A familiar mask slipped over Natalya’s face. It was the same expression she’d had in the car before she kissed Evie for the first time. Regretful but determined.
Grabbing Evie’s wrists, Natalya pushed her against the wall. The movement was so easy for her. Evie couldn’t even struggle against the grip. Her touch produced no effect other than warmth.
“What are your safe words?”
Evie frowned. “What?”
Natalya leaned in close, face twisted with fury. “Your safe words, Evie.Saythem.”
“Red and yellow!” Evie’s voice was trembling again, though her anger was no longer to blame. Natalya’s smile looked like it would better belong on a gargoyle.
“I’ll prove that this isn’t as real as you think. That what I am is desire given form, and that you mortals would die just for a taste of it. If you truly believe that your feelings are real, then do what no one can.” Natalya’s grip tightened. Familiar, pleasurable sparks rushed through Evie’s arms. “Stop me.”
Her lips clashing against Evie’s was like a sledgehammer to the senses.Maddeningpleasure rushed through her, spawning from seemingly nowhere and everywhere at the same time. It was intense enough to make Evie forget everything that had come before it, so consuming was the sensation.
Evie parted her lips with a moan, and Natalya’s tongue going into her mouth sent fresh fires of delight through her body. Her fingers dug into Evie’s skin, and it created zaps of pleasure so overwhelmingly euphoric she started shaking.
It was intoxicating. She wanted more of it. She wanted todrownin it. Beconsumedby it.
That was the problem.
Right then, Evie wanted to continue more than anything. She wanted it more than breathing and living. It was destructive pleasure. It was passion made into lethal flames.
Natalya had told Evie to stop her. She should use her safe word.
Red!
Just a thought. Overtaken by pleasure. It was only a word. It should be easy to say. It didn’t come.
She tried again.Red.
Red…
red…
She didn’t want to stop. She wanted to take it further than just this kiss. To strip out of her clothes and have Natalya do the same. To writhe on the floor, and moan, and scream from the pleasure of it all.
Safe words were useless against such a need. You would call out for more, even as your body succumbed to the overwhelming sensation of it.
Natalya leaned against her, her lips hard and demanding. Evie moaned, the sound growing louder as Natalya’s fingers dug into her skin, producing blinding pleasure so consuming it made her forget everything but the present.
Natalya was warm. Her grip was tight, and she sighed into the kiss. Her body was firm, strong, and unyielding. And careful. Even now, she held back enough that she wasn’t hurting Evie.
This was a test.
Evieneededto stop this. Not because she wanted to. Not because it was dangerous. Not because it was overwhelming. She needed to stop this because she had to prove to Natalya she could. Even when she desperately didn’t want to.
Tensing her muscles so hard it hurt, she wrenched her lips away from Natalya’s.
“Red!” She gasped out the word. She had forgotten to breathe. Natalya immediately backed away, her face filled with shock.
Evie leaned against the wall. Her body felt like it was vibrating. Only when away from Natalya’s touch did she truly understand how powerful it was. If this was how humans normally reacted to her influence, it was no wonder she didn’t trust Evie’s feelings to be reliable.
“Natalya, I—”
“Leave.” Natalya wasn’t looking directly at her. Her eyes were violet again. There was no scarlet, no fires. No anger. Just confusion and guilt.
“I want to talk about this. Please, if you just let me—”
