Shadows of Fire (The Shadow Realms, Book 1) by Brenda Davies (free e books to read .TXT) 📕

Shefelt the pulse of his cock as he released his seed.

He sagged against her and pressed his cheekto her back before kissing the hollow between her shoulder blades.His mouth and tongue left a trail of heat down her body as he movedsteadily lower.

With tender care, he pulled out of her andshifted his hold so he could slide onto the chair. He pulled heronto his lap once more. She curled up against his chest and restedher head on his shoulder. Beneath her hand, his heart raced.

“That was… nice,” she murmured.

His laughter startled her. She lifted herhead to take him in as his chest rumbled and his blue eyes twinkledin amusement.

“You might be the death of me, and the bestyou can say is ‘that was nice.’”

“The death of you?” she asked.

“Yes, but what a fantastic way to go.”

“Very true,” she agreed, and he laughedagain. She nestled against him again as his arms enveloped her.“I’m not on….”

Damn it, she was starting to blush again. Shetried to suppress the heat scorching her cheeks and failedmiserably.

If she was going to have sex, then she wasgoing to discuss these things without blushing. She told herselfthis, but it didn’t change anything as her face burned.

“I’m not on any kind of birth control,” shemuttered.

“I am.”

She lifted her head again. “You are?”

“Yes. I get a potion from a warlock that Itake once a month.” There was no amusement on his face or in hiseyes as he gazed solemnly at her. “I won’t leave a trail ofchildren behind me.”

She gulped. A trail of children. Shewas concerned about the possibility of one child, and he wasconcerned with having many of them… with numerous women.

This realization doused some of hercontentment. He’s a dark fae!

She would be only one of many to him, and shehad to keep reminding herself of this. While she was lost in a seaof happiness, he would move on and probably never recall his timehere.

Sorrow bloomed in her chest, but she pushedit aside. She could mourn the loss of what she’d discovered herewhen he was gone, but she wouldn’t turn into a melancholy messwhile he was still here.

“Have you fed from me?” she asked as shedecided to change to subject.

“You would know if I had, and I wouldn’t doit without your permission.”

She frowned at him. “Aren’t you hungry?”

“Yes, but you’re just starting to learn thepleasure a man and woman can give each other. I’m not going to addmy need to feed into the mix. That will come in time.”

“In time?”

“Yes, we have plenty of it.”

“You think Brokk will have to stay here for alot longer?”

“No, I think he’ll be ready to leavetomorrow, and I’ll escort him back to the Gloaming, but I willreturn.” And then his eyes narrowed on her. “Unless you wouldprefer it if I didn’t come back.”

“Of course not!” she blurted before she couldstop herself. “But.…”

Her words trailed off as she tried to thinkof what to say.

“But?” he prodded.

“But you’re dark fae.”

“I’m also lycan and man.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that I’m comingback.”

He stated this with such authority that shedidn’t know how to respond. She’d never allowed herself toentertain the possibility he might decide to stay, but she couldn’thelp feeling doubtful.

“For how long?” she asked.

CHAPTER 50

Cole buried his irritation over her disbelief. Heknew the reputation of the dark fae—it was well-deserved andearned, but that wasn’t who he was.

But wasn’t it? It’s who he’d always been, whohe’d always planned to be… until she walked into his life.

It wasn’t who he was anymore, and he hatedher doubt in him.

However, when he saw the uncertainty in hergaze, his annoyance faded. She wasn’t asking him these thingsbecause she wanted him to leave. She was asking because she wasafraid.

“What are you afraid of, Lexi?” he asked.

Her mouth parted, and her eyes darted awayfrom him. “I’m not… I’m not sure what you want from me.”

“I want you. I thought I’d made thatpretty clear.”

“But for how long?”

Her words were like a punch to his gut. Hewasn’t going to leave her, and he needed to make that clear. Butbefore he could respond, a knock rattled the doors.

“Lexi!” Sahira called in a voice tinged withpanic. “Lexi, are you in there?”

“Yes,” she said.

An oof of air escaped him when she plantedher hand on his stomach and pushed herself up.

“Sorry,” she muttered as she scrambled out ofhis lap.

He almost pulled her back as he missedholding her, but she’d already scurried away from him. Cole rose asLexi hastily tugged on her clothes.

He hated this interruption, but he started todress too. Something about Sahira’s tone didn’t sit well with him.He was pulling on his jeans when a thunderous boom shook theearth.

Lexi released a startled cry and staggered tothe side when the boom quaked the house. He caught her hand andsteadied her before she toppled over the chair. Her eyes flew tohis as a growl swelled within him.

He didn’t know what was going on, but hewould destroy it if it threatened her.

He tugged his jeans on but ignored his shirtas he stalked toward the doors. He glanced back to make sure Lexiwas dressed before he unlocked and opened the doors. Sahira took astartled step back as her gaze roamed over his chest.

There was no doubt about what transpiredbetween them inside that room, and he was glad of that. Sahiradidn’t want him to be a part of Lexi’s life, but she didn’t have achoice, and she would learn that.

He turned back to Lexi as she hurried towardthem, straightening her shirt. She kept her eyes averted fromSahira’s as her cheeks burned. He stretched a hand back to her asanother boom quaked the house.

When a sound like the earth being torn apartreverberated through the air, he grabbed Lexi’s arm and pulled heragainst his side. The blush vanished from her face, and her skinpaled when she looked at him.

“What is going on?” he demanded of Sahira ashe embraced Lexi protectively against him.

Sahira’s shocked expression vanished as shegave him a steely look. Beneath her fury, he saw a flash of uneasebefore she covered it up.

“Dragons,” she said.

An uneasy feeling coiled in his stomach asanother boom rattled