Page 93 of The Primal of Blood and Bone (Blood and Ash #6)

“Yes,” he answered. “And then hopefully feeding.” He paused. “On Emil.”

I laughed. “Why is it always Emil?”

“Honestly?” His blue eyes sparked with amusement. “At this point, I think the Fates are conspiring to ensure that it’s him.”

I snorted. “And here I thought it was your doing.”

“I shall never admit to such a thing,” he said, moving on to a row of decanters and bottles higher up.

I had no idea what he was looking for since they mostly looked the same to me.

He finally settled on one and poured each of us a glass.

Turning, he handed me one and nodded toward the sitting chamber.

“So, how are you feeling knowing you’re a Primal god? I’m sure you weren’t expecting to end up with an extra dose of eather.”

“I can’t say either of us expected that,” he admitted.

“Do you…feel normal?”

One shoulder lifted. “Pretty much.”

“Really?” I eyed him closely. I’d always found it a bit difficult to know exactly what Kieran was thinking.

“Yes.” He dragged a hand over his head. “At first, I was confused by what’d happened—the near-constant hum of energy in my veins and here,” he said, dropping the hand to his chest. “That was…odd at first. But I’ve gotten used to it.

I’m fine. Especially now that I know we’re not false Primals. That was messing with my head.”

“Now that you know you’re not a false Primal, will you try to summon the eather? Or don’t you know how?”

An eyebrow rose. “I haven’t, but I’m sure I can figure out how to summon the essence.”

“You sure about that?” I teased.

“I am a wolven,” he replied dryly. “How do you think I change forms?”

“Oh.”

Kieran laughed, the tone deep and rich. I started to speak when I suddenly felt a chill of unease prickling my neck.

It wasn’t as intense as what I’d felt when the Ancients began to Awaken, nowhere near that, but I stilled and held my breath.

Could something like that be happening again? No, Holland had said it wouldn’t.

“I think the essence of life is much easier to handle,” he said, pulling my attention back to him. “You would know.”

I bit my lip, thinking of Casteel’s reaction earlier.

“You’re right, but just so you know, the essence of life isn’t exactly a walk in the park to control, either.

You’ll know the first time you feel that pull.

And you have to be careful. With mortals, if life is given… then another is taken in its place.”

He leaned forward. “Are you saying that when all the mortals who died fighting at the Bone Temple were restored…?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know.” The vadentia had gone quiet. Typical. “Maybe with both Seraphena and Nyktos intervening, it ensured some sort of balance.”

“Man.” He ran a hand over his jaw. “I hope so.”

“Yeah.” I sighed. “But it’s not just that. Making the choice to bring someone back?” I swallowed. “It’s easy. Too easy.”

“I know.” He reached across the space between us, his fingers brushing my leg as he placed his hand over mine, stopping me from pulling at a stray thread on the hem of the shirt.

“I do know.” He squeezed and then dropped his arm.

A moment passed. “It’s still easier than controlling the essence of death. ”

“Yeah.” I laughed. “Still easier.” I cradled the glass against my chest. “I wonder why the essence split the way it did between you two.”

“Perhaps it’s because she ,” he said, his voice dropping in a way that made me grin, “created the wolven.”

“Possibly,” I murmured. That made sense, but I didn’t think that was the only reason. But I had no idea why I thought that. Had to be the vadentia . “Did you see how Cas looked?”

“Kind of hard not to,” he replied, settling in the armchair.

“The shadows in his skin? They matched the marks I saw on the Ancients.”

“I haven’t seen them on you.” He looked at me as he slumped back. “Then again, you haven’t gone full Primal since you woke.”

“Sounds like I went full Primal when I was possessed.”

“You didn’t,” he said, looking away.

Yeah, because he and who knows who else wouldn’t be here if I had.

But Casteel…? “He hadn’t been going full Primal then either.”

Kieran squinted as he took a drink. “You and I will make sure Cas stays level,” he said, somehow knowing where my mind had gone. Maybe his mind had gone there, too.

My chest squeezed as my gaze lifted to his, my mind flipping to the promise I’d made him swear to. “And what if neither he nor I stay level?”

“Then I guess I’ll have my hands full.”

“Kieran.” I sighed. “You’re not our…”

“Nanny?” he suggested.

My lips flattened.

“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit. I’ve always thought that.” His steady gaze held mine. “But he won’t do anything to jeopardize you, and him losing control would do just that.”

“I’m not worried about him losing control,” I argued.

Kieran raised a brow as he leaned back again and took a drink.

“Okay. Maybe just a little,” I admitted, thinking about what the Fates had said. “But only because I know how hard it can be to control the essence.”

Kieran nodded, falling quiet for several moments before shaking his head.

“Of all the birds,” he muttered, unease filling his voice.

“It had to be ravens .” He dragged a hand over his chest. “My people see them as an omen—well, not so much any longer. But the eldest of the wolven? They did. It’s because of what they represent to the gods.

” His gaze lowered to his glass. “Ravens serve as a warning,” he said. “Of death and destruction.”

About an hour or so later, awareness throbbed in my chest, alerting me to Casteel’s presence before he returned.

I hopped up from the settee. Ignoring Kieran’s raised brow, I placed my glass on the table and darted into the main chamber.

Casteel strode into the room, flipping a switch on the wall. Warm, buttery light spilled through the space as I skidded to a halt. The sight of him never failed to make my breath catch.

“There you are,” he said, the light of the chandelier glinting off his cheekbone, as he made his way toward me. His steps slowed, and his eyes heated to a warm honey as he swept his gaze over me. He drew his lower lip in, flashing a hint of a fang. “ Poppy ,” he spoke, his voice dropping low.

Sharp swirls of tight, hot tingles twisted through me at how he purred my name. “What?”

His gaze slowly moved up to mine. “You know what.”

“I…” I looked down as he came forward.

“The shirt.” He stopped in front of me, dipping his head so his lips brushed my ear. “There’s only one thing more arousing than seeing you wearing my clothing.” He pressed a kiss to my pulse, then whispered, “And that’s you naked and spread open for me.”

My breath stalled for the second time in a matter of seconds.

His deep, smoky laugh sent a thrill dancing down my spine.

“I didn’t mean to be gone so long,” he said, stepping back as he ran his fingers over his baldric, finding the hook.

“It’s okay. Kieran was keeping me company.” I looked up at him, immediately seeing that his features weren’t as stark, and the hue of his lips had deepened. The hair at his temples and nape was also slightly damp. “You fed.”

Unstrapping the sword, he turned and stepped onto the dais. “I did.”

“On Emil?”

“Unfortunately,” he drawled, laying the still-harnessed sword over the back of a chair. “I’m beginning to think he actually likes it.”

I snorted. “How long before you can feed from me?”

“At least a couple of weeks,” he said. “Possibly longer.”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Someone sounds jealous,” Casteel murmured, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt as he faced me. “But I likely won’t need to feed more than once between now and then.”

I groaned, hating that I couldn’t give him what he needed.

“Trust me when I say I would’ve preferred to feed from you.” Stepping down from the dais, he looped an arm around my waist and pulled me to his chest. “I’m not taking any chances when it comes to you.”

“I think you’ve forgotten what I am.”

“I will never forget,” he said as he cradled the back of my head, “ who you are.”

My heart skipped and then sped up as his lips captured mine in a slow, languid kiss that ended all too soon.

With a groan, he lifted his mouth from mine. He trailed his fingers over my still-damp hair, his lashes lowering as he eyed the hair he held. “I see you made use of the tub.”

“I did.” I placed my hands on his chest. His shirt was damp. “Should I be concerned with your sweatiness since you were feeding from Emil?”

“When I went to speak with Murin, he was holding training,” he said, letting his fingers travel the length of the strand. “I decided to join them.” His lashes swept up as envy sparked. One side of his lips curled up. “Jealous again?”

“Yes.” My palms practically tingled with the need to feel a sword against them. “It feels like forever since I’ve trained.”

“We’ll make time,” he promised, his head lowering once more.

His mouth brushed over mine. I shuddered and felt his lips curve just before the pressure of the kiss increased.

He lifted me onto the tips of my toes and tugged on my lower lip with a drag of his fang, eliciting a gasp from me.

The kiss deepened, and his tongue slid over mine.

This time when we parted, it was me who whimpered.

“Behave yourself,” he murmured.

“Me?” A throaty laugh left me.

“Yes. You.”

My fingers curled into the front of his shirt. “I do believe it was you who kissed me .”

“Lies.” He nipped my lip, the evidence of his arousal pressing against my stomach, drawing a soft moan from me as I heard Kieran approach.

“Who’s misbehaving?” Kieran asked, entering the main chamber.

“Our Queen, per usual,” Casteel replied.

“What? I was just standing here,” I said, turning in his embrace.

“I was being responsible,” Casteel continued as Kieran handed him a glass of whiskey. “And she attempted to steal away my virtue.”

Kieran’s lips pressed into a flat line as his gaze flicked over him. “I wasn’t aware you had any of that left.”