mingling with the sweetness of her skin. I moved hard and fast, my teeth scraping against her skin as I bit down, marking her as mine.

Her moans drowned out the cackling fire, the sound of her pleasure sending a jolt of electricity through me. She wrapped her legs around me, dragging me closer, urging me to go deeper.

"Damien," she whispered, her voice sending me over the edge. It wasn't just my name on her lips—it was a promise, a surrender. She was giving herself to me completely, and it was more than I ever dared to hope for.

My thrusts became harder, faster, more animalistic as I lost myself in the feel of her body against mine. Every movement sent a jolt of electricity through me, and I couldn't get enough. I needed more—more of her heat, more of her moans, more of the way she clung to me like I was her lifeline.

Being inside of her was like coming home. It was a feeling I had never experienced before—a sense of belonging that made every other moment in my life seem insignificant. Her body welcomed me, wrapped around me like a vice, and I reveled in the sensation of being consumed by her.

I bit down on her neck. She shattered around my cock, her muscles clenching tight as she cried out my name. The sound sent me over the edge, and I followed her into oblivion, coming inside of her with a force that left me breathless.

For a moment, everything else faded away—the fire, the chaos, the pain. All that mattered was the connection between us, the way our bodies moved together in perfect harmony. I felt invincible, like nothing could ever tear us apart again.

But as the haze of pleasure began to dissipate, reality came crashing back down around me. The fire still raged, casting flickering shadows across Holly's face as she looked up at me with wide eyes. I knew we couldn't stay here, not with the flames closing in.

But for now, I held onto her, savoring the feeling of her body pressed against mine. We had faced the darkness together and come out the other side, stronger and more united than ever before. Whatever challenges lay ahead, I knew we would face them together—because in this moment, there was no denying the truth: we belonged to each other, and nothing could ever change that.

Afterward, we lay against the cooling metal of the car, the fire still smoldering in the distance. The heat of our moment lingered in the air, but the adrenaline was beginning to ebb, leaving behind a charged silence filled with everything unsaid.

Our skin felt slick against each other, marked with scratches and bruises—proof of what had just happened. I propped myself up on my elbows, looking down at her. Holly looked different in this light, illuminated by the dying flames; her lips were swollen, darkened with a mix of passion and raw need. Her eyes held a depth that made my heart race—a dark knowledge that sent shivers down my spine.

I reached down and pressed my fingers into her wrist, feeling her pulse beneath my fingertips. It thumped steadily—a reminder that she was here with me, alive and real.

“You belong to me now,” I murmured, feeling a strange sense of ownership wash over me.

Her breath shuddered at my words. Not in fear. In acceptance.

She sat up slowly, her fingers trailing down my chest as if mapping every scar and muscle. There was something fierce in her gaze—a determination that made my heart slam against my ribs.

“Then mark me,” she said, voice low but steady.

Those words hung between us like a promise—or maybe a challenge. She didn’t mean a ring or sweet words whispered in soft tones. No, she meant something real. Something ancient. Permanent.

I felt a possessive instinct surge within me—a need to claim her in a way that transcended mere words or symbols. To make sure there was no doubt left about what we were to each other.

I leaned closer, capturing her gaze with mine as I reached for her throat with one hand—my fingers brushing lightly over her skin before tightening just enough to feel the flutter of her pulse beneath my touch.

“You don’t get to take this back, little lamb.”

I watched her, searching for a flicker of doubt in her eyes. But she didn’t blink. Didn’t hesitate.

“I don’t want to.”

Her voice held a certainty that struck me deeper than any blade ever could. I exhaled sharply; the air shuddering out of my lungs as I dragged my teeth over her collarbone. The taste of her skin ignited something primal within me, a hunger that was no longer just about lust—it was about claiming her.

With a quick motion, I bit down, hard enough to break the skin. Blood pooled beneath my teeth, warm and rich. I lapped it up eagerly, feeling the heat wash over me like fire igniting every nerve ending.

Holly gasped, nails digging into my back as she arched against me—her breath hitching not in pain but in pleasure. It sent a jolt through me, igniting the chaos simmering just beneath the surface.

“Mine,” I whispered, my voice low and thick with need.

She leaned forward then, capturing my gaze with an intensity that stole the breath from my lungs. I felt the world shift as she pressed her mouth to my skin. She bit into my neck where it met my shoulder, breaking the surface flesh so blood welled up in tiny rivulets.

The sensation was electric. As she cleaned up the blood with her tongue—soft and teasing—I couldn’t help but groan at the sensation of her mouth on me. Each lick sent shockwaves through my body; each drop she tasted was another promise exchanged between us.

The scar she left behind would be mine—a mark of our shared darkness and desire—a tattoo forged in blood that spoke volumes about what we were becoming together.

I gripped her tighter, lost in the heady mix of pain and pleasure as we transformed each other into something more fierce and beautiful than either of us had ever known before. This was our truth—a chaotic dance painted in crimson shades under a backdrop of unrestrained passion and desperation for one another.

The morning light spilled into the wreckage, illuminating the charred remains of what had been a moment of chaos turned intimacy. The fire finally died behind us, the smoke curling up into the sky like a fading memory. Sirens echoed in the distance, growing louder as the firemen approached, but for now, all I could focus on was Holly.

I tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet my gaze. “You’d burn the whole world down for me, wouldn’t you?”

Her smile was slow and knowing, like she had already calculated every risk involved. “I already did.”

My chest tightened at her words, something raw and deep twisting inside me. I had never loved her more than I did in that moment—amidst the ashes and uncertainty of everything around us.

Leaning in, I kissed her again, softer this time but no less claiming. The taste of smoke lingered on our lips as I pulled away just enough to search her eyes. “Then we don’t need the world anymore.”

I meant it. Whatever was out there—whatever judgments or consequences awaited us—I didn’t care. All that mattered was here and now, with her nestled against me like a lifeline.

The wailing sirens grew louder as they approached our sanctuary of ruin, but I couldn’t pull myself away from her warmth. It felt like a cocoon—a protective bubble against everything that threatened to tear us apart. Her fingers brushed against my chest as if trying to memorize the rhythm of my heartbeat, anchoring us both amidst the impending chaos.

“Damien,” she whispered softly, concern creeping into her voice.

“What?” I searched her face for worry; it always seemed to linger just beneath the surface whenever we ventured too close to this edge together.

“I love you.”

I brushed a thumb across her cheekbone, feeling every curve of her face under my fingertips like it was an intricate map I needed to navigate carefully. “I love you too, little lamb. You're mine, bound by blood. I'm never letting you go again."