Page 54

“I can’t do that, sunshine.” His voice was rough and fraying at the edges, void of control. His grip on me tightened like he was holding himself together by force alone. “Kaezlyn gave me something.” His burning gaze dropped to my mouth before dragging lower. “And right now…” He groaned softly, like the words hurt him. “The cure is between your thighs.”

I gasped, twisting against him, but there was nowhere to go. His grip tightened, firm and possessive, anchoring me in place.

“Find another cure,” I snapped, shoving at him uselessly.

Helion’s hand shook as he swept a damp strand of silver hair from my skin, his touch achingly gentle despite the hunger burning in his eyes.

He leant closer until his lips ghosted against mine. Heat crackled between us like lightning before a storm.

His breathing turned ragged. “You fight me, yet the bond is pulsing with want.”

“I don’t want you,” I sneered through my teeth. But I felt the lie before it left my lips. I felt it in the way my traitorous body arched into him. The way my hand locked around the back of his neck and my nails dug into his flesh.

“Liar,” he taunted, flashing his dimples. “You’ve wanted me since the moment you saw me at Ascension.”

His hand slid into my hair and tightened, drawing my head towards his. His forehead dropped against mine, his breathing ragged, almost angry, as though resisting me physically hurt.

The bond between us ignited violently. His lust poured through it in scorching waves, so intense it nearly drowned me.

I stilled beneath its force as realisation slowly took hold.

Every filthy thought, every ragged breath, every flicker of desire he failed to contain was feeding it straight into me. And if I let him give me enough, I could use every drop against him.

His jaw tightened, nostrils flaring as his gaze dragged helplessly to my mouth.

He wanted to kiss me. I could see the battle raging across his face.

I dragged my tongue slowly over my lips, wetting them, and let my gaze drop to his mouth.

His need slammed into my chest, molten and relentless, filling my veins with every frantic beat of my heart. Magic crackled beneath my skin like a storm breaking across the sea, wild tides crashing against my ribs as his desire fed it. Fed me.

“Let me have you… I know you want me,” he groaned, hooking my legs around his waist and dragging me closer until there was no space left between us.

His hips rolled against mine with a desperate, helpless kind of hunger, and a broken gasp slipped from my throat before I could stop it.

“I never wanted you,” I lied, pushing aside every small moment that had existed between Riven and I.

His hand slid up my body, making sure to run over every single curve before fisting in the fabric of my tunic.

“Then why do you blush when I get too close?”

Heat burned hotter beneath my skin, which only made his mouth twitch and those fiery eyes light with amusement.

“You mistake lust for anger,” I snarled.

He chuckled, breath tingling against my lips. Gods, he was so close. If I dared move, his lips would brush against mine.

“The thing about anger is… it makes for the best fucking sex you’ll ever have. And the way you’re looking at my mouth right now Lyra? Fuck.”

His grip tightened until the seams strained, and for one breath, he looked like he was fighting himself. Then the fabric tore beneath his fist, and the horror in his eyes was worse than the warm air pressing against my exposed flesh.

Heat flooded the bond in violent waves, his hunger pouring through me so intensely my power stirred in response, silver light flickering beneath my skin like moonlight beneath restless tides.

“I’ve needed you for so long,” he groaned, devouring my body with those burning eyes, setting my skin ablaze. “I-I can’t stop.”

One hand slid beneath my thigh, keeping me pinned against the tree while the other dragged down my body, fingers hooking into the waistband of my pants. “Forgive me.”

With a rough, desperate movement he pulled my pants down. Cool air ghosted across my exposed skin as he shoved the fabric down my legs while keeping me trapped against the bark with the weight of his body.