Page 175 of Taken By Shadows

His palm opened, and his fingers pushed back. Shadows formed like wisps of smoke, and they moved for me like they could scent my anticipation.

I wanted him in so many ways.

I didn’t know what that meant for me. For us. But I’d nearly lost everything tonight.

And so, when his shadows touched my skin and wrapped around my arms and over my shoulders, moving around to my back, I arched into them and let Kaed take me.

His shadows lifted me off the step until I was floating towards him. My hands came to rest on his shoulders, and I could sense his hands wanting to trace the line of my legs, my hips, over the delicate layers of my dress.

But he didn’t touch the sheer fabric.

Instead, he let me touch him. As if offering himself in surrender, he held his arms back from me.

My fingers found the deep grooves of him where his shoulders met the hard panels of his chest muscles. His tunic was styled open at the neck, and my fingers crept under the fabric to touch the smooth skin beneath.

It was enough to nearly undo me. Exploring something new about Kaed was like being drunk; emboldened and filled with heat. Every part of him I touched just made me want more.

His breathing was heavy, and his eyes never left mine.

Staying perfectly still, he let my fingers travel to his neck. To rake through his dark hair. My hands fisted, and I grasped the soft locks between my fingers. “Kiss me …” I wasn’t sure I’d actually managed the words, but then he pulled against my hold.

And he stopped when I didn’t let go.

I held him where he was, his lips just out of reach from mine.

Just for a moment. I knew he was stronger than I was. But he stayed at my will, where I held him.

“Kiss me,” I taunted again, my lips coming closer to his, trying to get him to beg first.

His mouth curved into a devastating smile, and I knew I wouldn’t have the power to stop him for much longer.

“Let me taste you,” he murmured.

I released my grip on his hair just enough to let him crush his lips to mine.

And it was exactly what I needed.

His kiss soothed everything while also setting a blaze inside me.

My lips parted for him, and he caught my breath. His tongue swept to tangle with mine. With every movement, he deepened the kiss. I thought I might need air, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t care when I’d taken what I wanted tonight. Finally giving in to what I needed and ignoring how much this would hurt tomorrow.

Kaed still held me up, now with his hands and shadows as one, my feet dangling below, as hundreds of tiny lights suddenly punctuated the shadows he’d hidden us within.

“What’s happening?” I asked, pulling away.

The room was filled with floating lights, enveloping tiny flowers and seeds.

He groaned and huffed a laugh as he turned. “It’s the Offering,” he said as he set me back down on my feet.

With a persuasive finger under my chin, he guided my lips back to his.

How did he know that just made me fall apart? It was annoying that he’d found that weakness in me.

“Should we not take part?” I asked just as his lips brushed mine.

Why was I so interested in the godsdamned party when Kaed’s lips were right there?

He pulled away. “I don’t take part in this celebration.”