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My lungs beg for oxygen. My head spins, and the world tilts. Still, I hang on to Theo. Monty pushes against my back, beating his dragon wings to help me stay upright.
Please, Theo.
The smoke and poison overtake me. My knees buckle, my balance goes, and not even Monty can hold me up.
I’m falling.
The thought stretches impossibly long before strong arms wrap around me, hauling me up. Theo’s lips move against mine, and he kisses me back with a greed and strength that has me believing we can overcome fire, fate, poison, forced magic, even Theo’s evil queen of a mom.
The smoke and flames disappear into oblivion along with my sanity. I whimper when he nips at my lip, pushing venom into me.
I risk my life saving him, and the asshole bites me. If I could stand on my own, I would bite him back. Instead, I remain limpin his hold, reveling in how he kisses me. He drinks from me as though he’ll rip the poison from me with his fangs.
He pulls away, his intense gaze raking over me before carrying me from the casino. “Come, Montejanus. She’ll need you in the suite.”
Monty flies to our side, my toy unicorn clutched in his claws. The sight is so cute, so charming, I can’t help but giggle.
“Better,” Theo says. “You’ll be well in no time. Nic, you’ll follow us?”
I’m still laughing as Theo teleports us into his bedroom. “Oh.” A sudden rush of hormones hits where only adrenaline rushed before.
“Geez, Theo.” Nic blinks into the doorway. “She’s high on venom. How much did you give her?”
“As much as I thought she could take,” he answers.
Why is he talking and not kissing me again?
“Too much,” Nic says. “Val, you okay with a sedative with your healing potion?”
“I feel fine.” It’s almost true. My head’s still spinning, and the world seems to move without me in it. But I want, IneedTheo.
“You’re not,” Theo says. “You need the sedative, Vicious.”
He dares call me that when he… My memory dances out of reach, scattering in a thousand directions. I struggle to catch the shattered pieces. They flutter away like butterflies or pixie poker spells. When one zips by, I seize it. “You bit me.”
“Right after I poisoned you,” Theo says, and the guilt in his gaze? It guts me.
“You didn’t mean to.” I’m not sure of much, but I know that.
“If you weren’t near fireproof these days, I would’ve burned you alive. Thank the gods for the mating magic. I don’t know what I would’ve done if we hadn’t?—”
“Without our mating magic, your mommy dearest wouldn’t have provoked you.” Remembering connects another thought. “She put something in me—a magic I shouldn’t have.”
“Gilly’s magic,” Nic says.
“It’s Val’s now,” Theo insists, the fire in his voice having nothing to do with his Brimstone powers and everything to do with possession, protection, and pride.
Or I think it does. I giggle again. “Too serious. More fun. Right, Shadowvale?” A candy pop beat thumps through the walls, a magical soundtrack to the sudden shapes that pirouette and twirl across the floor. The air hangs thick and sparkling, champagne fizz popping on my tongue as I lick at Theo’s skin.
“She needs to sleep it off,” Nic says.
Rude. Talking about me like I’m not here.
“After kisses,” I argue.
Theo tips my chin his way, and I wiggle in delight, hoping for more kisses. Except he speaks instead. “Healing potion first. Then you must rest.”
“Yourest.” I poke him in the chest. Or at least I try. Only I somehow miss and end up jabbing the air between his shoulder and his wing. “Oops. This is how I felt after my siblings slipped me acid before a live show.” My words come out thick.
