Page 80 of The Serpent and the Silver Wolf

Aimee didn’t need to look to know it was Kiba. He sighed softly before stretching out to lie on his side facing her. The fine hairs along her neck stood on end as his breath ghosted across her skin, threading through the cool air like a whisper she wasn’t ready to hear.

“That wasn’t the first life you’ve taken.” He spoke in a hushed tone as the others slept on, undisturbed.

“No,” she replied quietly.

In truth, she had long lost count. Hundreds, thousands? She had no idea how many lives she’d ended over the countless years she’d spent on Missions for the Pattern. She had stopped trying to keep track long ago. It didn’t bother her. It hadn’t in a very long time, a fact she tried not to think about too much.

“He was right, though. You didn’t have to.” The callused pad of Kiba’s thumb dragged across her cheekbone, rough against her skin.

“I suppose not.” It was all she could say.

“Who are you, Aimee?” The words rolled out, deep and measured. “And why can’t I stop thinking about you? Seeing you in my dreams?”

His thumb brushed gently over her mouth.

“I wish I knew the full story.” Her eyes closed as she leaned into his touch. “But most times, I’m glad I don’t.”

His finger slipped past her lips, and she took him in with a soft hum, tongue curling around the rough pad as it pressed deeper. Her mouth moved without thought—slick, searching, tasting the salt of his skin, the bite of callus against the softness of her tongue.

Her lashes fluttered as her eyes opened, lungs locking when she found his gaze already locked to hers, dark and unmoving.

He held her jaw steady, fingers splayed warm along her cheek, guiding her as she sucked slow and deep, letting each swirl of her tongue linger, unbroken, like breath drawn between them.

Suddenly, Taiga jolted upright. “It’s burning!” he cried out, voice piercing the quiet.

Aimee blinked, and the space beside her was empty once more. The Squad Leader was gone.

Her eyes darted to the far side of the barn, where a faint glint of moonlight caught the edge of a single glowing eye watching her from the shadows.

“Fuuuuuuck.” She licked her lips, savoring the lingering taste of him before rolling over with a frustrated groan.How the hell am I supposed to sleep now?

Chapter twenty-three

“Thatwasthecoolest…thing…ever!”Taiga shouted as he jumped into the air for what had to be the fiftieth time since they’d landed on the other side of the Waygate.

Nearby, Momoka and Iruka exchanged a glance, both trying to play it cool and failing. Momoka crossed her arms and huffed as Iruka pretended to examine his gear, their mouths twitching as if fighting back grins.

Aimee nudged the girl with her shoulder. “Come on, you know that was pretty cool. I mean, we practically flew here at hyper-speed!”

Iruka’s lips quirked upward. “Yeah, fine.” His voice couldn’t quite mask the excitement. “It was…okay.”

“Okay?!” Taiga whirled around. “You guys are nuts. That was amazing!” He spread his arms wide, moving in quick bursts around the clearing, mimicking the sensation of the Waygate’s flight.

“Whatever.” Iruka rolled his eyes again.

Mouth turning up as she watched her friends, her gaze found Kiba standing a little ways off, studying the map with Oba-chan. No doubt, he was already plotting out the next leg of their journey.

She sauntered over, rising on her tiptoes to peek over his shoulder. “Where to next, boss?”

Kiba tensed at her proximity, his shoulders stiffening for just a moment before he relaxed. Aimee noticed the way his hand hovered for a second, like he was about to reach for her but thought better of it.

“Aimee, do not call me that. I am your Squad Leader or Ryosh.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

He isn’t just going to pretend last night didn’t happen, is he?she asked herself. She hadn’t been able to sleep a wink after Taiga’s sleep-talking had disturbed whatever the hell had been happening between them.

Oba-chan grumbled about kids not respecting their elders anymore, then winked at Aimee, a glimmer of amusement in her eyes.