He lifted my chin up, forcing me to make eye contact. “No, but I fear the day they do. Being Prince is just an illusion of power. I’m a pawn to them and I don’t know how to leave the game. I don’t deserve someone as wholesome as you. I’m hesitant to corrupt you. But sometimes, when I’m feeling selfish, I fantasize about what we could be doing together… if you were mine.”
Every word he spoke melted the permafrost around my soul. “Don’t talk like you aren’t worthy of happiness.”
“I’ll never be worthy ofyou.But I’m beginning to wonder if you’re my only chance at happiness.” He caressed my cheek and I leaned into it. He was always sowarm. We stared at each other, knowing we were teetering on the edge of something.
twenty-two
He smashed his lips against mine, pressing me up against the bookshelf. Several books pushed through to the other side, falling on the floor.
Clunk.
Clunk.
Clunk.
The sound reverberated through the library. We were unfazed as he hoisted me up, aligning our hips. I wrapped my legs around him and we rocked together; pulling hair, biting,clawing,as we desperately tried to close any space between us. Our teeth clashed as his tongue flicked to the roof of my mouth and I licked along one of his canines.I needed to be closer.
A metallic tang coated my tongue.Blood. I’d nicked myself on his fang. “I-I’m sorry…” I blurted out, my chest heaving as I caught my breath.
His eyes were large and wild. “Don’t be sorry. You taste…fuck, you taste phenomenal. Potent,powerful…like you’re the gods damn sun that I’m lucky enough to orbit around.” He huffed, kissing the shell of my ear, breathing me in, as he moved to my neck. Licking, sucking, nibbling. I knew what he wanted.
It should’ve terrified me, but instead it sent lava down my spine. His desire was my desire, traveling down my core and heating my blood.
I didn’t know exactly when the idea of his bite had become enticing. At some point, dirty dreams had turned to curiosity… and now curiosity was throbbing throughout my body, begging him to claim me.
I cried out as he raked his teeth along delicate skin. He’d successfully worked me into a crazed state… I was boneless in his arms. I’d submitted. Ineededhim. I rubbed myself against the hard bulge in his pants, wantingmore.
A preternatural stillness washed over him and I froze. I wanted it. Could he feel how badly I wanted it? Would he just bite down or would he ask? My blood felt thick as it sloshed through my pumping heart. It was fluttering in rapid, frenzied beats as his tongue trailed down to the crook of my neck.
Then he was gone. In one breath, he’d been thrown across the library by a shadowy force. I heard his bodysmashagainst the stone wall as the bookshelves around me shuttered. He fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. A black fog poured in and then I was blind.
I stumbled towards him in the dark, not taking time to processwhoattacked or if I was also in danger, before I was at his side. I could barely see through the opaque mist. I stroked his cheek to rouse him as I frantically called, “Galen, can you hear me?” but he remained unmoving.
The smoke cleared and I smelled blood. I scanned the rest of his body. His arm must’ve hit first, because it looked broken in several places. Bone was protruding from his forearm, while a wound on his head gushed. The coppery scent surrounded me. It smelled likehim—smoky, spicy, warm.Galen. I stroked the hair out of his eyes as I hovered over his lifeless form.
“Did he bite you?” I heard Rafael’s silky voice echo against the library walls. My head whipped around. He was wearing his signature black, looking dark and menacing as shadows slithered behind him. His golden eyes glittered as he studied me.
I stood up andhissed. Ice coated my fingers as I curled them at my sides. “Did you do this? Why!?”
I lunged, throwing the full force of my body at him and punching him in the chest. I was tempted to turn him into afucking icicle—he’d thaw eventually. I hadn’t seen him since our midnight ride andthisis how he decided to make an appearance? I was wild with wrath, nearly frothing at the mouth.
He held me easily as I struggled and clawed at him like a hellcat.
“Did he hurt you?” Raf asked, more sternly this time. He pushed my hair away from my face, touching around my neck and chest, presumably searching for a bite wound.
“No!” I yelled, shoving him away. “And if Ihadlet him bite me, it would be none of your business. Help him!” I was sobbing—out of my mind at Galen’s limp body.
“He’ll be fine. He’s Fae. That’s just a scratch for us,” he said evenly, while sliding his hands into his pockets with zero remorse.
“You’re a monster. If you aren’t going to help, then leave us.” I raised my hands and whipped a wave of icy wind towards him.
He easily dodged it and looked down at me with a twisted grin. “Impressive.” And then he was gone, leaving smoke in his wake. I was seething with icyfury… I’d get my revenge, but first I needed to help Galen.
A healer’s blood would fix him. Meli had told me as much for this very reason. She said there might come a time where I was desperate to help, but didn’t yet have control over my magic. She’d also warned that I should be cautious with who I choose to give my blood to. But in this moment, there was no one I’d rather use my gift on.
I reached for his belt, for the scabbard, and unsheathed a gold and emerald dagger. I cut into my palm until blood began to pool at the seam. I didn’t feel the pain as it sliced. My adrenaline was high, giving me focus and clarity. I opened his mouth and let my blood trickle onto his lips. My hand began mending itself immediately and I had to cut myself one more time to ensure I'd given him enough. Sitting back, I watched, holding his hand.
Galen’s eyelids began to twitch, then open. He looked up at me in a daze. “What happened?” he groaned, attempting to sit up as he took in the scene, the blood, and then his arm.
