Gilded Serpent by Danielle Jensen (top 10 novels txt) 📕

wall next to her, the other catching at his head, tangling in his hair. Her eyelids squeezed shut, moisture from the steaming rocks of the sauna dripping down her cheeks, each droplet sending thrills of sensation across her skin. Tension unlike anything she’d experienced built in her, every muscle tightening as the feel of his touch moved her closer to the edge of the cliff.

But as she felt herself teetering on the edge, she gasped out, “Not yet!” and pushed him away. Sitting upright, she kissed him even as she slipped her hand between them. Watched as his eyelids drifted shut, as his body shuddered, a smile rising to her lips as he groaned, “Teriana…” And then she whispered into his ear, “Everything.”

His hands tightened around her hips, lifting her, and then her back was against the wall, her legs around his waist. She dug her nails into his shoulders as he kissed her, trailing her fingers down the hard muscles of his back, the feel of him pressed against her the most excruciating of torments.

“You sure?” he said, pulling back to look at her. “Please tell me you’re sure?”

“Yes!” she gasped, needing him. “Now.”

The feel of them coming together nearly shattered her. Not just the pleasure but the rightness of it. They belonged with each other. To each other. Even if the rest of the world would never understand and would do everything it could to separate them.

“Don’t stop,” she said between desperate kisses, her tension once again at the brink. “Please don’t stop.”

In answer, he let go of one of her legs, her foot dropping to brace against the bench next to them. His hand curved around her hip, moving between them. And sending her over the brink.

She sobbed his name as light burst bright in her eyes, sensation radiating from her core out to the tips of her toes, only to be followed by another wave. Then another. Leaving her muscles shaking and weak.

Marcus kissed her, his teeth catching her bottom lip, his breathing ragged. His body tensing. And only then did her head clear enough to say, “We can’t. I might get pregnant,” knowing full well that they were already playing with fire.

He caught hold of her hips, lifting her, his head resting against her shoulder as a shudder ran through him, her name on his lips.

Marcus held her for a long time, their breathing ragged, then he slowly lowered her to the ground, their eyes locking.

“You all right?” she said softly, part of her still afraid that he’d pull away.

His mouth curved into a smile that warmed her heart, the reverent way he looked at her making her eyes prick. Lowering his head, he kissed her and she pulled herself against him, the steam having dissipated and a chill taking over the air.

“More hot rocks,” she said between kisses. “I’m cold.”

“And I’m hungry,” he said. “Let’s see if they have something better than mice.”

 74KILLIAN

Every inch of him hurt.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so thoroughly pummeled, and a big part of him sorely regretted not having finished the fight as soon as it began rather than drawing it out. But dropping a giant within a few blows would’ve raised suspicions, so he’d held back.

Unfortunately, it had turned out Baird had been doing the same, and it took a great deal of self-control not to follow Lydia up the stairs and beg her to take the edge off the pain.

Instead, he took the glass of whiskey Agrippa handed him and drained it, the liquid burning like fire down his throat. “Looks like you’re going to be sleeping on the floor,” the young man said, his grin wide. “She’s being rather unappreciative, in my opinion. She was the one caught cheating.”

Killian shrugged and said, “She’ll get over it,” though more likely he would have to plead for her forgiveness for acting this way. But it accomplished what he needed: Lydia being elsewhere would mean this pair couldn’t use her to provoke him.

Because they were clearly after something.

Baird was in the process of shoving pieces of rag up his broken nose to stem the bleeding, his voice muffled as he said, “So what’s your business in Deadground?”

Gods, was that truly the name of this place? He accepted a rag from the server and gingerly dabbed at his nose, which was definitely broken. Already his eyes were swelling to the point he could barely see. But that hurt far less than his cracked ribs, which screamed every time he took a breath. And then there was his arm. Shit. “I was part of the force harassing the Mudamorians between Mudaire and Abenharrow. We disbanded after the Mudamorians won at the ford, every man for himself. Was tricky business getting back with the Royal Army hunting down and killing every man trying to get to the wall, so I lay low in Abenharrow, which was where I met the girl. Convinced her to come back with me hoping she wouldn’t realize it was a bad idea until it was too late for her to turn around.”

They both laughed, Baird wincing and gripping his side.

“Deadground ain’t what it used to be,” Agrippa said. “Our lovely queen is cheap and sends supplies only for those tasked with watching over her weeds, leaving everyone else to feed off one another while we await her next orders.”

The mounds. “They’ve gotten large,” Killian said cautiously, not wanting to raise suspicions with questions. Or with ignorance.

“Big and useless,” Agrippa said. “Just like Baird.” He gave the giant an elbow in the side, laughing when Baird groaned in pain. “And they no longer take orders, if you get my meaning.”

Killian didn’t, but he nodded anyway.

“Rufina captured fresh talent that she hopes can get the blight flowing in the right direction,” Baird said. “What are the odds right now, little man?”

“Don’t call me that, you jackass,” Agrippa said. “And they’re five to one, favoring the Mudamorian Queen continuing to be reticent. Girl’s as tough as nails.