Zeke lifts an eyebrow, waiting. “And this?”
“Unity, connection, partnership,” I whisper, averting my eyes from his heated gaze.
His hand traces the rune lightly, etching its meaning into the depths of my mind.
“Unity,” he echoes, his voice a low rumble that sends a tantalizing shiver up my spine. He leans closer, his breath hot against my ear. “An enticing idea, don’t you think?” His voice is filled with a seductive promise, his fingers still tracing the rune with an agonizing slowness that lights a fire within me. My heart pounds wildly like a drum echoing in the silence. Heat spreads through me, and an undeniable desire rises in response to his proximity.
As if sensing the escalating tension, the bathroom door swings open. Hunter and Shadow bound in, their tails wagging with mischief. Hunter barrels into Zeke with a playful growl, knocking us off balance.
With a yelp, I tumble backward into the shower, taking Zeke with me as he tries to catch me. But the momentum sends us both sprawling into the shower, the sudden blast of cold water drenching us as I land on top of him.
I glance up at Hunter, who’s wagging his tail in apparent satisfaction. “I think we were just set up by our wolves,” I say accusingly, glaring at him. Zeke laughs, the sound deep and hearty, echoing in the bathroom.
I sit up, suddenly realizing that I’m straddling him. The sudden change in position has Zeke’s laughter dying in his throat. His gaze darkens, and there’s a predatory look in his eyes as his hands fall on my hips. My hands push off his chest quickly, but his grip on me tightens, his teeth clenching. A strange look crosses his features, one I’ve seen on Regan’s face before, one I’ve also seen on Zeke’s when he hunted me through the forest.
Desire, but there’s a sharp edge in his stare as well, one that tells me he finds the challenge of a chase irresistible. I barely moved, but my initial need to get off him and the fierceness in which my hands slammed against his chest seemed to set something off within him. So many emotions flit across his face while I remain frozen.
It would be easy to defend myself now that I have my true power, but I don’t want to hurt him, especially when I can see he is desperately trying to control himself. It’s clear he doesn’t want to hurt me.
“I’m not running, Zeke.” He glances up at me. “I know, but it’s a knee-jerk reaction,” he tells me, and I chew my lip. “Does it not affect you?” he asks, and I watch the way his eyes flicker sinisterly. I’m a little lost at his words.
“Does what not affect me?” I ask. “The curse?” My brows pinch in confusion, and he lets out a breath.
“Of course it doesn’t,” he murmurs, looking away. I test his grip, wriggling my hips to see if I can lift them. “You can’t do that,” he whispers, so I remain seated on him.
My teeth chatter from the freezing water. “Can I turn the heat on, at least?” I ask.
He looks up at the shower then at me, tilting his head to the side. “I’m surprised you haven’t used your powers on me,” he says. The icy water seems to grow colder by the second, and I reach for the tap slowly. He watches me as I lean forward. When I hear him growl, I quickly twist the heat on more, only to feel one hand move up my side and caress my ribs before his thumb brushes over my hardened nipple.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Zeke.”
“You’d be well within your right to,” he answers, his voice sounding off, almost trancelike. I lean back to put space between us, but his bent knees keep me close. His hand moves to my chest, and his eyes follow the movement as he trails two fingers between my breasts to trace the runes. “Did Regan tell you about the women before you?” he asks.
“If you’re talking about how you all killed them by accident . . .” Zeke’s eyes dart to mine, but he nods. “Then yes, he did,” I answer.
“So you know why they didn’t last long?”
I nod. “Regan killed them out of anger, just as I know how you and Lyon killed yours. Regan said you all couldn’t control it,” I answer.
“Yes, and you know my sins.” I nod and he continues. “We can’t control what triggers it, much like I can’t control the bond to you now that I feel it,” he answers, and I struggle to see his point.
“I thought Regan was more in control of his sins, but it was all a facade,” I answer sadly.
“No, it wasn’t. Regan . . . He could only control himself with you because you didn’t fear him. Regan is all about walking that thin line between control and losing it, but it’s the same with Lyon’s greed and pride. Like the night he walked out of Regan’s room when things were getting heated. He knew his greed would get the best of him if he stayed. He didn’t want to push you. Even though you are made for him, he wants to earn his place with you.”
“But you didn’t.”
Zeke nods slowly, his fingers tracing the next ruin. “The way you challenge me makes me want you more. When you ignore me, it makes me crave your attention. Push me away, and it draws me nearer. In a sense, they both mastered something from their curse, but I never did.”
“I would hardly call what Regan has done mastering his sin. It’s more like he embraced it.”
Zeke shakes his head. “Did he, though?”
I chew my lip. “You saving them doesn’t make up for what he planned to do to them.”
“Regan has not been to my kingdom in many years, Zirah.”
“So?”
