Page 162 of Ashborne Forged

A small rush of cool air fluttered one of the curtains behind the bench, chilling the backs of my ankles… then it died.

I frowned and turned to look—gasping when the velvet curtain billowed out suddenly, revealing black shadows and a blank wall behind it—and two, thick, masculine arms, hands clawed, and reaching for me.

I would have shrieked, but one of those calloused palms clapped over my mouth, and the other wrapped around my waist, pulling me backward from the bench seat and into a dank, narrow stone corridor behind the curtain. I flailed, and grabbed for those arms to fight.

‘I’ve got you. Grace… it’s me.’

I went still. Eyes wide. Breath huffing from my nose, over the hand clapped over my mouth.

‘Voski?’

The hands turned me. The door into this space had mostly closed behind the curtain, so there was barely any light that reached where I stood, my back to the chilled stone. But I’d recognize the gleam of those eyes anywhere.

I sucked in a breath and threw myself at him in the same moment, Voski descended on me with a tormented groan.

54. Found You

SOUNDTRACK: Fire Eyes by Suprhot and Elena Westerman.

~ VOSKI ~

All thoughts of words, plans, reunion flew from my head the moment her eyes lit with recognition and love. My training went out the window—every ounce of experience that told me to ensure she was safe, unharmed, and debriefed. Every ounce of wisdom urging me to focus on learning anything I could from her in case we were interrupted, gone. I knew the truth of it. I knew the practice. And all of it left my head the moment she threw herself into my chest.

I took her sweet lips with such desperation, I groaned. Pulling her against me much harder than I should have, my body tingling, sparkling, humming with need. The moment our mouths touched, the bond exploded with light and heat.

We devoured each other.

Grace whimpered, her nails clawing at my neck and shoulders, fists tangled in my hair, and her body shaking.

I was every bit as frantic, but stunned, also. This was even more intense than the first time we’d kissed, the first clutch of the matebond. Deeper, because now our bodies knew each other, our souls recognized their other half.

Now we yearned not only for what would be, but for the return of what was.

I tried to speak, told myself to pull out of that kiss, to leave her tongue, to stop tasting her lips. Each passing second proved that I lacked the necessary strength.

‘Grace!’

‘Voski… thank God. Thank God. Oh—’

I’d had no intention of taking her, no plan except to ensure she was safe—but she grasped my hand and placed it on her breast, tipping her chin to deepen the kiss, and my already abandoned control fled from me.

Hand clamped at the back of her neck to keep her in the teeth-clashing kiss, I leaned down to grasp her skirts and pull them up, gasping her name, and my love—

Then, Grace sucked in and pushed back, gasping, “No!” yet clinging to my shoulders and staring at me, her wide, blue eyes pleading.

I froze, panting, as she swatted my hand away from her skirts, even as her expression saddened and she searched my eyes for reassurance.

“We can’t!” she whispered, eyes welling. “I want to, Voski. I need you, but we can’t!”

I swallowed, a chill of fear crackling through my chest. “What’s happened. What’s wrong? What did he—”

She shook her head and leaned closer, then with a tiny sob, pressed herself back again. “If my dress is crushed and wrinkled, they’ll know. They’ll know and he’ll look for you. God, Voski, I can’t, but…”

I was still frozen, but at those words I almost laughed with the ridiculousness of it all. “Is that truly all you fear?” I whispered.

She nodded, her brows pinching and her eyes locked on my lips. “Yes, they can’t know. I won’t let them know you’re here! He’d guess. You know he would.”

I nodded slowly, but then smiled and she blinked, surprised as she searched my gaze.