Kaelith loomed over Seraphine, his breath warm against her skin, his hands possessive as they traced over the now-exposed curves of her body. The last remnants of her gown lay discarded between them, her bare skin illuminated by the flickering candlelight.
But she didn't cower beneath his touch.
No, she met his gaze with something fierce, something unbroken. And gods, that only made him want her more.
"You want to fight me?" His voice was low, teasing, dangerous. "Then fight, Seraphine."
Her lips parted, her breath coming fast as she gripped his shoulders, her nails pressing into his skin. "You think you can break me?" she whispered, her voice laced with defiance.
Kaelith let out a dark chuckle. "I don't need to break you," he murmured, dragging his lips over her throat, down to the hollow between her collarbones. "I only need to make you beg."
Seraphine shivered at his words, but she didn't yield. Not yet.
He pressed a kiss just above her heart, his hands exploring her body in slow, agonizing strokes. Every touch, every brush of his lips was deliberate, coaxing her closer to the edge she refused to acknowledge.
"You can pretend all you like," Kaelith whispered against her skin. "But your body speaks the truth."
She let out a shaky breath, but her hands moved with intent now, sliding down his chest, tracing the taut muscles beneath his shirt. A wicked gleam flickered in her eyes as she suddenly gripped the fabric—and tore it open.
Kaelith's breath hitched as the cool air kissed his bare skin. Then he laughed, dark and full of hunger. "So you do have claws," he mused, gripping her wrists and pinning them above her head. "Tell me, Seraphine—are you ready to be tamed?"
Her chest rose and fell in rapid breaths, her gaze locked onto his. "Only if you're ready to lose control."
Something in Kaelith snapped.
His lips crashed against hers, his body pressing into hers with an undeniable force, leaving no space between them. The heat between them was unbearable, searing, their breaths mingling as his hands roamed over every inch of her, memorizing her, owning her.
He wanted to consume her.
And by the way she clung to him, by the way she gasped against his lips—
She wanted the same.
To be continued…
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