Page 132 of Split or Swallow

To Tem’s surprise, Caspen’s face darkened.

“You cannot accept.”

“Excuse me?”

“What I mean to say is, you cannot accept. My quiver, should they approve the match, would accept on your behalf.”

Tem absorbed this information. It was utterly bizarre: she’d never heard of someone being unable to accept their own proposal. It begged the obvious question:

“Will they approve the match?”

“I very much doubt it.”

“Excuse me?” she said again.

“Tem,” he took her hands in his. “It is not personal. Basilisks and humans rarely mate. What we have is unusual, and my quiver will be wary of it.”

Tem was still trying to process the fact that Caspen had proposed to her. She thought back to when he’d given her the necklace: it was the morning after he’d touched her for the very first time. He’d made her come, and she’d done the same for him. Afterward, they’d shared their first meal together. Tem remembered how electrifying their connection had been that night: how exhilarating and significant it had felt to bring each other to orgasm. That night had meant a lot to her. Only now did she realize it had meant even more to Caspen.

There was one last thing Tem needed to know.

“How long have you loved me?”

Caspen held her gaze as he whispered:

“Far longer than you have loved me.”

Tem wondered just how long that was.

Was it the moment she’d touched herself in front of him? Or earlier, when she’d first taken off her clothes in the cave? Or earlier still, when he’d visited her in her dreams? Had he known then that he loved her? Had she known too?

Caspen had always been an anomaly to her: a creature far beyond anything Tem could encapsulate with mere words. It shouldn’t surprise her that things had progressed for him in a way she never could have predicted. There was no point in trying to comprehend a basilisk. And yet, Tem was not afraid of his declaration. She was not afraid of him. She never had been. Caspen had always treated her as his equal, despite the inequity between them. He was the only one who built her up—who told her, constantly, that she was enough.

As they looked at each other, something blossomed in Tem’s heart. There was a sincerity to his gesture that she appreciated more than he would ever know. To be told she was someone’s future wasn’t something Tem had ever expected to hear. She thought girls like Vera were the only ones who could catch the eye of a man—that every other girl in the world was worthy of affection but her. Caspen had shown her that wasn’t true. He’d opened her up—in more ways than one—and she would be forever changed because of it.

Caspen wore an expression of obvious caution, no doubt waiting to see how she would react to what he’d just told her. There was no reason to make him wait any longer.

Tem stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

Caspen met her lips with his, pulling her into his arms with monstrous strength. The kiss was everything she needed and more. It was confirmation that the risks they were taking were worth it—that they would always choose each other despite everything standing in their way.

The kiss deepened. Tem grabbed at every part of him—pulling him against her—wishing she could consume him. Everything about him made her feral, like an untamed animal that had just been let out of its cage. She focused on nothing but Caspen—pushing away everything that happened tonight—pouring herself into this moment until she was blind with desire. Her hands slid down his trousers to feel his cock. As soon as she touched him, he pulled away.

“Tem,” his voice was strained. “We should not.”

“Why not?”

Caspen brushed his fingers gently over her bottom lip.

“It is too easy for me to lose control around you.”

Tem remembered how he’d bitten her last time. How he drew blood.

“You love me,” she said.

“I do.”

She leaned into his touch. His eyes were turning black.