I stand before him and touch the raven just above his heart and trace the ink around his biceps and onto his back. Realization dawns and I gasp. “It’s our story.”
The whole thing. The lovers. The battle. The ash and bone. God’s hand dropping from the heavens. The hurricane, and around to the other side there’s a girl with dark hair and five ravens swooping low around her.
“You carry the burden of the Darkness,” he says, touching my chin. “We carry the burden of the past.”
I brace myself for his kiss and when his pants drop to the floor, it’s no surprise that he’s already hard. It’s also to my pleasure that he’s bare beneath his jeans. We stand naked with one another, skin skimming skin, heightening the desire.
His hands move to my breasts, kneading the tips into hard points. His mouth falls to mine, lips warm, tongue sweet. No, Damien doesn’t play games. He gets right to the point, right to my want and need. His fingers do not stray. His mouth never loses focus and within minutes I’m putty in his capable, agile hands.
He falls back on the bed and pulls me over his hips, while spreading my thighs wide. His manhood stabs eagerly at the air between us.
“Okay?” he asks because we both know it’s only my second time. I nod vigorously and together we guide him to my center. He allows me to set the pace, taking him in inch by inch. When he’s inside I close my eyes and exhale, the stress from the shop dissipating with each second. Damien’s hands clench around my hips and with his hungry guidance I begin to move.
It’s different like this, I think as I rock against him. Different than Clinton, who hovered over me like a protective blanket. In this position I feel the power surge in me, similarly to when I knelt between Dylan’s legs.
Power comes in many forms. Each of my guardians helps me understand that. It’s about balance and control. It’s about maintaining a level of objectivity and strength. Damien’s jaw clenches as I move above him, his abs flex and the ravens on his chest twitch as if in flight.
I lean over and bite his lip, smiling into his mouth. I’m going to enjoy this while I can.
Chapter Five
Clinton
Dylan arrives in the training room a few minutes before my session with Morgan. It’s a rare evening workout—and we’re going on a field trip. Both ideas brought a smile to her already-pleased face at dinner. I’m in the middle of packing a small bag to take on our outing when I spot him in the doorway.
“Good evening,” I say, slipping the leather gloves in the bag. Dylan watches me closely. He’s aware of where we’re going. “What are you doing down here? Another workout?”
“Just dropping off the ingredients Damien and Morgan picked up in the lab. The box was delivered before dinner.”
“Everything there?”
“We’re missing a few things. Damien and Bunny think we can locate the few we’re missing.”
“So you’re down with the idea of the spell?”
He shakes his head. “No. I think it’s risky and stupid, but Morgan is right. We don’t get to tell her what to do. We assist her. If she wants to try it then what choice do we have?”
I cinch the tie on the bag and toss it over my shoulder, not believing that he’s remotely okay with this for a minute. Or that he’ll simply step down. But that’s between him and Morgan. After watching how quickly the Darkness took over with Xavier, I know we have to do something.
“You’re sure this is a good idea?” he asks, gesturing to the bag. Of course he asks. He doesn’t trust the rest of us. It’s not in his nature.
“She has to be tested.”
“It’s too soon.”
I snort. “Tell that to Xavier Cross. I’m sure he won’t agree.”
We both know Xavier can’t a
gree or disagree with anything. He’s bed bound and dying, the life slipping out of him like sand in a sieve. I doubt he’ll last the week.
I leave the gym and head up the back stairs. Morgan is waiting in the foyer. She has on tight, black, workout pants and a hoodie with NYU on the front. I expect her to start for the door but she looks toward the hallway that leads to the garage.
“You’ve got a car down there, don’t you?”
I raise an eyebrow but nod.
“Well, let’s go. May as well get this ass-kicking over with so I can come home and get in an ice bath.” She walks off.