Page 63 of Ashborne Forged

I beat her into the space, and turned, back to the door, waiting. When Grace appeared, I caught her wrist, pulled her around and pinned her against the wall, burying hands in her hair and kissing her before I’d even said hello.

Thank God, she melted into me.

Fire and ice curled around my heart as I filled my hands with her, murmuring how much I’d missed her, and cursing the need to report in, which would force me to depart again soon.

Each moment I told myself, just one more taste. Then the next, her fervor matched mine.

Grace’s head dropped back against the stable wall, and I dove for her throat, teasing and tasting, pulling her knee high to hook over my hip, nipping at her neck.

“Voski… we can’t,” she whispered, even as she slipped a small hand between the gaps in my shirt buttons and her palm flattened on my chest, jolting me with the pulse of the bond.

“I know,” I rasped back, then tipped up her chin and delved the honey of her mouth with a sweeping, probing tongue.

Her breath was already audible. Thank God the dragons were making some noise. If anyone drew close…

They wouldn’t hear though, I told myself as I cupped her ass in both hands and lifted her, mentally assessing how I might get her free of her leathers without baring her to the—

Gil’s smug voice echoed in my head. You’re going to get caught taking her against a stable wall…

Oh, for fuck’s sake!

I jerked my head back, chest heaving, to find Grace flattened against the wall, her eyes bright, cheeks pink. She was panting as well, and startled at my quick movement, but she smiled and stared up at me.

“The straw?” she whispered.

I growled—yes the fucking straw! And the wall! Every goddamn surface I could balance her ass on, if I had my way!

But I didn’t say the words, because there was no way I was taking my mate, who I loved, against the wall of an empty stable and letting Gil tell me, I told you so.

I gulped, trying to find my control, panicking a little by how unhinged I suddenly felt, simply because we’d spent a few hours apart.

“Voski, are you—”

I clapped a hand over her mouth to quiet her and turned my head toward the doorway—and the dragons. ‘Kham, I need your help.’

‘Oh?’

‘Can you tell Ekko we’re back. That I’ll report to Ronen in the morning? I’m sure as long as he knows we’re safe, he won’t care.’

There was a beat before he answered and I almost swore. But then, ‘Ekko says Ronen’s in a meeting. He is relieved you’re returned safely. Report after breakfast. There is much to discuss tomorrow.’

Thank God. I smiled down at Grace, whose brows rose because my hand was still clamped over her mouth. Whoops.

“Sorry,” I whispered, then stepped back, took her hand, and pulled her away from the wall. ‘Thank you, Kham.’

“What’s going on?” she whispered as I turned her toward the door and held her shoulders to stop her turning back to me.

“What’s going on is that I’ve been given leave to report tomorrow. Which means we have hours, and I’ve missed you,” I whispered.

When we were almost at the doorway, I stopped her, leaning into her ear. “If you turn right out of that door, and walk straight to the end of the wing, the dragon door will be locked, but there’s a small door for the stablehands. And fifty feet from it, the woods begin. Go east, otherwise you’ll end up at the launch hollow.”

I felt her heart trip, saw her cheek pull up in a smile. “Where will you be?”

“Counting to one hundred… before I come to find you,” I growled, then nipped her neck. She giggled and flinched, but then went silent, darting to the doorway, peering out to look for witnesses, then disappearing around the corner, while I slumped against the wall, clawed both hands into my hair and closed my eyes, breathing deeply, trying to take control of my body again before I followed her.

And even though I did find control, it was only for moments.

Moments until I disappeared back into the night, leaving behind thoughts of squad, and responsibility, and endurance, as I lost myself in the pursuit of my mate.