Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
His forehead falls against mine, and he trembles, sweat beading on his forehead. “Fuck, love.”
There’s something about hearing that guttural groan, all rasp and desperation, that hurtles me over the edge with the next stroke of his fingers. I try to hold it close, but power snaps, and light flashes to my left as I shatter. Shadow floods the space for a stuttered heartbeat as pleasure crests in waves, pulling me under and dragging me to the surface again and again.
I catch the scent of burned wood, and Xaden whips both his hands to the headboard above me. The torture twisting his face sobers me up in less than a second. He looks like he’s in unbearable pain.
“Xaden?” I whisper, reaching for him.
“Don’t.” It comes out half demand and all plea.
My hands fall to my chest, and when I trip down our bond, it’s faded and sealed by a wall of chilled onyx. “What’s happening?”
“I need space.” He bites out the words.
“All right.” I get out from under him and scurry off the bed, immediately spotting the scorched crack in the nightstand. At least I’m getting better at not setting the trees on fire. “Is this far enough?”
“Not sure the isle kingdoms would be far enough,” he mutters, slowing his breathing.
What the fuck? “I’m sorry?” I watch in utter confusion as he gathers his control, then nods like he’s certain of himself again.
“I forgot.” He slowly lets go of the headboard and sits back on his heels, gripping his thighs, then letting his hands fall at his sides. “I woke up and saw you sitting there, and it was the most natural thing in the world to reach for you, but I’m not natural anymore. Fuck, I’m so sorry, Violet.”
Oh. “I forgot, too.” The second he put his mouth on me. “You have nothing to apologize for, and don’t say you’re not natural—” Wait. My mouth curves. This is a totally solvable problem. “In fact, I think you just did us a favor.” I take a single step toward the bed, and his head snaps in my direction. “Nothing bad happened, Xaden. You just had your hands all over me, inside me, and I’m perfectly fine. Give me two seconds to crawl across this bed, and you’ll be gloriously fine, too.”
His eyes slide shut, and he gestures to the headboard. “Not fine.”
My gaze narrows on the dark wood, and I have to lean in a little to finally see two faint marks of discoloration, barely a shade lighter than the original stain, right where his thumbs had been. I cover my stomach with my hand like that can keep it from sinking.
Did he just channel?
There are two reasons rider cadets are not given the same summer and winter leave as others: Firstly, civilians do not react well to dragons casually roaming their villages. Secondly, raising tigers for war requires locking their cages lest they turn on each other…or you.
—Sharpen the Talon: A Professor’s Guide by Colonel Tispany Calthea
CHAPTER FOUR
Ishake my head at the two subtle marks.
“That’s nothing. It’s barely there.” And his eyes look exactly the same from this distance. Whatever he did wasn’t even close to what had happened during the battle.
“Because I stopped.” He climbs off the far side of the bed and retreats until the backs of his thighs hit my desk. “The second your power rose, I felt it and remembered why I’d promised myself I wasn’t going to touch you. And I thought, if I could at least take care of you, that would be enough for me, but then I was so fucking close…” He white-knuckles the edge of my desk and brings his gaze to mine. “I can’t afford to lose control around you. Not even the edge of it.” He glances toward the headboard. “Not like that. Not at all.”
My chest aches, and I breathe deeply to slow my racing heart. If he truly channeled… “Can I come over there? I won’t touch you.”
He nods. “I’m all right now. Firmly under control.”
I cross the cold floor in my bare feet and put myself directly in front of him, sighing with relief when I don’t find a trace of red in his eyes. “No red.”
His shoulders dip. “Good. I locked it down pretty quick and didn’t even feel myself taking anything, but I obviously did.”
“Sandpaper takes more than you did.” I look back at the headboard just to be sure I wasn’t imagining things. “I can barely see it, and only because I’m looking.”
“I took it without thinking. Without choice. And if it had been you?” He tucks my hair behind my ear. “I would never have forgiven myself.” He heaves a heavy sigh.
The ache in my chest only sharpens. “Are you going to go all broody and try to pull away from me? Because fair warning, I’m not going to let that happen.”