Lock and Key (Nocturne Academy 1)

“Why not?” I asked again, with exasperation. “It hurts at first but the pain fades pretty quickly and it gives you relief.”

“Listen to me, Megan…” He took me by the shoulders. “You are not my sin eater. I wouldn’t wish the pain and thirst I bear on anyone—least of all my Katarra.”

“You’re not the only one with power,” I pointed out. “Just because you marked me and promised to protect me doesn’t mean I can’t do the same for you. In fact…”

Reaching out, I pressed the pad of my left thumb to his forehead, right between his black brows.

I felt a tingling go through my arm and then into my whole body. Again it was like being naked outside in a snowstorm and feeling each separate snowflake as it kissed my body.

Only this time, Griffin was in the center of the storm with me.

“Megan!” He grabbed for my wrist but when he pulled my hand away, it was already too late. Even as I yanked my wrist out of his grip, I saw the bloody outline of my thumbprint fade away as the blood soaked into his skin.

In its place, was a softly glowing, diamond-shaped mark. It was like he was wearing a tiny, luminescent jewel just under his skin.

In my own forehead, I felt a similar warm glow—a glow that seemed to spread through my whole body, replacing the snowflakes feeling with a rush of heat. It was done—first Griffin had marked me and now I had marked him.

We had broken the Edict not once but twice and it was obvious we had done so.

60

“You shouldn’t have done that—it’s permanent, you know.” Griffin’s voice was calm but his eyes were glowing and not only with thirst this time, I realized. He was looking at me with a kind of hunger—a need to get closer. A need to own—to possess and caress and make me his.

I felt a similar need growing inside myself. A desperate desire to be closer to him. I reached for Griffin and he reached for me at the same time, his cool hand cupping my cheek.

“Megan,” he murmured, his voice thick with desire.

“I want to kiss you,” I blurted, unable to help myself. “I know you said it was dangerous but I—”

Griffin cut me off by pulling me into his arms and taking my mouth in a searing kiss.

My heart thundered in my ears and I kissed him back desperately—as though he was the only source of oxygen in the room and I would die without him. I would have expected his mouth to be cool, like the rest of him, but it was hot…hot and sensual and demanding in a way that made me feel like I was melting in his arms.

I’ll admit I was a virgin and I didn’t have very much experience at all. After my mom had died, I had buried myself in my books and I could count the number of boys I’d gone out with on one hand. So I wasn’t a very experienced kisser—but Griffin made up for that by being good enough for both of us.

His mouth on mine took my breath away and then he bent me over his arm and began kissing along my jaw…and then trailing hot, soft kisses down the side of my neck.

I gasped as parts of my body I’d never paid much attention to before lit up and began to tingle and ache. He was driving me crazy—waking me up in a way I hadn’t known was possible. My heart was pounding and my blood was rushing in my veins and all I wanted was more.

I turned my head to the side, giving me better access to my throat—to the vulnerable side of my neck where the carotid artery pulsed. I felt the sharp tips of his fangs skate dangerously along the tender flesh and didn’t care—in fact, I realized hazily, I wanted him to bite me. Wanted to give him everything—my body, my blood…my very being.

I wanted to belong to Griffin Darkheart in every possible way and I didn’t give a damn how dangerous it was.

I felt the needle-sharp points of his fangs settled right over the pulsing vessel in my throat but still he hesitated. Murmuring his name, I reached up to thread my fingers through his hair, drawing him down, letting him know I wanted this as badly as he did…

Suddenly Griffin jerked away from me.

His arms left me so suddenly, I felt back onto the couch in an undignified heap. Looking up, I saw that he was clutching at his throat, at the thick black chain of his necklace. The Blood Stones on the four corners of the lock were glowing so brightly I almost couldn’t look at them.

“All right,” I heard Griffin say in a strangled voice. “All right, I got carried away. Forgive me!”