Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
No, thank you.
She had the feeling that the little sparks of power skipping along the surface would pack a real punch if they zapped her. But the voice persisted, reassuring her that there was no danger to her here. Which didn’t actually succeed in putting her mind at ease.
Only one thing made Wynter consider granting the voice its request—although Kali was brushing against her, She gave off no cautioning vibes. The deity was all calmness and encouragement, seemingly relaxed about the whole thing.
“Fine, fine. Just so you know, Kali, I’ll be totally pissed if I get zapped or some shit.” Wynter knelt beside the steaming well. The insane heat it gave off rose up and flushed her cheeks. “Awesome.”
Steeling herself, Wynter pushed aside her doubts and reached inside the spring. She didn’t need to plunge her hand into the well. The water weirdly splashed upward and swallowed her hand.
A gust of otherworldly air washed over her face, communicating . . . something. Something she didn’t understand. Inside Wynter, her monster abruptly rose to the surface, but it didn’t take over. It melded with her.
She sucked in a breath as power punched into her, surging through her body so violently it bowed her back. Oh God, it was too much. It rattled her teeth. Stung her eyes. Bubbled in her blood. Buzzed against her bones. Made her heart gallop and her head spin.
She couldn’t move; could only stay still as the alien power arched through her like forks of lightning—flooding her with warmth, jumpstarting her senses, waking up her nerve cells, and electrifying her body.
And then it was over.
Her eyes snapped open as her monster slinked backwards in withdrawal. Once more herself, she shook her head hard to clear it. What the fuck was that?
Quivering, she brushed her dry palm down her face. God, she’d never felt so . . . awake. Present. Energized. Wired.
Swallowing around her dry throat, she pulled her other hand out of the water and stood. Which was when the spring began to ripple and splash like a goddamn Jacuzzi. She promptly backed up, only able to watch as lights began to flash like crazy beneath the water. The whips of power dancing along the surface began to wildly hiss and pop and crackle.
Wynter’s breath snagged in her throat, and her heart began to pound hard and fast in her chest. Oh, hell, what had she done?
*
Rubbing at his nape, Cain walked down the stone passageway en route to the chamber he shared with Wynter. Sleep had eluded him. His mind—currently a chaotic place of messy thoughts and relentless questions—simply wouldn’t rest. As such, he’d headed to his ledger room to get some work done.
He’d considered instead waking his consort and then fucking them both raw—that would have helped his brain power down for certain. But the last thing he wanted was for her to be sleep-deprived. With all that was going on around them, she needed to be sharp and alert at all times.
He’d left her a note just in case she woke before he returned. He hadn’t realized he’d been in his ledger room for over three hours until he’d glanced at the wall clock and saw that it was 3:45am.
Now, Cain pushed open the door to his chamber. He frowned as his gaze landed on the bed. Ruffled sheets. No Wynter.
Calling out her name, he crossed to the en suite bathroom. Empty. Unease crawled through his gut, and his mouth tightened. Sleepwalking. She had to be sleepwalking again. “Fuck.”
Since there was only one place she ever went during such times, he hurried out of the Keep and headed straight for his garden, never willing to take for granted that—despite how often he’d found her unharmed—she’d be safe from the many serpents that roamed in it.
The gates were wide open, and the padlock was on the ground. Yes, she was out here. And something had unlocked the gates for her yet again.
His pulse thudding hard, Cain rushed along the winding, twisting path. He expected to come upon her at any moment, but there was no sign of her. How long had she been out here?
His creature writhed inside him, agitated that she was missing and furious that another male could call her to them like this. Furious that they would even dare.
Nearing the temple, Cain frowned. The fuck? Mounds of snakes were piled outside, writhing on top of each other. He knew they usually followed her when she came to the garden during her sleep. Could they have followed her here?
Cursing, he took the pitted steps two at a time and rushed into the temple. “Wynter!” he shouted, lighting the wall torches even as he stalked through the eternally long sculpted archway. “Wynter!”
A ruthless little voice inside him spoke up, saying it would be better not to wake her; better not to sever the current connection between her and Abaddon—no one else could be calling her here, could they? And if the Ancient was close to waking, that could only be a good thing.